# Asbestos exposure and masks (single and dual port)



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Need some help finding single port asbestos masks. I see the dual ports at Home Depot for about $47 bucks.

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/asbestos-and-lead-respirator-with-cartridge/900971

I'm working on a cabling job right now and I suspect this building was erected around 1970-80's tho I'm not sure. I did have a NOISH R95 mask with me at the time while I was fishing to lay pull strings.

Yes I know R95's are not asbestos rated. It was what I had to work wiht at the time. I've not had any confirmation or know if the building has asbestos while the ceiling tiles where removed. My exposure time to the disturbed spray on fiber insulation on the walls was about 4-5hrs. I'm still itching on the arms (was wearing long pants, polo shirt, ball cap, R95 mask, vented safety glasses).

My lungs do feel a little like if you're sucking in air in -30C temps with big gulps of air and that icey/light burn feel in the throat/lungs right now.

Any one here with expeirnece in this? I only know of 50seven as a contractor here and likely have experience. Any docs/healthcare/etc people here with exerience with the exposure time and the dangers? I'm not regularly exposed to this stuff or even exposed to it at all. It's just htis job that has me worried over the long term effects as I'm scheduled for about 2 weeks for thie project to be completed and already almost week one is over but today is the first time such insulation fibers was disturbed because of the jigging of the fishing wire causing dust and pieces of insulation to break up and fall on you. We're fishing from one floor to the basement floor so someone has to look up while the debris coming down till they can see the fishing wire come out the other end.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Is it possible to use only one canister of the dual port masks? If so what and how do you seal the other side? Also I mainly am going to be using this mask for this job only and if/when another job or situation happens to come up where I may need it later.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

I'll PM you a contact of who you need to talk to. He's local and deals with this stuff, and can set you up with the equipment, etc. that you need.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Thanks mate. Could you CC to ANmobile? Do they have single ports on the market? I'm going to estimate my exposure beside and having such material fall on me to be about 12hrs total as I'm not planning on being beside that access piping area unless I have to be when routing the cables.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

No problem.

If you are working with asbestos, you really want to be careful, as the fibers are very small and very much airborne!

You want to be wearing a full body Tyvek suit and be wearing a P100 respirator, full face respirator is recommended. Also use a spray bottle to wet the asbestos before you remove it, which will dramatically reduce the airborne spread of the asbestos. Add a bit of dish soap to your break the surface tension of the water and help it to penetrate better into the surface.

The P100 masks that you want are available at Hazmasters, Tyvek suits you can get there or at HD.

If it's just plain insulation, you really don't need to be worried about it, just wear a good N95 respirator and shower afterwards, you're not going to get sick. But if it is asbestos, don't mess around, because high concentrations really can be bad for you.

Be safe!

If you need to get the house tested for asbestos, the contact I sent you can do that as well. Just tell him your situation.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

50seven said:


> No problem.
> 
> If you are working with asbestos, you really want to be careful, as the fibers are very small and very much airborne!
> 
> ...


I'm notsure ifit is plain insulation. The buildingI am in is making an addition to thier plate room for proof work I think. They have the metal dry wall studs up with the green fiiber compressed (fire insulation?) lined in the room addition. I don't have a smartpone to upload in realtime but will get a pic and show you later in the night. That is abou tthe sam color as what is sprayed in the ceiling but the ceiling stuff is a grayish color (like gray mixed in with blended up newspaper). the thing is I don't wan tto freak out people going in like the movie Outbreak without being positively sure it's asbestos. Is there a sure fire way to tell it is sbestos? Carry a lighter on you and burn and see the results or something I don't know. I just know the situation isn't too comforable right now as the contact's boss wants everything hidden inside the walls and with one access point tothe basement hit/miss snagging the uide lines being run and tught sewage pipe in there non omveable with concreate lined floors (commercial building, this is a press/litho business) and the sewage pipe with clamp bands all over it running up and down it's aloms impossible thinging to run 12 never mind 24 cales down without the possiblity of losing some stuck or shredded on the way down. With that said and the last resort possilbity of having an external run with track to cover it up you can why the sitch is tense right now to bring upthe asbestos or coming all beehive suited. the suits would freak as with the press dept.

Anyways..just a little insight on my sitch. Checking PM now.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Asbestos in building materials takes on a zillion different forms, the only way to be sure of what is asbestos and what isn't is to get it tested.

Also if the building was constructed after 1980 , then it is highly unlikely that any asbestos was used.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

50seven said:


> Asbestos in building materials takes on a zillion different forms, the only way to be sure of what is asbestos and what isn't is to get it tested.
> 
> Also if the building was constructed after 1980 , then it is highly unlikely that any asbestos was used.


I asked the owner when the building was constructed and he said about 20yrs ago so I'm thinking 1985ish if he's off by a bit but he seems to know the building age.

Well got the P100 and another R95 just incase at Home D because of it's closeness to the job site.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Yeah, you should be okay. A water spray bottle to keep the dust down can also help make for more comfortable conditions.

Don't shy away from the tyvek suit, its a good idea even if there is no asbestos, just for your personal comfort and to avoid all the super itchyness

Have fun! 

Sent from my HTC Magic using Tapatalk


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