Removing an asbestos roof is not ordinary building work. If it is done badly, fibres spread over your property and your neighbours’, and the waste can end up dumped where it harms others. Before you hire anyone, check these eight things.
1. A NEMA licence for asbestos waste
Asbestos waste must never be dumped, burned, broken up or reused. It may only be buried at a disposal site licensed by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Ask the contractor for their NEMA licence number and where their waste goes. Steen Agencies runs its own NEMA-licensed disposal site in Kaloleni Subcounty, Kilifi County, and our licence number is shown at the top of every page of this website.
2. Registration with the National Construction Authority
Taking off a roof and fitting a new one is building work. Ask whether the contractor is registered with the National Construction Authority (NCA), and in which category. Steen Agencies is an NCA Category 4 (NCA4) Building Works Contractor.
3. Trained staff
Asbestos work needs people who know the risks. Ask what training the crew has had, and from whom. Our staff are trained in Hazardous Substances (Asbestos Handling Safety), First Aid and Working at Heights by Chase Safety Solutions Limited, a government-approved trainer.
4. A written plan for your job
A professional contractor plans the work before it starts: how the waste is contained, stored, transported and disposed of. We prepare a written removal plan for every job.
5. A safe, closed-off work area
During the work, nobody without protective equipment should come near. We tape off the work area and put up asbestos warning signs, so neighbours, staff and passers-by keep away.
6. Careful removal, without breaking sheets
Asbestos is most dangerous when it breaks and releases fibres. Ask how the sheets come down. Our crew keeps the sheets damp with water or a PVA solution, and lowers every sheet by hand: sheets are never dropped or thrown. They wear disposable coveralls, respirators, helmets, gloves and safety boots, and clean up in a decontamination unit with showers near the work area before they leave.
7. Proper wrapping and transport
Every piece should leave your property sealed. We double-wrap the sheets in heavy plastic of 500 to 1000 micron, seal and label them, and carry them in our own vehicles, with our own team, under our licence to transport asbestos waste.
8. Paperwork at the end
You should be able to prove that your asbestos was disposed of legally. After disposal, Steen gives every client a tracking document and a completion certificate.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is your NEMA licence number, and where will my asbestos waste be buried?
- Are you registered with the NCA, and in which category?
- What training has your crew had?
- Will I get a written removal plan?
- What paperwork will I receive when the job is finished?
If a contractor cannot answer these clearly, look for another one.
Book a free site inspection
Our site inspection and quote are free. Request a quote online, call us or send a WhatsApp message, and we reply within 24 hours.