Asbestos removal, waterproofing and heritage works-Education Building Sydney
The Department of Education offices in NSW are located in a Heritage listed building in the Sydney CBD. In late 2004, due to ongoing water penetration through the concrete slab roof, they decided that rectification works needed to be undertaken. After tendering for the work through appointed engineers Bellmont Fa?ade Engineering, Remedial Building Services was appointed to perform the work.
During the tendering process it was determined that the 1500 square metre roof was currently protected by a combination of Nuralite (a sheet membrane containing bonded asbestos) and a rubber sheet membrane over the top (image 1 below). This system was failing in a number of areas and had caused cracks in the concrete slab to be exploited by water ingression.
The process of removing the existing waterproof membrane was obviously made more complex due to the existence of the Nuralite. Safe working procedures had to be followed to ensure the safety of not only our staff, but the tenants within the building. Extensive hazard analysis was undertaken with the building manager to ensure that health and safety was protected at all times. According to the company's Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Officer, Mr. Hamish Anderson,
?Remedial inherently understood the risks asbestos poses to health, and as such, we made sure that all staff working on the site undertook extensive training in safe work procedures, and asbestos removal and containment.?
Once a procedure for removal had been determined work commenced. Nuralite was removed, bagged and disposed of as per legislative guidelines. All drummy concrete on the slab was removed and falls corrected to ensure correct drainage. With this all prepared, our experienced applicators, applied a torch-on membrane system, over the entire roof.
To ensure the soundness of our work, Remedial Building Services also performed remedial works to the parapet walls using a protective membrane which would prevent the ingress of water. Pressure strips were also used in several areas to completely seal the membrane.
With the works completed, the client awarded Remedial Building Services another contract based on our professionalism and our quality of work.