Historic churches are highly cherished buildings in Aotearoa New Zealand. With that in mind, we want to protect them at all costs. However, the same hazard we’re finding in our homes is also present in many of our churches: asbestos.

Herein lies the problem. We need to balance the preservation of significant buildings with the safety of those who use them. How are you supposed to do that with something as hazardous as asbestos? Often, the process looks like this:

Performing a Risk Assessment

Having asbestos in a historic church doesn’t mean the people using it are in immediate danger. That’s why performing a risk assessment can be so important. An asbestos survey through licensed professionals can be the best first step.

Experts can identify where asbestos is and its current condition. They can then help historic church owners prioritise where preservation work is the most crucial and where the risk of asbestos exposure is the highest.

Starting Preservation Planning

Asbestos removal in a historic church can be different from that in a residential home. In a residential property, you rarely have to worry about preserving features. Instead, the primary goal is to remove asbestos so that homeowners can renovate their homes safely. Sometimes, encapsulation is also an effective way to solve the problem.

However, preservation planning is integral to managing asbestos in a historic church for many reasons. You might wish to avoid disturbing asbestos-containing materials during preservation work. Alternatively, you might be trying to avoid disturbing original features during remedial work.

A preservation plan outlines all significant work that needs to be undertaken to preserve a church’s features while ensuring a safe environment at the same time.

Requesting Professional Consultation

Preserving a historic church while balancing safety in the face of asbestos is not a one-person job. In fact, it takes an entire team of experts! Holding a professional consultation can be integral to a successful project.

Often, it can be in a church’s best interests to involve architects, historians, and asbestos experts in the professional consultation. Together, they can come up with a plan that preserves the church’s historical integrity while also ensuring asbestos doesn’t pose a risk. Often, the asbestos expert’s role is to minimise damage during the removal process for everyone’s safety.

Containing, Removing, and Encapsulating Asbestos

Through professional consultation, a risk assessment, and preservation planning, it might be decided that asbestos removal or containment is required. In that case, asbestos removal teams can be called in to take action.

These licensed removalists will implement all necessary containment measures to stop hazardous fibres from spreading to other areas. They’ll also use proper removal techniques and follow all WorkSafe safety guidelines.

Alternatively, encapsulation might be seen as the best option. In this situation, asbestos experts would seal asbestos with a protective covering. This would prevent the fibres from being released into the air. This is common in homes, particularly with asbestos-containing lino and popcorn ceilings.

Educating and Training

Most people involved with their local church wouldn’t give asbestos much thought as they go about their daily business. However, education and training can be necessary for people involved with a church if it requires maintenance and repairs to be safe.

Personnel, volunteers, staff, and clergy should all be well informed about the presence of asbestos in the church they attend. They should also know where it is, how to handle it safely, and its associated risks.

Remember, asbestos is not something to take lightly. Exposure to friable asbestos can result in life-altering health conditions like asbestosis, mesothelioma, and various cancers. The more education and training people have, the safer they can ultimately be.

Monitoring and Maintenance

Monitoring and maintenance won’t be an issue for historic churches if no asbestos remains. However, a maintenance schedule can be needed if encapsulation is considered the most suitable option.

The goal is to ensure that all encapsulated asbestos remains intact. When it’s intact, it doesn’t pose as much of a health and safety risk. The maintenance plan should be evaluated and updated over the church’s lifetime. This can be especially true if the condition of the asbestos changes.

Considering Asbestos Removal In Your Historic Church?

Finding a balance between safety and preservation in churches can be challenging. We don’t want to see churches lost to the history books. Still, we also want to ensure those who frequent these spaces will always be safe. By taking these actions above, we can be in a sound position to achieve that goal.

If your historic church or another building contains asbestos, now’s the time to take action. Contact the asbestos removal team at Chemcare to learn more about your options. Our team has a wealth of knowledge they can’t wait to share with you!