EPA 560-OPTS-86-001 A Guide to Respiratory Protection for the Asbestos Abatement Industry  

Date: 
09-01-1986

This guide is intended to provide practical guidance in the selection and use of respiratory protection to persons who work in asbestos abatement. The recommendations in this guide will also apply to other working activities, such as maintenance or repair, where exposure or the potential for exposure to asbestos exists. Because of the well documented risk to health associated with asbestos and uncertainties surrounding the level which can cause disease, exposures must be controlled to the lowest level possible as determined by the most sensitive and reliable monitoring methods.

This guide is divided into five parts. Part I is an introduction to the hazards associated with airborne asbestos and to the issues involving respiratory protection against asbestos. Part II presents a model respiratory protection program for the asbestos abatement industry which both satisfies current Federal regulations and incorporates the most current information on appropriate respirators for use against airborne asbestos fibers. Part Ill contains a checklist for developing or evaluating a respiratory protection program. Part IV presents information on breathing air systems for supplied-air respirators. Part V lists sources of help for problems involving respirator use.

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