Asbestos Flooring – What to Know
Asbestos is a dangerous substance often found in construction materials that are commonly found in homes and businesses. At Turn-Key Environmental we frequently receive questions about asbestos in flooring.
What kind of flooring materials may contain asbestos? There are 3:
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Vinyl-asbestos floor tiles. This type of floor has been in use since 1950 and continues to be used. It is 21% asbestos and needs to be professionally abated.
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Asphalt asbestos floor tiles. This has been in use from the 1920’s to the present. Typically, this floor type is 26% asbestos. It also needs to be professionally remediated.
- Resilient sheet flooring. This also has been around since 1950 and is still being used. It typically is 30% asbestos. Like the others, this type of flooring is typically professionally abated.
Asbestos Testing
Testing suspicious flooring should be done by a state licensed professional. If a property is being renovated, repaired, or demolished, and suspected flooring is discovered, it should be tested.
Moreover, all work on the floor should be stopped until the results of the test are available. If the suspected materials contain asbestos, then continuing the work would likely make the asbestos airborne and dangerous.
Consequentially, Turn-Key’s environmental professionals take samples of the suspected material meeting all regulations and send the samples to a licensed laboratory to determine the flooring contents.
Testing Results
When the results of the laboratory are available, Turn-Key writes a report to the client as to the details of the flooring contents and what next steps should be.
Abatement
Abatement is the term used for the remediation and mitigation of asbestos if it is found. Asbestos abatement is highly regulated and must be done by State Licensed contractors. All the procedures for the abatement of asbestos are designed to minimize the generation of airborne fibers during the phases of the removal effort. These regulations are designed to protect: the abatement workers, the building occupants and the general public.
Dangers of Asbestos
Asbestos is a serious and dangerous substance. It is important to understand the risks it presents before purchasing, renovating, or demolishing a property.
In addition, asbestos is dangerous because it can break down into microscopic fibers that can remain airborne for days after being disturbed. When inhaled, these fibers can travel deep into the lungs and cause 
inflammation and scarring, which can lead to serious diseases like lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.
Asbestos Regulation
Because of these dangers asbestos is highly regulated by state and federal authorities. Turn-Key Environmental Consultants has several State of Ohio licensed asbestos professionals who conduct asbestos surveys and sampling.
Meeting State and Federal Requirements is not easy. Call Turn-Key Environmental to get the help you need, 937-335-8807.
