Paper Example on Environmental Consulting Fundamentals

Asbestos Survey

An asbestos survey refers to the visual inspection of a property like a building in which the given material was used as a building material. A survey plan is necessary for this exercise so that a surveyor undertakes it successfully. A surveyor will need to perform a walk-through of a building and assess the condition of the parts built of the material. Some of the parts in which the surveyor can check are under carpets, ceiling voids and in the areas in the building in which routine maintenance practices occur. Moreover, the surveyor will need to log each of the rooms in the building and provide a report on the construction materials (Alter, 2012). This will also give the surveyor the opportunity to safely take samples of the materials suspected to contain asbestos. It is important o note that there is a possibility that the surveyor may not access some room in case they are locked or sealed void. In such a situation, the surveyor will feel free to ignore such areas and deem the 'not accessed' and have a presumption that asbestos may be present. This is an important safety measure to protect the individuals who may need to enter those areas in the future.

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The surveyor has the obligation to access all the rooms in which some operations may occur later. The role of the property owner or duty holder is recognized in this case whereby he or she provides an important piece of information which will be utilized in the course of the survey. According to Alter (2012), this aspect of the exercise can be best accomplished when a building or a specific section is empty and will possibly not be reoccupied. Performing this form of activity in the residential homes and hospitals requires more attention for more safety tips to prevent harm to the residents or clients.

Types of Air Samples Collected during Asbestos Removal

Air samples are collected in the course of removal asbestos. The process involves drawing a known volume of air through the use of a filter for a specific period. Air samples in this activity are collected in the form of contaminants which could be particles suspected to be associated with asbestos. The process enables the collection of the airborne particles which are filtered out then prepared to be examined using a microscope. One of the samples collected during this exercise is the fiber. The collection of this material as a sample requires an initial removal of gaskets containing asbestos. The gaskets are obtained from the part of the building which is suspected to be having asbestos with regard to the materials which were used in the construction of the given section.

Moreover, air and gases are another categories of samples that can be obtained during the removal of asbestos from a building. This process can be accomplished through the use of adsorbent tubes and a pump. Air is pumped into the tube using the pump and should occur within a specified period to help balance between sensitivity and capacity of the air sample required (Alter, 2012). The other can be dusts which are collected in micro-vacuuming condition. The process should be used in the cases where is a low level of dust and asbestos in a given section of building under examination. Samples, in this context, are therefore collected in the form of settled dust.

Reference

Alter, B. (2012). Environmental consulting fundamentals: Investigation and remediation. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.