our services
Home Inspections
We offer a full range of home inspections during the due diligence phase of real estate transactions.
"Why buy someone else's problem?" Regular home inspectors are not licensed asbestos inspectors. They don't find it all and sometimes they may point out the obvious suspect materials. But, they have not inspected the building for asbestos.
Home inspections for popcorn ceiling or vermiculite concerns.
The Zonolite Attic Insulation Trust (ZAI Trust) was created to help educate the public about the possible health effects of asbestos-containing vermiculite and to provide partial reimbursement for ZAI removal to qualified claimants. The fund pays up to 55% of the cost of vermiculite removal. Our inspections are instrumental in the claims process to ensure proper claims filing and payments.
Inspections for Boiler, Hot Water, or HVAC change outs.
Most HVAC or Plumbing contractors will not change out furnaces or Hot Water Heaters unless asbestos issues are resolved first.
Flooring Inspections
Not only 9" and 12" VAT Floor tile and old linoleum contain asbestos, but sometimes the glue or ‘Mastic’ used to adhere the flooring contains asbestos. As an example Home Depot will not use their contractors to re-floor a project without an inspection.
Commercial or Facilities Inspections
An asbestos inspection is required by law before any demolition, renovation, or any other activities that may impact asbestos. If you have a commercial building you need to have it inspected for asbestos before you start a project. A Montana Accredited Asbestos Inspector must inspect building renovations and demolitions for asbestos-containing materials (ACM) prior to renovation or demolition activities.
Montana DEQ's Asbestos Control Program Overview:
As delegated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Asbestos Control Act of Montana, DEQ administers regulatory requirements from sections of the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and Montana Administrative Rules, governing building renovations/demolitions, asbestos disposal and other asbestos-related activities.
EPA maintains jurisdiction over asbestos in schools in Montana. However, schools are still subject to Montana asbestos statutes and rules. Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) enforces its asbestos standards in the construction industry.
An asbestos containing material (ACM) is any material that contains more than 1 percent asbestos;
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If an activity becomes an "asbestos project," involving asbestos containing materials greater than 10 square feet, 3 linear feet or 3 cubic feet, the owner or operator of the facility must use an asbestos contractor. Depending on the amount of material, Montana Dept. of Environmental Quality must receive an asbestos project permit application five to ten working days prior to the start date of the job.
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An asbestos project is the encapsulation, enclosure, removal, repair, renovation, placement in new construction, demolition of asbestos in a building, or the transportation or disposal of asbestos-containing waste;
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A Montana Accredited Asbestos Inspector must inspect building renovations and demolitions for ACM prior to renovation or demolition activities;
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ACM that will be impacted by renovation or demolition activities must be removed before demolition or renovation activities begin;
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Asbestos projects require a project permit from the Asbestos Control Program and must be done by persons with a Montana Contractor/Supervisor or Worker accreditation.
Preventing diseases and deaths associated with asbestos exposure are principle factors behind asbestos regulations. The Asbestos Control Program's regulations establish criteria for asbestos project practices, accreditation of persons in asbestos-type occupations, and a fee and permit system. (Statute: 75-2-501 et seq., MCA; Rule: ARM 17.74.301-405)
Project Designs
The Montana and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) require Project Designs before an asbestos project can be permitted. It is a natural extension of the inspection. The resulting product of a project design is the submission of documents to DEQ and fees for a project permit. There is a work plan for the actual abatement with a sketch. It is the plan for how the whole project is to proceed from source to landfill.
Competent Person Oversight
This is required during facility demolitions.
According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), "The term 'Competent Person' is used in many OSHA standards and documents. An OSHA "competent person" is defined as "one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them" [29 CFR 1926.32(f)]. By way of training and/or experience, a competent person is knowledgeable of applicable standards, is capable of identifying workplace hazards relating to the specific operation, and has the authority to correct them. Some standards add additional specific requirements which must be met by the competent person.
Transport and Disposal
On occasions, homeowners are able to perform their own asbestos removal, but cannot transport and dispose of the friable asbestos materials. On a limited basis, Lenape Consulting has performed the transportation and disposal of asbestos waste to a class II landfill, most notably East Helena's Valley View Landfill.
Small Asbestos Removal Projects
On some occasions, when an extremely small amount of asbestos materials are found in a building and a full project is not required according to Montana DEQ rules (i.e. less than 3 linear feet of pipe insulation or 10 square feet of area) then Lenape Consulting may perform the work. However, removal is usually performed in collaboration with our sister company, Absaroka Abatement, LLC.
Spills
In many spill situations where there has been an accident spill, Lenape Consulting will be able to clean up the spill and perform the appropriate notifications if required. If Lenape cannot clean up the spill, Lenape will work to contain the spill until the appropriate removal can be performed.