During the renovation of more than a hundred apartments in Oss, several asbestos violations were established last Thursday. The Dutch Labor Inspectorate checked whether the work was carried out in a healthy and safe manner. During that inspection it turned out that there is still asbestos present in these apartments while it should have been removed already.
The Labor Inspectorate calls the discovery striking because a certified company would have removed the asbestos and because an independent inspection body gave approval for the renovation work and because the apartments would be asbestos-free. Because the asbestos is still present in the building, a large part of the renovation work has been halted by the Labor Inspectorate. The asbestos must now be completely removed before the other construction work can continue.
‘This is not a good development’
It is already the third time in a few weeks that the Labor Inspectorate has discovered that certified companies are not properly remediating asbestos and that accredited inspection bodies approve this work. The Labor Inspectorate says it is keeping a finger on the pulse and is actively tackling this. “Because this is not a good development.”
Special inspectors make daily unannounced inspections at places where demolition or renovation is taking place.
Before the work in Oss can resume, the client must have an asbestos inventory carried out again to see where there is still asbestos in the building and this must be removed in the correct manner.
Lung cancer
Inhaling loose asbestos fibers can cause lung, pleural or peritoneal cancer.
Asbestos-containing material is only dangerous if it is processed or damaged. This can happen through sawing, sanding and drilling or during crushing. During renovations, demolition and installation there is an increased risk of the release of these dangerous asbestos fibres. That is why the Labor Inspectorate checks whether construction work involving the release of asbestos takes place in a safe manner.