asbestos

[Gags_17]

hey guys
my grand father and i are renovating there laundary and we were pulling up the tile and it was a real dusty job and we were wondering if the cement sheeting had aspestos in it to? then just like it was a "sign" a the was a broken piece of the cement sheeting that said "hardiflex" and i thought hmmm james hardi got into heaps of strife in relation to aspestos oh no so went in side checked it out on google and its aspestos allright! so anyway just wondeing whats the best way to protect yaself from it? and how much do ya need to inhale before ya get croook?
thanks

[hansp77]

Here was a recent thread on asbestos,

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ead.php?t=8375

as to how much you need to inhale, I really don't know, but most probably there is no hard and fast amount- just like smoking some people can get knocked down by passive smoking, others can smoke a pack a day their whole long life.... AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.

I did a job of asbestos removal last year- but am no way near qualified to do it so can only explain what I did (rather than recomend how to do it)
I wet it all down so that no (or minimal) airborn dust was made.
I wore one of those whole body white tyvek suits, gloves that would not allow fiber through, and gumboots, both taped at the seams- then airtight goggles, and a well fitted proper mask- with brand new filters.... gloves, suit, and filters all thrown out afterwards (that is wrapped up double bagged and disposed with the asbetos).
Every piece of asbestos double wrapped in STRONG plastic and properly taped at the seams, and then delivered out to the tip where they bury it with a load of soil imediatly (I had to book in to drop it off).

In retrospect I realise that the main weak point of my protection was my face- or more to the point, my sweaty forehead where no doubt a bit of dust collected.
it gets bloody hot in one of those tyvek suits taped into your gumboots and gloves- no ventilation whatsover- your dripping sweat, your face is itching, you can't touch it with your asbestosy hands....
My problem was that the Tyvek suits I had bought for me where only size large, and thus didn't really leave me enough hood to properly cover my head- unless you are small, then try it on or just get the XL or bigger.

I got paid good money to do that job- and really really needed it at the time- but just for worry of the stuff, will never do it again (unless of course it is my own place)
aside from the fact that I am not qualified to do it....

[pawnhead]

This post, (and thread) may interest you as well.

[Gags_17]

thanks for the info mate! dam i wish i had of posted this thread before we pulled it up lol all i used was one of the stupid surgeons mask lol ohwell i guess you live and learn~ we have a feeling the walls are aspestos aswell! is ther a way i can cheack for sure?

[pawnhead]

You can't tell by looking at it. It has to be tested in a lab.
If it was installed pre 1985 (when it was totally banned) then it probably has asbestos in it, but even if it was installed after, it could be some sheets that a builder had left over from before the ban.

I wouldn't be too concerned about your exposure. I've been exposed to quite a bit of dust (before we knew any better), and I'm still kicking, but I've got my fingers crossed. People contracting disease have almost always been quite heavily exposed to dust through working in the industry. There are rare cases of minimal exposure though.

Depending on how much has to be removed, call a professional, or follow the advice given. It would be best to contact your local council and ask for their advice first though.

[Gags_17]

thanks for the replies guys! luckily we one had bout 3 metres square to pull up! and it wasnt to dusty! weve decided not to take it off the walls. should we ring the tip like hans said?

[hansp77]

YES, ring the tip.
Unless you are trying to hide the fact that it is asbestos then they probably won't take it- wasting your time, their time, and a drive to the tip.
For all concerned (especially the health of the tip workers), it is best to give them a heads up- after all, considering the quite reasonable tipping fees (for what it is), it is no biggy.
And seriously, please make sure you double wrap the stuff (airtight) before you cart it to the tip.

I can't remember what I payed (probably cause it didn't come out of my pocket), something under $100 for a full trailer load. Some fiber board- some of the more worrysome fire-chimney pipe from a furnace, and then a whole heap of INCREDIBLY heavy and ridiculously over-engineered (relatively safe) painted toilet cubicle wall-dividers (they were like an inch and a half thick and took two men to lift each!).

My reasoning would be- if I had my own place with asbestos in it- to get rid of any asbestos ASAP. Considering the difficulty and cost of getting it professionally removed- and IMHO the relative ease of doing it yourself provided you take all of the precautions- I would just very carefully rip the lot out while it is still relatively hassle free to do it yourself (somehow I can only imagine the red tape is only going to continue to pile with this issue).
But then, on the other hand, if you have the money, just pay someone to do it.
Peace of mind is a wonderful thing... you can sit back, smoke a ciggy, drink a beer, and tuck into some burgers and fries- and think to yourself Wow, I am so glad I didn't expose myself to those risks!

Hans.

[hansp77]

oh yeah, and if you do decide not to remove the rest of it- maybe you should take the opportunity (before you cover it up- assuming you are going to) to seal it all.
I am sure there is a lot of things you could seal it with.
I would try something that was going to soak through and seal the back of the board as well as the front- maybe a few coats of thinned down old oil paint (as much as after drying sessions it will absorb), the same of some watered down glue... etc.

that should lock away any risk to well beyond the time frame of your concerns.

[Gags_17]

thanks for the tip the walls have been painted allready allthough it was a crappy job but its still been done so would that be ok? and cuz its a bathroom/laundary were gona till half way up and then for the top half not to sure yet grandpa says theres a special wallpaper to cover all the hole and bumps and stuff dunno the name though

[hansp77]

I am sure if it is painted and wallpapered then it will be fine.
The stuff just worries me. I used to work under that industrial big corrogated asbestos roofing, and every time the wind would pick up the roof would vibrate and my mind would get to thinking about all the dust that must be falling from the nail holes and general dry surface.
I actually managed to talk my mate, whose place it was, into painting the whole underside of the roof- no small job (airless sprayed it) -but am still glad to not be working there anymore (for that and all the other toxins that were a daily encounter to the screenprinter).

Anyway, best of luck, and fingers crossed you guys didn't breath too much of it.

[builderwally]

G,day Gags

When i was doing my apprenticeship my boss always looked out for blue fibres or a fibre glass sort of strand within the sheet that is a sure sign that the fibro was an asbestos sheet . I hope he was right

[jmaxwell]

watch what you do some lino tiles were made using some asbestoes
when ever dust is around wear a mask and wet work area if possible
worked on a few demolition jobs

[Gags_17]

thanks for the replies guys! apart from drilling the odd holes for light and switches and taps etc.... we wont be encountering anymore dust! the wall paper my grandpa was talking bout is anacalypta not sure of spelling! lol today i got zapped whilest rewiring the switch for a the light it was one of those crappy pull string switches and we changed it to a wall switch its the strangest feeling it started off just tingling my hand then worked its way iup my arm till it got to my pec (boob) and then i finally managed to get it out of my hand what a fright that was oh by the way is there any side affects from being zapped

[Peter57]

Gags be careful mate. Electricity is deadly and if you are not a licenced electrician it is illegal to do your own work. Many years ago we had a guy from the local electricity mob give us a safety lecture on the dangers of electricity. He said that the voltage and frequency of mains power in Australia was "almost perfect" to send your heart into ventricular fibrillation. That means it just sits there and quivers but doesn't pump blood. This is generally fatal.

So, my advice is pay the dollars and get an electrician to do the job, particularly on an older house and while they are there see if you can get earth leakage protection installed on the power circuits - they can be a life saver.

[Gags_17]

lol yer mate we decided to for some reason it keeps shorting out the house? hmmm sounds like im pretty lucky funy thing is though my right bum cheeck has been twitching eve since its so strange! well i guess on the bright i dont have a dodgey ticker!