Assessment of potential asbestos containing material (ACM) in the building fabric requires a methodical approach that includes the following elements:
- Review existing building records and drawings to ascertain if asbestos was specified in the building’s original construction or subsequent renovation.
- Systematic inspection of the building, preferably starting at roof top level (tiles, shingles, cooling towers, surface finish of walls, etc.).
- Progressively moving down through the ceiling voids, plant rooms, general offices, hallways, sub-floor voids, basements, garages, equipment rooms, etc.
- Photographs are taken of key inspected areas and of all substances sampled. Samples are taken of all insulation materials, suspect wall materials, tiles, surface finishes, gaskets, etc.
- Care is taken to differentiate between layers of materials. Large areas need several representative samples and all physically different materials (colour, texture, size, etc. of tiles) are sampled as discrete materials.
- Building engineers may be consulted to add their input. Voids, rooms, closets, garages, etc., are reviewed with the engineer and their knowledge used to locate or identify any other possible locations.
- Bulk samples are submitted to a laboratory accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) for analysis for asbestos in bulk materials.
- Consider ventilation and air-conditioning systems for potential interactions with ACM.