Asbestos Safety

Asbestos is recognized internationally as a serious and deadly health hazard. Every year, an estimated 1.3 million US workers in the construction and general trades face significant asbestos exposure. Heaviest exposures occur in construction, particularly during the removal of asbestos for a renovation, major repair, or demolition project. 

If a sample comes back positive, the safest course of action is to contact a licensed abatement company to do the removal. They know how to remove the asbestos safely, and they have the right equipment to do it. Removal of asbestos without a license can endanger the health and safety of anyone exposed to the asbestos dust. Many county and state health or environmental departments provide lists of licensed asbestos-abatement contractors. 

Because breathing asbestos is the biggest problem, use a heavy-duty, single-use respirator approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Make sure the packaging says it s specifically designed for asbestos. Also, keep in mind that even with these masks, you may not be 100 percent safe. 

Your lungs aren t the only things asbestos will attach to. The fibers will latch on to any porous material, especially clothing. Wear nonporous clothing that can be thrown away afterward. And be sure to wear disposable head covering and gloves. 

Keep the asbestos material constantly wet while you re working to help eliminate the potential for dust. Also be sure there are no energized electrical components near the water Professional abatement contractors typically use a special water/chemical mixture that helps keep the fibers from going airborne. You just have to make sure that the material remains moistened so it cannot get into the air. It s also a good idea to partition off the work area with plastic sheeting to isolate drifting dust and keep it from spreading. 

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Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia, 2009. Asbestos safety. . 

If you are confused about my feelings toward asbestos safety, you have every right to be. Today, I meet this subject with mixed emotions. There seems to me to be no doubt that we overreacted to potential threats asbestos poses for humanity. Conversely, I have no doubt that a mineral fiber whose safety is accepted by all responsible persons is still needed. But, you will learn that I believe that nothing on this planet is completely safe and that it would be impossible to prove that it is safe even if such a substance could be known to exist. 

Inhalation of certain fine dusts may constitute a health hazard. Eor example, exposure to siUca, asbestos, and beryllium oxide dusts over a period of time results ki the potential risk of lung disease. OSHA regulations specify the allowable levels of exposure to kigestible and respkable materials. Material Safety Data Sheets, OSHA form 20, available from manufacturers, provide information about hazards, precautions, and storage pertinent to specific refractory products. 

E. Stem, personal communication. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Asbestos Advisor (Expert System software). Release 1.0, OSHA, Washington, D.C., 1996 (available at http //www.osha.gov). 

The substitution of asbestos fibers by other types of fibers or minerals must, ia principle, comply with three types of criteria (36) the technical feasibihty of the substitution the gain ia the safety of the asbestos-free product relative to the asbestos-containing product and the availabiHty of the substitute audits comparative cost. 

Keport of the Kojal Commission on Matters ofiHealth and Safety Arising from the Use of Asbestos in Ontario, ]. S. Duprn, chairman, Vol. 1, Ontario Government Book-Store, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1984, pp. 87, 89—93. 

SI 1999/2977 Health and Safety - The Asbestos (Prohibitions)(Amendment)(No. 2) Regulations 1999... 

Eor example, the federal Oeeupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates asbestos, lead, and other hazardous substanees. It would be very diffieult to provide the reader with every regulatory ageney that may have jurisdietion over hazardous materials. It is not our intent to provide the reader with every detail. However, the information offered in this book ean aid the reader in general eompli-anee issues and assist in planning for safety. This, in the long run, will help to improve on-site safety performanee. 

Deactivation and D D actions can range from stabilization of multiple hazards at a single site or facilities containing chemical or radioactive contamination, or both, to routine asbestos and lead abatement in a nonindustrial structure. Strategies include programs that meet compliance objectives, protect workers, and make certain that productivity and cost-effectiveness are maintained. The content and extent of health and safety-related programs should be proportionate to the types and degrees of hazards and risks associated with specific operations. 

For asbestos removal, the provisions of the OSHA Asbestos Standard 29 CFR 1926.1101 are more protective of worker health and safety than are the more general provisions. The HASP therefore provides that the asbestos removal tasks conducted inside the building will be performed in accordance with the OSHA Asbestos Standard. After the asbestos has been removed, the lead-based paint will be removed. Again, the provisions of the OSHA Standard for lead removal are more protective of worker health and safety than are the more general provisions of 29 CFR 1910.120. Therefore, the removal of the lead-based paint inside the building will be performed in full compliance with the OSHA Lead Standard [1]. 

Model Curriculum for Training Asbestos Abatement Contractors and Supervisors. Safety Health and Ergonomics Branch Electro-Optics, Environment, and Materials Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Cooperative Agreement No. CX 820760-010-0, pp. X-6, X-7, X-8. 

There are a variety of chemicals that are toxic and used in the drilling fluid makeup. Chromates and asbestos were once commonly used and are now off the market. A mud inventory should be kept for all drilling additives. Included in the inventory are the material safety data sheets (MSDS) that describe each material s pertinent characteristics. The chemicals found on the MSDS sheet should be compared with the priority pollutants and any material should be eliminated if a match is found. The chemicals should also be checked on arrival for breakage and returned to the vendor if defective packaging is found. All mud additives should be housed in a dry area and properly cared for to prevent waste. Chemicals should always be mixed in packaged proportions. Wasted chemicals, ejected to the reserve pit by untrained personnel, can present future liabilities to the operator. 

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 1989 covers virtually all substances hazardous to health. Only asbestos, lead, materials producing ionizing radiation and substances below ground in mines (which all have their own legislation) are excluded. The Regulations set out measures that employers must implement. Failure to comply with COSHH, in addition to exposing employees and others to risk, constitutes an offence and is subject to penalties under the Health and Safety at Work Act, etc. 1974. 

This section specifically concerns itself with filters that must be used that do release fibers. It is noted that an additional filter with a maximum pore size of either 0.2 or 0.45 pm must also be used to finish the filtration. This is an absolute requirement with asbestos filters used because of the total concept of safety and effectiveness of the drug. This section simply sets the time limit for instituting good filtration procedures for parenteral products. 

Fibres are added to rubbers for a number of reasons. Asbestos fibres were used in such products as brake linings, but their use has been discontinued in the rubber industry due to health and safety considerations. 

RICE (Regular Interlaboratory Health and Safety Asbestos fibre counting in the... 

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