Analyses of PCM Asbestos Air Monitoring Results for a Major Abatement Project

Abstract

Many asbestos abatement operations take place in the United States each year; however, little published information is available as to the concentrations of asbestos in and around abatement operations and the efficacy of abatement efforts. Most importantly, the use of glovebags is one of the most frequently encountered abatement methods, and only one published study exists on the effectiveness of glovebagging as a control technique. In the current study, 2082 airborne dust samples of 11 different types (based on location or an abatement procedure) were taken over a 5-year period and were analyzed by phase-contrast microscopy. The most important result shows that samples taken near glovebag operations had statistically significantly higher mean concentrations of fibers per cubic centimeter of air than samples taken approximately 15–25 feet away from those operations (0.037 fiber/cc versus 0.028 fiber/cc). The results also indicate that the use of glovebags is a less effective form of abatement as compared to fully enclosed negative containment areas (in so far as minimizing asbestos concentrations outside of the work area). Average exposures of personnel conducting abatement operations in negative containment areas without the use of glovebags were approximately equal to the current permissible exposure limit (0.2 fiber/cc) set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that if glovebags must be used as an abatement method, they should be used as the sole control method only where asbestos removal is a minor, short-term effort. Full-face respirators should continue to be used for all abatement procedures.