Asbestos Fibre Monitoring in 2017

7 Mar 2017

If you have worked in the construction industry at any time in the last 50 years, you will have heard of the substance known as asbestos. Once heralded as ‘the magic mineral’, it was used widely in insulation, roofing and cement and its lightweight composition could resist chemical corrosion, electricity and high temperatures.

Dangerous and Harmful

By the late 1960s it had become widely known that exposure to this now less-than-magic mineral, could result in deadly diseases like cancer, the most common with asbestos exposure being mesothelioma, a condition that would in most cases, prove fatal.

So, taking all of this into consideration, if there are employees dealing with asbestos, then every precaution needs to be taken to ensure their safety.

Monitoring

If materials containing asbestos are either in disrepair or being disturbed during a building project, then there is a very good chance that there will be airborne asbestos fibres present. Asbestos air monitoring is conducted in this instance, with air samples being taken to provide a quantitative analysis of the risk present.

Background Sampling

Even before work has commenced, background sampling is used to determine airborne fibre levels. Any activity that is likely to lead to contamination with airborne asbestos must be preceded with this sampling to establish just how dangerous the area is.

Reassurance Sampling

A system of continual assessment is carried out throughout the work, inside and just outside an enclosure known to contain asbestos to ensure levels are kept within safe levels. Leak testing, reassurance sampling and site clearance certification are 3 levels of checking and re-checking to ensure that the asbestos threat has been entirely removed.

Unsure?

If you are about to work with asbestos and are unsure about how to implement all of these recommended steps when dealing with it only contact a properly accredited organisation like OHSS http://bit.ly/2liskB6 who can help you ensure that your work is carried out effectively and above all else, safely.

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