| SafeStrip
From the early 1980’s, asbestos removal using large quantities of water, applied at high pressure, producing large quantities of slurry, was discouraged by the HSE.
Unfortunately at this time no one seems to have considered or questioned the efficiency of the positive pressure respirators (approved by the HSE for asbestos removal work). Instead reliance was put on the manufacturers laboratory produced figures.
This was despite research data produced by the United States Environmental protection Agency (EPA), Myers and others showing that the actual protection factor was about 50 times less than the manufacturer’s claims.
In July 1990 the Health and Safety magazine published an article written by Robin Howie from the Institute of Operational medicine (IOM) which cast doubt on the manufactures data. In 1992 the IOM was commissioned by the HSE to undertake the study of respirator performance. The study was conducted on 8 sites over a period of about 12 months.
The results were published in 1996. One of the conclusions was that well conducted wet stripping enabled asbestos containing materials (ACM’s) to be removed at <0.01 f/ml, this equates to >10 fibres per litre.
HB Insulations use the SafeStrip system, with well instructed and experienced workers who are able to remove pipe, vessel, boiler insulation and sprayed coatings at <0.01 f/ml, this equates to 10 fibres per litre.
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