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Working in asbestos environment - airfed respirator or P3?
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#1 Posted : 07 October 2009 11:11:00(UTC)
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Posted By Mark1983 We've recently undertaken to rod a blocked pipe located in a basement boiler room only to be informed that the asbestos lagging etc in there is in poor shape and the airbourne asbestos dust levels are unacceptable. The blocked pipe is causing serious problems for the rest of the building & would take around 2 hours to rod and make good. Would it be acceptable for us to carry out the work under these conditions provided our operatives are wearing full Tyvek PPE? and does the mask have to be air fed because the exposure would be to brown / blue asbestos or would it be acceptable to use a half face P3 respirator? We are not disturbing the lagging etc just rodding a pipe in the wall, but we do need to work in the room for a short period of time. Please let me know your thoughts
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#2 Posted : 07 October 2009 11:18:00(UTC)
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Posted By Bob Youel if the lagging is in poor shape it may also contaminate general clothing? So its more than just breathing that need to be considered in your RA Evaluate the specialist asbestos PPE types that are easily available from suppliers and go from there
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#3 Posted : 07 October 2009 11:28:00(UTC)
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Posted By Mark1983 Thanks bob, By reference to 'Tyvek PPE' though i do mean coveralls with hoods, elasticated cuffs & overshoes along with obviously the gloves, goggles etc, sorry if it wasnt clear. Contacting an asbestos removal company and asking their advice as to correct RPE seems like a good suggestion though. I suppose in addition what i'm asking is, is it acceptable for us to be working in that environment once the report has gone through that the airbourne dust levels are unacceptable or is that kind of report like a code red where no-one may enter until the asbestos has been removed etc.
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#4 Posted : 07 October 2009 12:14:00(UTC)
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Posted By Mark Eden Mark you have answered your own question - If the contamination and air fibre count is high no one apart from a licenced asbestos removal contractor should enter the area until a certificate of reoccupation has been issued - asbestos is removed and air samples show the area is free of asbestos
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#5 Posted : 07 October 2009 12:47:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ron Hunter Mark is spot-on.
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#6 Posted : 07 October 2009 12:48:00(UTC)
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Posted By MW Mark, Also remember that the person will need to be face fit tested for the type of mask. On another note, how are they going to decontaminate your personnel when they come out. It all depends on the level of contamination, i.e. if there are big chunks about the place. The safest option is to get a licensed contractor in to enviro clean the area, encapsulate the pipe work, get air testing done and then carry out your work. These works will be notifiable to the HSE on the usual ASB5 which has a 14 day notification period. There is a 99.99% chance that you will not get a waiver for the works. We get this a lot and we just tell the customers, this is how it is. They sometimes go off and get someone else to do it 'out of hours', but that risks people lives and we are not prepared to do that. To cut a long story short, get a licensed contractor to have a look. Ta MW
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#7 Posted : 07 October 2009 14:06:00(UTC)
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Posted By Bill01 Mark, Hi Mark, I think there are a number of issues here, unless the room is airtight and as a boiler room I suspect it is not, there is reason to believe that you will have fibres being released outside the room every time the door is opened or closed for whatever reason. To ensure proper containment when you enter you will need some sort of negative pressure enclosure around the door. As has already been mentioned, it seems a no brainer to me to get an approved asbestos contractor to remove or seal the asbestos and ensure there are no airborne fibres present, not only for the benefit of you and your staff but others working in the building.
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#8 Posted : 07 October 2009 15:31:00(UTC)
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Posted By Raymond Rapp Question from a non-asbestos expert - why not get the lagging removed by a licenced asbestos remover in the first place? Ray
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#9 Posted : 07 October 2009 16:41:00(UTC)
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Posted By Robert K Lewis RR Totally agree even as an assie man!! Mark do not take possession of the area whatever you do until the client has provided an adequate assessment of how the work will be done safely with respect to asbestos. It is his premise and his job to manage the asbestos work until you take possession. Nothing less than a full clean and sealing/removal of all remaining insulation should be accepted. If they get stroppy and threaten to go somewhere else the best advice is to let them go. But the HSE will be very interrested to learn of the situation asap. Bob
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