Asbestos is one of the more dangerous enemies a demolition contractor will face. This seemingly harmless material has the potential to cause not only severe health problems, but also legal issues. The worst part is, you might not even know it’s there.
Asbestos is often mixed into other construction materials, making it extremely difficult to identify. This leaves your company, employees, and even bystanders completely vulnerable. Asbestos testing exists to solve this problem. But when do you need to perform a test? And how much will it cost your company?
Why Asbestos Testing is Crucial
Asbestos was once used for a wide range of purposes, and thus can be present in many forms. Some examples include wall sheeting, eaves, vinyl flooring, adhesives, insulation, and roofing products. Unfortunately, this means it’s often mixed directly into other materials, such as concrete. In some ways, this makes it safer, as it reduces the risk of fibres snapping off and being inhaled. But it doesn’t remove all risk, and more concerningly, it also makes the asbestos impossible to detect with the human eye. Your employees could be working with asbestos without even knowing they’re in danger.
Asbestos testing reveals this hidden contamination, allowing your team to ensure the proper safety measures are in place and protecting them from harm. It also shields your company from legal issues, by demonstrating your commitment to worksite safety (which in turn can assist with the process of obtaining insurance).
What Affects Asbestos Testing Prices?
Asbestos inspection prices are influenced by several key factors:
Site Size and Collection Difficulty
A small building that requires only one or two samples is easier to thoroughly test than a larger and more complex site. Restricted access, poor lighting, and safety controls all influence what you will be charged. You may need to pay more, for instance, if the assessor needs to check difficult areas such as ceiling cavities, subfloors, or plant rooms.
Number of Samples Required
Just because two products look similar, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the same. For example, two wall panels in the same building may have been installed at different times. Situations like this may increase the number of samples an assessor must collect, which in turn affects the price.
Turnaround Time
Urgency also impacts asbestos inspection costs. If a project is already underway and multiple parties are waiting for results, a faster turnaround may be needed, potentially requiring priority laboratory processing or immediate site attendance. This can incur a “rush fee”.
Location and Travel
Regional, remote, or hard-to-access sites may cost more to inspect. This is primarily due to the travel involved. The longer it takes your licensed asbestos assessor to reach the site, the more they must pay – and this will certainly be reflected in the final price tag.
How to Reduce the Cost of Asbestos Testing Services
Build Testing into Your Quote
If you know a project will require an asbestos check, costs should be built directly into the quote you offer. This ensures that you can recoup this money quickly and easily. It will also improve your reputation as a responsible company.
Ask the Right Questions Early
Before any work begins, ask the client about the building’s age and history, previous renovations, known asbestos registers, past testing, and any other important details. This information helps you determine not only whether asbestos risk is present, but also where, which can simplify the testing process.
Do Not Disturb Suspect Materials
If you suspect the presence of asbestos within a work site, avoid cutting, drilling, sanding, or otherwise damaging the materials in question until after the test has been carried out. This is for two reasons:
- Continuing work without the correct protective measures puts employees and bystanders in danger.
- These activities could spread the hazardous materials across the entire worksite, drastically complicating the test (and thus raising the price).
Test in Bulk
If you have multiple projects ongoing in the same area that may require testing, consider performing all of it at once. While this might seem more expensive, it reduces the travel time needed to reach each site and may actually result in a slightly lower quote.
Protect Your Company Against Asbestos Risks
Asbestos testing can be expensive, depending on the factors involved. However, the alternative might cost you far more. It’s worth putting in the effort now to ensure that you don’t experience issues later. Keeping clear documentation and approaching the inspection in a structured way will protect you from claims later, without draining your budget.
Another easy way to keep your business safe is by maintaining the correct insurance. Asbestos removal policies are often neglected, but absolutely crucial. Read our article to learn why.
FAQs
Asbestos testing is when an independent assessor evaluates your worksite to determine whether asbestos fibres are present. This can be performed at the beginning of a contract, to determine next steps, or at the end in order to obtain a clearance certificate.
Asbestos testing prices vary depending on the size and complexity of the job. Location can also matter, if it impacts the assessor’s travel expenses.
Asbestos testing can only be carried out by a licensed assessor or other competent person. This individual should be fully independent from your company, to ensure there is no bias.
An asbestos inspection usually includes site attendance, visual assessment, sample collection, laboratory testing, documentation, and practical recommendations.
No, asbestos cannot always be visually identified. This is because it’s often mixed into other materials, making it invisible to the naked eye.