Insulating materials

The law 06/09/1994 defines the technical methodologies and the procedural criteria for risk evaluation and inspection, maintenance and clearing of the materials containing asbestos in the building structures.
This law establishes the need to verify the possibility of asbestos fibres' release in the building structures where they are contained. In other words, it is necessary to evaluate the friability of the material (considered as the facility or possibility of crumbling as a result of simple manual pressure) and check its state of preservation, assessing, where appropriate, the lack of coverings and limiting measures.
The law establishes a number of situations where there is no potential danger of fibres' release if the materials involved are entire and not susceptible of damage. In such cases it is not necessary to carry out any clearing intervention, but a periodic inspection is needed to check the conditions of the materials and the proper maintenance measures.
On the other hand, in other situations it is possible to find materials that, although entire, are susceptible of damage and where there is a potential danger of release of the asbestos fibres. In such cases, in the first place appropriate action must be taken in order to avoid the danger of damage and, in the second place, a control programme must be implemented. Should it not be possible to reduce the damage risks, it is necessary to arrange a clearing intervention medium-term.
Should real dangerous situations be present as a result of the release of asbestos fibres (spontaneous decay, presence of deteriorated materials close to ventilation systems, etc.), it is necessary to quickly proceed at the clearing intervention.
The measures recommended by the regulation of the Ministry of Health for the clearing intervention are:
- asbestos should be removed and replaced with other suitable materials;
- asbestos should be confined by means of appropriate, specifically produced, materials and/or by means of bulkheads or sealed false ceilings.
Asbestos removal has the advantage of being a final solution, although it entails risks for the operators (only higly specialized personnel must be employed and appropriate protective and control measures adopted).

Administrative offices

Clerical work

Insulating materials