Removal of cement bonded asbestos roofs may not be as risky health-wise as removing some other type of asbestos containing materials (like asbestos lagging or insulation which may release a lot of asbestos fibres into the air), if the removal is handled with some precautions. The homeowner will need to know the local regulations and laws that govern removing cement bonded asbestos sheets on their own, and may choose to use the services of a licensed contractor, for example Roofing Contracts & Building ltd.
To remove a cement bonded asbestos roof, a worker will need a disposable mask, some gloves and overalls, and a pair of non-laced boots to avoid inhaling any asbestos fibres, and to make it easy to do some personal clean up or de-contamination after the removal.
The homeowner or worker will need some polythene sheeting to cover and tape down non-asbestos surfaces with duct tape, to avoid contaminating them with asbestos. They will also need to wet the asbestos sheets, with some liquid detergent or wetting agent with a sprayer or brush, before working on them to minimise the amount of fibres that may be released from the roof.
The asbestos sheets’ fixings and bolts should be dampened and then removed by placing them in a polythene waste container sack or bag. A lot of precaution should be taken to ensure that the asbestos sheets are not broken in some way. Larger pieces of asbestos sheeting will need to be double-wrapped with some polythene sheeting and then sealed with duct tape, the smaller pieces can be placed in the waste container bag too.
The area and equipment used during the removal may be cleaned with some damp rags. The mask, gloves, overalls, brush and rags used too in the removal process can be dispose off into the waste container bag. The waste container sack/bag will then need to be double bagged and taped closed for disposal. Cement bonded asbestos waste may be disposed of at a licensed disposal site with a vehicle or sealed skip, or through a waste disposal contractor.