CA2090524C - Containment of removed waste asbestos and like material - Google Patents

Abstract

A containment system for containing asbestos and like materials on removal from surfaces or objects, is described. A substantially rigid closable container is used to approach and seat against a surface covered with asbestos or the like. The container face seating against the surface to be cleared has a door or closure means which allows access to the surface when open and can be closed to confine the removed material. A wall portion of the container (other than the seating face) is transparent or provides access for a viewing device. Other wall portions provide for glove access and for air evacuation. Any suitable support means is used to position the container against the surface to be worked. An additional door or closure means may be provided for disposal of removed material.

Description

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CONTAINMENT OF REMOVED WASTE
ASBESTOS AND LIKE MATERIAL
This invention relates to containment devices and particularly to devices for containment of asbestos fibre or asbestos fibre containing materials.
The carcinogenic hazards of asbestos fibres inhaled by workers is a well known problem. However, buildings have been constructed of asbestos containing materials for many years. Disturbing the asbestos ceiling panels, for example in an older building to make repairs, can result in scattering asbestos fibres throughout the building so as to endanger workmen and persons using the building.
Attempts to confine asbestos fibres during alteration or repair of asbestos containing material have not been entirely effective. For example, efforts have been made to confine asbestos fibres being emitted from asbestos carrying materials being worked upon. U.S. Patent 4,626,291 to Thomas Natale discloses a containment bag system specifically adapted for the removal of asbestos insulation from asbestos covered pipes and valves without contamination of the worker or the surrounding environment. The containment bag is formed of flexible transparent plastic and is shaped to fit over and enclose a section of pipe being worked upon, the pipe passing through openings near the upper end of the containment bag. A pair of flexible gloves are sealed to a pair of openings in the containment bag and serve to protect the hands and arms of a worker standing outside of the containment bag and working upon a pipe or valve within the bag. The Natale containment bag system is not adapted for use with a ceiling area being worked upon.
U.S. Patent 4,765,352 discloses a sealed portable isolation enclosure for use in removing asbestos material

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:, from the ceiling. The worker stands within this booth, and it is necessary to equip the worker with a filter mask and protective clothing because he is working in an extremely contaminated environment.
Other patents showing various containment enclosures not adapted for use with ceilings are listed as follows:
U.S. PATENT INVENTOR ISSUE DATE

4,067,346 G. HUSTED 01/10/78 4,108,509 M. PIET ET 0$/22/78 AL

4,335,712 P. TREXLER 06/22/82 4,505,190 C. FINK ET 03/19/85 AL

4,682,448 B. HEALEY 07/27/87 U.S. Patent 5,024,246 discloses a portable flexible bag open at the top for placing against a contaminated ceiling. Gloves are sealed in openings in the bag so that the user can manipulate the asbestos material.
A lower than atmospheric pressure condition is created in the bag by a motor driven exhaust fan.
In the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention;
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus for containment of particulate material; and Figure 2 is a sectional side elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 of part of the apparatus.
Referring now in detail to the drawings, the apparatus shown generally at 10 in Figure 1 includes a container 12, in this case rectangular although other shapes such as cylindrical are used.
The container 12 has a top wall 16, side walls 18, 20, 22, and 24 preferably constructed of rigid, transparent plastic material, such as a polycarbonate or acrylic. A

3 -bottom wall 28 of the container 12 may be constructed of opaque or transparent plastic material and is preferably rigid. The top wall 16 has an opening 30 of sufficient dimensions to allow access to a work surface for purposes to be described below.
A top wall closure 32, in this case a hinged door, is installed in the opening 30. It will be noted that the door 32 has hinges 34 arranged to permit the door 32 to open inwardly (as shown in broken lines in Figure 2). A suitable resilient seal 36 is provided between the door 32 and the top wall adjacent the opening 30.
It will be appreciated that other closure means may be used provided the opening and closing of the container can be accomplished while the container 12 is in place on a work surface. The door 32 is also capable of being mounted to slide so as to open and close the container while it is in place. A rotary catch 38 mounted so as to maintain the door 32 in a closed position is designed to be operated from within the container in a manner to be described below.
One or more gloves 40 are secured in openings 42 in the container side walls as shown. In this case the glove 40 has a sealed cuff 44 secured to side wall 20 about the periphery of the opening 42. the gloves 40 preferably comprise thin plastic material impervious to asbestos fibres.
As can be seen in Figure 1, vacuum means (not shown) is adapted to be connected to outlet means in the form of a tubular member 58 extending through the bottom wall 28 of the container 12. An additional opening and closure means shown in Figure 1 in broken line at 54 on the side wall 18 of sufficient size to permit removal of material from the container is also provided if desired.
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A feature of the invention as shown in Figure 1 is the support apparatus 60 particularly suited for removal of materials from ceilings. The support apparatus includes a frame 62 which allows access to the tubular member 58 which also serves as a handle.
A vertical standard, in this case a telescoping pole, has one end secured to the frame 62. Aligned apertures 65 and 66 to receive a pin 68 in a conventional manner, allow sections 70 and 72 of the pole to be adjusted to vary the length of the pole. A threaded rod 76, secured t o an outer end of the pole section 72, is mounted in a base 78 in a conventional manner to provide a screw type jack 80 for fine adjustment of the height of the support apparatus 60.
In use, the container is placed against the surface of the work area, the support apparatus is positioned under the container, and the height adjusted through use of the telescoping pole or the screw jack 80.
The user then inserts hands and arms in one or more glove means and the door 32 is opened inwardly to access the material to be removed.
It will be understood that suitable vacuum means is attached to the tubular outlet 58 prior to use. It is recommended that a vacuum provide air flow of 90 cu.ft. per minute to remove loose fibres continually. Should the container 12 fill up with debris before completion of the repair, material can be removed to a sealed container through the door 32 or a similar door 54 provided in a side wall of the container 12.
Sources of vacuum known as HEPA type vacuum cleaners recommended for use with this apparatus are equipped with .3 micron filters to remove small particles of asbestos from the air expelled from container 12. The HEPA

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vacuum is preferrably capable of changing the air in the container 12 at least about every 5 seconds which probably exceeds any safety requirements.

Claims (6)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A containment apparatus for use in confining asbestos during removal from surfaces covered therewith, comprising:
a substantially rigid container capable of confining removed asbestos, said container having one face which is adapted to seat against the surface being treated and provide access thereto, and having a second face or wall portion providing viewing of the surface;
said first face having an opening suitable to access the surface and means to close off this opening while said one face is against the surface to confine removed material;
glove means extending through and sealed to a wall of said container and capable of reaching the accessed surface;
an outlet in said container for attachment to vacuum means able to provide reduced pressure within the container; and support means for retaining said container in position support against the surface being treated.

2. ~The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the container has a second opening and associated closure means to facilitate removal of contained material.

3. ~The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein viewing of the surface is provided by:
container walls at least a portion of which are transparent;
and a viewing device entering through the wall portion.

4. ~The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the glove means comprises a plurality of gloves at least one of which is positioned to activate means to close off the opening when the container is loaded.

5. In a process for removing asbestos or the like from a surface or object and confining removed material, the improvement comprises:
removably positioning a substantially rigid container so as to seat an opening in the container against a treated surface or object;
removing asbestos from the surface or object into the container through said opening;
closing off the container opening while in seated engagement; and removing the closed container containing removed and confined asbestos, away from the treated surface.

6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein at least a portion of one of side walls is transparent for viewing asbestos material during removal from the surface.