Asbestos Containing Materials in Workplaces Practical guidelines on Management and Abatement

161 Pages·2012·4.51 MB·English

Asbestos Containing Materials in Workplaces
Practical guidelines on Management and
Abatement
Our vision:

A national culture where
all commit to safe and
healthy workplaces and
the safe and sustainable management of
chemicals

Disclaimer

All images used in this Draft are indicative only and
subject to copyright permission

Page 2 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
Contents
Summary of Key Points ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Glossary of terms ................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Section 1: What is Asbestos? ............................................................................................................................................. 14
Asbestos types ................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Physical/ chemical properties of asbestos ............................................................................................................. 15
Definition of an asbestos fibre ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Section 2: Asbestos in Buildings ...................................................................................................................................... 16
Summary of the different forms of ACMs ............................................................................................................... 16
ACMs in domestic properties ....................................................................................................................................... 20
Section 3: What are the Health Effects?........................................................................................................................ 23
Section 4: Risk from asbestos and ACMs ..................................................................................................................... 24
Workers at risk from exposure to asbestos fibres .............................................................................................. 24
Exposure limit value ........................................................................................................................................................ 24
Risk from ACMs ................................................................................................................................................................. 24
Friable and Non-Friable ACMs .................................................................................................................................... 25
Exposure levels associated with asbestos work .................................................................................................. 26
The risk posed by asbestos cement products ....................................................................................................... 27
Section 5: The Law ................................................................................................................................................................ 31
Chemicals (Asbestos Articles) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 248 of 2011) ........................................................... 31
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006 & 2010 ........... 32
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 504 of 2006). ........ 34
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation. .......... 35
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations 2001 (S.I. No.619 of 2001) ... 36
Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Carcinogens) Regulations 2001 ( S.I. No. 078 of 2001) .......... 36
European Communities (Carriage of dangerous goods by road and use of transportable pressure
equipment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 349 of 2011) ................................................................................................ 37
Air Pollution Act 1987 .................................................................................................................................................... 37
Section 6: Risk Assessment of ACMs.............................................................................................................................. 38
Purpose of Risk Assessment......................................................................................................................................... 38
Page 3 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
Key Components of an Risk Assessment for Asbestos Abatement Activities .......................................... 39
Use of Assessment Algorithms .................................................................................................................................... 41
Material Assessments ................................................................................................................................................. 41
Priority Assessments .................................................................................................................................................. 42
Asbestos Cement Roof Algorithm ......................................................................................................................... 44
Section 7: Managing Asbestos Containing Materials .............................................................................................. 47
Asbestos Management Plans ........................................................................................................................................ 47
Identifying measures to ensure risks from ACMs are controlled ................................................................. 49
Arrangements to manage accidents, incidents and emergencies ................................................................. 52
Monitoring and reviewing the asbestos management plan ............................................................................ 53
Section 8: Asbestos Surveys .............................................................................................................................................. 54
Choosing the correct asbestos survey type............................................................................................................ 54
Selecting a Competent Surveyor & Quality Assurance ...................................................................................... 54
Pre-survey Requirements for Clients and Surveyors ........................................................................................ 55
Surveyor Plans of Work (Method Statements) ..................................................................................................... 55
Site Safety Matters & Risk Assessments .................................................................................................................. 55
Management Surveys – Key points............................................................................................................................ 56
Refurbishment/ Demolition Surveys – Key points ............................................................................................. 57
Asbestos Survey Reports ............................................................................................................................................... 59
Asbestos Registers ........................................................................................................................................................... 60
Sampling suspect ACMs (bulk sampling) ................................................................................................................ 62
Analysis of suspect ACMs using Polarised Light Microscopy ......................................................................... 62
Section 9: Training, Instruction and information ..................................................................................................... 64
Frequency of training. ..................................................................................................................................................... 64
Basic Asbestos Awareness Training ......................................................................................................................... 65
Lower Risk Asbestos Work ........................................................................................................................................... 65
Specialist Asbestos Contractors .................................................................................................................................. 66
Section 10: Personal Protective Equipment ............................................................................................................... 70
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) .............................................................................................................. 70
Other Personal Protective Equipment ..................................................................................................................... 71
Section 11: Lower Risk Work with ACMs .................................................................................................................... 73
Exemptions from the Asbestos Regulations .......................................................................................................... 73
Maintenance activities involving planned work with ACMs ........................................................................... 74
Page 4 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
Maintenance activities involving non-friable ACMS and certain friable ACMs ....................................... 74
Guidance on particular maintenance tasks involving ACMs ........................................................................... 76
Work with ACMs where asbestos fibres are firmly linked in a matrix ....................................................... 76
Encapsulation of low risk asbestos-containing materials ............................................................................... 77
Supervision of work ......................................................................................................................................................... 77
Working methods for lower risk work .................................................................................................................... 77
Hygiene arrangements for lower risk work with ACMs ................................................................................... 79
Visual inspection, environmental or personal monitoring ............................................................................. 80
Section 12: Work with Higher Risk Asbestos Containing Materials ................................................................. 82
Selecting a Specialist Asbestos Contractor ............................................................................................................. 82
Supervision of asbestos removal work .................................................................................................................... 83
Site documentation .......................................................................................................................................................... 83
Working methods for higher risk asbestos containing materials ................................................................ 84
Encapsulation ................................................................................................................................................................ 84
Removal of asbestos insulation, asbestos insulation board and asbestos coatings ......................... 85
Shadow Vacuum technique ...................................................................................................................................... 89
Enclosures ....................................................................................................................................................................... 89
Smoke tests ..................................................................................................................................................................... 92
Maintenance of plant and equipment .................................................................................................................. 93
Hygiene measures........................................................................................................................................................ 94
Arrangements to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies .............................................................. 98
Section 13: Role of the Independent Competent Analyst ..................................................................................... 99
An ‘independent’ Analyst .............................................................................................................................................. 99
Quality Assurance and Competence ......................................................................................................................... 99
Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) ......................................................................................................................... 101
Air-monitoring (sampling) ........................................................................................................................................ 101
Contents of an Air Monitoring Report ................................................................................................................... 103
Clearance Certification ................................................................................................................................................ 104
Site Clearance Certification Procedure ................................................................................................................. 104
Hygiene facility ............................................................................................................................................................... 108
Contents of a Site Clearance Certificate of Reoccupation for notifiable enclosure work and
hygiene facilities ............................................................................................................................................................ 108
Section 14: Plans of Work ............................................................................................................................................... 111
Page 5 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
Lower Risk Plans of Work .......................................................................................................................................... 111
Higher Risk Asbestos Plans of Work ...................................................................................................................... 114
Section 15: Health Surveillance & Registers ........................................................................................................... 117
Health Assessments ...................................................................................................................................................... 117
Medical Records relating to Health Assessments ............................................................................................. 117
Occupational Health Registers ................................................................................................................................. 118
Heath Surveillance for those who undertake Air Monitoring and Material Sampling of ACMs .... 119
Asbestosis & Mesothelioma Register .................................................................................................................... 120
Section 16: Notification to the Health and Safety Authority ............................................................................. 121
Waivers .............................................................................................................................................................................. 122
Notifiable work activities ........................................................................................................................................... 122
Non-notifiable work activities .................................................................................................................................. 123
Section 17: Management and Disposal of ACMs .................................................................................................... 125
Disposal, storage & packaging advice for lower risk work with ACMs ................................................... 125
Disposal, storage & packaging advice for specialist contractors and large scale removal of
asbestos cement ............................................................................................................................................................. 125
Movement of asbestos waste within Ireland and abroad ............................................................................. 128
Section 18: References and Further Information .................................................................................................. 130
References ........................................................................................................................................................................ 130
Useful Contacts ............................................................................................................................................................... 131
Appendix 1: Photographic examples of ACMs ....................................................................................................... 132
Appendix 2 - Asbestos Cement - Specific Guidance .............................................................................................. 137
Drilling holes in asbestos cement (and/or other tightly bonded materials) ........................................ 137
Cleaning debris from guttering on an asbestos cement roof ....................................................................... 137
Removal of asbestos cement debris ....................................................................................................................... 137
Repairing damaged asbestos cement .................................................................................................................... 138
Painting asbestos cement sheets ............................................................................................................................. 138
Removal of asbestos cement products such as flues and tanks ................................................................. 138
Asbestos roof over-cladding...................................................................................................................................... 139
Cleaning weathered asbestos cement ................................................................................................................... 140
High-pressure water jetting ................................................................................................................................. 141
Remote cleaning ........................................................................................................................................................ 141
Cleaning with surface biocides ............................................................................................................................ 141
Page 6 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
For cleaning an asbestos cement roof .............................................................................................................. 142
Removal and demolition of asbestos cement sheeting .................................................................................. 142
Manual dismantling methods .............................................................................................................................. 143
Remote dismantling methods .............................................................................................................................. 144
Asbestos cement in fires ............................................................................................................................................. 144
Asbestos cement water mains .................................................................................................................................. 145
Appendix 3 - Other ACMs – Specific Guidance........................................................................................................ 147
Removing asbestos contaminated soil .................................................................................................................. 147
Removal of vinyl floor tiles and adhesive ............................................................................................................ 148
Removal of textured coatings ................................................................................................................................... 149
Appendix 4 – Analytical methods for asbestos fibre counting & air monitoring protocols ................ 150
Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) ......................................................................................................................... 150
Representative Air Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 151
Quality assurance .......................................................................................................................................................... 152
Other analytical methods ........................................................................................................................................... 152
Indirect Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) ................................................................................... 152
Direct Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) ...................................................................................... 153
Scanning electron microscopy ............................................................................................................................. 153
Appendix 5 - Sampling of Bulk Materials for Asbestos Content ...................................................................... 154

Page 7 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
Summary of Key Points
Summary of key points (TBC)
Section 1: What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a category 1 carcinogen……………..
Section 2: Asbestos in buildings
Asbestos can be found in over 3000 different products……………
Section 3: What are the health effects?
Asbestos related diseases include……………………..
Section 4: Risk from ACMs
Workers today at risk of exposure include………….
Section 5: The Law
There is a range of legislation that relates to ACMs……….
Section 6: Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is key to managing exposure to ACMS……………
Section 7:Managing ACMs
An asbestos management plan should……………….
Section 8: Asbestos Surveys
There are two types of asbestos surveys…………
TBC……………………………………………….
Page 8 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
Introduction
The aim of these Guidelines is to provide a broad spectrum of guidance aimed at the prevention of
occupational illness from exposure to respirable asbestos fibre. These Guidelines provide practical
advice to employers and those in control of workplaces on the necessary precautions to prevent
exposure to asbestos fibres or, where this is not reasonably practicable, to reduce exposure to
asbestos fibres.

These Guidelines are relevant to a wide range of people/dutyholders, including:
Employers including landlords, in charge of a place of work.
Clients as defined under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations
2006, procuring work in relation to asbestos.
Designers, including Architects and Engineers
Project supervisors, including the PSDP and PSCS.
Asbestos surveyors, analysts and consultants
Asbestos removal contractors and their employees
Construction and demolition contractors
Allied trades e.g. plumbing, electrical, mechanical, telecommunications engineers etc
Maintenance operatives.
Hazardous waste contractors
Those who engage in asbestos removal in domestic dwellings
Any other person who could be potentially exposed to asbestos fibres.

Each category of population mentioned above may be exposed to asbestos fibres in the course of
their work or require others to undertake work where there is a risk of exposure to asbestos fibres.

With increasing knowledge and technical advances there will be on-going changes in effective
practices and the equipment available to achieve the requirements of the Asbestos Regulations,
These are not discussed in detail in the Guidelines. The Guidelines refers to publications issued by
the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which are likely to be subject to frequent and ongoing
revision reflecting the changes in what is "accepted best practice". The HSE publications which are
referred to are current at the time of publication, however, in view of the improvements that
Page 9 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL
continue to be made, care should be taken to ensure that any references, HSE (UK) or otherwise,
which are quoted in these Guidelines are still current.
These Guidelines are not intended as a legal interpretation of the legislation. It is not compulsory to
follow the Guidelines and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow these Guidelines you
will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and Safety Authority inspectors seek
to secure compliance with the law and may refer to these Guidelines as illustrating good practice.

Page 10 of 161 DRAFT NOT FINAL