What type of Mask is Used for Asbestos?

There are a lot of tough jobs that are needed to be handled with utmost safety and these work environments rely upon following a whole lot of safety measures to ensure the wellbeing of the employees working in it. Asbestos removal is one such job that imposes a huge health risk on the workers and can prove to be extremely hazardous for those who work in that environment.

Airborne asbestos is indeed scary stuff, even if it happens to be present in minuscule quantities. At the same time, its removal is a costly and dangerous procedure that imposes serious hazards on the health of those who are present in that environment. It’s a well-learned fact that asbestos is a carcinogen and when inhaled can prove to be very damaging to the lungs and is responsible for producing lung cancer.

The reason for this widespread usage was that the harmful effects and environmental hazards imposed by the usage of the asbestos were entirely unknown at that time and only benefits were known. Later when the carcinogenic effect was ruled out and then the safe removal of asbestos from the old constructions became a huge liability.

Things to be Informed of in an Asbestos-Laden Environment   

A proper assessment of imposed risk present in the environment is required because after that selection of the personal protective equipment can be done. If asbestos is present in the environment than the use of respiratory protective equipment, overalls and appropriate footwear is necessary.

As a matter of fact, asbestos removal should be done only by following the necessary safety regulations and use of proper personal protective equipment that will safeguard the wearer from the imposed health hazards. Use of the dust masks for non licensed Asbestos work is the first and foremost measure of safety for working in such environments but it mostly ensures the protection of the lungs only whereas eyes protection is also a prime requirement.

The list of requirements for compliance is a long list to follow. The permissible exposure limit for workers and employees is extremely small, lower than 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter over a duration of 8 hours.                 

The asbestos bag is used for the proper disposal of the asbestos waste. Asbestos wastes vary a lot in their form. Fibrous asbestos wastes are disposed by the use of asbestos bag. All the asbestos waste must be removed by a competent person and safely disposed of with the help of an asbestos bag.

Due to liabilities issues some of the protective equipment manufacturers don’t label their products that it’s a useful measure for protection against asbestos harm. The cost of asbestos removal is quite higher so most of the people consider to do it all by themselves. This is indeed a huge risk and it’s not advisable.

What type of Mask is Used for Asbestos?

Masks used in protection from asbestos hazard are designed to fit perfectly on the face and one more important aspect is the filters. Eye protection is also required when dealing with asbestos work. Full face dust masks offer a greater degree of protection to both the lung and the eye.

Respirators or face masks should fit correctly on the face. It’s extremely important to wear a face mask that fits perfectly and it can be ensured by doing a fit test. To attain the perfect fit not even a small patch of facial hair is recommended. Facial hair should be removed so make sure you’re cleanly shaven before wearing your respirator.

P3 dust mask comes with a protection factor of APF20. These provide protection against higher level fine dust and oil or water-based mists. So, these are highly recommended respirators to be used while working in an environment where asbestos is present.

Full face dust masks are also a safe bet while working in any asbestos-laden environment. These masks will keep your face protected and the vital organs like eyes will also get protection. One important information to note here is the filters that are supposed to be used in the atmosphere with asbestos need to be rated FFP3 protection.

Conclusion

Asbestos removal being a high-risk activity we condone such risk-taking by people and advise them to take professional help for the removal of the asbestos from their homes and offices. But we do suggest and offer great advice in terms of selection of the asbestos PPE that is best suited for workers to use in such hazardous environments.

With huge risks comes the responsibility to safeguard the workers and minimize their exposure to asbestos. You might be thinking that if such a hazardous substance why it was used in the buildings? One of the properties of asbestos is that earlier it was widely used for the insulation purpose in varied constructions like homes and offices.