Air Monitoring
EHS Consultants are skilled in undertaking all types of Asbestos Air Monitoring that test for respirable asbestos air fibres in assessing exposure and in determining the effectiveness of controls.
This is generally undertaken where asbestos containing products are in a poor condition, potentially liberating asbestos fibres into the air, or where asbestos containing materials are being removed or disturbed.
The three main types of asbestos are white, blue and brown, used mainly before 1980 in the production of asbestos cement sheeting and piping. Asbestos was also used in the manufacture of vinyl floor tiles, electrical components, brake linings and disc pads.
When disturbed, it produces a dust that contains asbestos fibres. Fibres breathed into the lungs can cause a range of health problems including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Identification, management, handling and removal of asbestos in a workplace is regulated by Commonwealth and State based regulatory agencies.
When Should Asbestos Air Monitoring be conducted?
Given that airborne asbestos fibres are generated by the disintegration of asbestos containing materials, the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission recommend that asbestos air monitoring should be performed whenever Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) is being removed, to ensure that control measures are effective when working on or removing asbestos containing materials. Asbestos air monitoring can also assist to provide a quantitative analysis of the risk.
When the asbestos material is friable, that is can be crushed and turned into a powder by hand pressure, asbestos air monitoring is mandatory.
Please contact us for more information on asbestos air monitoring.