Should I sign an opt out?
Should You Sign An Opt-Out Form To Shortcut Abatement?
No! Never Opt Out Of The Protection You Should Be Getting
There are some things in life you can probably opt-out of, even when most other people are opting in.
For instance, you might be able to opt out of a holiday dinner at your in-laws’ place, if that one mouthy uncle nobody likes (including your spouse) is going to be there.
Going to the movies? You can opt out of the previews, if you arrive a little later, or if you head to the snack bar once someone in your party has the good seats nailed down.
And when your Significant Other asks, “Do these pants make me look fat,” you might be able to opt out of answering by saying “Do I look stupid?”
(But be careful. You might, in fact, look stupid, and your Significant Other might not opt out of telling you so.)
But if you have an asbestos problem in your home or place of business, and someone asks you to sign an opt-out form waiving some of the requirements of proper abatement, do not sign that form.
Shortcuts can be okay, when driving away from your in-laws’ place or trying to get good parking at the movies. But you should never try to shortcut an asbestos abatement!
You Want 100% Asbestos-Free Air
Asbestos is all around us, from our flooring, to our insulation, to our wall boards. You might think it’s illegal – and it was, for a hot minute way-back-when – but the fact is, it’s perfectly legal (though evil) to import asbestos-containing products in the U.S. today.
The good news is that asbestos isn’t dangerous in its solid, manufactured state. It’s only when those asbestos-containing products are disturbed that the asbestos breaks into microscopic shards that impale themselves in your lungs and, well, kill you slowly and painfully over time.
There’s no cure for mesothelioma lung cancer, the chief cause of which is airborne asbestos.
So if there’s a disturbance at your place – say, from even a small house fire or basement flood – you may well have an asbestos problem. Get the place professionally tested, and if there are nasty shards o’ asbestos in your air, it’s time for an abatement.
Make Sure The Job’s Done Right
When you have your property cleaned by Asbestos Abatement, Inc., you know the job will be done right.
We come in wearing state-of-the-art protective gear, and toting all the best equipment, and we suck every shard of asbestos out of the air you and your family breathe. And we keep testing until we’re sure your air’s clean.
However, there are some companies who either don’t have the right gear for the job, or simply don’t want to go to all the trouble to make certain you’re safe. They do want to go to enough trouble to get your check, though, so they’ll have you sign an opt-out form which basically allows them to do a crappy job.
They will not test and retest. They might not even use the right equipment. You’ll pay for an abatement, of course… but will your air be safe? Will you and your loved ones be fully protected from mesothelioma?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
And that’s not a chance you want to take!
Don’t sign an opt-out form when having asbestos removed from your property. Opt out of the dinner with the bothersome uncle. Opt out of the noisy cinematic previews. Even opt out of answering difficult “gotcha” questions from your spouse or the media. But never opt out of safety. Opt in for healthy air!
