ABSTRACT

Pieces of asbestos-containing materials found in buildings may be released from the in-place material by a number of mechanisms including physical disturbance, deterioration, and the natural aging of the material. Activities which disturb the debris or dust such as maintenance or custodial tasks are likely to re-entrain the asbestos, and this re-entrainment may cause personal exposure to airborne asbestos. The study of asbestos-containing debris and settled dust is part of the general field of study of surface contamination. Analysis of settled dusts and surface particles of all sizes for asbestos is useful for qualitative and quantitative assessment and may help determine the source of the fibers. In the assessment of buildings, "surface contamination" refers to the part of the dust which contains materials that are considered toxic. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Field Operations Manual, there are a variety of reasons why surface contamination, and especially removable surface contamination, may need to be assessed.