Asbestos. A word that will send shivers down the spine of any property owner, purchaser or building manager.

The health risks associated with exposure to asbestos are severe and often the safe removal and disposal from a property is critical.

It was just a few decades ago Asbestos was being used as a key material in the construction trade, so why is it now known as the taboo material?

Asbestos was long viewed in the building trade as a versatile mineral because of its strength, flexibility and affordability, as well as its insulation properties from heat and electricity.

Many industries saw it as the go-to material and in the 1980’s it was estimated that Australia was one of the highest users of asbestos per-capita than anywhere else in the world.

Thirty years later and we are still dealing with the deadly legacy of the asbestos boom, with one third of homes in Australia now containing asbestos products.

Friable and non-friable asbestos bring with them a significant risk to all residents, workers and others if materials are not properly maintained or removed.

Potential health risks can exist when there is:

• Presence of ambient levels of asbestos,
• Weathering of asbestos containing materials (ACMs),
• The presence of damaged ACMs,
• Building and/or maintenance work involving ACMs,
• Demolition and/or removal of ACMs.

Asbestos is so feared because research has found there to be a direct correlation between exposure to the material and pleural mesothelioma. That’s the name of the most common form of this cancer which develops in the lining of the lungs and is almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos.

It is clear that asbestos is not something to be taken lightly but the next question is who do you trust to ensure your property inspection is undergone by the right people.

A quick internet search will bring up pages of results for property inspectors, but you need to ensure you find one that is capable of taking on such a critical task.

NR Wallace Building Inspections have 29 years of experience in the property inspections industry and can guarantee a prompt and professional service.

Asbestos Reporting serve

• commercial,
• domestic,
• industrial and
• retail buildings

along the NSW South Coast, from the Wollongong Council area to Narooma, the Southern Highlands, Goulburn and Southern NSW.

Principle, Neil Wallace, said:

“Experience is accumulated over a period of time. It is not something that can be learnt in a classroom. Quality assurance, attention to detail and consistency come with experience.”

Asbestos Reporting have a quality assurance policy that ensures all the full brief is covered during an inspection. We provide bespoke inspections for clients and ensure we discuss the desired outcome beforehand. Where necessary, we determine features such as referring to standards, codes or regulations, technical brochures and information sheets.

Over the three decades we have been in the industry, we have accumulated thousands of satisfied clients that show we have the correct tools available to complete every inspection to the highest of standards.

The quality of our service is regularly reviewed and we always ensure our work is carried out carefully and efficiently – even when it comes to the most basic of inspections.

Neil Wallace is fully qualified, fully insured with professional indemnity and are licensed and accredited as a builder or building consultant.

We also use Australian Standard 4349.1 – 2007 as our baseline for planning, methodology and quality assurance.