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ldQ-0t>97 Occupational Health & Safety PLAINTIFF'SEXHIBIT SPECIAL SECTION Safely First Priority In Any Asbestos Project JANUARY 1986 vacuums Eliminate Dust Worker Liability Problem BRG 0826 Our track record speaks for itself....making American Coatings Corporation the industry leader for asbestos control. y' Proven Quality Products Fast, Efficient Service ^ Research and Technology CABLE COATING 2B - BRIDGING ENCAPSULANT 'This bridging encapsulant Is one of the very few bridging encapsulants with a Class 'A' tire resistance ..As a result of the analysis of the above data, this encapsulant is considered highly acceptable." (Ballelle Laboratories tor li.S.E.P.A.) CABLE COATING 22P - PENETRATING ENCAPSULANT "...cable coating 22P was not only effective in fully pene trating the test material...but was also effective In improving the overall cohesive strength ot the test material as well." (EAL Corp. for G.S.A.. Reg. 9) ELASTO-CIOTH Strong, flexible dynel reinforcing wrap for pipe and boiler encapsulation. A EARTH-ROTE PROCESS Patented latex system for the encapsulation of asbestos contaminaled soil. AUDEX-P tough, non-fibrous acoustical spray plaster composed of Portland cement and vermiculite Ideal reapplication following asbestos removal. AMERICAN COATINGS CORPORATION 251A Lawrencewood Nites, Illinois 60648 (312) 967-8700 (800) 323-7580 TELEX: 506641 Circle 30 on card. BRG 0827 SPECIAL SECTION January 1986 TABLE OF CONTENTS In June 1985, the editorial staff of OH&S provided its readers with the first special Asbestos section, a magazine which has received more requests for reprints than any other in our magazine's history. For this second edition, again, we turned to the experts, and again, we were inundated from writers throughout the country who wanted to be a part of this months magazine. Articles in this Asbestos section cover a variety of topics: vacuum removal, proper encapsulation, worker liability, the controversy between the United States and Canadian asbestos experts, and keeping workers safe in asbestos projects, in time for the National Asbestos Council meeting Feb. 18-20 in Baltimore, Md. As the debate on asbestos continues, OH&S hopes this second special section will be a useful tool in Asbestos abatement projects in the months to come. /Q/ Carolyn L. Aydelotte Editorial Director 48 Electrical Safety Hazards Should Not Be Overlooked During Abatement Profects By Michael 0. Lowish 51 Filter Condition, Pressure, Air Flow Important In Asbestos Vacuum Systems By Robert S. Magdelain 58 Non-Asbestos Fabrics Can Perform Against Heat, Molten Metal Splashes By H.N. Lilani, BText, DIM, MBA 83 Extent of Asbestos Danger is International Disagreement By David M. Logan Pleural TVimors Related to Asbestos, Industrial Environment By Edward M. Cordasco, MD. FACP, FCCP, John Simelaro, DO, FCCP, FACP. James McMahon, PhD, and Steve Becker, MD, FCCP Asbestos Contractors Feeling Crunch of Insurance Dilemma By Anita K. Nobles 68 Asbestos Encapsulation: Penetrant Approach To Control By Eugene Secor Some Consider Encasement `Better' than Encapsulation By Sheri Hagen Poore, Managing Editor Cover photo courtesy of MeCrone Environmental Services. Inc., Norcross, Ga. Cost-effective Solutions with Asbestos Encapsulation Once friable material is determined to contain asbestos, an assessment program should be implemented and abatement measures taken. An effective -- and inexpensive -- solution to the problem isto encapsulate exposed asbes tos with the appropriate sealant developed specifically for this purpose by the Foster Products Division of H.B. Fuller Company. Foster Bridging Encapsulant and Protektor Sealant are ready to use as they come from the container and can be easily applied with airless spray equipment used by most painting contractors. Foster Products Division 6107 Industrial Way Houston, Texas 77011 (713) 926-3125 (in Texas) 800-231-9541 H.B. Fuller Company JANUARY 1906 Circle 31 on card. |BRG 0828 47 Electrical Hazards Should Not Be Overlooked During Abatement Basic safety hazards may be forgotten in the push to confine asbestos fibers and protect workers Editor's Note: This is the first in a se ries dealing with the basic and often overlooked safety problems faced dur ing an asbestos abatement project. While specifically focused on the abate ment project, the hazards noted are equally applicable to non-asbestos work. sbestos abatement projects have Abecome increasingly technically sophisticated as the body of knowledge grows regarding effective control methods. A great deal of atten tion has been given to protecting work ers and confining fibers. Basic and more immediate safety hazards, however, are often overlooked. The methods used in a typical abate ment project (sealing the work area, us ing wet methods, working at heights on ladders and scaffolding, and shutting down normal building systems) add new dimensions to the task of providing a Basic safety should not be lost amid the sophistication of abatement safe working environment. ELECTRICAL SAFETY. Electrical safety is one of the most potentially se rious problems faced during an abate ment project. Three factors determine the severity of electrical shock. They Electrical Safety Checklist are: The amount of current flowing through the body The path of the current flowing through the body The time the current is allowed to follow this path The path of the current depends on the points of contact. Most often the The use of wet methods increases the potential for electrical shock when working around electrical panels, conduit, light fixtures, alarm systems, junction boxes, computers, transformers, etc. De-energize as much equipment as possible. Use portable floodlight systems for lighting and regularly check the system and wiring for damage. Consider using dry removal in areas immediately adjacent to energized electrical equipment if de-energizing is not feasible. path is from the hands, through the Use non-conductive scrapers and vacuum attachments (wood, plastic, body, and out the feet. The amount of rubber). electrical resistance determines in part the amount of current flow. Moist skin or damp conditions greatly reduce elec trical resistance and significantly in crease a person's risk of serious injury if he comes in contact with a current source. In addition to the obvious shock potential, many deaths result from falls after a non-fatal electrical shock. IDENTIFYING HAZARDS. During the pre-bid inspection, during prepara Supply workers with heavy insulated rubber boots and/or gloves when working around energized wiring or equipment. Use "hot-line" covers over energized cables and powerlines when possible. Make sure ail electrical equipment in use is properly grounded before the job starts. This means checking outlets, wiring, extension cords and power pickups. Check for the ground-pin on plugs. These checks should also be made while setting up and during the job. Thke care not to violate insulated coverings with scrapers or scaffolding wheels. Rolling a heavy cart or scaffold over a flexcord can cause internal damage. tion of the worksite and during asbes Avoid stringing electrical wiring across floors. Elevate wiring if possible tos removal, potential electrical hazards to keep it away from water on the floor and from damage caused by foot can be identified and eliminated. Exam traffic and rolling scaffolds. ples include: continued on page 50 Do not allow water puddles on work area floors. Some removal contract specifications require damp floors--not deep water. By Michael D. Lowlsh, Safety and Health Specialist, Environmental Health and Safety Division, Georgia Tech Research Make sure electrical outlets are tightly sealed and taped to avoid water spray. institute, Atlanta, Ga. "zoc : hon hill!;, , lion i, I ) ay Writer Corn-, - "lUAPv 48 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFET 7 IBRG 0829  Always perform a walk-through check before beginning work to identify potential sources of electrical hazards to abatement workers, or equipment that may be damaged by wet removal methods. Use stable wooden or fiberglass--not metal--ladders. . Determine operating voltages of equipment and lines before working on or near energized parts. Electrical equipment and lines should be considered energized unless tested and determined otherwise. Insulate or guard energized parts from employee contact and any other conductive object. Extension cords used with portable electrical tools and appliances should be three-wire cords connected to a GFI circuit. Extension cords: should be protected from accidental damage. r should hot be fastened with staples, hung from nails or suspended by wire (tape is an acceptable alternative). Portable electrical handtools should be equipped with a three-wired cord having HANDS-IN-BAG* The Safe, Effective, Asbestos or other Contaminant Removal Chamber from Arg-Dri The Arg Dri asbestos pipe removal chamber Is an extremely effective procedure designed exclusively to protect the worker and to prevent asbestos fibers from escaping Into the atmosphere. HANDS-IN-BAG* is easy to use and available In a variety of models providing excellent internal visibility. Member Nallonal Asbestos Courier 1 FOR INFORMATION CONTACT. J. V. Manufacturing Co., Inc. f 121 McDonald StreeWGreen Bay, W! 54303 414-432-7574 JANUARY 1986 Circle 34 on card. a ground wire permanently fixed to the tool frame, or a double-insulated type and labeled as such. For circuits greater than 600 volts, if electrical disconnects are hot visable and open or locked out, these requirements should be met: Circuits to be de-energized should be clearly identified and isolated from all energy sources. A designated employee could see that all switches and disconnectors that could supply energy have been de-energized, locked out, and plainly tagged to show men at work. Visual inspections and tests should be made to assure de-energizing of lines and equipment. Apply protective grounds to disconnected lines or equipment. A separate tag and lockbut should be attached for each crew requiring de-energizing of the same line or equipment. Thgs and lockouts should not be removed from completed work until designated employees report that all crew members are clear and the protective grounds they installed have been removed. A Comprehensive Approach To Your ASBESTOS PROBLEM CONSULTING AND ANALYTICAL SERVICES Bulk Sample Analyses Building Surveys Air Sampling Electron Microscopy mccrone environmental services, inc. 200 oakbrook business center 5500 oakbrook parkway / norcross, georgia 30093 (404) 449-8451 Booth 610 National Asbestos Council 18-20 Fob. 1986 Baltimore, Maryland H Booth 6063 Pittsburgh Conference 10-14 March 1986 Atlantic City, NJ MICROSCOPY SUPPLIES Phase Stereo Polarizing Microscopes Refractive Index Liquids The Asbestos Atlas Dispersion Staining Objective mccrone accessories and components 2020 south mlchlgan avenue / Chicago. Illinois 60616 (312) 842-7100 Circle 35 on card. 49 ,BRG 0830 MKStOS-EUCTMCITY continued from page AS Wiring faults in the building. Open ground paths, reversed wiring po larity and reversed hot-neutral or hotground wires can be identified with a volt/ohm meter or with plug-in circuit testers. These common faults should be corrected prior to beginning a project. This is particularly important if these circuits will be used to provide power inside the removal area. Uninsulated or exposed and ener gized wiring or equipment Asbestos re moval jobs are often part of renovating or remodeling projects. Overhead light ing is often removed for cleaning. Equipment or machinery may have been moved out of the area during the removal job and wiring left in place. Damaged equipment or electrical fix tures may not have not been repaired by the building owner. All of these over sights may create sources of contact with energized electrical circuits. When possible, circuits that will not be used during removal efforts should be turned off and locked out. Wiring and electrical connections should be considered ener gized unless tested. Unenclosed wiring junctions in overhead areas are likely points of contact for removal workers. Asbestos abatement projects where the building remains occupied. This is becoming more common as in dustrial and commercial projects are in creasing. Problems occur where electri cal circuits or control panels inside the removal area must remain energized be cause they control electricity in other parts of the building. Sealing trans formers or control boxes may not be possible due to heat buildup. If this sit uation is encountered, polyethylene will have to be kept away to allow for air circulation and dry removal around con trol boxes may be necessary to avoid a serious shock exposure. In this situa tion, all breakers and switches should be clearly labeled in case power must be secured to other areas of the building A CLEAR ADVANTAGE These hazards are equally applicable to non-asbestos work. THE BETTER WAY TO STRIP ASBESTOS FROM PIPES ... FEATURE FOR FEATURE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE GLOVE BAG. * Choose 6 or 10 mil high clarity heavy duty bag thicknesses for the toughest removals. * Man-sized tool pouch. Drop-in and slide-through design for efficient tool handling. * Better work starts with a glove that fits and is comfortable. Extra large size 10 gloves are cotton flock lined to absorb sweat and facilitate easy on/off. For information and the distributor in your area call: 800-752-2222 The InnoOaion In Disposable Plastics Technology OMNI Sales and Manufacturing P.O. Box 88607 Atlanta, GA 30356 (404) 393-4545 Circle 32 on card. during the removal project. Providing power inside the re moval area. This can create hazards net associated with the building systems. Since OSHA considers abatement pro jects under the "29 CFE 1926 Construc tion Industry Safety and Health Stand ards," there are special requirements for supplying temporary power. This may be done by supplying power through ground fault circuit interruptors IGFC1) or by using an assured equipment grounding program. Use of GFCIs to protect all circuits prove the safest power source since any significant cur rent leakage will trip the circuit. These devices prove most effective when kept outside the work area away from high humidity. An assured equipment grounding program requires regular in spection of all tools, cords and electrical devices with written documentation maintained. Commonly found electrical devices on abatement projects. They include lights, vacuum cleaners, negative air sys tems, drills, saws, heaters, sump pumps and often radios. All of these should be inspected regularly for damage, proper grounding, and integrity of insulation. There are still several basic items that should not be overlooked. Nonmetallic tools should be used for scrap ing to prevent a possible shock if wiring is cut or contact is made with energized equipment. Hard rubber or plastic scrap ers, while more difficult to obtain, per form well for removal. Wooden or fi berglass ladders reduce or eliminate s ground path if a worker contacts an ener gized circuit. I OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 4 SAFE BRG 0831 Filtration, Pressure, Air Flow Important in vacuum Systems Vacuum cleaners am pick up settled dust, debris andfibers that negative air machines will miss electing an asbestos abatement Scontractor with plenty of experi ence and a good track record should not be the only criteria an indus trial engineer or safety hygeinist should consider. Equally crucial to the success of the project is the type of equipment and vacuum cleaners the contractor is using. In asbestos abatement operations, vacuum cleaners should complement-- rather than replace--negative air units. Negative air machines are designed to trap airborne asbestos fibers, filter them out of the airflow no matter how fine they are, and maintain a negative air pressure within the abatement enclo sure. Negative air machines do not pick up settle] dust and debris. Vacuum cleaners, on the other hand, recover asbestos fibers which have set tled on surfaces within the abatement enclosure, filter them regardless of size, and package them in a form which is convenient and safe for "dust-free" dis posal. In certain unusual situations, where the enclosure itself measures only a few hundred cubic feet, asbestos vacuums can be used effectively as neg ative air units. PERFORMANCE. A vacuum clean er's most significant performance pa rameters are static pressure and air flow. Both vacuums and negative pres sure units are measured by these yard sticks. Static pressure is generally stated in "inches of water" or "inches of mercury." Air flow is measured in cubic feet per minute. Negative air units are huge air volume/low velocity machines, while vacuums are low air volume/high velocity systems. Typical negative air units move 1,750 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) and are capable of devel oping a maximum static pressure of 2.5 inches of waterlift. Vacuums, on the other hand, vary in performance from 75 CFM to 225 CGM and create a maximum static pressure of between 55 and 110 inches of wa terlift. Whereas static pressure breaks the electromagnetic or chemical bond be tween the fiber and the surface to which it clings, air flow whisks that fiber away in a hurry. One feels static pressure on the palm when one seals the inlet of the vacuum cleaner with the hand, lb feel air flow, on the other hand, one must insert one or two fingers into the vac uum inlet or nozzle. The combination of static pressure and air flow is what is called suction. A delicate balance must be struck between static pressure and air flow, since it is the combination of both which translates into performance. The higher the static pressure, the lower the air flow, and vice versa. Maximum static pressure comes from closing off the inlet or hose end so it is airtight. There is no air flow at alL If you take a vacuum-producing motor out of its vac uum cleaner shell (where the air flow is channeled), you will have maximum po tential air flow, but no appreciable static pressure. Somewhere between the two absolutes is where it is best to be, and nozzles are designed with this bal ance in mind. FILTRATION. While a vacuum's mo tor is important in asbestos abatement use, the most important component of a vacuum cleaner intended for this use is By Robert S. Magdelaln, President, Niifisk of America, Malvern, Pa. its filtration system. An asbestos vac uum has to trap fibers one one-hundreth of the thickness of a human hair. This requires a filter system which is care fully designed and properly assembled. A word of caution: ordinary house hold vacuum cleaners, even those which make claims to being "heavy duty," have filters only intended to trap carpet lint, dust and at best workshop saw dust. Household vacuum cleaners should never be used in asbestos abate ment operations. Their filters are inade quate. While you experience a false sense of security, superfine asbestos fi bers blow right on through the filter, and back into the air, where they be come breathable. Filter performance involves several variables: coarseness of filter material, angle of fiber impact, air velocity and length of time in service. Permeability (coarseness) of the filter material is one major variable be cause superfine dust will easily pene trate coarsely made filters. As a general rule, asbestos vacuums incorporate sev eral stages of filtration, the coarsest be ing upwind or closest to the inlet. Coarse fibers are designed primarily to trap the largest agglomerations and 'JANUARY 1986 BRG 0832 51 ASBESTOS--MCUUMS "boulders" and are therefore inexpen sive. As fine particles work their way through several stages of increasingly finer filters, eventually they will be trapped. Staged infiltration also en sures that all particles and fibers re gardless of size are not trapped by the tightest (and most expensive) filter. STAGED SYSTEM. A typical staged filter system consists of a primary filter (100 percent efficient at 4 microns), and a second pre-filter (99.5 percent at 2 microns). Generally, the final stage in a multi-stage filter system is the HGPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter, lb be considered HEPA, each individual filter must be tested and certified to have performed with a minimum of 99.97 percent retention efficiency when challenged by a test aerosol of DOP (dioctylphthalate) averaging 0.3 mic rons in diameter. Such test data and cer tification should appear on the HEPA filter element. Those reviewing abate ment equipment should realize that no vacuum cleaner of any kind should be used for asbestos abatement work if it is not equipped with a tested and certi fied HEPA filter. Because HEPA filters are con structed of high technology materials Evaluating Asbestos Vacuums Need Not be Complicated Due to the glut of equipment and supplies now available for use in asbestos abatement procedures, it is often difficult to evaluate a product until it is used. While most products currently available are beyond reproach, new and untested ones, as well as those that make vague declarations, should bear close scrutiny. The good news is that the quest for a suitable vacuum cleaner for asbestos can be simplified Using only vacuum cleaners equipped with DOC (dioctylphthalate) test certified HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters is a reliable guarantee that the exhausted air is essentially free of asbestos fiber emissions. The standard for HEPA filtration, in which an aerosol of very uniform DOP smoke particles is the test criterion, was forged about 40 years ago. A filter must be capable of retaining 99.97 percent of these spherical particles, down to 0.3 microns in diameter, before it can be labeled as a DOP test certified HEPA filter. Currently, HEPA filters are widely used in a variety of manufacturing and procedural applications, most of which involve filtration of fairly large volumes of air (1,000 to 5,000 cubic feet per minute) at low velocities (5 to 25 feet per minute). Vacuum cleaners, however, move small volumes of air (75 to 250 cfin) at comparatively high velocities of 5,000 to 10,000 cubic feet per minute, or greater. At these high velocities, airborne fibers take on the characteristics of projectiles, and behave accordingly when they encounter a filter barrier. When it comes to asbestos, this presents a difficult and dangerous problem. BREATHING Occupational respiratory protection tops the list of personal protection priorities for good reason. Protection of employees from airborne health haz ards in their work is management's re sponsibility. Breathing apparatus from 1SI provides the most complete respiratory protec tion possible. Each of our SCBA, EMERGEMCY ESCAPE MOOD. SUPPLIED Al RLI ME products represent new thought and innovative design ... new ways of making life as simple as possible for those who have to operate in hazardous environments. Find out why ISI is rapidly becoming the standard for those who know breathing apparatus. Learn how we can add to your operating bottom line with work and emergency units that are less costly to own and maintain, yet easy to use in the most rugged applications. 52 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFE I BRG 0833 OSHA's current permissible exposure limit (PEL) addresses the control of asbestos fibers of five microns in length and longer. As a result, a number of vacuum cleaner products have surfaced with optional "asbestos filters," described as 99.99 percent efficient at five microns in particle size. Due to the characteristically modest cost of these products, they may, at first glance, appear to be the most attractive choice. Unfortunately, fibrous particles, whether asbestos or ordinary fiberglass. don't behave like spherical or irregularly shaped particles when they collide with a filter at high velocities. Fibrous particles, especially rigid and inflexible asbestos fibers, tend to align themselves with the air flow, so that it is easy to imagine one aerodynamically akin to a javelin or arrow. Just as an arrow fired at a fishing net would be more likely to penetrate than be snared, an asbestos fiber's ability to penetrate a filter is predominantly a function of its diameter, rather than its length. A five-micron size efficiency rating can only guarantee a limit to the diameter of the asbestos fibers that will not pass through, rather than their length. Vacuum cleaners equipped with DOP test certified HEPA filters will not only capture fibers five microns in length, but also those having lengths of less than one micron. Tire selection of a vacuum cleaner for asbestos should begin by eliminating products that are not so equipped. Ask for a thorough "hands-on" examination of the product before putting it to use. Look for a label certifying that the HEPA filter has successfully passed a DOP test. A retention efficiency of 99.97 percent, or greater, for 0.3 micron size particles must be inscribed on the labeL With that certification in hand, the only things left to determine the quality of the product's construction warranty are correct operation and flexibility in application. --By William E. LeBlanc, Nilfisk ofAmerica, Malvern, Pa. necessary for this retention efficiency, and because all filters must be tested (no random sampling permitted), these cartridges are expensive to replace. Every effort should be made to extend the service life of such filter elements by maintaining and replacing the less expensive and less sophisticated earlier stages of filtration or pre-filters. The angle at which a fiber or particle approaches the surface of the filter is also important. A fiber which meets the filter's surface perpendicularly (straight on) has a better chance of penetrating the filter than one which approaches tangentially. Those perpendicular fibers which don't penetrate the filter's surface have a better chance of sticking into or onto the surface, and that is how filter clogging begins. MATERIALS. Many different materials can be used in a staged filtering systern. Typically, a woven cotton or polyester cloth is used as the first stage filter, followed by either a fiberglass wool pad or a microfilter of synthetic felt, followed ultimately by an ultrafine filter or corrugated fiberglass felt This felt, in sheet form before being corrugated, resembles the ink blotting material used before the advent of the ball point pen. APPARATUS / 0 0 INNOVATIVE ENGINEERED SIMPLE ELSA Emergency Es* cape Hoods give 5. 7 or 10 minutes emergency air in standard, refillable cylinders. NlOSH/ MSHA approved. Circle 36 on card. Circle 37 on card. Circle 38 on card. "So mechanically simple your life has never been more secure ISQ) INTERNATIONALSAFETY INSTRUMENTS, INC. P.0. Box 846, Lawrenceville, GA 30246 Telephone 404/962-2552 JANUARY 1986 53 BRG 0834 A New Answer for Cancer-Threatening , , ~ ASPOSIOS .. MKSTOS--ttCUIMK One of the most significant develop ments to take place in recent years in the field of ultra-fine filtration is the ap plication of Gore-Tfex (Gore-lfex is a registered trademark of W.L. Gore and Associates) for filtration use. GoreTfex is a polyester felt to which a mi- BWE 3000 crothin membrane of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), an industrial grade of Mon flfeflon is a registered trade mark of the DuPont Co.) has been bonded. The microthin membrane is chemical-resistant and microporous, providing an ideal, flexible superfilter. Different surface treatments may be applied to the various filter components. Polyester filters are woven into "mole skin" to improve their retention. Cotton Asbestos Penetrating Encapsulant (Patent Pending) Staged filtration helps conserve expensive filters. BWE 5000 Asbestos Encapsulant Remover (Patent Pending) 1. Our fiber counts during Ar encapsulation and removal are significantly below guidelines set by OSHA and EAP. 2. BWE 3000 and BWE 5000 are easy and safe to use--non-toxic, non-combustible and non-corrosive. 3. Our products create a non-hazardous working environment for reoccupation. For ordering or more information: Call Better Working Environments, Inc. (702) 871-1301 or Telex 289935 BWE UR BDYvAv71bT1 better working ENVIRONMENTS, INC 3716 Scripps Way, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103 fibers are "napped" or brushed up to give them a surface resembling a tennis ball cover. Such a fuzzy texture reduces fiber penetration and cake buildup on the fiber exterior. Felts of all kinds are effec tive filtering materials because of their own random fiber alignment. Fiberglass and polyester are also favorite materials for such filtering applications because of their relative resistance to the moisture which is frequently found in an asbestos removal area. VELOCITY. Velocity is arguably one of the most important design variables. The faster the approach velocity of a speeding fiber, the greater the likelihood the fiber will pass through the filter without being stopped. The slower the fiber's speed, the more likely its entrap ment becomes. Because gross air veloc ity is a "constant" result of vacuum mo tor performance, the variable means of control over air speed is the size of the filter. The larger the surface area of the filter, the slower the speed of fiber im pact on the filter surface. Similarly, un dersized filters will clog faster, and as the pores in the small filters fill up, the air velocity through the clean portion of the filter will increase, improving a fi ber's chances of passing through. This relationship of volume to air to overall filter size is known as "air-tocloth ratio" (ATC). The smaller the ATC (that is, the smaller the air volume pass ing through a given square foot of filter surface!, the better the chances of fiber retention, lb illustrate: 5:1 ATC is far better than 50:1. Vacuum designers therefore strive to pack as much filter surface as possible into a vacuum[ cleaner to reduce the ATC. continued on page See us at the National Asbestos Council, Booths 1016 and 1018. Circle 39 on card. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFE iBRG 0835 Durafab's totally enclosed & hooded suits. We sell the most because we make the best. There are almost as many manufacturers of protective gar ments as there are hazardous materials to be protected from. So why do more industries buy Durafab protective gar ments than any other brand? Quality. Some cheaper garments are available, but where safety is the chief con cern. saving a few pennies becomes less crucial. Another reason we sell so many is be nuiuc cause we make reusable and disposable garments for any type of hazardous condition. Nuclear & radioactive handling, chemicals, acids & caustics, pesticides, clean room environ ment. asbestos, painting, and a multitude of others. Custom garments are available also. Most of our protective gar ments are made of TYVEK,'' a tough, virtually tear-free, spun- bonded olefin. Tyvek holds dry particles out and is excellent in holding out liquids. Additional protection can be achieved using Tyvek coated with poly ethelene or Saranex, and ultra- sonically sealed seams. When an air supply is required, Durafab makes suits _ . _____ with a built-in air rf'rWl entry extension for use with outside air source. We have suits that completely cover a self-contained air supply, also. 1 XYt"H' Durafab suits cost many times less than woven or knit fabrics and protect far better. The low initial cost means that garments can be discarded after wearing to eliminate sorting, handling, and laundering costs. Garments can often be worn more than once and the reuse cost is surprisingly low. For more information, and samples, contact your Durafab representative and find out more of what makes Durafab the industry leader. r------------------ ------- -------- J Gentlemen: i I am interested in finding out more J about Durafab garments. ] ___ Send information only. ! ___ . Have a Duratab distributor J contact me. i ___ Send me a totally enclosed | coverall to review. (Please en- ' close $15.00 to cover coverall ! cost and shipping) i Style #2127Z . ' 2126S 2 i P2130Z _ ! 2120Z 1 2127Z i: J Name ! Company 1 Address ] City _______ State---------Zip-------- j DURAFAB" 1 One o( the world's largest manufacturers i of reusable/disposable garments { PO Box 858 * Cleburne, Texas 76031 i Call 800-433 1824 { (in Texas 817-64 5 88511 J Sold through distributors only , Circle 40 on card. BRG 0836 ASBESTOS--MCUUMS continued from page 54 The length of time a filter has been in service has a great deal to do with how well the filter will perform. In the begin ning, a fresh filter is more porous than it is after some use. This is due to the inevi table buildup of fibers on the outside of the filter. These fibers, then, become an effective part of the filer, and make it a finer retainer of the fibers. This is true up to a point. Eventually this increasingly fine filter gets so fine that air can no longer pass through it. This dogging situ ation is known in the industry as "filter blinding." DUST. Most asbestos abatement pro jects also generate large quantities of dust. Whether the dust is plaster, gyp sum, or asbestos, it must be treated as if it were asbestos. It is therefore essential that the vacuum cleaners used in such ap plications be resistant to premature dog ging. It a filter is undersized, it will dog quickly. Clogged filters take time and ef fort to undog or replace, costing the con tractor predous time. Vacuums used in asbestos abatement must have oversized filters to resist early dogging, and some means of cleaning a dogged filter without having to disassemble the cleaner. Disas sembly takes time, and can result in sec ondary exposure of the operator to the contents of the machine. Proper asbestos vacuum design requires the incorporation of a filter-shaking mechanism or a re verse air purge, which can be activated from outside the vacuum deaner, to cause caked material to fall off into the sealed container. With the noise, bustle and heat charac teristic of most asbestos abatement jobs, it is frequently difficult for the vacuum operator to know if and when his filter system should be purged. Negative air machine manufacturers, and vacuum deaner makers may offer manometers, ei ther as standard or as optional accesso ries. Over a prolonged period of time, the fiber buildup on the contaminated side of the filter causes the pores in the filter me dium to become fiber-dogged. Air trans fer through the filter is restricted, causing an increase in static pressure after the filter. (As air flow is reduced, static pres sure is increased.) This differential is sensed by the manometer, which alerts the vacuum operator by audible or visual means to the must for filter purging. The operator then need only activate the ex ternal purging device and resume normal vacuum cleaning operations with a re newed filter. SAFE DISPOSAL. Containment and safe, dust-free disposal of the debris col lected in the vacuum deaner is the final consideration. Most vacuum cleaner manufacturers offer disposable paper filter bags for their machines. In an as bestos abatement environment, however, these paper bags prove to be under engineered. Either the paper is too po rous to provide fine filtration and reten tion of the fibers, or the liquids used to loosen friable asbestos will wet the paper and cause it to become excessively soggy. Soggy paper bags lose their abil ity to filter fine dust, and eventually dis integrate altogether. Some vacuum manufacturers offer paper bags which fit inside plastic liners. When the bag is full, it is disconnected from the container inlet, and the plastic bag's sides are drawn up around the pa per bag to seal it. Other suppliers have designed their equipment so asbestos is collected directly in the plastic bag, elim inating the false sense of security a po tentially soggy bag can provide. Since Environmental Protection Agency guidelines provide for ultimate disposal in 6-millimeter polybags, it makes sense to capture the fibrous material in plastic bags in the first place. H Battery Powerer" or Air Supplied NIOSH APPROVED MadeinUSA by Neoterik Health Technologies. Inc... 10075 Tyler Place. ijamuille. Maryland 21754 (301)031-8324 Circle 41 on card. 56 CONSULTING SURVEYS MONITORING TESTING ASBESTOS CONSULTANTS Alternative Ways, Inc. has performed consulting and testing services for some of the largest corporations in the world. Our clients include Government, Com mercial, and Industrial concerns in over 30 states. ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT PLANS IDENTIFYING ASBESTOS MATERIALS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS Q.A. INSPECTIONS & AIR MONITORING TRAINING PROGRAMS COMPLETE LABORATORY FACILITIES /rAv Alternative Ways Inc. gWttdom 14 100 Essex Ave. m Finding S Altfrn&tiuff Bellmawr, NJ 08031 TOLL FREE: (800) 547-0101 New Jersey: (609) 547-0101 / OCCUPATIONAL HEAlIH & SAFE; BRG 0837 Four Big Reasons Why You Should Join The Asbestos Abatement Council of the ASSOCIATION OF THE WALL AND CEILING INDUSTRIES - INTERNATIONAL .. . #1 -- Annual Convention The annual Asbestos Abatement "Conventionwithin-A-Convention," held in conjunction with the Wall and Ceiling Industry's Convention and Exposition. February 16 - 20,1986 in Anaheim, and March 4 - 8. 1987 in New Orleans. Nearly 190 exhibit booths, many geared exclusively to the asbestos abatement industry! A hard-hitting lineup of technical educational sessions on asbestos-related topics! Clip the coupon below and mail today for more information on the 1986 convention. - PLUS - #2 -- Video Training Tapes A series of nine full-length asbestos abatement video training tapes, produced for the Asbestos Abatement Council by Rex Trailer Video Enterprises of Boston. Designed for worker consumption and accompanied by pertinent in structor materials. Subject matter ranges from worker protection and safety to preparation of the work area and equipment operation; from encapsulation and removal of asbestos to disposal procedures and final clean up. A "must" for anyone in the industry! Special reduc ed prices for Council members only! (Available March, 1986) Call now for discount preproduction prices #3 -- Educational Seminars Educational seminars such as The Asbestos Abatement Training Course/Certification Pro gram and Estimating Asbestos Abatement Work, both held in numerous locations throughout North America each year. Renown ed instructors, professional audio-visual learning aids, live product demonstrations, and more! Over 1,600 contractors, architects, suppliers, building and government officials, and in dustrial hygienists have attended these courses since their inception. #4 -- Publications Other membership benefits include publications such as the bimonthly Asbestos Abatement magazine and the monthly Abatement Action newsletter, technical consulting services, lobby ing and legislative representation, special pub lications, computer consulting services, and pro fessional legal counsel. ------------------------------TELL ME MORE!----------------------------- I am interested in membership in the Asbestos Abatement Council. Please rush me more information and I an application. I I am interested in attending the Asbestos Abatement "Convention-Withln-A-Convention" Please rush I me more information on the 1986 convention and exposition February 16-20 in Anaheim, CA. ID I am interested in learning more about the Asbestos Abatement Video Training Tapes. Please rush me more information and an order form. I D I am interested in the educational seminars sponsored by the Asbestos Abatement Council. Please rush I me more information and registration materials. | Name | Firm | Address I City State Zip Phone i! Mail to; Asbestos Abatement Council of AWCI 25 K Street, NE, Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20002. Or call toll-free 1-800-848-1777. Circle 42 on card. J BRG 0838 Non-Asbestos Fabrics Perfoim Against Heat and Metal Splashes Workers who must be protectedfrom heat exposure can satisfactorily wear asbestos substitutes sbestos has been referred to as a Figure 1 Amiracle fiber because it has a unique combination of properties in one material: high strength, durabil ity, heat and flame resistance and excel lent chemical resistance. Types of fabric used in the study FABRIC TYPE FABRIC WEIGHT 1. Asbestos UG Grade....................................................24.0 oz/yd2 Conventionally, heat protective gar 2. Core Spun Giass/Aramid fiber sheath.......................20.0 oz/yd2 ments made from asbestos fabrics have been used in a variety of forms: proxim ity suits, fire smothering blankets, cur tains and splash aprons. The miracle as 3. Core Spun Semi Carbon Pan/ Aramid fiber sheath........................................................18.5oz/yd2 4. Permanently Flame Retardant Rayon......................... 19.0oz/yd2 bestos fiber provided the best heat resistance, thermal insulation and pro tection for molten metal splash needed to protect workers in the metals indus tries. However, the health hazards of Figure 2 , working with it have challenged the re sourcefulness of the safety clothing in Maximum temperature rise, Maximum rate of heat flow values dustry. In recent years, numerous sub stitute fibers have been developed using various high-heat resistant non asbestos fibers; little, however, has been Maximum Temp. Rise In 30 Secs. Maximum Rate Of Heat Flow documented on their protective per Fabric Type (Degrees F) (CAL./CM2 SEC) formance value, usefulness and costeffectiveness. Traditionally, workers in the steel in dustry who work near blast furnaces, 1. Asbestos--UG 2. Core Spun Glass/ Aramid 34.6 42.9 1.11 1.02 pouring platforms, continuous casters and melt shop pits have used alumninized asbestos garments to get the needed protection from burn injuries 3. Core Spun SC PAN/ Aramid 4. PFR Rayon 16.0 92.6 0.51 2.88 caused by radiant heat exposure and splashing of molten metals. SIMPLE CRITERIA. The fabric ac ceptance criteria was very simple. Often the area foreman made the final deci The fabrics were visually evaluated for charring, shrinkage, perforation and metal adherence. The rating system uses number one through five in each category, with "1" representing good behavior and "5" representing poor behavior. sion. Evaluation techniques consisted of in-plant trials and actual use. Varia bles affecting the life of the garments CATEGORIES: RATINGS: and safety were not always documented CHARRING 1--VERY SLIGHT or quantified. In general, the aluminized SHRINKAGE 2--SLIGHT asbestos fabrics offered satisfactory PERFORATION 3--MODERATE protection; any deviation or change METAL ADHERENCE 4--SIGNIFICANT from them always caused a certain de 5--HEAVY gree of uncertainty and confusion. With the advent of non-asbestos ma terials, consumer confusion increased. Asbestos fabric rated: PFR Rayon fabric rated: Although the consumer has a large se lection, he does not have answers to his questions: Will the new fabric provide the same protection as "good old asbes CHARRING .................................. 2 SHRINKAGE ................................ 1 PERFORATION ............................ 2 METAL ADHERENCE.................. 2 CHARRING .................................... 4 SHRINKAGE .................................... 1 PERFORATION ............................. 4 METAL ADHERENCE................... 1 tos?" Will it last long enough? Is it cost-effective? Does it or will it have any health hazards? Core Spun SC PAN/Aramid fabric rated: CHARRING .................................. 2 SHRINKAGE .................. ............. 1 Core Spun Giass/Aramid fabric rated: CHARRING.................................. 2-3 SHRINKAGE ....................................1 By H.N. Ulanl, BTsxt, DIM, MBA, Man ager, Research and Product Development, PERFORATION ..............................1 PERFORATION ............................... 4i METAL ADHERENCE .................. 1 METAL ADHERENCE ...................2 Amatex Corp., Norristown, Pa. SB OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFE I / BRG 0839 HEAT TRANSFER. Previous research ers have used a variety of aluminized and non-aiuminized fabrics to study the fab rics' heat transfer values in molten metal splash situations and have attempted to correlate these values with important fabric properties such as weight, weave, air-permeability, fiber content and finish. Now, an attempt has been made to ex pand fabric evaluation techniques to in corporate other available test methods to measure fabric performance with re spect to radiate heat exposure and simu lated fabric wear patterns. In the first part of this study, under controlled conditions, a certain amount of molten iron was poured onto the alu minized side of the fabrics and the heat flow through these fabrics was mea sured. In the second part, the aluminized surface of these fabrics was exposed to a radiant heat source for a certain length of time and then the base fabric surface was exposed to abrasion to study the wear patterns. Although a variety of fabrics are used in outerwear safety garments, this study was limited to certain aluminized fabrics, with asbestos fabric used mainly for comparison (See Figure 1.) MOLTEN METAL SPLASH. These fab rics were subjected to a molten iron test to study heat flow through the fabrics. Conditions for the test consisted of pour ing two pounds of molten iron from a height of 18 inches at a temperature of approximately 2,750 F to 2,850 F onto the aluminized side of the fabric samples attached to a transits board at an angle of 70 degrees. A calorimeter was used to measure the temperature rise during and shortly after the splashing, and was used to calculate beat flow through the fabric. The tested fabrics were rated into four 1 categories. Results of the molten metal 1 splash test are recorded in Figure 2. 1 The SC PAN/aramid sheath fabric jshowul the minimum temperature rise, Whereas the PFR rayon fabric showed the maximum temperature rise. Except lor the PFR rayon fabric, charring Wnged from slight to moderate. PFR ayon fabric became brittle and cracked men bent. 1 No shrinkage was found in any of the (brics. Significant perforation was seen In the core spun glass/aramid and the PFR rayon fabrics. Asbestos fabric was slightly perforated, whereas the core spun PAN/aramid showed only a very slight perforation. No metal adherence was seen on the r surface of the PFR rayon and the core gspun PAN/aramid fabrics; whereas a 2 small amount of metal adhered to the as bestos and the core spun glass/aramid -abrics. REFLECTIVITY AND WEAR. A steel industry worker is often not only exposed to the risk of molten steel splash but also to the radiant heat emitted from furnaces, open ladles or red-hot metals. Generally, aluminized garments provide better pro tection from radiant heat Aluminized fabric reflects 90 percent to 95 percent of radiant heat depending an the garment Variables affecting garment life have not always been recorded. condition. But the remaining 5 percent to 10 percent of the heat does penetrate the base fabric. Depending on the type of fab ric, exposure time, wear and tear on the garment and intensity of heat, the base fabric starts to degrade and reaches a point where it does not provide the neces sary protection. It is usually discarded at that paint In order the simulate this effect re searchers modified principles of the mili tary heat reflectivity test In brief, this method involved exposing the abraded aluminized surface of the fabric to a radi ant heat source consisting of five infrared quartz lamps. The average temperature of the lamps is kept at about 2,730 F. The standard specimen is placed at a distance of 1 inch from the radiant heat source. Standard exposure time is 30 seconds. The degradation through the fabric is as sessed by examining the darkening 0f blotting papa1 which is normally kept be hind the test specimen. These methods were modified somewhat for this study. For example, researchers eliminated the use of blotting paper and further tested the samples by studying their wear resist ance after exposure. In addition, the re searchers used three different exposure time modes: 60,120 and 180 seconds, re spectively. Exposed samples were cut to 1 and seven-eighths by 9 inches to study their wear resistance. They were subjected to a simulated wear test using the Wyzenbeek Abrader. Undo* this method, specimens are subjected to a unidirectional rubbing action under known conditions of pres sure, tension and abrasive action. The abrasion resistance is measured by the number of cycles until the fabric breaks or until the aluminum layer becomes visible through the base fabric surface. The results were charted to compare the wear resistance of the fabrics. (See Figure 3.) We can ship ou Nomex III protection immediately from our large inventory of stock garments. Nomex III is a registered trademark for Dupont's revolutionary flame-resistant fiber. We Are ^forkrite Uniform Company Inc. For Details Call: Workrite Uniform Co.,Inc 500 E. Third St. Oxnard, CA 93032 (805)483-0175 OR 800 - 521 - 1888 JANUARY 1986 Circle 43 on card. 39 --iwwmwjbwui.'.t'jyv.0rq 0840 ASBESTOS--HIMICt Fabric Type & Weave 1. Asbestos UG Grade (Herring bone) 2. Core Spun Glass/Aramid (Plain) Fiber Content (base fabric only), Percent Asbestos ... 85 Rayon ........15 Figure 3 Physical Properties of Fabrics Aluminized Fab Thickness In ric Weight In oz/ Inches yd* Breaking Strength Lbs/ Inch (min.) WarpxFill 24.0 0.034" 110x85 Tear Strength In Lbs. (min.) WarpxFill 15x13 Char Length In Inch (max.) 0.5 Glass..........25 20.0 AramkJ........75 0.055" 220x80 25x20 0.5 3* *i58t YOUR PEOPLE SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY THE VERY BEST IN DECONTAMINATION EQUIPMENT LEASE OR PURCHASE PROVEN EQUIPMENT FROM EVERGREEN Profit From Our Experience And the experience of satisfied clients all over the United States. Proven, effective, state-of-the-art decontamina tion equipment from Evergreen meets O.S.H.A., NIOSH and E.P.A. stand ards. All units utilize Evergreen Industries' negative air pressure system. We Train Your People Our certified professionals instruct your em ployees in the safe, proper use of our equipment. Complete Line Available Mobile decontamination units--4 standard, 3 compartment units. H.E.P.A. filter fans. Air sampling pumps. Wet/dry vacuums. Hot water heaters. Lease Or Buy? - Whatever meets your current financial and operating requirements. We can offer advice based on experience. Call Today - Toll Free (1-800-525-8696) for consultation. 6390 JOYCE DRIVE GOLDEN, COLORADO 80403 INC. 1-800-525-8696 Circle 44 on card. 60 m The aluminized asbestos fabric bad the greatest weight, but its breaking strength and tear strength were the lowest. The highest breaking and tear strength were observed in the PFR fabric. For all .the fabrics, the char length almost remained the same 0.5 inch except for the PFR rayon fabric, which showed a maximum char length of two inches. WEAR PERFORMANCE. The re sistance of textile materials to abra sion as measured on a laboratory test ing machine is generally only one of Certain fabrics are the most cost-effective. several factors contributing to wear performance or durability as experi enced in the actual use of the material. In a comparative study only, as the heat reflectivity exposure time in creases, the wear resistance of fabric decreases. This was evident in all the fabrics. Considering the three-minute exposure time mode, apparently core spun SC/aramid fabric retained the maximum wear resistance. Based on these findings, the re searchers said they believe a correla tion exists between the fabric wear re sistance and its exposure to radiant heat. Since this study was limited to four fabrics only, more work needs to be done to establish the validity and repeatability of this technique to eval uate fabrics. COST EFFECTIVENESS. Based on the available unit cost information of jhe fabrics that were used in this j study, a cost-constant was reached. The wear cost-constant is a ratio of the number of abrasion cycles it take to break a fabric to the unit fabri cost. Considering a 60-second tin mode, the asbestos, core spun glass OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFE 'BRG 0841 fv. Fabric Type & Weave 3. Core Spun S.C. PAN/ Aramid (Herring bone) 4. PFR Rayon (Herringbone) Federal Stand ard Test Method Fiber Content (base fabric only), Percent S.C. RAN ... 75 Figure 3 continued Aluminized Fab- Thickness In ric Weight In <aJ Inches yd1 18.5 0.040" Break i n g Strength Lbs/ Inch (min.) WarpxFill 190x130 Tear Strength In Lbs. (min.) WarpxFill 20x18 Char Length In Inch (max.) 0.5 PFR............85 Rayon ........15 #191 19.0 5041 0.036" 5030 340x170 5100.1 30x30 5134 2.0 5903 aramid and core spun SC PAN/aramid fabrics ranged between 460 and 560 cycles per dollar, whearas the PFR rayon fabric showed a cost-constant of 212 cycles per dollar. In the 120second time mode, the PFR rayon, as bestos and the core spun glass/aramid fabrics ranged between 150 and 170 cycles per dollar. However, the core spun SC PAN/aramid performed re markably higher, showing a costconstant of 270 cycles per dollar. At the 180-second time mode, PFR rayon fabric showed the lowest cost- Steelworkers need protection from radiant heat exposure. constant of 10 cycles per dollar. The core spun SC PAN/aramid fabric showed 210 cycles per dollar. The core spun glass/aramid and the asbestos fabrics ranged from 95 to 145 cycles per dollar. CONCLUSION. This research indi cates that the present technique to evaluate fabrics against molten metal splash can be extended to incorporate other available test methods such as the heat reflectivity test and the wear test. The wear performance of ther mally degraded fabrics could be re lated to its cost. Using this technique, comparative cost effectiveness data can be gener ated to answer a few of the questions that the consumers in the metals in dustry have raised. ^AMERICA'S 1,1. * J ; Asbestos Control* Technology Inc., is the one-step shop- - : - ping center for all your asbestos control needs. As dose' as your phone, we qffer same day shipping to 50 states. -We inventory huge stocks of Micro-Trap Negative AirV-. Filtration Units, HEPA vacuumcleaners,{Tyvek |i p | ; coveralls, American Optical respirators and car- * <'" trldges, goggles, gloves, surfactants, Profo-BagS, air >; sampling pumps and filter cassettes, waste disposal 'l bags, rolls of polyethylene, duct tape hnd ievery 4 otherjtem required for asbestos removal ^ work. For instance, we hre a distributor RBI a : for the new industry referenceJwok, ' - A3BE8T08 REMOVAL ON- i TROL: An Insider's fOulde To , The Business, if itls an asbestos " /safety product, we stock it. *11 for our price list.' <.,;8 '$1 For further information about non asbestos, high-heat resistant indus trial textiles, the author can be reached at 1032 Stanbridge St., P.O. Box 228, Norristown, Pa. 19404, (215) 277-6100. yNUARY 1986 ' V.CX Box 183, Maple 8hade.1W 08052 .. {Outside NJ) 800-221-191! (In 1^1) 609-33541 Circle 45 on card. RG 0842 61 'JT ...V''~ * >*>* X ''.l : - I !//.1<*1/ When the stakes are high... You can count on quality. When you enter an asbestos contaminated area, you shouldn't have to count on luck. You need to know your equipment is a sure thing. At Air Engineers, we don't gamble with your safety. Our asbestos abatement division, B-Safety Supply, takes no chances. Our full line of asbestos abatement equipment and supplies, from Tyvek coveralls to our Red Baron Negative Air System, meets or exceeds all E.P.A., O.S.H.A. and state v f r'<F% i t fW. \I < //A M U Af |r a ,- ' safety requirements. High quality doesn't raise the ante. For instance, our newest product, the "AquaBox" Decontamination Shower is completely portable and offers one of the most technologically advanced and efficient filtration systems available today. It's easily assembled, virtually indestructable, totally reliable and it costs less than half the cost of its closest competitor. Service is a sure thing. You work on a tight schedule. So, we do too. Our service policy is simple-- get you your equipment and supplies when you need them. Whether it's for your next job--or for the next day. Cut your risks. You don't have to risk your safety, your schedule, or your profits. The risks are high enough already, so stack the deck in your favor with Air Engineers--your safety is too important to bet on anything less. Call toll-free, 1-800-633-4585, in Alabama, 1-800292-4031 or (205) 991-6855 for a free catalog of our entire line of asbestos abatement equipment and supplies and for more information on our new "AquaBox" Decontamination Shower. Zm AIR ENGINEERS, INC. P.O. Box 43366, Birmingham, Alabama 35243 / Toll Free: 1-800-633-4585 In Alabama Toll free: 1-800-292-4 Circle 47 on card. Extent of Asbestos Danger Is International Disagreement Canadian and American experts agree on need for more study, but disagree on dangers of chrysotile fibers here is something of a war going Ton between Canada and the United States. The issue is asbestos and the disagreement centers on the ques tion of health hazards resulting from asbestos in non-occupational settings. Last year, two reports were issued, one by a Royal Commission for the Minister for Labour of Canada, the other by the National Research Coun cil (NRC) for the Environmental Pro tection Agency. The Royal Commis sion report titled Report of the Royal Commission on Matters of Health and Safety Arising from the Use ofAsbes tos in Ontario, concluded in part: "We have found no evidence that disease af flicts individuals who breathe asbestos in outdoor air or inhale it as occupants of asbestos-containing buildings." But the NRC report titled Asbestisform Fibers/Non-Occupational Health Risks, concluded: "Non-occupational exposure to asbestisform fibers in air presents a risk to human health." SEMANTICS QUESTION. On the surface, the two conclusions seem dia metrically opposed, yet the crux of the disagreement as expressed in the con clusions seems almost a matter of se mantics rather than science. It is al most a question of just how much risk is enough risk to warrant being labeled Canadian and American authorities disagree on the threat of undisturbed asbestos. as such. The Royal Commission Report em ploys an analogy to express its assess ment of the risk: "The risk that an indi vidual who had been exposed to asbestos in a building for, say, 10 years would die of an asbestos-related dis ease is less than one-fiftieth the risk that death would come from commut ing by auto to and from that building daily for the same period." The NRC approaches the subject with statistics: "If a person inhaled air containing asbestos at. . .0.0004 fibers/cubic centimeter (approximate average level in indoor and outdoor air). . .throughout a 73-year lifetime, the committee's best judgment is that the lifetime risk of mesothelioma would be approximately nine in a mil lion. . .lung cancer would be 64 in a million for male smokers; 23 in a mil lion for female smokers; and 6 and 3 in a million, respectively, for male and fe male non-smokers." SMALL RISK. Both studies admit that the risk is small, but it is impor tant to note that these conclusions are drawn from environments where the asbestos present is undisturbed. Both groups concede that significantly greater exposure and concurrently greater risk occur when the asbestos present is disturbed. The Canadian re port suggests that unwarranted re moval may increase risk by disrupting a basically abeyant material. If the two reports reach basically the same conclusion about the amount of risk in non-occupational settings, their interpretations of existing crite ria in reaching those conclusions differ substantially. Of significant interest are the Canadian and American ap proaches to the subject of chrysotile this country. In treating the question of health risks, the Canadian commit tee chose to examine the three asbes tos types--crocidolite, amosite and chrysotile--separately. Their research found: "Crocidolite and amosite fibers tend to be more hazardous than chrys otile fibers." On the other hand, the NRC committee chose not to differen tiate among the different asbestos types, citing the great uncertainly about the nature of asbestos in nonoccupational settings. They subse quently put together a risk assessment that lumped together all types of as bestos fibers with no regard for the dif ferences in toxicity detailed in the Ca nadian report. LUNG PENETRATION. Those differences in toxicity were determined by gathering information from a variety of studies on the subject and examin I By M. David Logan, Environmental Writer, Chicago, III. Reprinted with permission of The Asbestos Monitor, asbestos. Chrysotile asbestos is the type of asbestos most commonly found in schools and other public buildings in ing the disease-making potential of dif ferent types of asbestos in the body, j Asbestos fibers are the most danger- 085. 70 ^uARY 1986 63 BRG 0844 mtxm-tuuaum ous when they penetrate deeply into the lung and embed themselves in lung tissue. There, they can cause fi brosis (scarring of the lung) and other diseases. Consequently, any influence that prevents entrance into the lung or promotes clearance before penetra tion reduces the chances for disease. Amazingly, estimates indicate that the body's clearance mechanisms are 95 to 98 percent effective. But a long, thin needle-like fiber can thwart the body's clearance mechanisms and embed itself deeply into tissue. If a fiber's long, thin shape is further en hanced by a resistance to acid, it is doubly dangerous because it cannot be broken up or dissolved in the weakly acidic environment it encoun ters inside the human body. Crocidolite and amosite fibers tend to be long and thin. They are more likely to make their way through the narrow airway branches and nasal passages en route to the lung. The shape of the chrysotile fiber is curly, giving it a wider cross-sectional area which helps it to be trapped in the nar row airway branches, stopping its progress to the lung. In many cases, it never reaches the lung, but is coughed up. If a fiber does manage to make its way to the lung, it may be dealt with in different ways, depending on the fi ber type. Crocidolite and amosite fi bers are acid resistant and tend not to be affected by the lung's weakly acidic environment. Some authorities sug gest that chrysotile, on the other hand, seems vulnerable to acid and displays a tendency to split into tiny fibers or dissolve in the lung, accord ing to the Canadian report. Chrysotile Is the type most commonly found In schools. The experts who contributed to the Canadian report provided enough con curring evidence to conclude that: "Whatever the factor or factors of im portance, there does appear to be evi dence to indicate a preferential clear ance of chrysotile as opposed to amphibole for example crocidolite and amosite fibers from body tissue." CURLIER FIBERS. The NRC report grants that: "Because the curlier chrysotile fiber has a relatively large cross-sectional area, its chances for in terception in the airways is greater." It even concedes that chrysotile "seems to degrade or be removed in vivo more readily than amphiboles." But it remains steadfast in applying its risk assessments for generalized asbestos exposure to situations where chrysotile is the primary agent of ex posure. One reason for the NRC's firm posi tion may be found in a study con ducted in September 1980 of asbestos textile workers at Charleston, S.C. by Dr. John Dement. This study of occu pational exposure found an excess of disease higher than in any other simi lar study, yet the workers had been ex posed almost solely to chrysotile as bestos. The Royal Commission report acknowledges Dement's study and registers its misgivings, but lends credibility to the NRC's decision to play it safe and not'treat chrysotile as a separate or necessarily less danger ous type of asbestos. CRITICISM. Some authorities in the United States have criticized the NRC report, however, for its failure to make a distinction between chrysotile and other types of asbestos, claiming continued on page 66 Clayton Environmental Consultants Air Monitoring and Bulk Sampling Surveys Onsite Analysis Building Inspections Recommendations for Abatement Programs Development of Bid Specifications for Abatement Programs AIHA-Accredited Laboratories -- Phase-Contrast Microscopy -- Polarized-Light Microscopy -- Scanning Electron Microscopy -- Transmission Electron Microscopy -- X-Ray Diffraction Participation in NIOSH PAT and EPA Quality Assurance Programs Expert Testimony A Marsh & McLennan Company 25711 Southfield Road 313/424-8860 Southfield, Ml 48075 Atlanta Edison, NJ Los Angeles Windsor, Ontario Toronto, Ontario London, U.K. 64 Circle 48 on card. If your personnel depend on compressor supplied re spirable air you need to be acquainted with Dynamatlon air purification and CO monitoring panels: Meet OSHA requirements for CO and toxic (Hydro carbon) monitoring Three stage filtration removes particulates, oil mist Hydrocarbon vapors and odors to meet OSHA Grade D air standards Automatic switch-over to backup air supply if com pressor fails Other systems and combinations available, call and describe your application The Employee Protection People dynatnafion. inc. 3784 plaza drive ann arbor, michrgan 48104 (313| 769 0573 Circle 49 on card. rw / BRG 0845 Pleural Ikimors Related to Industrial Environment leural mesothelioma--tumors caused primarily from asbestos exposure-- long Phave been a major concern to occupational physicians and industrial hygienists. Because of extensive asbestos installation in ships during World War it and resultant tumors associated with the work 30 years later, the prevalence of the cancer is even more important today because of efforts to remove the fiber from thousands of buildings across the country. CASES INCREASING. Since 1960, the number of recorded cases of pleural and peritoneal tumors associated with past occupational or paraoccupational exposure to asbestos has been increasing. In the United Kingdom, annual incidence is now at least 120 cases. In 1975, 260 cases were recorded in death certificates in South Africa, Australia, the United States, Holland, Wfest Germany and other countries. The U.S. figure alone currently is estimated at more than 600 incidents per year. The "attack rate" among occupationally exposed individuals, in general is less than 7 percent, and the excess risk of malignant mesothelioma varies according to the type of industrial exposure. It has been predicted that by the year 2000 the mortality from these tumors among men and women will increase even more. In the United States, crude incidence rates of the tumors range from 3.0 to 7.1 per million per year. Sex-specific incidence rates adjusted by age to the 1970 population ranged from 4.4 to 11.1 per million per year in males and 1.2 to 3.8 per million per year for females-- many of them also spouses of asbestos workers. CHEST PAIN. The clinical picture of mesothelioma is characterized by chest pain in approximately 65 percent of those diagnosed. Shortness of breath is the frequent accompanying symptom present in more than half of the patients and is usually the predominant symptoms in approximately 33 percent of the patients. Joint pains also may occur. Mesothelioma is a tumor found in persons after with an average latency period of 22 years. Prognosis is usually grave, and nearly all patients die of complications within 12 to 18 months of diagnosis. Benign forms include adenomatoid tumors of the genital tract, multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma, and benign localized fibrous mesothelioma. Pleural mesotheliomas commonly are found covering the lower lobe and diaphragm. It can cause compression of the lung, obliteration of the pleural cavity and invasion of the superficial lung parenchyma. The treatment of this condition is generally unsatisfactory except in the case of benign lesions. Thie mesotheliomas are uniformly fatal at the present time. SURVIVAL RATE. After prognosis, patients with mesotheliomas of the epithelial type live longer than patients with a sarcomatous or mixed tumor type. The extent of the disease at the time of diagnosis seems to be the single, most important prognostic factor. Mean survival of those patients is approximately 16 months. If the chest wall or the lungs are affected, the median survival rate is only 9-10 months. With extra-thoracic involvement, the median survival is five months or less in the majority of patients. Less than 10 percent of the patients survive more than three years. Intensive research toward new chemotherapeutic, radiotherapeutic and other treatment is being conducted at the present time. Improved industrial hygiene standards, in addition to comprehensive occupational health surveillance, should potentially reduce the prevalence of disease, although the latency of the disease and the enormous number of people exposed will result in a large number of cases before the end of this century. A NIOSH recommendation that 1 fiber per cubic foot per hour with fiber size 8mm. long by 0.5 micrometers in diameter, be standardized as the threshold limit value (TLV), may possibly result in the reduction of asbestos related diseases, including pleural tumors. An asbestos standard currently is being developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. By Edward M Cordasco, MD, FACP, FCCP, Dept of Pulmonary Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation; John Simelaro, DO, FCCP, FACP, Div. of Pulmonary Medicine, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; James McMahon, PhD, Dept of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation; and Steve Becker, MD, FCCP, (deceased) Former Staff Physician, Dept of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Editor's Note: For the authors' complete medical evaluation and references, please ntact OH&S. UARY 1986 Vrrsar Monitoring and Asbestos Sampling. All Analysis Done in our AIHA Accredited Lab Exposure Assessment and Hazard Prioritization Health amf Safety Programs Abatement Specifications and Cost Estimates Employee Training Inspection, Survey and Field Capabilities ALL SERVICES PERFORMED IN COMPLETEACCORDANCE WITH CURRENT NIOSH, OSHA, AIHA AND EPA GUIDELINES For Additional Information Call or Write: Verssai* Asbestos Hazard Management ' Branch 6850 Versar Center Springfield, VA 22151 (703)750-3000 Circle 50 on card. MKSm-CMUBMK continued from page 64 it gives a false picture of asbestos health risks. Whatever the outcome, the dispute over the dangers of asbes tos in general and chrysotile in partic ular are sure to rage on. In the mean time, both the Royal Commission and the NRC have acknowledged the need for further study. The asbestos issue remains a fledg ling one, often informed by emotion rather than scientific reasoning and careful logic. The call for more in- Crocldollte, amoslte may be more hazardous than ehrysotlla fibers. depth studies is warranted. But in the meantime, those who are watching the issue must look closely at the conclu sions reached by those who are best informed. The evidence indicates that undisturbed, non-friable asbestos in non-occupational settings is probably far less dangerous than what may have been assumed--perhaps respon sible for no more than three deaths in a million. But what is the value of three lives? Asbestos Contractors Feeling Crunch of Insurance Dilemma In February 1985, a small group of abatement contractors met in Memphis, Tfenn. This group, led by Larry G. Ledford, became known as the Asbestos Research Group, Inc. ABGI's purpose has been to explore possible methods of providing insurance and to research what is currently available, providing the contracting industry with a network of information. AGRI reports that the U.S. government is interested in gathering more information on the problems plaguing the industry; however, government intervention seems years away. Meanwhile, tbs industry continues to look for a way to perform the demanded removal of asbestos. IVro companies are currently offering a "claims made" policy for a reported 17.6 percent to 25 percent of gross receipts. Great America Surplus Lines is one of the two companies writing this type of policy. The second company is AMINS formed by ACMAT Corporation. Craig Craemer of AMINS in New Hartford, Conn., reports that the company is now writing insurance for asbestos abatement contractors in the states of Connecticut, Arizona, Illinois, Georgia and North Carolina, with the licensing process in the remaining 45 states well under way. The EPIC Insurance Group expects to begin offering a claims made policy to the industry in March. The group is currently investigating "tail coverage." If the EPIC group of New York offers the tail coverage, it will be the first policy to come dose to reaching the level of protection that the extinct "per occurrence" policy would afford the contractor. EPIC's Nelson Hanover said Maryland Asbestos Laboratory, Inc. Complete Laboratory Analysis PAT & EPA Proficiency Proven 24 Hour Sample Turnaround CIH Services & Consultation Onsite Monitoring & Analysis Building Survey & Specifications m Dr. Robert K. Simon, Lab. Dir. Dr. Douglas J. Beach, Lab. Mgr. Michael D. Seymour, CIH $** 400 East Pratt Street 1025 Thomas Jefferson St. N.W. Headquarters Bldg, 8th Floor Suite 400, East Lobby Baltimore MD. 21202 Washington, D.C. 20007 (301) 576-8414 (202) 944-3622 14214 Coda Place Chantilly, VA. 22021 (703) 691-8499 SERVING VA. MD. DC. J .C 66 Circle 51 on card. Asbestos CORRECTION SPECIALISTS We are experienced asbestos correc tion contractors wtio can success fully survey, label, test and remove contaminated areas professionally and safely according to EPA and OSHA regulations. Competitive pncing anywhere in the country Compare our "Occurence Insurance and Umbrella" with our competitors. No job too big. too small or too far. Members ol National Association ol Asbestos Abatement Contractors. e Air monitoring, bulk testing and consulting Lei utbkton your next projoct SuperiorSystems, Inc. St Louis. MO Louisville KY LeCrowe Wi 1-800-942-0066 In 81 Louta ceQ 314-848-0023 Circle 52 on card. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & S mnemmm mmm- BRG 0847 the group's goals include providing abatement contractors with a source for abatement and general liability insurance and bonding services, resulting in the creation of a foil service mechanism for abatement "Contractors. The EPICgroup plans to utilize a comprehensive form of risk management, incorporating engineering criteria and an active inspection ^program. ... ,f ';Thffle are a fow other groups working toward forming insurance entities v5jto provide abatement insurance. Their plans indude setting up off-shore ^/captives. While off-shore captives are relatively simple to set up, in order l^for the captives to write cmd, issue insurance policies in the United States theyshould either be licensed admitted carriers in the states where they jjWpian to write insurance pr have a U.S. insurance company act eaa fronting i/company writing policies for the captive. Licensing in all SO states is a long, expensive and time-consuming process, and insurance companies grilling toaccept the risk of aicthig as a fronting company writing " ^``/The abatement industry will find-little comfort ih the fact that it is ' . , j dnly one of the' Erst layer of industries bring deserted by the insurance /industry. The search for larger profit margins and desire to minimize ^exposure to the current judidal system are two of the primary reasons s|that insurimtecarriersahyaway fromindustries where expoaureis hied1 or f- profit lowObviously, the move to "daina nude" policies will change the iway Americadoes business in the fotur&.A.trqnd should develop resulting fc^refasdtoath^finari re^pmmibility^mifounded ofunreasdnable t -twit. --- ^k^ByjirUta it Jfiobles, Marketing Director, ... y^-iAsbestos Research Group, Inc., :r:^P^emiAu, 1him. The question is not whether asbes tos in non-occupational settings is dangerous. If even as few as three lives per million are lost, the answer to such a question would be yea. But how dangerous is dangerous enough The call for more In-depth studies Is warranted. to warrant sinking time and money into programs and regulations that re quire asbestos removal? This is pre cisely the question the EPA is wres tling with in trying to construct a viable approach to the problem in schools and public buildings. B Editor's note: For more information on the Asbestos Monitor, contact En vironmental Workshops, Inc. at P.0. Box 9318, Alburquerque, N.M. 87119. O.S.H.A. ASBESTOS COMPLIANCE Made Easy & Cost Effective IFLEX ,eu1encapsulant Low cost and easy to apply by brush, roller or spray. Only product tested by Battelle Labs for U.S.E.P.A. and approved for both Penetrating and Bridging use. non toxic non-combustible Class "A" Fire Rated* One Product for All Tour Asbestos Problems No costly inventory problexns/costs as little as .081 per square foot. Penetrating Bridging For friable or loose asbestos For cementitious surfaces Removal & Post Removal Repairs Clean Air Assurance for, during, and after removals Pipes, boilers, breeching, ducts Will not alter protective properties of asbestos Tesled and approved for use by: USEPA, France, Italy, and Germany *Per Battelle, USEPA Test. Material Safety Data Sheet available International Protective Coatings Corp. 725 Carol Ave. Ocean, N.J. 07712 (201) 531-3667 Circle 53 on card. 67 BRG 0848 Asbestos Encapsulation: Penetrant Approach to Control Encapsulation is a control approach where penetrants bind the asbestos matrix with a polymer coating ith more than 30,000 schools Wand 700,000 private and com mercial buildings estimated to have asbestos-containing materials in TYPICAL ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS them, and becauseACM may pose health or legal hazards, building owners are taking control measures against these asbestos-containing materials and many are turning to encapsula tions. Encapsulation involves leaving the asbestos material in place and treating it with chemical mixtures to reduce the release of asbestos fibers. Enclosure and encapsulation should be performed using special techniques involving strict safety and health con siderations. In addition, since the ACM remains in the building, a special opera tions and maintenance program must 1M Into Wire Mart be implemented and maintained to min imize exposures to airborne asbestos fi AabMftn tareuMfon or Fireproofing on Wofta and Codings bers. BRIDGING, PENETRATING. Encap- CiKoaomont 8ytom Ttod imo Subotroto wtren Structural Domonts ore not Punt sulants are available in two designed formulations: bridging and penetrating. They are intended to work in different ways. Bridging encapsulants are formu lated to stay on the surface of the ACM and form a barrier film which reduces the release of fibers. As the name im plies, penetrating encapsulants (or pen etrants) are characterized by penetra Some companies maintain that encasement is an effective alternative to encapsulation. tion into the asbestos material being treated. Penetrants generally leave no thick discreet film on the surface of the asbestos like that which occurs with in tentionally bridging encapsulants. Penetrants have several basic char acteristics:. Solids content by weight is gener Some Consider Encasement : Alternative to Encapsulation ally low (less than 35 percent), although some manufacturers recommend the re duction of higher solids materials with water prior to application. Viscosity of penetrants at time of application is generally less than 1,000 CPS. Lower viscosity materials gener ally will penetrate more rapidly and to a greater depth than more viscous mate rial which tends to lay on the surface of the asbestos-containing material. Many penetrants are dye-colored, meaning they have a water-soluble dye added to impart color as opposed to a pigment. The dye-color penetrants are those having low viscosities and solids, sold ready to use without any reduction ' ; 'Asbestos encasement is gaining increasing attention as an alternative to other abatement methods, according to researchers and industry contractors. Encasement is a method whereby a durable, structural shell is sprayed over the asbestos and, according to contractors, the sealant has high impact strengths and can withstand severe abuse. Advantages of the encasement system, according to proponents, include: Preparation of areas to be encased is uncomplirated OSHA requirements for reduction of airborne fibers can be met Complete sections of buildings can be encased with minimum disruption of normal work schedules Materials used do not contain free water or advents and therefore solidify immediately The system is less costly than compLle asbestos removal When a building must be demolished, piping and other structures can be removed and buried with the encasing intact, making building demolition easier than under encapsulation systems, where asbestos becomes difficult to remove before demolition. By Eugene Secor, H.B. Fuller's Porter Division, Houston, Texas. ~By Sheri Hagen Poore, Managing Editor 68 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & Sh BRG 0849 with water. The higher-solids, waterreducible penetrants may have pigments to impart color. Color is important to help show coverage during and after ap plication. He binder systems of penetrants generally are water-based organic poly mers such as acrylic, vinyl acrylics, poly esters, polyvinyl acetate copolymers, acrylic vinyl acetate copolymers and modified polyester acrylics. Fire properties of penetrants should be rated "Class A" when evalu ated by ASTM E-&4 or UL723 methods. When penetrants are used on asbestos fireproofing systems, the additional or ganic material imparted by the pene trant should not affect the fire rating of the system. This is generally accom plished by running a small-scale ASTM E-119 test. In order for penetrants to be effec tive, they must soak or penetrate into the asbestos matrix. At least one-half inch penetration on thick asbestos sys tems is necessary for an effective pene trating encapsulant ABSORPTION PROCESS. Basically, penetrants work by soaking en masse into the asbestos material. The individ ual fibrous structures within the matrix are covered on the surface with a poly meric film (binder) from the applied en capsulant through a process called ab sorption. It is accomplished through use of wetting agents that enhance the wet ting characteristics of the polymeric ma terial Actual penetration is a function of capillarity and surface tension and will vary among the actual asbestos systems being treated. Upon curing--after water Penetrants must soak Into the asbestos matrix. has evaporated--the polymeric binders harden and help bind the system to gether in a somewhat homogeneous mass. Because penetrants are applied to the surface of the insulation and allowed to "soak in," the volume space near the sur face will hold more binder than further in the interior. For example, in a cross sec tion of a one-inch thick insulation, onehalf inch will consist of a binder-rich, highly encapsulated layer; the next onehalf inch will contain progressively less binder until the boundry is reached where no penetration occurs. PENETRATION TEST. One method used to determine depth of penetration is through use of a plug or bore removed from the treated insulation after curing. This plug is then placed in water to soak for several hours. After removal from the water, the length of the plug that is still intact (held together by the penetrant) is measured to be the depth of penetration. Generally, the assumption is made that a given job has been evaluated and found suitable for encapsulation by the specifying architect, engineer or building owner. The method of encapsulation can only be successfully accomplished if the asbestos insulation is still well-bonded to its substrate, shows little evidence of wa ter damage and is not deteriorated or de laminated. A test can be used to determine if an asbestos-containing material has ade quate adhesion and cohesion strength to handle the use of encapsulation as an abatement technique. This test method measures the adhesion force re quired to either separate the asbestos material from the base substrate or overcome the cohesive force within the asbestos material. It gives an indi cation of the ability of sprayed ASBESTOS PROBLEMS ? ARPIN PRODUCTS INC. HAS THE SOLUTION. THE ASBESTITE SOLUTION. ASBESTITE 1000 - For Safe Removal of Asbestos Containing Insulation ASBESTITE 2000 - For Encapsulating Asbestos Containing Ceiling Insulation. ASBESTITE 3000 - For Encapsulating Fire Proofing Asbestos Containing Insulation on Beams and Structural Members ASBESTITE 2000XL - For Bridging Pipes, Boilers and Ducts TESTED & APPROVED BY BATTELLE LABS for U.S.E.P.A. NON-TOXIC NON-COMBUSTIBLE CLASS "A" FIRE RATING WE OFFER A COMPLETE LINE OF ASBESTOS ABATEMENT SUPPLIES, SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT FOR: CONSULTATION TRAINING EQUIPMENT TESTING SPECIFICATIONS SUPPLIES ESTIMATES CALL OR WRITE: ARPIN PRODUCTS INC. 1718 F ST. SO. BELMAR, N.J. 07719 201-280-0400 JARY 1966 Circle 54 on card. 69 BRG 0850 UKsm-ENcanuuinoN Effective Encapsulation Requires Certain Properties Discussion of asbestos encapsulation and the products used mandates mention of the sealant testing program conducted for the Environmental Protection Agency by Battelle Columbus Laboratories in 1978 and 1979. This program developed the following list of properties to define an effective encapsulant. The sealant should eliminate fiber dispersal by adhering to the fibrous substrate with sufficient penetration to prevent separation of the sealant from the sprayed asbestos material. It should withstand most impact and penetration and still protect the enclosed sprayed asbestos material. It should possess enough flexibility to accomodate atmospheric changes and settling of the structure over time. It should have high flame retardant characteristics and a low toxic fume and smoke emissions rating. ThiB is, of course, essential if the enclosed sprayed asbestos material was used initially for fire retardation and protection of structural members. It must be easily applied by nonspecialixed personnel, with relative insensitivity to errors in preparation or application. Ease of repair by routine maintenance personnel is desirable. The sealant must be neither noxious nor toxic to application workers and structure users. Since spraying creates fiber dissemination and exposure, fiber containment by barriers is desirable during application even though this may be incompatible with ventilation necessary for toxic vapor removal. It should have some permeability to water vapor to prevent condensation accumulation, and resistance to solution by common cleaning agents. It should have suitable stability to weathering and aging. It should be acceptable by architectural and aesthetic standards. / Of the 158 various type products evaluated under the Battelle Tbst Program, 33 were found to be satisfactory for encapsulation of asbestos insulation in accordance to the restricted conditions of use espoused by the EPA. The list of properties applies to both penetrating and bridging type encapsulanta. Typical 3 module system 70 Klean KubeTM An Asbestos Decontamination System that Satisfies Your Safety and Cost Conscience Saves hours of labor Simple assembly-without tools Exceeds EPA and OSHA guidelines Fabricated shower and drain outlets Adaptable water purification system Kube to Kube airlock connector flange Available through select Fiberlock Technologies, Inc. Distributors. For more information contact: Circle 55 on card, See us at the NAC Show Fiberlock Technologies, Inc. P.O. Box 432 630 Putnam Avenue Cambridge, Mass. 021394)432 1-800-255-1141 617-87? OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH S S BRG 0851 ing by noting no further color change in a particular coat or removal operations and sometimes in encapsulation is to by noting simply that the surface appears flooded. They are "fog" the area with penetrant, creating an aerosol atmo fooled into thinking that coverage has been achieved. A sec sphere. The fog is created by spraying penetrant through a ond coat may be applied in a similar fashion, but that will be small spray tip using high pressure. The tiny droplets of pene the extent of it. If the job calls for the use of eight or 10 trant contact and wet the surface of airborne asbestos fibers. gallons per 100 square feet, for example, the contractor who Because the mass of the aerosol penetrant droplet is rela has "painter's syndrome" may use only four or five gallons tively large, it settles out rapidly, cleaning the volume space per 100 square feet. His conclusion is that material was over- of airborne fibers. specified or coverage rate was incorrectly determined. Nei Hybrid approach. In some instances, it may be prefera ther conclusion would be valid if a proper spray test was con ble to use a combination of the penetrating and bridging ap ducted beforehand. proaches to encapsulation. Often, this is done when the asbes Proper education in the mini-coat technique with an under tos surfaces in question are extremely dusty and require a standing of the time-dependent nature of saturation is neces penetrating or priming first treatment to bind the surface sary to understand the penetration approach to encapsula insulation tightly together before applying a bridging encap tion. In addition, the best--although not failsafe--method is sulant. This technique is sometimes used in stairwells or low to segregate the quantity of encapsulant necessary to do a ceiling corridors and rooms where heavy duty service is antic given area and make sure the applicator spray applies all of ipated. this material prior to considering that area finished, lb illus Wetting. Penetrants can be useful for wetting down trate, consider a typical 800-square-foot classroom ceiling asbestos debris after insertion into proper containers. This perhaps needing five gallons of encapsulant per 100 square procedure holds down release of fibers if the container is inad feet, or a total of 40 gallons to do this room. Segregate 40 vertently opened. gallons specifically for this area, and do not consider the job Ground sizing. Penetrants have been specified to "size" the ground or earth in the crawlspace under buildings where The contractor holds the key many asbestos pipe insulations are found. The purpose of the "ground sizing" after ACM removal and cleanup is to reduce to the success or failure asbestos dust. of any given project.* An asbestos encapsulation project depends on the exper tise of the applicator/contractor. Encapsulants are not fool proof; in the case of penetrants, they must be applied until done until all 40 gallons have been applied. This is the recom full saturation is achieved. The contractor holds the key to mended practice to assure proper and total application. the success or failure of any given project. As an aid in helping show coverage to the applicator, many penetrants are available in various colors, generally meant to be used together on a given job. Often the quantity specified will be split evenly between the two colors. However, it may ASBESTOS be better for estimating purposes to make the split between colors similar to 60/40 or 65/35 with the larger percent being the first color sprayed. Thus, a typical job may need four mini-coats of the first color and two mini-coats of the second to finish. FINISHED CHARACTERISTICS. Properly encapsulated as MANAGEMENT PROGRAM bestos systems will have a harder, crusty surface and be much better bound than before encapsulation. Both impact strength and adhesion/cohesion strength should be enhanced. Air Sampling and On-Site Analysis Bulk and Air Sample Analysis by our Fallout of asbestos fibers is reduced. Penetrants, however, do not turn the asbestos insulation into stone; it can still be damaged by vandalism and Bevere service, such as impact by basketballs or soccer balls. Keep in mind that end use is con AIHA Accredited Laboratory Exposure Assessment and Control Method Selection sidered when evaluating asbestos insulation for encapsula tion. Penetrants generally affect the acoustical and vibration properties of asbestos insulation systems less than bridging types. Asbestos-containing materials encapsulated with pen Adhesion / Cohesion Testing of Sprayed-on Materials 'fraining and Educational Programs etrants generally can be painted to enhance appearance. Other uses of penetrants include: Residual surface fibers. Use of penetrants is relatively universal throughout the abatement industry for handling Preparation of Plans aid Specifications, ana Supervision of Contractor Performance the so-called residual asbestos fiber problem that exists after removal. Cleaning and vacuuming techniques are not totally efficient in collecting residues from rough surfaces such as concrete or masonry decks, thus penetrants are sprayed in a Cost-Effective Asbestos Management Program Development by Certified industrial Hygenists flooding coat to seal this debris to the surface so it cannot be entrained into the environment. Removal of asbestos is often incomplete due to location, lack of access to the asbestos, or simply because it cannot be removed unless sandblasted. In these cases, penetrants are used to encapsulate the residue Galson Technical Services, Inc. and the asbestos which cannot be removed. Residual air fibers. A more exotic use for penetrants in Offices in Syracuse, Phladeiptia and Oakland Headquarters: 6601 Kirkvie Road, East Syracuse, NY 1305? (315) 432-0506 JANUARY 1986 Circle 58 on card. 73 f\i. IS ;U' ti&r/ J VI _X-a62_____ ______________ * TEXAS POLLUTION REPORT August 22, 1979 I heir supplies, which are drawn from the juadalupe River. The Guadalupe is being monitored ... \ fr chromium. Steve Ellison, SHD chief of Data Reports & Water "<^ Quality Monitoring Branch, Divn of Water Hygiene, y & says "to the best of my knowledge, all residents m whose wells were affected have been connected to Spring Hill. No one is drinking water with elevated ^ levels of chromium in it." Chromium, particularly -J hexavalent types, is toxic to humans, producing lung \ tumors when inhaled; it also is a skin irritant. Very ^ little is known of its effects in drinking water since X ^ it is not naturally found in groundwater. ' ^ Two persons from the area have been admitted to Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, but there was no confirmation that their illness is linked to chromium. However, chromium was found in their well. ^ Officials from the Atty General's Office were in the v process of beginning legal action as TPR went to * press. MEXICAN OIL SPILL: Atty Gen Mark White held a Capitol press conference to announce Texas will sue Mexico "as a last resort" to recover dam ages caused by the Mexican oil spill, now con taminating Texas beaches. Gov Bill Clements, who has met with two Mexican governors in the past week, has called it "ridiculous" to consider such a suit; new US Atty Gen Benjamin Civiletti also has downplayed such action. White notes, however, that such a decision would be up to his office. The slick continues to increase in intensity; dam age to a number of areas is being reported, and fears are increasing for sensitive estuarine areas and marine breeding grounds. The House Environmental Affairs Cmte meets in Corpus Christi Friday and Saturday to consider the effects of the oil on the coast. Divn of Shellfish Sani tation Control, Dept of Health, continues monitoring oyster, fish, shrimp, and crab samples from the South Bay and lower Laguna Madre areas and is preparing to carry out similar samplings as the slick moves up the coast. ACB PERMITS: The Air Control Board has re ceived applications for these permits: Mobil Oil Corp, R K Deford, Andrews, tank batter; Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc, lignite-fired steam electric power plants at Personville, Branchville, Caddo & Malakoff; Magna Corp, 2434 Holmes, Houston, 4,500-gal kettle facility; Shell Oil Co, SB 225 & Center, Deer ParkTAustiiTPaving Co, Carrollton, concrete batching plant; Builders Supply Co of Houstn, Wright Ave, Jersey Village, & 12401 Old Westheimer, Houston, concrete batching plant; East Texas Asphalt Co, 307 Webber, Lufkin, hot mix asphalt plant. Also, Paisano Concrete Co, El Paso, ready mix concrete facility; Border Steel Mills Inc, Vinton Rd, El Paso, spike machine reheat furnace; Exxon Corp, Neches, addition of 1,000-hp compressor to gas processing plant; Thorstenberg Materials Co Inc, Altair, sand & gravel plant; Texas Deepwater Port Auth, Freeport, marine support facility for offshore tanker unloading; Union Carbide Corp, Chemicals & Plastics, No. 19 Cock Tank Area, Texas City, marine terminal; Collins Concrete Inc. 12630 Ravenview, Dallas, ready mix concrete facility; Goodyeai Tire & Rubber Co, Beaumont, crude isoprene sojnc** ni.----- ------------ ASBESTOS: State officials have no plans, at pre sent, to take action against El Paso in connection with dumping of absestos at the Zaragosa Landfill, where some 66 cu yds was dumped by Texaco at the site leased by the State to the city. Weldon Baker, senior project engineer for Dept of Health's Solid Waste Management Divn, says the as bestos currently poses no health hazards "as long as (it) ... is not disturbed." City officials had ap proved the dumping, which continued up to 1978; national emission standards set in 1973 require sites where asbestos is buried to be fenced and marked with signs, which wasn't done at the landfill. Baker says much of the material was dumped before the standards were set and indicates the disposal was handled much as would have been required, except for the marking. Doug Caroom, head of the Atty General's En vironmental Protection Divn, says an illegal dispo sal suit, or a suit for damage to state property, could be filed; it would be up to SDH or the General Land Office to request action. GLO says the matter is under study. __ _________ > oULIU WASlE: The Texas Dept of Health has approved the following: City of Crane. Type II, 60 acres, 3.25 miles NW oT Crane, 1.75 miles W of US 385, S side of Oilfield Rd, Crane County. --o-- A new hearing is expected on an applica tion by Cherokee County for a disposal site near Gallatin; the site is being opposed on grounds there is danger of pollution of underground water Initial hearing was held in Rusk June 7 (See TI'K 5-23-79). IL BRG 0854