Asbestos Abatement Work Practices and Removal Procedures
Core Work Practices
Abatement must minimize fiber release. Key practices include wet methods (wetting material to suppress dust), careful removal (avoiding breaking or crushing), immediate bagging of waste, and daily cleanup. Workers should never dry-sweep, dry-scrape, or use compressed air on ACM. HEPA vacuums are used for cleanup.
Removal Sequence
For most removals, work proceeds from the top down and from the cleanest area toward the dirtiest. Friable material is wetted, removed in sections, and placed directly into lined waste bags or drums. Thermal system insulation and surfacing materials require extra care. Glove bags are used for small pipe sections; containment is required for larger jobs.
Traps to Watch
Common traps: (1) assuming dry methods are acceptable if dust is "minimal"; (2) forgetting that wetting is required, not optional; (3) confusing top-down with bottom-up; (4) assuming power tools are acceptable (they are not for ACM); (5) forgetting that debris must be cleaned up continuously, not just at the end. Also watch for questions about encapsulation vs. removal and about friability changing with handling.
Rule of Thumb
Use the "wet, gentle, immediate" rule: wet the material, handle it gently, and bag it immediately.
Worked Example
A worker must remove a short section of insulated pipe. The best practice is a glove bag with wet methods and immediate bagging - not dry cutting or breaking the insulation.