Abatement Archives - Abatement Technologies®

The Tools for Asbestos Abatement

The Tools for Asbestos Abatement

With federal and state laws in place, the use of asbestos in products and materials is restricted in the United States, but not banned. Canada, however, has regulations in place that prohibit the import, sale, and use of asbestos and products containing the dangerous carcinogen. However, this wasn’t always the case. Prior to its close in 1990, much of the world’s supply of vermiculite came from a mine in Montana. Unfortunately, the mine also contained a natural deposit of asbestos, which contaminated the vermiculite product. Materials like drywall, flooring, ceilings, cement, and insulation were produced using vermiculite from the mine, which was primarily sold as insulation in Canada under the trademarked name “zonolite.”

The risks of asbestos

But, what’s the risk of vermiculite containing asbestos? The inhalation of asbestos has been proven to cause lung cancer and other severe respiratory diseases. Because of this risk, the removal or disturbance of asbestos should be performed with the proper precautions and equipment. Proper sampling, testing, and removal procedures are essential to identify and safely mitigate the hazard associated with asbestos in buildings.

Experts and their techniques for asbestos removal

Asbestos testing requires expertise. This is not a DIY project. Professionals will come prepared with an air purifying respirator equipped with HEPA-filtered cartridges to wear during sampling, along with safety glasses. A respirator is recommended by both the U.S. EPA and Health Canada as best practice to reduce the amount of dust inhaled during collection.

Once asbestos has been tested and identified in a material, it’s important to begin the abatement process. The Ontario Regulation for Designated Substances (Reg. 278/05) classifies asbestos removal based on the severity of the risk - Type 1 (Low Risk), Type 2 (Medium Risk), and Type 3 (High Risk). When the risk is low, the size of the contaminated area is between 1 and 10 sq ft, and the material is non-friable asbestos-containing material (ACM), meaning it is being held together by a bonding agent. In a Type 2 abatement, the contaminated area is between 11 and 100 sq ft, and is friable ACM, meaning it is easily crumbled and breaks apart with touch. A Type 3 abatement operation means the contained area is over 100 sq ft and contains both friable and non-friable ACM. A Type 3 operation, involves the removal or disturbance of more than one square meter of friable ACM during the repair, alternation, maintenance or demolition of a building.

Tools of the trade

Type 2 and Type 3 abatement require professionals to wear the proper respirator as well as PPE equipment like disposable coveralls to prevent entry of dust. A trained professional will not only know the measures to protect themselves, but others around them. These measures include the isolation of the entire area using temporary containment barriers like Abatement Technologies SHIELD WALL™.

Additionally, during these types of abatement, it's important to use a HEPA filtered vacuum extraction system, like our HEPA vacuums to clean up asbestos dust throughout the project, avoiding particulates and carcinogens being left behind after a project. A vacuum extraction system offers the benefit of adding an engineering control of increased negative draw of air at the point of disturbance. This decreases the exposure to the worker as opposed to other methods which may increase the airborne concentration within the asbestos work area.

Want to learn more about the solutions we have available for asbestos abatement professionals? Click here.

The Top 4 Considerations When Evaluating Portable Air Scrubbers

Airflow ratings can be very misleading: The cheapest units are often the most costly

When purchasing portable air scrubbers for use on restoration and/or mold remediation projects, there are many factors that should be considered in selecting the proper piece of equipment. Too many times airflow (or claimed airflow) and price are the only issues considered before a purchase. All too often the contractor finds that the equipment does not meet their expectations or needs when it arrives.

1. Ease of transport

This is one of the most important, yet most overlooked, aspects of portable air scrubbers. Scrubbers must constantly be moved from job to job and from location to location during a project. Some units are designed for one-person operation; others may require two people to move. Weight is very important, but so is weight distribution. Scrubbers that include a transport system for easy movement by one operator are safer and more cost-effective to operate. A stair climber is also a valuable feature when stairs are a factor. Size and weight should also be considered when thinking about transport and vehicle requirements.

2. Air scrubber filtration system

The filtration system is the heart of a portable air scrubber. Poorly designed filtration can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars in annual operating costs. Filters must provide a substantial dirt-holding capacity and long filter life without significant airflow loss. A well-designed filtration system requires three stages of filters to progressively filter all particle sizes. If odors and particulates are to be removed simultaneously, a fourth stage of gas/odor filtration may also be needed.

Easy “no tools” access is important when inspecting and replacing dirty filters. The filter module should not have to be removed to change or inspect filters. This is time consuming and can also cause debris to be spilled onto the HEPA and the surrounding area.

HEPA filters must be individually tested by the filter manufacturer and certified to a minimum efficiency of 99.97% at 0.3 microns. It is not enough to simply assemble a filter using HEPA media. A true HEPA filter must be constructed to the exact manufacturing practices necessary to ensure that the finished filter does not leak through the filter media or around the frame or seams. If debris can bypass the HEPA media, the filter will not pass DOP testing required in many abatement specifications. Insist that the HEPA filter itself be certified to HEPA standards, with a certification label affixed to the frame of the HEPA filter.

3. Blower type

Air scrubbers are required to trap large quantities of debris. Debris buildup on the filters hinders the airflow and causes what is technically known as static resistance. Specific blowers are much better suited than others for overcoming this resistance. There are many types of air moving blowers available, each with specific characteristics for certain applications.

For example, forward-inclined “squirrel cage” blowers are designed to move large volumes of relatively clean air and low static resistance. These inexpensive blowers may be suitable for applications such as use in a furnace or even in an asbestos negative air machine; they are not, however, a very good selection for use in an air scrubber.

Backward-inclined or airfoil type blowers are a much better choice since they are engineered with the capacity to overcome the pressure drop of dirty filters. The use of this type of blower will not only increase filter life but will also produce higher airflow as the filters begin to accumulate debris. This generally means significantly better performance (airflow) over the life of the filters and much lower replacement filter expenses than a scrubber or negative air machine that is equipped with a forward inclined blower with a comparable peak airflow rating.

4. Materials and construction methods

Most negative air machines position the blower at the outlet of the cabinet, and pull air through the cabinet. This keeps the entire cabinet – including the section downstream from the HEPA filter - under lower (negative) pressure compared to the air in the surrounding area. With this design, the machine must be perfectly sealed to prevent contaminated air from being sucked into the cabinet and exhausted without ever passing through the HEPA.

This is a big concern when the unit is used as a negative air machine and exhausts air into another part of the facility, especially if that area is occupied. Any such leaks will negate the effectiveness of the HEPA filter and will more than likely cause contamination of the area and failure of any air testing required by the job specification. This should be an important liability concern of any mold abatement contractor.

Generally, the use of gaskets and solid rivets produce the most leak free cabinets. Beware of any cabinet that uses fasteners such as hollow pop rivets, or threaded fasteners such as sheet metal screws or nuts and bolts. These devices do not afford the airtight seal necessary to keep small particles from infiltrating a negative pressure cabinet.

Fun fact: It has been found that sub-micron particles can actually travel along the threads of a screw or bolt!

Lastly, make certain that any hardware, instruments, or transport system components that penetrate into the cabinet are sealed in such a way as to prevent any leakage or bypass. For more information on evaluating portable air scrubbers contact us!

7 FAQ’s About Asbestos Abatement Equipment

7 FAQ's About Asbestos Abatement Equipment

Frequently asked questions about HEPA-AIRE® Negative Air Machines for asbestos abatement.

Does the machine actually produce the airflow you think you’re getting?

One of the most confusing, inaccurate and potentially misleading methods of testing this is ‘free air’, which is nothing more than the test bench rating of the blower. The airflow produced by the device will be up to 60% lower when the blower is enclosed in a cabinet and must pull air through the resistance of the filters.

The airflow comparison chart shows that the true airflow of negative air machines can vary substantially from brand-to-brand because different suppliers use different rating methods and components. Click here to view the chart.

Does the HEPA filter truly provide 99.97% HEPA filtration?

A filter made with HEPA media may or may not provide true HEPA efficiency. Serious leakage can go undetected if filters are not individually tested and certified at the end of the manufacturing process in accordance with IEST-RP-CC001.3 guidelines for Type A HEPA filters. Even the tiniest pinhole leaks in the media or breach of the seal between the media pack and the filter frame can cause the filter to fail efficiency requirements. If this happens, contaminated air can pass through the filter and be exhausted into ‘clean’ areas of the facility.

HEPA testing requires very specific procedures using a thermally generated mono-dispersed aerosol and a laser particle counter. Test results, including test airflow, percent penetration, date of manufacture and other detailed information must be included on a label affixed to the filter. Testing should be conducted at the rated airflow of the machine. A filter designed for and tested at 1,000 cfm or 1,100 cfm may provide significantly lower efficiency at 2,000 cfm. If the filter label simply states “99.97% HEPA Filter” or “2,000 CFM HEPA Filter”, but does not include all of the detailed testing information, it’s probable that the filter has not been individually tested.

Is the machine designed to prevent bypass leakage around the HEPA filter?

Even the best HEPA filter can’t prevent contamination problems if the machine is not designed to prevent contaminated air from bypassing the filter. Look for important contaminated air bypass prevention features such as:

• Flat, rigid HEPA sealing frames with no welds or other surface irregularities that can disrupt the seal

• Seamless poured closed-cell neoprene gaskets or silicone gel seals as opposed to gaskets with seams or made from open cell foam

• Solid rivet fasteners versus weaker and potentially leaky hollow pop-rivets or metal screws.

• Sealed control panels

Is the machine safe?

Why take the chance on an untested and potentially unsafe machine? OSHA (U.S.) and CSA (Canada) require electrical safety testing and certification by an approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), such as UL, CSA or ETL. This overall testing is required even if the individual electrical components are all NRTL listed.

Contractors may be surprised to learn that the HEPA-AIRE® Negative Air Machines manufactured by Abatement Technologies® are currently one of the few brands that meets these requirements. All Abatement Technologies negative air machine models are certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL)., and carry their ETL/ETLC mark for safe operation on 115V/15A electrical supplies.

What makes HEPA filters so efficient?

The ultra-fine, glass-fiber medium captures microscopic particles that can easily pass through other filters by a combination of diffusion, interception and inertial impaction. To qualify as a Type A HEPA filter, the filter must capture at least 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns in size–about 300 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, and 25 to 50 times smaller than we can see. To a HEPA filter, catching a one-micron particle is like stopping a cotton ball with a door screen.

Why is the testing done with a 0.3-micron particle size test aerosol?

Filter efficiency studies have shown that 0.3-microns is the "Most Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS)" for HEPA filter media. Efficiency is typically greater than 99.97% against larger or smaller particle sizes. Particles larger than 0.3 microns are typically more easily trapped, or intercepted, by the media. Smaller particles often lack sufficient mass to penetrate the media.

Does HEPA efficiency decrease as the filter gets dirty?

No. The dirtier a HEPA filter gets, the more efficient it typically becomes.

Have another question? Contact us