Handling practices when removing asbestos cement shingles

If you plan to remove asbestos cement shingles that are in good condition you do not need to construct a sealed work area and use air cleaning, provided you otherwise comply with MassDEP’s asbestos regulations at 310 CMR 7.15 and you adhere to the following handling practices:

The asbestos cement shingles should not be broken, sanded, sawed or drilled at any time during removal or subsequent handling.

The asbestos cement shingles must be carefully lowered to the ground after removal to avoid breaking the shingles.

A drop cloth should be used under the work area. MassDEP recommends that the drop cloth should be a minimum of five feet wide for buildings up to ten feet in height (1 story), and that an additional three feet in width be added to the drop cloth for each additional floor above the ten-foot level. The drop cloth should be periodically cleaned during the removal of the shingles (i.e., pick up and properly package loose shingles) to prevent build up of debris and overflow onto the ground.

All doors and windows on the side of the building where the removal is taking place should be closed and covered with 6-mil (0.006 inch) polyethylene and sealed with duct tape. If a building is going to be completely demolished after removal of the asbestos cement shingles, all doors and windows should be closed but do not need to be covered with polyethylene.

The asbestos cement shingles must be wetted just prior to removal to minimize release of asbestos fibers to the ambient air. MassDEP recommends that a pump-up type sprayer ("garden sprayer") be used for this purpose. It will deliver a controlled amount of water and prevent flooding, thereby minimizing slip hazards while working on ladders and drop cloths. A cup (8oz) of automotive windshield wash should be added to each gallon of water used as a surfactant or wetting agent to assist in wetting the asbestos shingles. Shingles that have been removed must be kept wet until properly packaged.

A bucket of warm soapy water should be maintained at the site for decontamination purposes. Workers’ hands and faces should be rinsed before any coffee or meal break. All tools should be rinsed off at the end of each workday. The wastewater can be used to meet the wetting requirement described above or poured in small amounts into the asbestos waste bags to keep the shingles wet. Wiping and drying should be done with disposable materials such as paper towels. The paper towels should be disposed of as asbestos waste.