Asbestos Fibre Discrimination in Practice

Current air monitoring techniques carried out to establish airborne fibre levels are absolutely necessary but ultimately imprecise. A conventional air monitoring exercise is designed to collect all airborne fibres (above a minimum size) from a known volume of air on a filter. A 'fibre count', under a microscope, of the contents of the filter allows the analyst to quantifiably declare the number of respirable airborne fibres in an area (volume). Crucially, using this technique the analyst counts all fibres (whether they are carpet fibres, glass fibres, asbestos, etc.) which can ultimately lead to failed air tests and expensive remedial management in situations where little or no asbestos is present.

Fibre discrimination is an evolutionary advance on conventional air monitoring. Simply, asbestos fibre discrimination is the ability to quantifiably separate asbestiform and non-asbestiform fibres. Traditionally this is achieved using electron microscopy, but this technique is limited by the cost of analysing samples, the lack of portability of the microscope and, most significantly, the inability to re-test existing 'failed' samples. First Order Red was the first company to pioneer and be UKAS accredited to deliver asbestos fibre discrimination by light microscopy. Our novel technique allows us to carry out fibre discrimination, on site and in real time using portable equipment. This allows our analysts to take air monitoring techniques to the next level and not only count the total number of fibres but also discriminate what percentage are asbestiform.

Naturally this technique is not suitable for use all the time. Conventional air monitoring is often the most cost effective and suitable method in the asbestos managers 'toolbox'. However, fibre discrimination can often be an invaluable tool.

Recently, First Order Red was called to a client's property where their Asbestos Manager was concerned that employees may be being regularly exposed to high levels of asbestos fibres. The concern was caused by a visibly dusty store room containing previously identified Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB). We were asked to carry out some routine disturbed air testing to reassure the client's asbestos manager. Unfortunately, and not too surprisingly, in a known 'dusty' environment the conventional air test failed. Under normal circumstances the analyst on site would have no choice but to report a failed air test, presume asbestos contamination and instigate remedial work. However, in this case the analyst was not confident that the fibres were asbestos and made he the call requesting a fibre discrimination test. First Order red were able to rapidly assess the store room and confirm that asbestiform fibres only made up a very small percentage of the total fibre content, issue an accredited fibre descrimination test and provide the client with the reassurance that it was OK to continue to use the store room. This result saved the client unnecessary costly emergency remedial work and has allowed them time to adopt a planned approach to managing the AIB in the store.

First Order Red is unique in being able to offer a UKAS accredited 'on site' fibre discrimination services to our clients. We never subcontract this service to ensure that our customers always know the provenance of the service they are using. For more information about our unique fibre discrimination service then why not give one of our team a call on 0845 8800350 or e-mail: information@firstorderred.co.uk.

Asbestos Fibre Discrimination in Practice

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