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Encapsulation

Non-licensed work with asbestosMost higher risk work with asbestos must only be done by a licensed contractor but any decision on whether particular work is licensable is based on the risk. Licensed work is explained at 'Licensable work with asbestos'.To be exempt from needing a licence the work must be:

Sporadic and of low intensity - to be considered sporadic and of low intensity the concentration of asbestos in the air should not exceed 0.6f/cm3 measured over 10 minutes

Carried out in such a way that the exposure of workers to asbestos will not exceed the legal control limit of 0.1 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre of air (0.1 f/cm3) (averaged over a four hour period)Meet at least one of the four following conditions:

It is a short non-continuous maintenance task, with only non-friable materials (friability describes how likely an ACM is to release asbestos fibres when worked on, so non-friable materials will only release a small number of fibres during work); or

It is a removal task, where the ACMs are in reasonable condition and are not being deliberately broken up, and the asbestos fibres are firmly contained within a matrix, eg the asbestos is coated, covered or contained within another material, such as cement, paint or plastic; or

It is a task where the ACMs are in good condition and are being sealed or encapsulated to ensure they are not easily damaged in the future; or

It is an air monitoring and control task to check fibre concentrations in the air, or it's the collection and analysis of asbestos samples to confirm the presence of asbestos in a material.

 

 

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Decontamination

Personal decontamination What this sheet covers This sheet describes how to decontaminate yourself after work with asbestos materials. Personal decontamination is easier when you wear the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). You need to decontaminate yourself properly, otherwise you may take asbestos fibres home on your clothing and expose your family and friends. Procedures Removing and decontaminating PPE ˜ Clean your boots with damp rags – see sheet em7. ˜ Where available, clean your overalls with the brush attachment on a Class H vacuum cleaner. Vacuum off the brush. ˜ Otherwise, use damp rags in a gentle ‘patting’ action. Rubbing can disturb fibres. ˜ Where there are two workers, they can help to clean each other. ˜ Peel off disposable overalls. They should be inside out when they have been removed. Put them in a suitable asbestos waste bag. ˜ Bag up reusable overalls for a specialist laundry. ˜ Finally, remove your respiratory protective equipment (RPE) in accordance with em6. ˜ Tape the bag closed. ‘Buddy’ cleaning using a Class H vacuum cleaner em8 asbestos essentials Non-licensed tasks This information will help employers and the selfemployed to comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It is also useful for trade union and employee safety representatives. Only carry out work if you are properly trained and have the right equipment. Remember: • Asbestos fibres can cause fatal lung disease and lung cancer. • Check what you’re working on before you start. • Read the safety checklist and sheet a0. • You must be trained to work safely with asbestos materials. 2 of 2 pages Health and Safety Executive For information about health and safety, or to report inconsistencies or inaccuracies in this guidance, visit www.hse.gov.uk/. You can view HSE guidance online and order priced publications from the website. HSE priced publications are also available from bookshops. This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory, unless specifically stated, and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance. This document is available at: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/ © Crown copyright If you wish to reuse this information visit www.hse.gov.uk/copyright.htm for details. First published as part of Asbestos essentials task manual 2001. Published by the Health and Safety Executive 09/17 em8 – Personal decontamination Personal decontamination ˜ A suitable location for personal decontamination should be considered as part of the planning before the job commences. ˜ Can you use site washing facilities? If so, they must be for your use only. ˜ Keep other people out during personal decontamination, and until you have cleaned the facilities. ˜ Wash every time you leave the work area. ˜ Use damp rags to clean the washing facilities at the end of the job. ˜ Clean the facilities daily if the job lasts more than one day. ˜ Inspect the facilities visually once the job is finished. ˜ Clearance air sampling is not normally needed for washing facilities. ˜ See sheet em9 for disposal of asbestos waste.

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