Resources.

Having to deal with asbestos can be overwhelming. Let us help you make sense of it all with our resources and blogs.

Scroll down to read our latest blogs written by our expert team of asbestos consultants.

Got a topic you want us to write about? Get in touch!

Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Better training for a safer asbestos industry.

It is not uncommon for training to be seen as a box ticking exercise. Something that has to be done before something else can happen.

That is certainly true in the asbestos industry, especially when it comes to asbestos removal. Asbestos removal operatives must hold NZQA unit standards to carry out licensed asbestos removal work.

Fun fact, "SQN" - Sine Qua Non - means without which not, or something that you need before something else. Very apt in this situation!

Does that mean we need to offer the bare minimum to our students? From speaking with both students and employers, we believe everyone wants the same thing - workers to be safe - but how do we get there when there is an expectation to get training done and dusted in a single day?

Here is where we are super proud of our latest program with Besafe Training: Environmental Decontamination.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

But we don’t have to worry about asbestos anymore, do we?

If we had a dollar for every time someone said: "But we don’t have to worry about asbestos anymore, do we?"

This is definitely a very frequently asked question in it’s various forms! “But we haven’t used asbestos for years”, or “All the asbestos has been removed from here”, and “There is no asbestos here”. Or how about “Nah, that’s not asbestos” and never forget “I have worked with asbestos for years and I’m fine”.

These are the famous last words we are told by clients, builders, tradies and site managers before we start a survey. More often than not, when someone says something like this (with confidence), we will find asbestos. No, we are not bringing it with us! But it is just the way it seems to go - Murphy’s Law.

Read the full blog now.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Flood damaged property - being aware of asbestos containing building materials

Dear Tamaki Makaurau Auckland,

What a week we have had already. Very few of us knew what was coming on Friday 27 January, let alone the scale of devastation that would befall our big city.

If you are worried about the flood damage to your property, please contact us now for free advice and support.

Read on to understand what the risks are and how you can minimise the harm to yourself and your community.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

10 scary asbestos facts (it is the spooky month after all!)

With good asbestos management, we can mitigate the risk of asbestos day to day. But this hasn’t always been the case.

We at SQN support you with taking the scariness out of asbestos. Our approach is always risk based and we bring you pragmatic asbestos solutions. But since October is the spooky month, we thought we would share some of the scarier facts about asbestos that we are all collectively working away from.

Read these 10 facts we have compiled for you and tell us what you found the most surprising.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Demolition time!

If you have ever seen the aftermath of an Asbestos Demolition Survey, you will understand why we usually ask for for the property to be empty before we get started.

Not seen what happens on an Asbestos Demolition Survey? Let us show you more….

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Peek behind the scenes of asbestos removal project management

Join us behind the fencing of a project we recently managed….

Humans are naturally curious. So when we see fencing around a building site, of course we are interested about what is going on. Especially if it is a building we pass often.

Let us take you through the steps of this tricky job and how we kept the work on schedule, on budget and safe. Watch the short video below and scroll through our blog to read more detail.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

5 reasons to train with SQN

How do you choose your training provider for asbestos training? Reputation? Quality? Location? Available dates? Independent? Or price….?

You likely have a priority list because you can’t always have everything you want!

What value does SQN offer?

Read our latest blog to find out what is important to us when it come to giving you a great learning experience

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Don’t create an asbestos horror story….

Asbestos doesn’t break down, it isn’t going anywhere fast. We have been dealing with it for decades and will continue to deal with it for many more.

During our work, we unfortunately come across asbestos containing materials (ACM) in bad condition. Sometimes it is just time that has weathered and damaged these materials, but too often it is human damage.

We often talk about the asbestos legacy, but do you want to be part of a positive change, or one of the horror stories?

Read some of our discoveries and learn from the mistakes of others!

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Do I need asbestos training?

Do I need asbestos training?

If you are asking this question, the answer is probably yes. What training depends on the type of work you are doing though. Have a read of this blog to learn more. We are covering asbestos related work, asbestos removal work and asbestos assessors.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Got asbestos that needs to be removed?

One thing we have noticed is that people want just one point of contact for the asbestos part of their projects. Whether this is a multimillion dollar redevelopment, a property management company or the owner of a single house.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Why do I need another survey?

So, you have your asbestos management survey, it is probably part of your asbestos management plan *tick* - but now you want to renovate or demolish your property.

Or, you have an asbestos refurbishment survey for your project *tick* - but now your scope of work has changed and the survey doesn’t cover all the works you will be carrying out.

What do you need to do next?

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Are there different types of asbestos surveys?

Asbestos can be found in both the surfaces and the fabric of buildings so we often need to carry out different types of inspections based on what your needs are. Do you just want to know if there is asbestos in your property or workplace? Are you planning renovations or demolition?

Read our blog where we summarise of each type of survey and what they cover.

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Alannah Elliott Alannah Elliott

Asbestos Management vs Removal

Is it best to remove all the asbestos containing materials (ACM), or manage them in your property? It is a matter of working out the risk of asbestos exposure (harm to life) then assessing your budget to work out whether asbestos management, remediation or removal will keep you and everyone else safe.

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