1. Wet and Scrape Removal
From here through slide 57 are descriptions of Class I removal
A worker should wet ACM in advance of “scraping” activities
The wet material in this picture is darker than the dry material
A worker wets the material in advance of scraping.

2. Wetting ACM
Notice that the “sprayer” is wetting the material as it is being removed. It should also be wetted as it falls to the ground. Dry ACM on the ground is often cited as a NESHAP violation.
The removal crew should make a reasonable attempt to wet all material before during and after scraping
The material should be moistened to the touch
Scraping will generate some dust, that’s the nature of the work
Despite good efforts, amended water does not always fully penetrate thickly applied ACM
The Inspector will have to use their judgment to determine if the material is adequately wet

3. Airless Paint Sprayer
Hand pump-type sprayers are OK for smaller projects, but for Class I work an airless sprayer is about the only practical way to deliver enough amended water
See slide
Airless units are the only practical way to adequately wet ACM on Class I jobs. This rig is outside of the work area and uses a float system to ensure an adequate supply of amended water. The delivery hose penetrates the poly into the work area.

4. Wetting ACM
All ACM must be kept wet during all phases of removal. The “sprayer” must keep all ACM wet; on the beams and on the floor.
Further on wetting
The Inspector has to determine; Is the crew making a reasonable attempt to wet, and keep wet, the removed material?

5. Wet and Scrape Removal on Beam
There can be other hazards during removal
In this case the red color on the beam is most likely lead-containing paint.
In this scenario the worker is adequately protected if lead were disturbed
Note rusted substrate (red lead primer?) and corrugated deck.

6. Difficult Location
In some cases removal can be very difficult and can present safety hazards
In this case not only is the removal difficult, final cleaning will be a challenge
Note that worker has a sprayer to wet material as he moves along with his work
Not all removal areas are wide open. This situation is not uncommon. Not only is the removal difficult, so is the cleaning. A good inspector will be sure to look in places like this.

7. ACM debris collection is non-stop during gross removal.
Removed material must be kept wet and placed in bags constantly
If not, it will accumulate and dry out
ACM debris collection is non-stop during gross removal.

8. Poly Repair
It is the nature of this work that poly will be damaged
Damage must be attended to quickly or contaminated water can spread quickly beneath the poly
See slide caption
Poly must be mended immediately (spray glue, duct tape, etc.) or surfaces below the poly will become contaminated.

9. Super Vacuum
On very large projects contractor sometimes use HEPA equipped vacuum vehicles
These devices require significant training and project planning
They can be very helpful to move large quantities of waste from the work area
See slide caption
Vacuum trucks equipped with HEPA filtration are often used on large projects. They can assist greatly in minimizing bagged waste. They require operation training and have safety issues. They are very useful for ACM dirt removal in crawlspaces.

10. Super Vacuum Set-up
An example of ducting from a work area to the vacuum truck

11. Crawl-space Use
Digging dirt by hand in crawlspaces is difficult and can generate a large amount of waste bags. Vac systems are very useful here.
One of the most useful applications of vacuum trucks is for soil removal in crawlspaces
If removed by hand, it can be terribly laborious and waste bags can be easily damaged during area egress
All loose soil should be removed and a visual inspection performed to assure no debris remains
The are NO federal definitions for what constitutes “clean” for soil removal

12. Super Vacuum Bagging
The bagging process requires trained and reliable workers. Note PPE in use.
Vacuum trucks add water to the collected material
An operator attaches waste bags and waste is mechanically deposited into the bags
The process then removes air from the bag before it is removed from the collection funnel
The operator MUST be properly trained for this to work properly
Suits and respirators are a necessity for worker protection
NOTE; these machines are very noisy (up to ~80 dB)! Hearing protection is a must for the operator.

13. Cleaning
Proper cleanup is critical to successful completion of the abatement project.
Cleaning activities follow “gross removal” – meaning that all removal has taken place.
This portion of the project is in the details; all surfaces must be clean and free of visible ACM contamination.
Improper cleaning can result in failure of visual inspections and final clearance air sampling.
From here to slide 73 describes the cleaning that occurs after “gross removal”
The scenario described here is one perspective
State/Local programs and project specifications may dictate other perspectives and/or requirements
See slide bullets

14. Cleaning When do you start cleaning? How often do you clean?
As soon as removal is started
How often do you clean?
Continuously! The better you clean during gross removal, the easier this portion of the project will be for your workers.
Remember: all ACM waste and project debris has to be bagged up or wrapped by the end of the shift, every day.
Cleaning is constant during the project
If the contractor does not keep the job reasonably cleaned during gross removal; final cleaning can be significantly impacted
See slide bullets

15. Typical Cleaning Sequence
Gross removal
First cleaning
Remove first layer of poly
Second cleaning
Visual Inspection
Spray sealant (lockdown)
Remove second layer of poly
Third cleaning
Inspection by Consultant
Clean (if necessary)
Final clearance air testing
This is the example breakdown used here
This sequence can vary, this is one perspective

16. Gross Removal/Cleaning
Here the workers are removing ACM that requires detailed attention
The gross removal only gets the easily accessible material
Here we work to assure that all ACM is removed
Keep it clean during gross removal – bag up ACM continuously!

17. Cleaning Tank
This contractor is using a tank to clean fixtures. The water needs to be changed often. Water below poly?
On occasion, owners may want to re-use fixtures
They will need to be cleaned
Here the contractor uses a cleaning tank for lighting fixtures
There appears to be a water leak beneath the poly

18. First Cleaning
At this point the contractor pursues the fine details
See slide caption
In this phase we look to places like connectors (bolts, etc.), channels in decking, corners…anywhere small amounts of ACM can hide. You’ll need small hand tools; scrapers, small stiff brushes to clean the details.

19. First Layer of Poly
Commonly after the first round of cleaning, the outer layers of poly are removed
This helps eliminate a lot of the dirt/debris that can make further cleaning more difficult
The lower layers of poly should have far less debris
Dispose of the top layer of poly. This will eliminate the heavy debris and contamination. The lower, cleaner layer will be easier to clean.

20. Second Cleaning
Wiping should always be from the top down…NOT in swirls!
Fold over rags to expose a clean surface each pass.
Rags should be cotton, not polyester, etc. Cotton cleans – synthetic just pushes the dirt around.
Rinse and replace rags often or you are NOT cleaning!
This phase is the detailed cleaning
All surfaces must be hand wiped or mopped
See slide details
Mop buckets must be changed often!
If the mop bucket water is black, you’re not cleaning!

21. Sealer or Lockdown
An encapsulant (a glue-like substance) is sprayed on all surfaces (substrate “removal surface”), wall poly and floor poly to make sure that the very fine, non-visible fibers that may remain do not get back into the air.
Use of a sealer is NOT a substitute for proper cleaning.
Lockdown is ONLY applied AFTER a visual inspection is performed and the area passes the job cleaning criteria.
It may take multiple inspections to pass if you did not clean properly!
At this point opinions (job specifications and State/Local programs) can begin to vary
On virtually all Class I projects a sealer is sprayed to “lock down” any fibers that are invisible
Where opinions vary is when this is performed
It should never be performed before a thorough visual inspection to assure that cleaning is complete
See slide bullets
Also; “lockdown” is not commonly used for floor tile removal; mastic adhesion failure can occur when new floor is applied

22. Spray Sealer
Merely spraying the lockdown material from the floor will not reach all surfaces
It is common that the lockdown sealer is inspected after application to assure all surface have been coated
See slide text
The lockdown material should be visible on ALL surfaces. You may have to spray from scaffolds, etc. to reach all surfaces.