Before beginning any demolition or renovation project, it is important to know and identify hazardous materials that may be present on your project site by hiring a licensed, experienced contractor. The 4 Key Steps to a successful renovation and demolition project are:

1.       Inspection
2.       Notification
3.       Removal
4.       Disposal

Inspection
Identifying hazardous materials before starting work on a project site is required by OSHA, the State of Wisconsin to protect worker’s health and safety, building occupants, the environment and the financial viability of the project. Implementing this up front can help you choose the appropriate inspectors, consultants and contractors and avoid costly change orders or project delays. All affected parts of a facility being renovated or demolished must be inspected for the presence of asbestos by a State Licensed Asbestos Inspector, regardless of the age of the building. Building materials and fixtures that may contain asbestos or other harmful materials are included in thousands of building materials and are still in use today.

Notification
The State of Wisconsin must be notified of any demolition and/or renovation activities. Projects within the City of Milwaukee may also require a permit application process to be completed. The Department of Natural Resources requires notification for any of the below categories:

·         Two or more contiguous single-family homes
·         Homes that are part of a larger demolition project
·         Industrial, manufacturing, or commercial buildings including bridges, farm buildings, and churches
·         Any structure being prepped for a fire training exercise

All demolition projects meeting the above listed criteria, and renovation projects involving asbestos and the above criteria require DNR notification 10 working days prior to project work beginning.

Removal
State of Wisconsin Licensed Asbestos supervisors and workers must perform asbestos abatement regardless of whether the material is regulated (friable/Regulated Asbestos-Containing Materials) or non-friable; and, in any quantity over that of one waste bag of removal. All trained and asbestos-licensed supervisors and workers must work for a Licensed Asbestos Company, including one-person operations (i.e., Inspectors). A licensed supervisor must be on site during all abatement work to prevent the release of asbestos fibers into the air by following work practice standards as established by the state or federal agencies. Department of Health Services requires the posting of a fully completed site-specific Occupant Protection Plan outside of the regulated area immediately upon arrival. A Daily Project Log is required by DHS documenting names, times and signatures of everyone who is inside the regulated area, and each time they exit and enter the area. More information regarding regulated areas can be found in our blog post: What Are They Doing In There?

Disposal
All ACM debris must remain wet when removed, containerized, labeled and manifested for proper disposal at a licensed landfill. All asbestos containing waste material must be properly disposed of in leak-tight containers. All containers must be labeled with the name of the waste generator and location at which it was generated. This is part of the waste manifest, otherwise known as a “chain of custody” showing where the waste originated, who has it currently and where it is intended to go, including an emergency contact of a person with knowledge of the waste.

Balestrieri Environmental & Development brings peace of mind to building owners for any demolition or renovation project. We have thirty years of experience in the asbestos abatement and demolition industry, with a history of developing customized solutions and a turn-key approach not found with other contractors.