Air Monitoring and Asbestos: What You Need to Know
Air monitoring may not be something you think about when you’re trying to identify asbestos in your home or business. You may be more concerned about removing the asbestos, encapsulating it, and protecting yourself and visitors to the property.
However, monitoring the air around a known source of asbestos can be just as crucial as the removal process itself, and it involves sampling the air to assess exposure and the effectiveness of your control measures. Learn more about what’s involved in the air monitoring process for asbestos below.
Why Perform Air Monitoring Around Asbestos?
When you’re creating a to-do list for asbestos removal, you might be curious as to why air monitoring needs to be on the list. There are generally three reasons why this is crucial during the asbestos removal process.
1. Abide by regulations
You may need to perform air monitoring for A and B class asbestos to comply with Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations and the NZ Approved Code of Practice – Management and Removal of Asbestos 2016.
Air monitoring isn’t required for class B (non-friable) asbestos, but licensed asbestos assessors or competent people might do it to minimise or eliminate the risk of airborne asbestos exposure. Air monitoring for Class B asbestos removal also gives removal teams peace of mind that they’re not exceeding the airborne contamination standard.
Generally, when the decision is made to allow air monitoring during the removal of non-friable asbestos, the person in charge of monitoring should be:
Experienced in asbestos removal
Competent with monitoring equipment
Knowledgeable in sampling strategies
Able to store and transport samples
2. Environmental monitoring
Air monitoring may be required if there is a known source of asbestos, such as asbestos-related work or contaminated soil removal near public buildings.
3. Workplace exposure monitoring
When working with asbestos, you want to make sure you’re safe at work. Air monitoring through workplace exposure monitoring enables businesses to make sure their breathing zone is safe, reducing the risk of asbestos-related illnesses at a later date, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
When is Air Monitoring Mandatory in NZ?
With so many resources available on the internet around the removal of asbestos and what you can and can’t do, it’s not always easy to find information pertaining to air monitoring and whether it’s necessary.
As previously stated, it’s not always necessary with Class B non-friable asbestos, but it is mandatory in Aotearoa New Zealand for friable asbestos. When you undertake air monitoring for the removal of friable asbestos, it must:
Be carried out before removal work
Incorporate the asbestos removal area
Take place during removal and at times selected by licensed asbestos assessors
Happen after the work has been completed and the area decontaminated
Be carried out before you dismantle any enclosures
Who Organises Air Monitoring for Asbestos in NZ?
A question many people ask when trying to organise for asbestos to be removed from their property is who organises the air monitoring when it’s mandatory? Typically, the licensed business you choose to carry out your asbestos removal will hire an independent licensed asbestos assessor. You don’t have to lift a finger, except to dial the number for expert asbestos removalists.
How to Read Asbestos Air Monitoring Results
You may understand the importance of air monitoring for Class A asbestos, but it’s also crucial to understand what your monitoring results actually mean. These are laid out in a convenient WorkSafe Guide ‘OHSMS Requirements For Class A Asbestos Removal’ with information on the air monitoring levels and actions to take.
< 0.01 fibres/ml (trace level)
No new control measures are necessary, and you can continue with your existing control measures.
≥ 0.01 fibres/ml but < 0.02 fibres/ml
Investigate the cause, implement control measures to prevent exposure, and prevent further fibre release.
≥ 0.02 fibres/ml
Stop Class A asbestos removal work, notify WorkSafe as a possible notifiable incident with the air monitoring results, and investigate. This can involve a visual inspection of the enclosure and the equipment in use. Involve all asbestos workers.
Review your controls and put other controls in place to prevent exposure and further asbestos fibres from being released.
Extend your isolated area as far as reasonably practical until fibre levels are at 0.01 fibres/ml or below. Seal any identified leaks with tape or expandable foam, wet-wipe and vacuum the area, and smoke test the enclosure until it’s sealed.
Air Monitoring vs. Control Monitoring
Air monitoring and control monitoring are both performed for the same reason: to safeguard our health. They are also both used for asbestos removal and encapsulation, but they are actually different.
Air monitoring involves sampling and analysing airborne asbestos fibres with a membrane filter method, which means in the air. In contrast, control monitoring involves putting monitoring controls in place to minimise or eliminate airborne asbestos as much as possible.
Leave Air Monitoring to the Experts
If asbestos removal or encapsulation is about to occur at your home or place of business, ask about air monitoring. When you choose highly-regarded asbestos businesses in NZ, they take care of everything, including this crucial task.