Asbestos Cement Pipe Safety

(19 min.) Asbestos containing materials hidden within existing products have been in use for thousands of years. In fact, it was mined from rock formations in ancient times as a wick for lamps, table cloths, textiles, and other useful items. In modern times, asbestos has been used for many products such as fire proofing, pipe insulation, theatre curtains, siding, roofing, gaskets and packing, water and sewer pipe, and more. In water and waste water applications, asbestos cement pipe may contain as much as 20% asbestos or more which is used as re-enforcement for the pipe, much in the same way steel is used to re-enforce concrete in bridges and buildings. However, we must understand that the cement used in the pipe can degrade over time therefore increasing the risk of fiber release. The types of asbestos used are both the serpentine (Chrysotile) and amphibole (Amosite and Crocidolite).

Topics included in this safety video are: employer responsibilities, physical characteristics, health effects, important regulations, personal protective equipment (PPE), planning, pipe removal, pipe cutting, field lathes, wet tapping, dry tapping, abrasive disk tools and saws, housekeeping and waste disposal, and unacceptable work practices for asbestos cement pipe.

Program comes with a CD-ROM of written materials, including test questions and answers. English title also includes PowerPoint presentation.