2 Words: Health & Safety
Asbestos is a known human carcinogen. Asbestos fibers are released into the air after they are dislodged from disturbed or damaged building materials. Without adequate personal protective equipment and containment practices in place, exposing yourself to these harmful fibers during a renovation or construction project may result in devastating long-term health consequences.
Asbestos is also a regulated material. There are laws in place to handle, remove and dispose of these hazardous items. Let’s say, for example, that you take the risk and remove the asbestos vinyl floor tiles from your basement and then you dispose of it in your trash bin, or at the local waste facility. Well, that’s illegal and dangerous and if you’re caught, you can face hefty fines. Additionally, you unwittingly put other workers, such as those at waste facilities at serious risk. There are too many potential hazards associated with a DIY asbestos project.
Ultimately, you need an asbestos test so that you can ensure you know what you’re dealing with and then know how to deal with it according to your current provincial regulations.
Now, just because your property was built between 1940 and 1990 does not automatically guarantee that asbestos was used during its construction. The probability is certainly higher, but it is not exclusively present in all materials.
For the health and safety of everyone who may be involved: when in doubt, test it out.
Call us today to find out how we can help get you the data you need to make safe, informed decisions.
At Axxonlab, we leverage our vast experience and extensive, ongoing training to deliver safe, reliable, and accurate services.
Safety is our top priority while collecting bulk (physical) samples of building materials for asbestos analysis, and we know this is your top priority as well. Our lab-approved environmental sampling technicians will adequately prepare the area(s) of concern and ensure a clean, methodical sampling process is undertaken from beginning to end.
Your safety during our asbestos testing process is guaranteed.
Axxonlab is not a decontamination or abatement company. We don’t have any upsells after our reports get sent out. We won’t persuade you into something that may not be required.
As a laboratory that is focused on providing data-driven insights, we will help you with customized recommendations based on the totality of your data.
The first step after a positive asbestos test result is to understand what it means. Over a phone or video call, we will walk you through every line in your asbestos laboratory certificate to understand what it all means and what the next steps can look like.
We work with clients to understand their entire project from beginning to end so that we can give each one accurate, honest and practical advice.
Yes, Axxonlab performs detailed Designated Substance Surveys regularly and we love doing them!
A Designated Substance Survey (DSS) is performed to identify the presence of hazardous materials, particularly those classified as designated substances, in a building or site before any renovation, demolition, or construction project is undertaken. This ensures compliance with occupational health and safety regulations and protects workers, occupants and neighbors from exposure to harmful substances, like asbestos or lead-based paint.
A typical DSS can include:
⬡ A visual inspection of the site to identify potential areas where designated substances might be present.
⬡ Examination of building plans, maintenance records, and any previous environmental reports to understand the history and potential presence of hazardous materials.
⬡ Collection of physical samples from various building materials suspected to contain designated substances (e.g., asbestos, lead, mercury, silica).
⬡ All collected samples are brought back to Axxonlab for a detailed analysis to confirm the presence and concentration of designated substances.
⬡ Creation of a comprehensive inventory document, listing all identified designated substances, including their locations and conditions.
⬡ Evaluation of the potential risks associated with the identified substances and providing recommendations for managing and mitigating those risks.
⬡ Compilation of all supporting documents, including laboratory reports, inspection notes, photographs, site plans, and information on how the findings and recommendations align with current health and safety regulations.
During our asbestos testing visits, we ask that our clients refrain from being in direct proximity to our technicians while they collect samples. Our technicians will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as part of our internal sampling protocols. We affix our sampling bags directly to the material of concern, apply weighted water at regular intervals to minimize dust dispersal, and then precisely extract the appropriate amount of materials needed for analysis. Afterward, we ensure that sampled areas have temporary patches applied and that all collected samples are properly cataloged and stored for safe transport back to our laboratory. Often, we leave a sample zone cleaner than how we found it! There is no requirement for you to vacate the property during our sampling procedure.
Your health and safety is our top priority. This is why we do what we do…and we’re really, really good at it.
Axxonlab provides rapid laboratory analysis for asbestos in bulk and air samples. Our standard turnaround time is 24 hours, but we also offer expedited options of 1, 3, or 6 hours to meet any project requirement. We guarantee quality, reliable data every time, regardless of the urgency.
If you’re located in Québec, the CNESST has a practical set of guidelines. The sample collection process for asbestos involves identifying homogeneous zones where the material is uniform in appearance and use, and then collecting 9 samples from each zone to ensure a statistically significant representation. Samples should be evenly distributed and selected from random locations within the zone to capture variability. Each sample should be about 2 to 4 square inches and include the full depth of the material. During collection, personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used to prevent exposure, and samples should be placed in sealed sampling containers for transport to an accredited laboratory for analysis.
At times, this recommended guideline may not be feasible for the size or type of project involved nor may it be financially viable for you as a client.
This is where we utilize our 10+ years of experience, both in the field and in the laboratory, to safely collect appropriate amounts of building materials required for an accurate and reliable analysis.
Outside of Québec, recommendations may vary for sampling processes before any renovation or demolition process.
We highly encourage you to give us a call to discuss your project and to learn more about the sampling methodology recommended for your region.
Having asbestos in your home is risky. There’s no way around it, unfortunately.
Prolonged exposure to asbestos carries several potential health risks, such as asbestosis, pleural plaques, mesothelioma and other lung cancers. Asbestos related risks apply to both humans and pets and these risks are greatest when asbestos fibers are inhaled. Asbestos-containing building materials that get damaged, pulverized, cut, sanded, and converted into dust carry a higher degree of risk. Asbestos fibers become dislodged from the materials and compounds they are integrated with, become airborne, and can then be inhaled.
Sometimes, damage to asbestos-containing building materials is not the result of planned demolition or construction work. It can occur during a natural disaster, like a tornado, or roof leak, or even something innocent like a playful child accidentally damaging a textured basement ceiling. It’s risky to have it in your home.
Fortunately, many preventative measures can be taken to accurately assess and address this potential risk. The first step is to get materials sampled. Properly. And then analyzed. By a reputable, accredited laboratory. Axxonlab covers both of these aspects, in addition to helping families navigate these risks for over a decade. Give us a call and let’s work through this, together.
This is mostly correct.
Exposure to harmful asbestos fibers is greatest when the building materials in which they are contained have been disturbed to the point where dust is released.
This applies specifically to non-friable building materials, such as plaster, cement, vinyl floor tile, asphalt, etc.
Friable asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are those that can be easily crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure alone.
These materials have a higher risk of releasing asbestos fibers into the air, which can be inhaled and may pose serious health risks.
Examples of friable ACMs include:
⬡ Insulation: Often found in attics (vermiculite), wrapping around pipes, boilers, ducts, and floor/heat registers.
⬡ Ceiling Tiles: Particularly older acoustic tiles that can deteriorate over time.
⬡ Fireproofing Materials: Sprayed-on coatings used to protect structural steel and other components in buildings.
These materials can be disturbed with ease, often unintentionally, and are also subject to natural degradation due to its high cellulose content. With friable, asbestos-containing materials, it is recommended to remove them from your indoor environment to minimize potential risk and ensure the occupants remain safe.
Vermiculite insulation, widely used in Canadian properties between the 1950s and 1980s for its fire-resistant and insulating properties, was primarily mined from Libby, Montana, a site later discovered to be contaminated with asbestos.
Vermiculite insulation looks like small, pebble-like granules that are light brown or golden in color. Vermiculite can be the size of a grain of rice to a small pebble, and they have a shiny, reflective surface that gives them a somewhat sparkly appearance. When touched, vermiculite feel lightweight and somewhat crumbly. It expands under heat, and sometimes has an accordion-like appearance, especially with the larger varieties. Vermiculite insulation is typically a loose fill and poured in place. Vermiculite came in large brown bags, often found discarded in attics from where it was predominantly installed.
Axxonlab has sampled and analyzed vermiculite installed under floors and subfloors, behind wall cavities, and even poured in the holes of block foundations! If you discover vermiculite during repairs, halt any work immediately and call us for testing and rapid, reliable analysis.
