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Glossary of Terms

Home > Asbestos Stripping

Asbestos Stripping

 

The danger of exposure to asbestos fibres is now well established. All asbestos materials will have to be removed and safely disposed in the medium term future. New legislation regarding the handling of asbestos was adopted in February 2002 to ensure the safety of workers (Regulation 155 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993).

Companies handling asbestos on a regular basis have to be authorised as an asbestos contractor by the Department of Labour. EnviroServ’s Hazmat Services unit has received the necessary authorisation. Before responding to an asbestos clean-up or stripping, a procedure of how the task will be completed has to be submitted to the Department of Labour for approval. The rationale is to ensure safe working practices with regards to the workers on site and preventing asbestos fibres from escaping into the environment.

EnviroServ’s Hazmat Services was the first unit in Africa to achieve EU accreditation as Expert Supervisor for Asbestos Removal in 2003 and is qualified to do work for international clients.

Case Study - The Jolly Rubino

SMIT Salvage, an international marine salvage company,sub-contracted EnviroServ to assist during one of the biggest hazmat incidents South Africa has seen, after the Jolly Rubino ran aground 40 km north of Richards Bay. EnviroServ was involved in various stages of containing hazardous materials on-board the grounded Italian cargo vessel, including asbestos. Asbestos was used for the cladding of the engine control room, all accommodation dry-walls and ceilings on the twenty-four year old vessel. At the time, asbestos was a preferred insulation material and its toxic qualities had not been acknowledged.

Over a five-day period, the asbestos was encapsulated along 12 m of passageway, using a special bonding agent called TSW. TSW causes particles of asbestos to attach to other particles, forming a rock hard resin. This method could however not be adopted in the ship’s engine control room due to the amount of debris from collapsed ceilings and broken windows. To clear this area would have taken weeks, which prompted us to use wooden carpentry equipment to construct dry-wall partitioning with three millimetre-thick plastic lining. The plastic was staple-gunned onto the walls and sealant was used to close the corners. The inside of this structure was then sprayed with a double dose of TSW. When the area was finally checked and declared safe by the approved inspection authority, there was a complete absence of any airborne fibres.

Services Provided:
  • Ability to commence work immediately through hastened approval of work plan by the department of labour 
  • Stripping of loose / free asbestos i.e. the raw / unprocessed product 
  • Stripping of solid / binded asbestos i.e. processed such as that found in facier boards, paneling, ceiling boards etc. 
  • Stripping of boiler cladding 
  • Advisory services on the preparation of tenders for the removal of asbestos from premises 
  • Advisory services to ensure legal compliance.
Benefits:
  • Rapid deployment 
  • Start to finish cleanup service 
  • In-depth understanding of procedures and requirements at the department of labour 
  • No risk / exposure to the client’s premises or staff due to expert operational procedures 
  • Peace of mind through expertise, specialist knowledge, experience and practices 
  • Compliance with local department of labour regulations 
  • Observance of international best-practices and standards (European DTA certification).