The book "The Asbestos Abatement Workers Handbook" Is about the removal of asbestos from homes or other buildings, I have included an excerpt for your enrichment and enjoyment as an asbestos worker, or someone who wants to get asbestos removed from their home.
IDENTIFYING THE
ASBESTOS PROBLEM
The first task in an asbestos abatement plan is to determine whether or not asbestos is present and, if so, in what form and concentration. This involves investigating building records for mention of asbestos-containing materials, inspecting the building for friable materials and analyzing samples of material for asbestos.
A logical sequence of steps begins by investigating building plans, remodeling records and other sources (such as personal knowledge) for specification of asbestos-containing materials. Information on the type and location of asbestos-containing materials will help focus the next step—inspecting for friable materials in the building. A building inspection might start in those areas where asbestos-containing materials are reported to be present and then expand to all parts of the building. If friable materials are found, they should be sampled and analyzed. The Asbestos-in-Schools rule allows schools to skip the sampling and analysis and assume that any friable materials found in the building contain asbestos.
The location of all friable materials must be documented and all affected parties must be notified. If the presence of asbestos in friable materials is confirmed (more than 1 percent by weight), then the assessment for corrective action is begun. IF, on the other hand, no friable materials are found or if they are found, but do not contain asbestos—document these results. A formal statement of these findings (called “negative certification”) is required for schools. If the investigation of building records or the building inspection indicates that non friable asbestos-containing materials are present, these materials should be reinspected periodically for changes in their condition. Re inspection is especially important for friable materials that have been painted or covered with a hard wrapping (and would thus be classified “non friable”). Such as pipe and boiler insulation. Damage or slow deterioration of the wrapping or paint could cause significant release of asbestos fibers, thus requiring a detailed assessment for corrective action.
Types of Materials
The types of materials to be investigated in an asbestos control program should include the following:
Ceiling Surfaces. There are many different types of ceiling finishers which are likely to contain asbestos. They are usually sprayed onto concrete or metal ceilings, beams and posts. In another common application the material is troweled onto wire or expanded metal lath. These are found in a wide variety of textures, including a grey, fibrous or fluffy material which is easily pulled apart (sometimes treated to make it more solid), granular acoustic plaster which is easily damaged when anything brushes across it, and hard, cementitious platers, sometimes used as decoration. The fibrous and granular materials are of special concern because of their friability and susceptibility to damage from contact or vibration.
Although most ceiling tiles don’t contain asbestos, they are often suspended below ceilings which have a sprayed-on asbestos coating. In these cases, they may conceal friable, damaged asbestos and dust containing asbestos may collect the upper surface of the tile.
A type of ceiling tile which does contain asbestos consist of a cloth-covered pad sandwiched between two perforated sheet metal covers. These tiles require particular care in handling since the asbestos-containing material can be highly friable.
Equipment Covering. Asbestos was routinely used to insulate the exterior surface of boiler, breeching, duct work, tanks and other components of heating systems in buildings of various types. Similarly, the tanks, cats, vessels and pipelines of industrial facilities such as refineries and chemical plants have been insulated with asbestos-containing materials. Typical applications involve blocks of grey or white substances which have a chalk-like consistency and are generally very friable. Sometimes these are wired together and attached to expanded metal lath which is wrapped around the vessel. In other cases, they may be cemented together using an asbestos plaster. On both applications, the blocks are covered in wire mesh and then coated with layers of asbestos plaster and paint.
Pipe Covering. The various kinds of insulating coverings used around pipes contain more asbestos than any other kind of construction material. Such coverings are found in two basic forms: the first is cementitious plaster, used as insulation on elbows, joints, valves and pre-formed sections which come in two halves, usually about three feet long. The second is pre-formed insulation which comes in two varieties: one is made of compressed or , more often, corrugated paper, sometimes wrapped in cloth, then held in place with metal bands; the other is a block-type insulation similar to that found in boiler covering. In indoor application this is covered with cloth and held in place with metal bands and frequently painted. Outdoors, on larger pipes, it is protected by a corrugated aluminum sheet over asphalt paper; and on smaller pipes, asphalt paper held in place by wire.
Materials In Buildings
To further clarify the types of materials to be investigated in an asbestos control program, the following list showing asbestos-containing materials found in buildings is presented:
(Workers handbook)
IDENTIFYING THE
Friable, Possible, Containing Asbestos:
-Surface materials
-Fibrous, fluffy materials
-Damaged wrapped insulation
-Granular cementitious material such as acoustical plaster
-Other
Non-Friable, Possibly Containing Asbestos:
-Surfacing materials which are concrete-like
-Construction materials including wall board, cement pipe, floor and ceiling tile
-Wrapped insulation, pipe and boiler coverings
-Textiles, aprons, curtains, etc.
ADX Asbestos Removal, 125 S Clark St. Chicago IL 60603, 773-345-7074
IDENTIFYING THE
ASBESTOS PROBLEM
The first task in an asbestos abatement plan is to determine whether or not asbestos is present and, if so, in what form and concentration. This involves investigating building records for mention of asbestos-containing materials, inspecting the building for friable materials and analyzing samples of material for asbestos.
A logical sequence of steps begins by investigating building plans, remodeling records and other sources (such as personal knowledge) for specification of asbestos-containing materials. Information on the type and location of asbestos-containing materials will help focus the next step—inspecting for friable materials in the building. A building inspection might start in those areas where asbestos-containing materials are reported to be present and then expand to all parts of the building. If friable materials are found, they should be sampled and analyzed. The Asbestos-in-Schools rule allows schools to skip the sampling and analysis and assume that any friable materials found in the building contain asbestos.
The location of all friable materials must be documented and all affected parties must be notified. If the presence of asbestos in friable materials is confirmed (more than 1 percent by weight), then the assessment for corrective action is begun. IF, on the other hand, no friable materials are found or if they are found, but do not contain asbestos—document these results. A formal statement of these findings (called “negative certification”) is required for schools. If the investigation of building records or the building inspection indicates that non friable asbestos-containing materials are present, these materials should be reinspected periodically for changes in their condition. Re inspection is especially important for friable materials that have been painted or covered with a hard wrapping (and would thus be classified “non friable”). Such as pipe and boiler insulation. Damage or slow deterioration of the wrapping or paint could cause significant release of asbestos fibers, thus requiring a detailed assessment for corrective action.
Types of Materials
The types of materials to be investigated in an asbestos control program should include the following:
Ceiling Surfaces. There are many different types of ceiling finishers which are likely to contain asbestos. They are usually sprayed onto concrete or metal ceilings, beams and posts. In another common application the material is troweled onto wire or expanded metal lath. These are found in a wide variety of textures, including a grey, fibrous or fluffy material which is easily pulled apart (sometimes treated to make it more solid), granular acoustic plaster which is easily damaged when anything brushes across it, and hard, cementitious platers, sometimes used as decoration. The fibrous and granular materials are of special concern because of their friability and susceptibility to damage from contact or vibration.
Although most ceiling tiles don’t contain asbestos, they are often suspended below ceilings which have a sprayed-on asbestos coating. In these cases, they may conceal friable, damaged asbestos and dust containing asbestos may collect the upper surface of the tile.
A type of ceiling tile which does contain asbestos consist of a cloth-covered pad sandwiched between two perforated sheet metal covers. These tiles require particular care in handling since the asbestos-containing material can be highly friable.
Equipment Covering. Asbestos was routinely used to insulate the exterior surface of boiler, breeching, duct work, tanks and other components of heating systems in buildings of various types. Similarly, the tanks, cats, vessels and pipelines of industrial facilities such as refineries and chemical plants have been insulated with asbestos-containing materials. Typical applications involve blocks of grey or white substances which have a chalk-like consistency and are generally very friable. Sometimes these are wired together and attached to expanded metal lath which is wrapped around the vessel. In other cases, they may be cemented together using an asbestos plaster. On both applications, the blocks are covered in wire mesh and then coated with layers of asbestos plaster and paint.
Pipe Covering. The various kinds of insulating coverings used around pipes contain more asbestos than any other kind of construction material. Such coverings are found in two basic forms: the first is cementitious plaster, used as insulation on elbows, joints, valves and pre-formed sections which come in two halves, usually about three feet long. The second is pre-formed insulation which comes in two varieties: one is made of compressed or , more often, corrugated paper, sometimes wrapped in cloth, then held in place with metal bands; the other is a block-type insulation similar to that found in boiler covering. In indoor application this is covered with cloth and held in place with metal bands and frequently painted. Outdoors, on larger pipes, it is protected by a corrugated aluminum sheet over asphalt paper; and on smaller pipes, asphalt paper held in place by wire.
Materials In Buildings
To further clarify the types of materials to be investigated in an asbestos control program, the following list showing asbestos-containing materials found in buildings is presented:
(Workers handbook)
IDENTIFYING THE
Friable, Possible, Containing Asbestos:
-Surface materials
-Fibrous, fluffy materials
-Damaged wrapped insulation
-Granular cementitious material such as acoustical plaster
-Other
Non-Friable, Possibly Containing Asbestos:
-Surfacing materials which are concrete-like
-Construction materials including wall board, cement pipe, floor and ceiling tile
-Wrapped insulation, pipe and boiler coverings
-Textiles, aprons, curtains, etc.
ADX Asbestos Removal, 125 S Clark St. Chicago IL 60603, 773-345-7074
