Put on clean PPE Put on RPE using mirror Carry out fit-check
12. METHODS OF WORK FOR THE REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS 1 Selection of methods of work
Methods of work for the removal of asbestos containing materials will be selected to facilitate the safest, most appropriate and cost effective removal of the product and will take in to account all current legislative requirements.
12.2 Removal of a sprayed coating using a wet injection system to apply fibre suppressant
The wet injection system selected for the works will conform to the standards set out in section 11.5.
The works will be carried out in a methodical manner and will seek to ensure adequate saturation of the material prior to the commencement of any removal works.
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied (from a hand held spray applicator) to the surface of the coating prior to the commencement of works.
The points at which the injection needles are to be pushed into the coating will have a section of pcl tape affixed to them. This will help to minimize the disturbance of the coating as the needles are put in place.
The injection needles will be carefully pushed through the pcl patches and into the surface of the coating at regular intervals (approximately 200mm). The interval between injection needles will depend upon a number of factors (e.g. thickness of the coating, saturation time) and may need to be altered as works progress to ensure that adequate saturation of the ACMs is occurring.
Where possible the needles will be placed into the top of the surface to be injected. This will allow gravity to work on the fibre suppressant and aid the saturation process.
Once all of the needles are in place the wet injection system will be turned on.
The coating will be monitored regularly to assess the spread of the fibre suppressant and the level of saturation. This monitoring will be carried out a minimum of once every hour whilst the wet injection system is in operation.
The saturation of the coating will be assessed visually and physically by the site supervisor. The visual inspection will seek to note a colour change to the coating as the fibre suppressant soaks through the material. The physical inspection will require a small screwdriver to be inserted through the coating. The coating should be of a plasticine consistency to its full depth when it is suitably saturated.
Over-wetting of the coating will be avoided. It will not be wetted so much that it falls from its substrate or readily forms slurry.
Once the coating is suitably saturated operatives will carefully scrape the coating from its substrate using hand tools (scrapers).
The coating will be deposited into red asbestos waste bags as it is removed from the substrate. If during the removal of the coating unsaturated areas are identified they will be wetted using a fine spray of fibre suppressant applied from a hand held applicator and removed using hand tools.
The substrate will be cleaned using wetted wire brushes, tack rags and h-type vacuum cleaners to remove all visible traces of asbestos material.
12.3 Removal of a sprayed coating using a spray applicator to apply fibre suppressant
The spray applicator system selected for the works will conform to the standards set out in section 11.3 and / or 11.4.
The works will be carried out in a methodical manner and will seek to ensure adequate saturation of the material prior to the commencement of any removal works.
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the surface of the coating.
This process will be repeated at regular intervals. The interval between applications will depend upon a number of factors (e.g. thickness of the coating, saturation time) and may need to be altered as works progress to ensure that adequate saturation of the ACMs is occurring.
Where possible the spray will be applied to the top of the surface of the coating. This will allow gravity to work on the fibre suppressant and aid the saturation process.
The coating will be monitored regularly to assess the spread of the fibre suppressant and the level of saturation. This monitoring will be carried out a minimum of once every half hour whilst the fibre suppressant is being applied.
The saturation of the coating will be assessed visually and physically by the site supervisor. The visual inspection will seek to note a colour change to the coating as the fibre suppressant soaks through the material. The physical inspection will require a small screwdriver to be inserted through the coating. The coating should be of a plasticine consistency to its full depth when it is suitably saturated.
Over-wetting of the coating will be avoided. It will not be wetted so much that it falls from its substrate or readily forms slurry.
Once the coating is suitably saturated operatives will carefully scrape the coating from its substrate using hand tools (scrapers).
The coating will be deposited into red asbestos waste bags as it is removed from the substrate. If during the removal of the coating unsaturated areas are identified they will be wetted using a fine spray of fibre suppressant applied from a hand held applicator and removed using hand tools.
The substrate will be cleaned using wetted wire brushes, tack rags and h-type vacuum cleaners to remove all visible traces of asbestos material.
12.4 Removal of pipe insulation using a wet injection system to apply fibre suppressant
The wet injection system selected for the works will conform to the standards set out in section 11.5.
The works will be carried out in a methodical manner and will seek to ensure adequate saturation of the material prior to the commencement of any removal works.
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied (from a hand held spray applicator) to the surface of the insulation prior to the commencement of works.
The points at which the injection needles are to be pushed into the insulation will have a section of pcl tape affixed to thermo and wrapped in cling film. This will help to minimize the disturbance of the insulation as the needles are put in place.
The injection needles will be carefully pushed through the pcl patches / cling film and into the surface of the insulation at regular intervals (approximately 200mm). The interval between injection needles will depend upon a number of factors (e.g. thickness of the insulation, saturation time) and may need to be altered as works progress to ensure that adequate saturation of the ACMs is occurring.
Where possible the needles will be placed into the top of the surface to be injected. This will allow gravity to work on the fibre suppressant and aid the saturation process.
The insulation will be monitored regularly to assess the spread of the fibre suppressant and the level of saturation. This monitoring will be carried out a minimum of once every hour whilst the wet injection system is in operation.
The saturation of the insulation will be assessed visually and physically by the site supervisor. The visual inspection will seek to note a colour change to the insulation as the fibre suppressant soaks through the material. The physical inspection will require a small screwdriver to be inserted through the insulation. The insulation should be of a plasticine consistency to its full depth when it is suitably saturated.
Over-wetting of the insulation will be avoided. It will not be wetted so much that it falls from the pipe or readily forms slurry.
Once the insulation is suitably saturated operatives will carefully scrape the insulation from the pipe using hand tools (scrapers).
The insulation will be deposited into red asbestos waste bags as it is removed from the pipe. If during the removal of the insulation unsaturated areas are identified they will be wetted using a fine spray of fibre suppressant applied from a hand held applicator and removed using hand tools.
The pipe will be cleaned using wetted wire brushes, tack rags and h-type vacuum cleaners to remove all visible traces of asbestos material.
12.5 Removal of pipe insulation using a spray applicator to apply fibre suppressant
The spray applicator system selected for the works will conform to the standards set out in section 11.3 and / or 11.4.
The works will be carried out in a methodical manner and will seek to ensure adequate saturation of the material prior to the commencement of any removal works.
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the surface of the insulation.
This process will be repeated at regular intervals. The interval between applications will depend upon a number of factors (e.g. thickness of the coating, saturation time) and may need to be altered as works progress to ensure that adequate saturation of the ACMs is occurring.
Where possible the spray will be applied to the top of the surface of the coating. This will allow gravity to work on the fibre suppressant and aid the saturation process.
The insulation will be monitored regularly to assess the spread of the fibre suppressant and the level of saturation. This monitoring will be carried out a minimum of once every hour whilst the fibre suppressant is being applied.
The saturation of the insulation will be assessed visually and physically by the site supervisor. The visual inspection will seek to note a colour change to the insulation as the fibre suppressant soaks through the material. The physical inspection will require a small screwdriver to be inserted through the insulation. The insulation should be of a plasticine consistency to its full depth when it is suitably saturated.
Over-wetting of the insulation will be avoided. It will not be wetted so much that it falls from the pipe or readily forms slurry.
Once the insulation is suitably saturated operatives will carefully scrape the insulation from the pipe using hand tools (scrapers).
The insulation will be deposited into red asbestos waste bags as it is removed from the pipe. If during the removal of the insulation unsaturated areas are identified they will be wetted using a fine spray of fibre suppressant applied from a hand held applicator and removed using hand tools.
The pipe will be cleaned using wetted wire brushes, tack rags and h-type vacuum cleaners to remove all visible traces of asbestos material.
12.6 Removal of pipe insulation using the „wrap and cut‟ technique
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the surface of the insulation from a hand held spray applicator.
The section of insulated pipe will be wrapped in 1000g polythene sheeting and sealed with adhesive spray and 75mm pcl tape.
The pipe will be cut at natural break points / non insulated areas (e.g. flanges, support brackets) using a reciprocating saw. The cut points will not be so far apart as to make the handling / manoeuvring of cut sections impractical.
Where the pipe work cannot be cut at non – insulated areas the insulation will need to be removed from the pipe to enable a cut to be made. The insulation will be removed by either using the wet injection technique or spray applied fibre suppressant technique as detailed to sections 11.4 and 11.5. The most suitable method for removal will be detailed to the method statement. Once the insulation has been removed from the pipe the pipe will be cut at the newly cleaned area.
The wrapped pipes will be disposed of as asbestos waste
12.7 Removal of sectional pipe or paper lined insulation
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the surface of the insulation from a hand held spray applicator.
The sections of the insulation will be supported and the binding bands / clasps will be cut using hand tools.
The sections of the insulation will be carefully eased from the pipe.
Fibre suppressant solution will be applied to all dry (internal) surfaces of the insulation as they are revealed.
The sections will be placed into asbestos waste bags for disposal.
The pipe will be cleaned using wetted wire brushes, tack rags and h-type vacuum cleaners to remove all visible traces of asbestos material.
12.8 Removal of insulation debris
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the insulation debris from a hand held spray applicator.
Small areas of debris are to be cleaned up using H – type vacuums.
Larger pieces of debris will be sprayed with a fine mist of fibre suppressant solution, removed by hand and placed into asbestos waste bags.
Scrapers will be used to scrape large pieces of wetted debris from surfaces.
Dampened wire brushes will be used to remove traces of insulation from contaminated surfaces.
12.9 Removal of AIB panels / tiles (screw fixed)
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the AIB. Where there is sufficient access operatives will seek to apply fibre suppressant to all available faces of the product (e.g. apply fibre suppressant into a ceiling void to coat the tops of AIB tiles).
The screw fixings will be located and carefully unscrewed using hand tools. The nozzle of an H- type vacuum cleaner will be held adjacent to the work area as the fixings are unscrewed.
Where the AIB product cannot be unscrewed (e.g. screw heads are worn, decayed or cannot be located) then the following method of removal will be used:
The AIB will be wetted using fibre suppressant.
Hand tools will be used to prise the panels and fixings from the supporting frame. Panels will be removed intact wherever possible.
Areas of panel around immovable fixings will be carefully broken such that panelling may be removed in as large a section as reasonably practicable. Where breakages to the panels are unavoidable they will be kept to a minimum.
Fibre suppressant will be applied as necessary as the works proceed.
Screw fixings will be removed from supporting frames and the screw holes will be cleaned out to remove traces of asbestos containing materials.
12.10 Removal of AIB panels / tiles (nail fixed)
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the AIB. Where there is sufficient access operatives will seek to apply fibre suppressant to all available faces of the product (e.g. apply fibre suppressant into a ceiling void to coat the tops of AIB tiles).
Hand tools will be used to prise the panels and fixings from their supporting frame. Panels will be removed intact wherever possible.
Areas of panel around fixings will be carefully broken such that panelling may be removed in as large a section as reasonably practicable. Where breakages to the panels are unavoidable they will be kept to a minimum.
Fibre suppressant will be applied as necessary as the works proceed.
Nail fixings will be removed from supporting frames and the nail holes will be cleaned out to remove traces of asbestos containing materials.
12.11 Removal of panels using the shadow vac technique
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the AIB. Where there is sufficient access operatives will seek to apply fibre suppressant to all available faces of the product (e.g. apply fibre suppressant into a ceiling void to coat the tops of AIB tiles).
The screw fixings will be located and carefully unscrewed using hand tools. The nozzle of an H- type vacuum cleaner will be held adjacent to the work area as the fixings are unscrewed. Fibre suppressant will be applied as necessary as the works proceed.
Screw fixings will be removed from supporting frames and the screw holes will be cleaned out to remove traces of asbestos containing materials.
12.12 Removal of AIB debris
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the AIB debris from a hand held spray applicator.
Small areas of debris are to be cleaned up using H – type vacuums.
Larger pieces of debris will be sprayed with a fine mist of fibre suppressant solution, removed by hand and placed into asbestos waste bags.
12.13 Removal of AIB door panels
The edges of the door panels will be sealed over with 75mm pcl tape. A protective layer of 1000g polythene will be applied to the back of the door to completely cover the AIB panel and all edges will be fully sealed using 75mm pcl tape.
Once the panel is completely sealed and protected the whole door will be unscrewed from its hinges and disposed of as asbestos waste as a complete unit.
12.14 Removal of textile flash guards and seals
All electrical equipment and services are to be certified as redundant prior to the commencement of works. If suitable certification is not available works should not proceed. All asbestos containing textiles will be lightly wetted with a fibre suppressant solution.
The materials will be carefully removed by hand and placed directly in red asbestos waste bags.
Tack rags and h-type vacuums will be used to remove any traces of materials that may remain to areas where they were affixed.
12.15 Removal of textile sleeves and cowls
The asbestos containing textiles will be lightly wetted with a fibre suppressant solution. Fixing bands will be removed using hand tools.
The materials will be carefully removed by hand and placed directly in red asbestos waste bags.
Tack rags and h-type vacuums will be used to remove any traces of materials that may remain to areas where they were affixed.
12.16 Removal of aertex from a permanent substrate using fibre suppressant solution
The spray applicator system selected for the works will conform to the standards set out in section 10.3 and / or 10.4.
The works will be carried out in a methodical manner and will seek to ensure adequate saturation of the material prior to the commencement of any removal works.
A fine spray of fibre suppressant will be applied to the surface of the aertex. This process will be repeated to ensure that the aertex is suitably wetted.
Operatives will use hand scrapers to carefully peel the aertex from the substrate and place it into red asbestos waste bags.
Fibre suppressant solution will be applied as the works progress to ensure that the material remains wetted.
12.17 Removal of aertex from a permanent substrate using a stripping solvent
Operatives will abide by the health and safety requirements outlined by the manufacturer for the use of the solvent.
The works will be carried out in a methodical manner and will seek to ensure adequate saturation of the material prior to the commencement of any removal works.
The solvent will be applied to the aertex using hand tools (brushes and rollers).
The solvent will be allowed to soak into the aertex for a period of time as outlined by the manufacturer or until such a time as the aertex begins to separate from the substrate.
Operatives will use hand scrapers to carefully peel the aertex from the substrate and place it into red asbestos waste bags.
A wetted wire brush will be used to remove traces of the aertex from the substrate.