Materials to Handle Carefully

Sometimes you’re dealing with drywall, sometimes countertops, and sometimes wiring. The variety of building materials that you’ll find in the average waste disposal bin is considerable, but not all of them can be handled the same way. Some of them require a bit more care than others.

Sharp Metals
Let’s begin by establishing the universal piece of advice for handling waste during construction and renovation: you should always wear protective gear. Whether it’s helmets, goggles, or gloves, always be equipped with the equipment that is required for the given task. As far as sharp metals are concerned, gloves are paramount. Wiring can be more hazardous than you might think, exposed nails are just waiting to catch you as your reach into a dark space, and a broken conduit pipe can be as good as a razor. Maintain good presence of mind and protect yourself from these metal menaces.

Stone Slab
Some materials don’t seem very dangerous to handle but can nonetheless pose a safety concern when not handled properly. Take, for instance, forms of stone slab like marble countertops or granite flooring. These types of materials are common in kitchens, foyers, and many other rooms. When they’re not broken, the main thing you want to watch out for is ensuring that you have a safe and firm grip, as polished slab can easily slip from your hands and land right on your foot. If they’re broken, there’s all the more reason to proceed with caution thanks to those sharp and grainy edges.

Porcelain, Ceramic, and Glass
Are you redoing a bathroom? You’ll definitely need to handle porcelain. With this, as well as brickwork, adobe, ceramic tile, and especially glass, the most important thing is to avoid excessive breakdown. For instance, it’s wise to remove windows in such a way that their frame stays intact and no shattering takes place. If breakage of the glass itself is unavoidable or has happened accidentally, handle carefully with thick work gloves and don’t try to grip too much at a time. The same goes for these other materials that break into shard-like shapes. Better safe than sorry!

Of course, in addition to materials that are tricky to handle, you should also watch out for hazardous materials that require different modes of disposal. To find out what materials we can and cannot take care of, call us at (587) 813-0236, and we’ll be happy to answer your questions!