JAIC , Volume 39, Number 1, Article 6 (pp. to )

ACCESS DENIED: ASBESTOS CONTAMINATION AS CATALYST AND HINDRANCE TO COLLECTION RETRIEVAL AND PRESERVATION

VIRGINIA M. DEUCHER, TAMURA L. MOORE, & STEVE HEMLIN

2 2. DEFINITIONS

The following list of definitions is necessary for a clearer understanding of the nature of asbestos, the risk factors involved, and the reasons behind the required safety precautions. Abatement:

Removal of friable asbestos and encapsulation of underlying surface area.

ACM:

Asbestos-containing material. Material with contents greater than 1% asbestos is considered ACM and therefore is regulated.

Amosite:

A specific type of asbestos: brown, water-resistant, straight fiber. (Building 17 contained 1 to 3 in. of sprayed-on fireproofing asbestos insulation on the ceiling and walls. In one-half of the building, the asbestos was 30-35% crysotile, while the other half of Building 17 contained asbestos that was 85-95% amosite.)

Asbestos:

A naturally occurring mineral used to insulate against heat, cold, fire, and sound. It is chemical-resistant and nonconductive, as well as durable and water-resistant. Asbestos has been used in the construction, shipbuilding, automotive, and textiles industries.

Clearance:

Passing visual or aggressive air sampling tests based on OSHA NIOSH 7400 or 7402 protocols and AHERA regulations for clearance testing of buildings.

Crysotile:

A specific type of asbestos: white, serpentine fiber.

Decontaminate

(as related to this project): To clean of asbestos fibers to acceptable airborne clearance level of less than .01 fibers per cu. cm. of air, as measured by NIOSH Method 7400.

Encapsulation:

Treating ACM with a liquid that hardens to keep fibers from being released.

Enclosure:

An airtight barrier installed between friable asbestos and the building environment.

Fiber Size:

Need to protect against asbestos fibers >5 μms in length with a 3:1 ratio of length to width.

Friable:

Able to be pulverized to powder by hand pressure when dry.

PCBs:

Polychlorinated biphenyls (carcinogen, skin absorption risk).

Primary Risk Factors:

Inhalation risk, can cause asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Latency period is 10-40 years. Elevated fiber counts, length of exposure, smoking, and personal susceptibility are also risk factors.

Protocol:

Application of decontamination methods to specific object, surface, or material type.