Asbestos vacuum cleaners

[Ric2013]

Before I say anything else, I want to make it clear I do not hold an asbestos qualification and I refuse to touch the stuff professionally.

However, my father said he'd pay for me to buy the vacuum cleaner as I need to take up some old asbestos Marley tiles and probably remove some Artex (I've had both tested) in my own home. The tiles do need to be removed as I need to remove the concrete floor (plus it would be handy to have such a vacuum as there is probably a certain level of contamination in the house and, later, when I do asbestos training, I could use it for work).

The HSE recommends a BS8520 vacuum cleaner. Many class H vacuums seem to be designed for asbestos removal but aren't certified to that standard.

One well-known company I spoke to told me that its vacuums aren't certified to BS 8520 as its products would comply with much higher standards, which sounds plausible when we consider the situation with bicycle lights is exactly that (yet when I looked at what the standards his machine complied with, it wasn't clear from the brief descriptions available online/the BSI website that the standards had anything to do with asbestos (and without paying more than the cost of the vacuum for access to the standards, how can I know?).

Has anyone on here done any asbestos removal training and might be able to tell me if this is the case, i.e. if I buy a machine that is designed specifically for removing hazardous waste, comes with a certificate of filtration, and is fitted with filters to EN1822, will this be as good as a vacuum to BS 8520 (-2, presumably) or not?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

what do the tests say

and also if your not grinding the floor tiles off i would say there ok to lift by hand no vac (if its the type im thinking of black and plastic looking)

 

[Ric2013]

What tests do you mean?

Yeah, I know I probably don't strictly need a vac, but I've been given the money so I may as well spend it on the intended purpose, plus there is a patch of Artex on the rising damp wall that's a bit flaky, so a vacuum would be useful.

 

[Chalked]

Some artex can have asbestos. Most from mid 70's didn't. How old is your artex ?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

What tests do you mean?

Yeah, I know I probably don't strictly need a vac, but I've been given the money so I may as well spend it on the intended purpose, plus there is a patch of Artex on the rising damp wall that's a bit flaky, so a vacuum would be useful.

(I've had both tested) whats the findings

 

[Ric2013]

Oh, that test. Sorry, I'm half asleep!

Yes, the Artex and the Marley tiles both contain chrysotile asbestos.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Oh, that test. Sorry, I'm half asleep!

Yes, the Artex and the Marley tiles both contain chrysotile asbestos.

what colour white, blue or brown?

 

[Ric2013]

chrysotile asbestos = white

 

[NickDavies]

Skim over the artex with multi-finish and leave the floor tiles alone...... that's the best advice.

 

[lame plumber]

feck a vacuum, you need full face respirator and airlock to get yourself cleaned up properly first, no point in dieing but leaving a clean house

 

[SJB]

I'd be getting the home insurance to shift that lot, I do a fair few jobs with the asbestos lot and they use far more gear than a vac no matter how swank you the vac is

 

[Ric2013]

Hi, thought I'd check in with you. Well, I've removed the floor tiles using and cleaned up with a hazardous type vacuum (that supposedly does the trick etc etc) and worn safety gear as suggested by the HSE asbestos worksheets.

Nick - If I could have left the tiles, I would have, believe me: I don't want to touch the stuff, but the concrete below them is wet, the concrete is blocking airflow elsewhere, and the walls have no DPC, so it will only get worse. Suspended timber has to come back, as per original design, and the concrete has to go.

Interesting idea to claim on home insurance, as I've even less keen to touch Artex. But how do I get insurance to pay for asbestos removal? The damp would be written off as a wear and tear issue - it's not like there's a leaking drain, and in any case it was caused by poor maintenance (or meddling with the original house - hey let's chuck in a concrete floor - it'll last 50 years and then someone else can deal with it). If you can think of a way of getting them to pay, please let me know, but I suspect it's a maintenance issue, not an insured matter?

You'll be pleased to know I've decided against removing the whole ceiling, because, as you say, the proper gear would be needed and it's a lot more than an FFP3 mask and a type 5 coverall. I will be removing Artex from a small area only (using the dissolve it goo) to allow the staircase to come out without making dust (that area is cracking anyway), and to give a safe area to run services as required. There will be a line on the ceiling where the Artex starts, and if it looks too bad, I'll pay for a licenced contractor to do the rest.

The reason I wanted to vacuum was because A the area was probably contaminated anyway, given the poor state of the tiles and the fact that a previous owner had already lifted many and B because there's naff all point wearing any respiratory protection if dust gets left in the house.