Heat exchangers, pipes and boilers were once frequently insulated with asbestos.
Pre-formed cuttings of asbestos insulation – often multi-layered – were made to fit the pipe width. They would be strapped on, wrapped in calico, and then to protect them against abrasion and knocks would sometimes be sealed with a hard plaster or simply painted. Also used were other kinds of felts, blankets, tapes, ropes and corrugated papers, all of them containing asbestos.
Place equipment and removal tools into the glove bag. As a minimum a P1 filtered respirator and disposable coveralls should be worn.
The pipe should be completely covered by the glove bag. The lagging on either side of the bag should be strong enough to hold the weight of the bag and its wet materials.
Cut the sides of the glove bag to fit the size of the pipe. Attach the glove bag to the pipe by folding the open edges together and securely sealing them with duct tape.
Using a wetting agent applied with an airless sprayer through a pre-cut port, saturate the asbestos and remove it from the pipe. Asbestos that has fallen into the bag should be thoroughly wet.
Once the asbestos has been removed, clean the pipe using a wire brush and wipe it until there are no traces of asbestos. Wash the upper section of the bag too, and seal edges of any asbestos exposed b
Using an asbestos vacuum cleaner, insert the vacuum hose into the glove bag through the access port to remove any air in the bag that may carry airborne asbestos fibres. Then squeeze the bag as close