Asbestosis Abatement
In commercial construction, Asbestos Abatement Oakland CA simply is a series of methods designed to minimize the release of asbestos fibers from contaminated asbestos-containing products. The primary aim of this method is to keep these products out of the environment. However, in some cases, it is also necessary to remove asbestos fibers that are already inside the house and which may prove difficult or even impossible to remove otherwise. The most common use of abatement involves controlling the accumulation of large amounts of asbestos.
Since the fibers of Asbestos are insoluble, abatement methods must be specific to fibers. For example, abatement methods must be designed and implemented to control the growth of large amounts of fibers in the walls of buildings and ceilings of buildings in order to keep them from being released into the environment. The best known type of abatement used in the environment is the removal of asbestos from building materials that have already been used. There are several different types of abatement techniques used for this purpose, and each type has its own benefits and drawbacks.
The most commonly used abatement techniques in the building industry are chemical removal (also known as dehumidification) and the use of fiber-alignment products to prevent asbestos fibers from being released. Chemical removal involves treating materials with strong chemicals, such as chlorine, in order to make them easier to degrade.
High concentration of these chemicals is necessary because if they were to leave a building, they would likely not have the ability to break down fiber-like particles to a manageable size. In order to address this problem, abatement uses a process known as "chemical distillation." This procedure involves adding a large amount of water to the material being treated so that the water can break down the material. If the water was not enough to break down the materials, the use of heat would be necessary.
Once the chemicals and the water are in place, they are used to break down the Asbestos fibers and other materials that contain Asbestos. If the fibers are too fine to break down, the material is then treated with a solvent that will break them down. Some of the materials that can be treated with solvents include asbestos and paint. These materials are typically removed with mechanical equipment.
Other forms of abatement include the use of mechanical means to break down asbestos-containing materials to a point where they are not soluble in water and thus, are unable to be released into the environment. The most common form of this type of abatement used in the environment is through the use of water sprayers or vacuums that are designed specifically to break down the materials containing Asbestos.
Fiber alignment products are also used to reduce the risk of Asbestosis fibers being released into the environment. These products are designed to create a smoother surface on which the fibers can break down. Once these materials have broken down, the fibers are then separated and disposed of in a safe manner.
It is important to note that while abatement can be used in most industries to control Asbestos use in materials, it is important to make sure that the process that you are using is designed and certified by an organization such as OSHA to be efficient and safe. OSHA is the United States' major organization responsible for workplace health and safety standards. The process of abatement, however, should be specifically designed for each type of material that it will be used on and should include special instructions for the particular product being used. In order to find out more about abatement in the workplace, you specific industry, contact your local OSHA.
