Abestos Abatement

Asbestos is one of the most significant health hazards one can encounter in buildings.  This mineral fiber is often used for insulation and as a fire retardant, as well as in a variety of manufactured goods.  While its uses are many, it can be dangerous if the material is disturbed, damaged, or unsettled in some way, releasing particles into the air.  Common belief holds that the substance was banned by the Canada in the late 70s; however, it was only phased out for certain uses, and indeed is still found in a variety of other uses today.  What the concerned resident wants to look out for, however, are those instances where asbestos poses a risk to the health of those living or working near its presence.  How to know when you have an asbestos problem?  This page will provide some useful tips to watch out for, and should there be an issue, the asbestos contractors at Metro Vancouver Asbestos Removal are here to take care of the problem promptly and efficiently.

Metro Vancouver Asbestos Removal uses engineering controls, three chamber decontamination and class 1 workers when removing friable asbestos.  We have referrals from clients, including documentation from each project including the initial notification given to SCAQMD through to the close out of the project, using the manifest as proof that the asbestos was taken to the NESHAP approved landfill for disposal.

What is Asbestos?

Any group of naturally occurring minerals with silicate composition, crystalline structure, and fibrous form.

The First Major Use of Asbestos in Canada was TSI

Asbestos under a microscope

Six different types of asbestos and three different colors

History

Commercial use of asbestos in the US dates back to the beginning of the industrial revolution--about 1850.  Steam was the power that drove industry at the time, where asbestos was used as a sturdy insulator for steam engines, boilers, ovens, and generators.  Plaster and cement came into use around 1920, with "transite" panels and pipe using the mineral.  Around 1935, asbestos began to be used for spray-applied fireproofing; after WWII, huge tonnages were then applied to building construction.  The window in time when most different asbestos products were installed in buildings was from 1945-80: in 1945 the boom was a result of post-war research and development, but by 1980 as the hazardous effects of asbestos reached a crisis point, its usage decreased as a result of EPA bans and property damage liability.  The peak year of asbestos used for building materials was 1973 and in that time hundreds of thousands of buildings were outfitted with the substance; this now requires the presence of asbestos abatement contractors to meet the needs of removal.

 

What are some of the health effects of asbestos exposure?  The following are some of the major health risks associated with the mineral:

ASBESTOS DISEASES

Lung Cancer

  • Cancer of the lung tissue associated with the bronchial tubes.

  • 20-30 year latency period

  • 90 times greater incidence in occupationally exposed smokers

Asbestosis

  • Scarring of the lungs at the alveoli

  • Inhibits oxygen transfer into the blood

  • 15-20 Year Latency

Mesothelioma

  • A cancer of the pleural and/or peritoneal membranes

  • 20-45 year latency, possibly longer

OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE

  • An ongoing exposure as a result of the work being performed, perhaps for a working career.

  • Historical "waves" of asbestos disease include factory workers, shipyard workers, and the construction/maintenance industry

PERMISSABLE EXPOSURE LIMITS--There are two PEL's:

  • 1. Time Weighted Average (TWA): 0.1 f/cc

  • 2. Excursion Limit (EL): 1.0 f/cc

Both must be measured for. If either one is exceeded, the PEL has been exceeded, and certain controls must be implemented.

OK, so it's been determined a particular building requires asbestos removal.  What does that entail? 

CLASSES OF  WORK DEFINITIONS                

  • Class I Work....................The removal of TSI, fireproofing or popcorn

  • Class II Work...................The removal of anything else

  • Class III Work..................The small scale, short duration disturbance of ACM

  • Class IV Work..................Contact, but no disturbance or cleanup of previously generated debris.

BUILDING OWNER ISSUES

  • PACM: TSI & Surfacing

  • Resilient Flooring Predating 1981

  • "Due Diligence" Identification

  • Notification

  • Asbestos Abatement Contractors

  • Maintenance Employees

  • Adjacent Contractors

  • Tenants

  • Recordkeeping

Proper Disposal of Waste Every load of ACWM that leaves the site requires detailed information on:

  • Work site location

  • Owner

  • Operator

  • Waste disposal site

  • NESHAP jurisdiction(s)

  • Description and amount of materials

  • Signed by operator (retain copy)

  • Signed by transporter (retain copy)

  • Signed by WDS (retain copy)

  • Copies must be maintained for 2 years

Ordered Demolitions and Emergencies Emergency Renovation: Means a renovation operation that was not planned but results from a sudden, unexpected event, that if not attended to, presents a safety or public hazard.  This is necessary to protect equipment from damage, and/or to avoid imposing an unreasonable financial burden.  Ordered Demolition: The structure is being demolished under the order of a State or local government agency, issued because the facility is structurally unsound and in danger of imminent collapse.   It is important to remember that poor planning does not meet these requirements.

Notification Requirements For Asbestos Abatement: 

  • Must be at least 10 Working Days before job start.

  • Postmarked or hand delivered to proper agency of jurisdiction.

  • Details on owner, operator, type of operation, site location & description, amounts of ACM, start/finish dates, description of work, waste transporter, waste disposal site, compliance statements.

  • Updated with changes as needed:

  • Name of Contractor

  • Start date

  • Finish date

  • Amounts of RACM, Cat I or Cat II

  • Any other substantive changes

Working days: Monday through Friday, including holidays.  Here at Metro Vancouver Asbestos Removal we understand that asbestos removal is an urgent matter, so we'll work through holidays to get the job done!

These are some of the lengthy, painstaking procedures our company uses to ensure that the asbestos abatement proceeds as smoothly and safely as possible, according to strict state and federal guidelines:

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION PROGRAM

  1. Written SOP on selection and use

  2. Medical evaluations

  3. Fit testing procedures

  4. Procedures for proper use

  5. Cleaning, storing, inspecting, repairing, maintaining

  6. Atmosphere-supplying respirator air management

  7. Training in respiratory hazards

  8. Training in proper use, limitations & maintenance

  9. Procedures for program effectiveness evaluation

Personal Air Monitoring

  • To prove no employee exposure above the PEL

  • Required by OSHA for all Classes or Work

Clearance

  • To prove an area of recent abatement is safe for re-occupancy.

  • Required on AHERA facilities at the completion of response actions.

 Air Sampling Permissible Exposure Limit

  • TWA: 0.1 f/cc (480 min)

  • EL: 1.0 f/cc (30min)

Cassettes Mixed Cellulose Ester (MCE)

  • 25 Millimeter Diameter

  • 50 Millimeter Diameter

  • Breathing Zone (4 inches)

  • Flow Rate of 0.5 - 2.5 LPM (personal), 8-12 LPM (Clearance)

  • Cassette Sloped downward at least 45 degrees

  • Pump is calibrated before and after sampling

  • Minimum volume to be collected is 3850 LPM

 

 

Asbestos abatement cost often takes into account these varied and complex factors in asbestos removal.  At Nielsen Environmental we will provide you the best possible value for our service; contact us now to speak with a representative who will actually listen to your needs and concerns--we're here to remove the headache and ensure your safety.