Works that maintains contact with asbestos must meet strict preventive measures to avoid any risks that endanger their health and the environment in which they work.
14 june 2016
Asbestos fibres may endanger the health of those in contact with these particles. Workers handling these materials are the most vulnerable to their harmful effects. For this reason, it is essential to implement a plan and follow the security guidelines for occupational risk prevention in order to avoid diseases such as cancer.
In Spain, Royal Decree 396/2006 establishes that the minimum safety and health specifications must be applied in those jobs in which risk of asbestos exposure is present. This law enlists the obligations between employers and workers to avoid behaviours risking the workers’ health, as well as the people from the environment and the air pollution caused by this material’s harmful fibres.
Exposure limit
Exposure limit established by this regulation is 0,1 fibres per cubic centimeter for a period of eight hours. For ensuring that fibre percentage in the environment is under the established value, control and continuous evaluation of the work environment quality is an essential task.
Training
Arcticle 19 of the Act on Prevention of Occupational Risks (31/1995) establishes the obligation on the part of the employer to ensure that each worker receives adequate training without cost to the workers. Workers must know all the information regarding the risks of this materials and their effects on health. This training content should address essential issues about asbestos. Some of them are the following.
- Properties and effects on health
- Materials containing asbestos
- Activities that might imply exposure to this material
- Respiratory protection equipment proper use
- Decontamination procedures
Basic measures
Tal y como indica el RD 396/2006 los trabajos en los que se produce una exposición al amianto deben contar con un plan de prevención que delimite todas las medidas necesarias para evitar y reducir los riesgos. Las principales indicaciones son, por un lado referentes al procedimiento como evitar la producción de fibras de amianto siempre y cuando sea posible y si no, que evitar que el polvo se disperse; y por otro lado, cumplir con las medidas de protección individual e higiene personal.
As RD 396/2006 indicates, jobs in which asbestos exposure is existent, a prevention plan must be provided in order to delimit the necessary measures to avoid and reduce risks. Main indications are, on the one hand, referred to the procedure to avoid the production of asbestos fibres when possible and, if not, to avoid the dust to be disperse; and on the other hand, to meet the individual protection and personal hygiense measures.
- Respiratory protection equipment. Workers must wear FFP3 particle-filtering masks or Class P3 particle filters. Several UNE guidelines collect the relevant information about the objectives of respiratory protection appropriate for avoiding contact with the fibre cement.
- Protective clothing. Other UNE guidelines also regulate optimal protective clothing to avoid physical contact with the asbestos contaminated particles. Clothing equipment is usually single use only and completely isolates the worker.
- Procedure. Asbestos exposure usually happens in jobs related to this material removal. For added prevention, it is recommended to delimit some isolated areas in which the worker can prepare the equipment before entering the place where material will be handled. Likewise, before leaving the enclosure, isolated areas will be used to decontaminate your equipment.
