Japanese officials say they are setting up an
asbestos education program to protect workers clearing debris from the March 11
earthquake and tsunami.

Asbestos, once widely used as a construction
material, can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer. It can take up to 30 years
for the diseases to develop.

“We hope they will work with the danger
of asbestos in mind,” an official with the health ministry said.

The educational program will tap a variety of
scholars and leaders of non-profit organizations knowledgeable about asbestos,
the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Thursday.

Asbestos control instructors will be assigned
to local labor inspection offices to oversee and consult with workers and
volunteers removing debris from areas damaged by the twin disasters.

Japan’s health ministry has distributed
90,000 dust prevention masks although many workers do not wear them because
they restrict breathing. It will soon distribute 600 high-efficiency filter
masks with electric fans to make breathing easier.

“Safety and health education must be
improved at actual working sites,” a senior health ministry official said.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/04/28/Asbestos-a-danger-to-workers-in-Japan/UPI-77021303994274/#ixzz1ST85WWQJ

This disaster masks a hidden asbestos problem

Japan did not ban Crocidolite and Amosite until 1995 and chrysotile in 2004. The devastating earthquake will have exposed millions of Japanese to clouds of deadly asbestos fibres.  

Japan is starting to see evidence of asbestos related diseases amongst workers, companies are now producing lists of those that have died or are receiving treatment due to asbestos related diseases.

Internal politics continue to stand in the way of meaningful progress in tackling the devastating asbestos problem in Japan.

Terry Slater

 ACAD Manager

The HSE are checking the following:
1. That the decontamination unit has no stored items within
2. That the unit is dry
3. Have effective and clean seals between wall panels, wall / floor joints, and wall / ceiling joints
4. That the vents between areas are clean
5. That the doors and surrounds are clean.
6. That the NPU casing and transit cover are clean and fit for purpose, and the area beneath and around the NPU is also Clean.
7. That the sinks, showers, and associated drains are clean and free from debris.
The analyst will not issue “pass” certificates for hygiene facilities that are not “fit for purpose”. This includes:
1. Flooring that has worn to the point where it is not possible to           thoroughly clean ingrained dirt
2. Any seals that are worn, or harbour ingrained filth
3. Cracked surfaces, including sink

The HSE are looking to issue prohibition notices on the hygiene facilities, and improvement notices (with evidence of retraining) on the analyst(s) involved.

For more information contact ACAD, or check the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos

Consider  the following images, apparently a TV cabinet, of hardwood construction, to be replaced during routing renovation of the room.  On closer inspection, a board is apparent to the underside of the top of the cabinet.  Result? The presence of chrysotile and amosite (white and brown) fibres in the form of an insulating board, evidently protecting the timber cabinet from an overheating TV.  Although the material was correctly dealt with on this occasion, it is frightening to think how many times asbestos products may have been unknowingly ripped out as part of refurbishment in homes and houses.

This example is unusual, but panelling in and around fireplaces and backing to the surrounds, is commonplace.

For more information contact ACAD, or check the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos

30 THERMAL INSULATION

30.1 Provision and application
The provision and application of thermal insulation to ductwork is not normally the responsibility of the ductwork contractor. The information in this section is provided for general guidance only and more detailed information on thermal insulation can be obtained from TIMSA (Thermal Insulation Manufacturers and Suppliers Association) and TICA (Thermal Insulation Contractors Association ) both of whom have jointly provided the information in this section.

30.2 Insulation categories
Ductwork systems distribute chilled, warm or dual-purpose chilled or warm air. Where ductwork is required to be insulated before installation, the specification should be agreed with the designer and be in compliance with the Building Regulations Approved Document L – Conservation of Fuel and Power to standards not less than those set out in the Non-domestic Heating, Cooling and Ventilation Guide. The stipulated maximum heat loss/gain limits should be calculated in accordance with BS EN ISO 12241 using the standardised assumptions contained within the document. TIMSA publish an HVAC Guide as assistance to achieve Part L compliance.
Insulation should be installed within the guidelines given in BS 5970:2001 Code of practice for thermal insulation of pipework and equipment (in the temperature range –100ºC to +870ºC)

30.3 Non-metallic pre-insulated ductwork
Non metallic pre-insulated ducts should be in accordance with BS EN 13403:2003. Non-metallic ducts pre-insulated must have a minimum fire classification of Class 0 (to BS476: Part 4, 6 and 7) to satisfy the Building Regulations Approved Document B Fire Safety. These standards are for both on-site and off-site fabrication. Thermal insulation of pre-insulated ductwork should comply with the Building Regulations Approved Document L as per clause 30.2

30.4 Condensation and vapour sealing
Where the temperature of the air within the duct is at any time low enough to promote condensation on the exterior surface of the duct and cause moisture penetration through the thermal insulation, vapour sealing may be called for, and in this case the most important requirement is to limit penetration of the seal.

The extent of any vapour sealing of ductwork and the support method to be used must be clearly specified in advance by the designer.

For cooled systems, it is also important to ensure that the risk of condensation is adequately controlled. For guidance on controlling condensation reference should be made to both BS 5422: 2009 and the TIMSA HVAC Guide.

Care shall be taken to ensure that the integrity of any vapour seal is maintained and reference in this respect must be made to BS 5970:2001.

30.5 External ductwork
Some commonly used systems used to weather protect foil faced mineral wool slab (glass or rock ) are black PIB sheeting (polyisobutylene) or aluminium cladding, although other proprietary weatherproof jacketing systems are becoming more common such as Fibre Reinforced Plastics ‘FRP’

PIB sheeting is acceptable and economical in ‘protected’ areas, i.e. away from birds, foot traffic and strong sunlight. The problems that can occur in ‘unprotected areas’ are as follows:

• Bird attacks which penetrate both PIB and foil vapour barrier leading to water ingress, and reduced thermal efficiency.
• Exposure to foot traffic to access other parts of roof areas can cause the PIB to split – again leading to water ingress and loss of thermal efficiency.
• Water ingress may not initially be apparent but eventually the weight of the saturated insulation below a duct can cause delaminating of the PIB sheeting. Remedial works could involve not only removing the cladding and insulation but also the ductwork
• If the vapour barrier is breached, ductwork condensate causes further breakdown
• Leakage of air from the ductwork can cause insulation damage and degradation as the cover becomes ‘bloated’ and susceptible to breaking up.
• Ductwork corrosion can occur due to exposure to moisture
• Energy costs and carbon emissions can increase due to inefficient insulation.

Aluminium cladding is a more rigid protective finish than PIB, less susceptible to bird damage but more expensive. Even so, problems that can occur in ‘unprotected areas’ are as follows:
• If top surface is exposed to foot traffic, seams can open and allow water ingress. This causes many of the problems previously highlighted for PIB
• If the top surface is dented in any way, water pooling could occur

30.6 Practical issues
TICA members are sometimes faced with problems which could be avoided if the design and project teams addressed some of the following issues before the ductwork is installed:
• Lack of services co-ordination, mainly in builders work risers and plant areas, results in conditions that are difficult to meet the established standards for ductwork insulation.
• Ductwork installed too close to the fabric of the building and in particular roof levels results in conditions that are make it impossible to meet the established standards for ductwork insulation, with the exception of pre-insulated ductwork which can be installed directly any surface level.
• In restricted areas, not enough consideration given to insulating ductwork either prior to insulation or progressively during installation.
• Lack of attention to the selection of support members and the subsequent affect on issues such as vapour sealing, support collapse.
• Alternative proprietary methods to PIB sheeting and aluminium cladding on external ductwork

TICA themselves should be approached as they and their members can provide guidance in order to eliminate many of the issues listed above.

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