Picking the right PPE for Safe Asbestos Removal

Safe removal of asbestos has become a major concern as it was heavily used building material in pretty much all the constructions done in the mid-twentieth century. The asbestos ban came into effect in 1999 after the harmful effects of the material were ruled out.

The use of asbestos is completely banned in any new construction work but still, a lot of asbestos removal from older constructions is required. Asbestos removal comes with a cost and there are safety measures that should be strictly followed.

Asbestos was widely used in most of the construction as a fire-resistant insulator which also provides resistance from humidity. People were not aware of its harmful effects and they needed to check how much asbestos is present in their houses.

Asbestos exposure is extremely hazardous and the right PPE should be picked for the safety of the workers. The fine particles of asbestos can’t be filtered by any other ordinary dust mask. You should use asbestos PPE that’s labelled for working in an asbestos environment.

Personal Protective Equipment for Safe Asbestos Removal

Wearing the right PPE is necessary to provide protection in an asbestos environment. Here’s the information you need to pick the right PPE to wear for conducting the safe removal of asbestos.

Even the best PPE is only effective when it’s worn properly so make sure that you’re using the right PPE and it’s worn properly. Then it will be able to protect the wearer from getting harmed while working for asbestos removal.

Your whole body needs to be covered and protected. Asbestos removal work requires the use of coveralls and a disposable dust mask.

Coveralls for Asbestos

  • The coveralls must fit the wearer and they should be comfortable.
  • The coveralls must be one piece with hood and the cuffs, hood, and wrists should be elasticated.
  • These coveralls should be easy to decontaminate and should resist the penetration by fibres.
  • Cat 3 type 5 and type 6 hooded asbestos coveralls are deemed safe to use.
  • As these coveralls can’t be worn for a long duration as it feels hot inside these so, a measure should be taken as how long working while wearing them should be done.
  • These coveralls must be devoid of any external pockets and should be worn with hand gloves, dust mask, and appropriate footwear. All of these should be equipped to safeguard the wearer from the asbestos.
  • Disposable coveralls meet the fibre penetration standards whereas the non-disposable fail to meet fibre penetration standards and after using you must handle these with care and it’s necessary to properly decontaminate them. a Disposable coveralls should be disposed of as asbestos waste.

 Dust Masks for Asbestos

A right dust mask should be used in asbestos removal bags as the ordinary dust masks are not effective to protect your health. Ordinary masks are unable to prevent the inhalation of the asbestos fibres and dust.

Airborne asbestos even if it’s present in traces is scary stuff. Hence, the selection of the right disposable dust mask is crucial to prevent you from accidentally inhaling it. It has damaging effects on the lungs and causes cancer.

FFP3 Mask with a protection factor of APF20 offers the highest level of protection against toxic fine dust and mist. These come with red straps and these disposable masks are suitable to use in the asbestos environment.

They can only offer full protection when worn correctly and are perfectly fitted on the wearer’s face. If there’s any gap between mask and face which allows toxic air to pass through it then these disposable masks will not be effective in protecting the wearer.

Respirator filters for Asbestos

  • Respirators that are marked to effectively protect against asbestos should be used.
  • Respirators should be face-fit tested for the perfect fit.
  • These should be worn correctly.
  • Reusable dust mask respirators come with a complete range of reusable replacement filters.
  • Half face filter respirator that is fitted with the P2 and P3 filter cartridge is most effective and approved to use in asbestos handling.

Conclusion

Workers must know about the proper use of personal protective equipment and employers should provide all the required PPE with no cost on to the workers. As an employer, you should train them about the necessary guidelines of wearing protective clothing safely for its maximum effectiveness.

It’s becoming important to rule out asbestos-related illnesses and safe removal of this substance from the houses. All this should be done by safe handling and disposal of asbestos. Failure in doing so can result in deadly diseases and even death in some cases.

We store all the necessary protective equipment for safe handling and removal of asbestos. A wide range of effective personal protective equipment that will provide safety in asbestos-laden environment is available on our website.