Expert Asbestos Removal -- The Protective Suits And Safety Equipment Needed
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By :
Christine OKelly
Submitted
2008-12-01 18:06:44 |
It is scary to find asbestos in your home or office, especially because of the health risks of asbestos exposure. Even a small amount of exposure can cause mesothelioma, a devastating form of deadly cancer. Removing asbestos is best left to experts, but it is helpful for non-experts to understand the process and the three main steps professionals go through to remove this dangerous substance.
Safety Equipment And Protective Suits
Protective suits and other pieces of safety equipment are vital to protecting asbestos removal experts. A special respirator protects the lungs of the professionals and eye guards keep their eyes safe. In addition protective suits, these professionals also wear disposable rubber gloves, rubber boots, and boot covers.
Experts use items like rags, tape, and sealants in the removal process along with dust pans, putty knives, detergent, tank sprayers, ladders, and gyproc repair tape. Removers usually work in groups of three: two doing the removal and the third standing outside, passing supplies and equipment in and out of the removal area.
Getting Prepared For Asbestos Removal
When preparing a space for asbestos removal, the first step is removing all small items and then blocking off the area so others are safe and clear from harm. Asbestos removers seal off the heating and cooling systems so the asbestos fibers cannot spread to other areas of the home or office and they remove lighting fixtures so they don't catch fibers. In addition, outlets and switches are covered with tape to avoid the collection of fibers.
Next, the removers contain the area and prepare for the cleanup. The ceilings, walls, windows, and doors are covered with a thick layer of poly-plastic sheeting and a separate area is created with the same sheeting to provide a safe room for the removers to change into and out of their disposable protective suits.
Removing The Asbestos
The most important step for safe removal of these harmful fibers is soaking the entire area with a mixture of detergent and water. This will prevent dry fibers from floating in the air where it can spread to other areas. Professional removers use putty knives and scrapers to peel the asbestos away from the surface, then dropping it into a pan that is dumped in special disposal bags. After clearing away the bulk of the material, removers will clean thoroughly, tossing out rags and disposing of them in the same manner.
Once the removers are finished, their suit, safety equipment, cleaning tools, and anything else used during the asbestos removal and clean up are also disposed of in the same special disposal bags. These bags full of waste are then sent to a specific landfill designated for highly toxic items where they are safely buried.
Getting even one asbestos fiber inside their protective suits is dangerous and possibly deadly for these professional asbestos removers. That's why it's crucial to hire an expert to remove this substance so that it is done correctly and ends in a safe, healthy, and asbestos-free home or workplace. |
Author Resource:-
Christine O'Kelly is a writer for the protective Tyvek suit provider, MPE Safety Apparel. They have provided recycled protective suits, aprons, shoe covers, pants, and other disposable garments since 1987.
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