Document 5bZrq1jkxmRQgvdL7G0ke8vBR

Special Section Protective Clothing: A Worthwhile Precaution For Asbestos Workers Those hot. uncomfortable requirements pay off in safety for employees and their families ST0055855 rotective clothing and respirators Pare required equipment, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration Asbestos Stand ard 1910.1001. for asbestos abatement workers. While respirators are recog nized as the main defense against dis eases caused by breathing asbestos fi bers, the importance of protective clothing may not be as obvious. Anyone who enters an asbestos abatement project during the warm sea son can think of reasons why full-body clothing seems inappropriate. The work area is typically sealed with plastic sheeting, and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit is shut off and sealed. Water is sprayed on the asbestos materia] to minimize airborne fiber con centration. HEAT STRESS. These containment precautions result in a hot and humid environment which is uncomfortable to a person standing still and almost un bearable to those workers removing the asbestos-containing material. Heat stress is a major hazard under these conditions. Workers who enter this hos tile setting daily question the value of wearing protective clothing which seems to add to the heat stress poten home on the worker's clothing. tial. The primary purpose of protective The safety and health reasons for clothing is to keep asbestos debris off wearing protective clothing are usually the body so it will not be transferred considered more important than leaving from the work environment to the out it off to keep skin cool The microscopic side and home environment. asbestos fibers which lodge in skin PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. Specific pores and hair follicles are not removed protective clothing needs vary with the during the brief shower workers take as conditions on each abatement project. they leave the work area. Fortunately, there is no research data indicating that asbestos fibers cause skin cancer. How Family members have ever, those fibers may eventually dis contracted asbestosis lodge from the worker's skin and hair, exposing not only the worker but also from worker clothing. those with whom he comes into contact outside the work area. Documented cases indicate that family members of shipyard workers and textile weavers have contracted asbestosis and cancer from exposure to the asbestos brought Disposable coveralls, foot coverings and head covering are the most com mon types of protective clothing worn. They may be supplemented with hard hats, safety shoes or boots, and eye pro By Eva Clay, Environmental Consultant: William Ewing, Leader. Asbestos Programs Group: Mark Demyanek, Director, Southeast Asbestos Information Center: and William Spain, Training and tection when necessary. If safety shoes or boots are not worn, workers should be provided with inex pensive rubber-soled, slip-on deck shoes. Tight-fitting bathing suits (nylon Publications Director, Environment, Health works well) which can be easily cleaned and Safety Division, Georgia Tech Research Institute. Atlanta, Ga. during showering may be worn under neath the coveralls. If there are protrud AUGUST 1986 1303-1 ing objects in the work area which could snag the disposable clothing, workers may choose to wear shorts over their coveralls. Gloves should be worn inside the work area, but are often not used by the workers. Jewelry should remain outside the abatement project. Any street clothes worn inside the work area, such as T-shirts, blue jeans, sweat bands, kneepads or socks, must remain in the work area and are dis posed of as asbestos waste when the job is completed. Additional protective clothing such as safety shoes or boots and hard hats are also left in the work area each time employees exit. When the project is completed, these items can be cleaned, placed in plastic bags, labeled as-containing asbestos, and taken to the next project. PITFALLS AND PRACTICES. There are some common pitfalls to avoid and proven practices to consider when pur chasing and using protective clothing. Those pitfalls and practices include: Disposable coveralls with hoods and booties attached save time and has sle. If pieces are bought separately, one 27 component is often used up before tb others and the workers are left with out a complete set. Typical prices for coveralls with head and foot covering attached are usually about $3 each when purchased in quantity. Separately, the coveralls cost approximately $2.50. head cover ing about 35 cents, end foot coverings about 50 cents per pair. Coveralls are available in vary ing quantities. Double-stitched seams Iasi longer, but cost more. There are now a variety of closure methods to choose from including zippers. VelcroTM and snaps. Bargain-priced coveralls often use less material. While the same siz ing system <S. M. L. XL) is used by most suppliers, the actual sizes may vary considerably between suppliers. An "extra large" in the less expensive brands may only fit a medium-sized employee. Buy the largest size coverall available for all workers. One size (extra-largel is usually adequate for most work crews: an extra-large suit can be tailored and taped to fit almost any worker. Smaller workers can use tape to "custom fit" their overalls. This will assure that there are always coveralls large enough for all workers. Coveralls constructed of breath able material may aid in body cooling by allowing the hot. moist air to be circulated away from the skin. This air exchange should help to minimize heat stress conditions. A few fibers might penetrate the fabric, but they should be washed from the skin dur ing the shower as the workers exit. Some experts advocate using nonbrcathable materials in protective clothing for asbestos abatement pro jects. However, the goal of protective clothing is to keep gross contamina tion from the skin and hair--not to keep every fiber from the body. Breathable clothing may allow some Street clothes worn Inside the project should be discarded. fibers to reach the body, but the trade off may be worthwhile in heat stress reduction. * Coveralls with elastic gathering at the wrists and ankles do not require application of tape to form a seal. Workers save time in dressing and un dressing. Buy enough protective clothing in the beginning to last to the dura tion of the entire project. As a rule of thumb, figure: 5 suits X number of workers X project duration (davsl X 1.1 =number of coveralis needed. The 1.1 figure gives a 10 percent surplus for visitors and project overruns. Duct tape or masking tape can be used to seal around ankles, wrists and hoods. Masking tape is less ex pensive snd is easier to tear off: both types of tape are easier to remove from the body if the tape is turned back on itself at the loose end to form a tab. Cotton gloves work better than rubber gloves. If metal or wire will be handled during the project, leather gloves should be -o^sidered. Inexpensive canvas deck shoes or safety shoes/boots provide addi tional protection for the workers' feet. Workers should label their own sets of shoes along with personal respirators, hard hats and other personal equip ment. Workers put on the new protective clothing in the clean room of the de contamination unit before entering the work area. They remove the con taminated clothing inside the equip ment room of the decontamination unit as they exit the work area each time. SAFETY SEQUENCE. The diagram illustrates a sequence which can be followed by the worker to maximize the effectiveness of the protective clothing and to minimize contamina tion outaide the work area. No one should enter or leave the work area without going through these steps un less it is an extreme emergency. The effective use of protective clothing, along with respiratory pro tection. is imperative to the health and safety of asbestos abatement workers and their families. The investment in time and train ing to learn about the purpose, types and uses of protective clothing are small compared to the protection gained by the employee and the fam ily. 1303-2 ST0055856