New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 5 - COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Chapter 23 - UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE
Subchapter 8 - ASBESTOS HAZARD ABATEMENT SUBCODE
Section 5:23-8.17 - Limited containment removals

1. A minimum of two persons shall perform a glove bag removal project. A third person may be required to conduct air monitoring or assist with supplies.

2. The work area where the technique is to be utilized shall be roped off and appropriate caution and/or danger signs posted on the perimeter to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering the work area.

3. All necessary materials and supplies shall be brought into the work area before any removal begins.

4. One air change every 15 minutes shall be provided in a glovebag work area enclosure.

5. If no mini-enclosure is established, then the contractor shall arrange for shutting down and sealing off all electrical, heating, cooling, and ventilating or other air handling systems.

1. Glove bag(s) in suitable number, size and configuration for the specific abatement project. The glove bag is an air-tight, tear-resistant enclosure, designed to enclose an object from which asbestos-containing material is to be removed, constructed of a minimum of six mil polyethylene or other suitable material with inward projecting longsleeve gloves, a tool pouch or other place where tools can be placed, and facilities for water application and a HEPA equipped vacuum attachment.

2. A pump-up sprayer (garden type) with a two or three gallon capacity;

3. Wetting agent: Amended water (water with a surfactant) or a removal encapsulant;

4. Six mil polyethylene disposal bags or leak-proof containers with the proper markings for asbestos waste;

5. A HEPA filtered vacuum with a capillary tube for insertion into the glove bag;

6. Tools such as a small scrub brush, a utility knife for cutting the insulation, a stapler, wire cutters, smoke tubes with aspirator bulb, a bone saw or other appropriate tool, tin snips, duct tape and wettable cloths;

7. A roll of six mil polyethylene; and

8. An encapsulant (tinted).

1. A visual inspection of the pipe where the work will be performed shall be made to determine if any damaged pipe covering (such as broken lagging, or hanging) exists. If there is damage, then the affected portion of the pipe shall be wrapped in polyethylene and fully secured with duct tape. This procedure will prevent excessive airborne fiber concentrations from occurring during the glove bag work caused by pipe lagging hanging several feet or even several yards away which may be jarred loose by the activity. All dust and debris on the floor and other surfaces which has accumulated due to the abatement project and which contains asbestos shall be cleaned up as necessary. If the pipe is undamaged, one layer of duct tape shall be placed around the pipe at each end where the glove bag will be attached. This permits a good surface to which to seal the ends of the glove bag, and it minimizes the chance of releasing fibers when the tape at the ends of the glove bag is peeled off at the completion of the project.

2. Slit the top of the glovebag open (if necessary) and cut down the sides to accommodate the size of the pipe (about two inches longer than the pipe diameter).

3. Place the necessary tools into the pouch located inside the glove bag. This will usually include the bone saw, utility knife, rags, scrub brush, wire cutters, tin snips and pre-cut wettable cloth. Cut out a donut shape in the cloth with the inner diameter one-half-inch smaller than the diameter of the pipe beneath the insulation. The outer diameter of the donut should be three inches longer than the diameter of the pipe insulation being removed. Finally, cut a slit in each of the two donuts so they can be slipped around the pipe. A piece of cloth that can be easily bent around the surface to be cleaned may be used instead of the donut-shaped cloth.

4. One strip of duct tape shall be placed along the edge of the open top slit of the glovebag for reinforcement.

5. Place the glove bag around the section of pipe to be worked on and staple the top together through the reinforcing duct tape. Staple at intervals of approximately one inch. Next, fold the stapled top flap back and tape it down with a strip of duct tape. This should provide an adequate seal along the top. Next, duct tape the ends of the glove bag to the pipe itself, previously covered with polyethylene or duct tape (see (d)1 above). The bottom seam of the glove bag shall be sealed with high quality duct tape or equivalent to prevent any leakage from the bag that may result from a defect in the bottom seam.

6. Before the commencement of the abatement work, but after the glove bag is attached, the contractor shall smoke test each glove bag to ensure that it does not leak. The asbestos safety technician shall personally witness the smoke testing of each of these glove bags. Using the smoke tube and aspirator bulb or other approved smoke generating device, place the tube into the wetting agent sleeve (two-inch opening to glovebag). Fill the bag with visible smoke. Remove the smoke tube and twist the wetting agent sleeve to close it. While holding the wetting agent sleeve tightly, gently squeeze the glovebag and look for smoke leaking out, especially at the top and ends of the glovebag. If leaks are found, they shall be taped closed using duct tape and the bag shall be re-tested.

7. Insert the wand from the wetting agent sprayer through the wetting agent sleeve. Using duct tape, tape the wetting agent sleeve tightly around the wand to prevent leakage.

8. One person places his hands into the long-sleeved gloves while the second directs the wetting agent spray at the work.

9. If the section of pipe is covered with a protective jacket, this is removed first, using the wire cutters to cut any bands and the tin snips to remove the jacket. It is important to fold the sharp edges in to prevent cutting the bag when it is placed in the bottom. A box may be put in the bottom of the bag when the tools are placed in, and the metal placed in the box to further protect the bag from being cut.

10. With the insulation exposed, using the bone saw, cut the insulation at each end of the section to be removed. A bone saw is a serrated heavy-guage wire with ring-type handles at each end. Throughout this process, wetting agent is sprayed on the cutting area to keep dust to a minimum.

11. Once the ends are cut, the section of insulation should be split from end to end using the utility knife. The cut should be made along the bottom of the pipe and the wetting agent continuously supplied. Again, care should be taken when using the knife not to puncture the bag. Some insulation may have wire to be clipped as well. Again, a box may be used as in (d)9 above to protect the bag from puncture.

12. Rinse all tools with wetting agent inside the bag and place back into pouch.

13. The insulation can now be lifted off the pipe and gently placed in the bottom of the bag, while the side of the insulation adjacent to the pipe is being thoroughly wetted.

14. Using the scrub brush, rags and water, scrub and wipe down the exposed pipe.

15. Wet the donut-shaped pieces of wettable cloth over the exposed ends of insulation remaining on the pipe.

16. Remove the wetting agent wand from the wetting agent sleeve and attach the small nozzle from the HEPA-filtered vacuum. Turn on the vacuum only briefly to collapse the bag.

17. Remove the vacuum nozzle and twist the wetting agent sleeve closed and seal with duct tape.

18. Remove all the tools and draw them out into one of the arm sleeves, twist the sleeve tightly, and seal with tape, and cut the sleeve away from the bag, cutting through the tape. In this manner, the contaminated tools may be placed directly into the next glovebag without being cleaned. Alternatively, the sleeve with the tools in it can be placed in a bucket of water, opened underwater and dried without releasing asbestos into the air. This water shall be handled as asbestos-contaminated waste. Rags and scrub brushes cannot be cleaned in this manner and should be discarded with the asbestos-contaminated waste. No more than one use of a glovebag shall be permitted.

19. With removed insulation in the bottom of the bag, twist the bag several times and tape it to keep the material in the bottom during removal of the glovebag from the pipe.

20. Slip a six mil disposal bag over the glovebag (still attached to the pipe). Remove the tape and open the top of the glovebag and fold it down into the disposal bag.

21. All surfaces in the work area should be cleaned using disposable cloths wetted with wetting agent. These cloths shall be disposed of or rinsed thoroughly to eliminate visible accumulation of debris. Then, when these surfaces have been allowed to dry, all surfaces shall be cleaned again using a HEPA filtered vacuum. If no mini-enclosure was built, then the entire room shall be cleaned.

22. Place any contaminated articles or debris into the bag with the waste.

23. Twist the top of the bag closed, fold this over, and seal with duct tape. Label the bag with labels prescribed by 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M of the USEPA, 29 CFR 1926 of OSHA and 49 CFR--Parts 100-199 of the US DOT Hazardous Waste Hauling regulations.

24. Asbestos-containing waste material shall be disposed of as specified in 5:23-8.22.

25. Air sampling shall be conducted after completion of glovebag projects pursuant to 5:23-8.21 to determine if undetected leakage occurred. Once the area has been found to be safe for re-entry by unprotected personnel, the barriers may be removed.