Top Five Things To Look For When Hiring A Hazardous Materials Removal Specialist
Any exposure to hazardous materials like asbestos, lead, radioactive waste, mold, etc. can cause severe illness and in some cases, it can also be life-threatening. For example, mold in your house, whether black spots on a shower curtain or fuzzy white patches on the basement floor can cause severe allergies and asthma.
Therefore, you should be very careful in selecting a competent hazardous materials removal specialist, who can ensure that such dangerous elements are removed from your surroundings, and there is no threat to your health or the health of your family.
To help you pick the best hazardous material removal specialist, here is a list of top five things to look for when hiring a contractor that specializes in hazardous materials removal from residential and commercial buildings.
1. Commercial general and pollution liability insurance.
Check whether the specialist has commercial general and pollution liability insurance or not. In most cases, legitimate companies in this trade have this type of insurance to protect themselves and their clients. The pollution liability insurance is particularly relevant for removal of hazardous materials. You must make it a point to ask for a copy of insurance policy from the service provider before the work begins and then confirm with the insurance company.
2. Training and WCB Coverage for employees.
You need to ensure that employees of a company are sufficiently trained in hazardous material removal. The nature of their job is very serious from the viewpoint of environment and your health. Therefore, qualified and trained staff is an absolute must. Given that this work involves handling and dealing with dangerous materials, it is advisable that you check whether the employees have WCB coverage or not, which means checking whether a company has taken workers compensation insurance or not. Such an insurance policy is critical in case of an event like a workplace injury or illness.
3. Have legislative requirements been complied with?
A specialist needs to have a comprehensive understanding and should have complied with all the legislative requirements, which apply to hazardous materials abatement/remediation. Over and above this, you should also ask the specialist to provide proof of DOP Testing of HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filtered vacuums and air movers (asbestos and lead abatements). The specialist must also fit test his workers on their respiratory protective equipment, file a notice of the project and set up containment. You should make sure that all these requirements are fulfilled BEFORE the removal of hazardous materials begins.
4. Third party monitoring.
Not all types of hazardous materials removal require air monitoring. However all moderate and high risk asbestos and lead abatements have legislation that requires air monitoring. If air monitoring is required, you need to ensure that it is actually done by a THIRD PARTY and not by the company doing the hazardous material removal. It’s a bit more expensive, however, it’s for your protection!
5. Reviews and recommendations.
When it comes to hiring specialists, you should rely on Better Business Bureau and other types of reviews or recommendations by friends, family, and other professionals, who have worked with them.
If you’re looking for a hazardous material removal specialist, who has expertise in removing mold and asbestos from residential and commercial buildings throughout Alberta, reach out to Advanced Remediation Solutions Inc. Since February 2004, we have been improving Alberta’s indoor air quality by helping our clients in mold remediation and asbestos abatement. To learn more about the services we offer, please click here. To get in touch with us, please click here.
