Fiber release during the removal of asbestos-containing gaskets: a work practice simulation

Work practice studies were conducted involving the removal of asbestos-containing sheet gaskets from steam flanges. These studies were performed to determine potential exposure levels to individuals who have worked with these types of materials in the past and may still work with these products today. The work practices were conducted inside an exposure characterization laboratory (ECL) and were performed by scraping and wire brushing, chrysotile-containing (65% to 85%) sheet gaskets from a number of used steam flanges. Airborne asbestos levels were measured by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for the personnel and area air samples collected during the study. These workplace simulations showed substantial asbestos fiber release using scraping, hand wire brushing, and power wire brushing techniques during the gasket removal process. The range of concentration was 2.1 to 31.0 fibers/cc greater than 5 micrometers when measured by PCM. These results contrasted with the few reported results in the published literature where lower airborne asbestos levels were reported. In these studies the airborne asbestos fiber levels measured in many of the samples exceeded all current and historical Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) excursion limits (15-30 minutes) and some previous permissible exposure limits (PEL) based on eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) standards. Also, individuals who performed this type of work in the past may have had exposures higher than previously suspected. The results demonstrated that employees who remove dry asbestos-containing gaskets with no localized ventilation should wear a full face supplied air respirator with a HEPA escape canister and the work area should be designated a regulated area.