Asbestos Services

A Little Bit of History…

For many years asbestos was called the magic mineral because of its unique nature and universal applications. The word itself comes from the Greek word for incombustible. The mineral’s fire-resistant qualities are among its most valuable characteristics. This led to its wide use in ships, buildings, and theater curtains, where protection against fire was essential. In addition to its fire-retardant properties, it has other qualities that make it useful, including a fibrous nature, heat stability, thermal and electrical resistance, flexibility, high tensile strength, and stability in acids.

Due to its superb insulation and fire-resistant qualities, asbestos was used in more products than most people realize, and thought of differently then as it is today.

Today we know that asbestos is a known carcinogen and asbestos exposure can lead to long-term health effects. Rules and Regulations have been implemented for the safe management and removal of asbestos-containing materials.

In our experience, a lot of people are unaware of the extent of building materials that can contain asbestos. Floor tiles, insulation on pipes, and attic insulation are some of the materials that a lot of people associate asbestos with.

What surprises most is that asbestos can be found in drywall joint compound, texture/stucco ceilings, plaster, linoleum, ceiling tiles, roofing felt, and mastic to name a few. Each building material can be friable or non-friable and has different types of removals associated with each one.

The rules and regulations pertaining to asbestos are also generally unknown not only to homeowners but sometimes contractors as well.

Pictures are worth a thousand words!

This is an asbestos fibre
And this is a representation of how small asbestos fibres are

We provide essential services to all customers!

All Renovations must start with asbestos testing!

Owner of the Project

Did you know that if you are a homeowner and having work done on your property you are the owner of the project? What does that mean? That means under Ontario Regulation 278/05 you have the obligation to have all building materials that may be removed during a renovation checked for asbestos content prior to hiring contractors?

Who would know that? Some home improvement shows talk about asbestos but never go into who is responsible. As a homeowner you’re probably putting your faith in your contractor that they know all the regulations but that’s not always the case.

Metro Contract Management can work with you and your contractor to ensure that all materials that are to be disturbed during a renovation are tested in accordance with the Regulations to ensure compliance.

Contractors Responsibilities

All contractors, employers, etc. have a duty to protect their workers from any potential asbestos exposure. This is another reason why all building materials need to be tested for asbestos content prior to removal.

It’s great to see more contractors complying with the regulations but unfortunately for whatever reason not all do. And sometimes even when the material is tested and you think you’re good to go, asbestos-containing materials can be hidden inside walls, beneath flooring, etc.

This is where the project stops and a call to Metro Contract Management is made. We can assist with a quick collection of samples, and have them analyzed for asbestos content so the project can move forth in a timely manner and the materials can be removed accordingly.

Why hire Metro Contract Management?

Thinking of removing asbestos yourself? You might want to rethink that. There is nothing worse on our end than hearing the worry in someone when they realize that the building materials that have been removed without precautions are or could be asbestos-containing.

The enclosures we build, the equipment we use, and the procedures we follow are all to ensure that asbestos fibers are contained and removed safely.

These are some of the precautions we use to safely remove asbestos

Enclosures
Glove Bags
Negative Air

And these are the precautions that used by someone who thought they could do what we do!

Big Difference Right? Unfortunately, this does happen. A lot! This is an example of where Metro was called in after the customer realized something wasn’t right. A Type 2 clean which is generally required after an improper removal can add thousands to the job. Now let’s add the mental stress. Sometimes it’s just better to do things the right way the first time. And dealing with asbestos is one of those times.

The type and the amount of asbestos-containing material are all factors in which removal procedures are used. Not all jobs require a full enclosure as seen on TV, but sometimes they do. An experienced asbestos removal company will know which procedure to follow.

Still not sure what to do?

Is that asbestos? Should I test everything? It’s a lot to take in and chances are if your looking up asbestos removal companies it might be a stressful time. Our quotes are free and we are always available to take your calls and discuss any concerns you may have.