ARTICLE WITHDRAWN: Airborne asbestos exposures associated with the installation and removal of roofing products

Abstract

Asbestos-containing roofing products were widely used throughout the 20th century, and certain products are still used in limited quantities today. Roofing products are generally considered non-friable and are not expected to release appreciable amounts of airborne asbestos fibers; however, despite the variety of roofing products that have contained asbestos over time, there are no comprehensive analyses of the exposure data associated with these products in the published literature. The objective of this study was to analyze the available data and characterize asbestos exposures associated with the installation, removal, and replacement of built-up roofing (BUR), felts, flashings, shingles, coatings, cements, and mastics under a variety of work practices. Published and unpublished literature that contained the following information was included in the analysis: (1) airborne fiber concentrations determined by PCM; (2) a description of the product(s) used; and (3) a description of the task(s) performed. More than 800 personal air samples from 12 studies performed between 1982 and 2010 were identified which fit the inclusion criteria. The findings indicate that short-term and full-shift exposures from the use of asbestos-containing roofing products were typically well below applicable occupational exposure limits. Additionally, the cumulative exposures associated with roofing work would be well below published chrysotile no-observed-adverse-effect-levels (NOAELs) for asbestos-related diseases.

The concentration of asbestos fibres during buildings exploitation analysis of concentration variability

“…The concentration of asbestos fibres measured in the urban air using PCOM was average 12-fold lower than the results obtained with the SEM technique [8]. PCOM study of occupational exposure in short-term and annual occupational exposure measurements in roofing removal confirmed result well below chrysotile (NOAELs) for asbestos-related diseases [9]. However, the average exposure for workers depends on many factors, including those not only related to ACM products, such as working conditions and also the type of work.…”

"The Natural Reduction of Threat in Selected Systems of Old Buildings Containing Asbestos"

“…This applies to the asbestos removal process as well as to the condition of buildings before and after asbestos removal 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 . Some reports a low levels of occupational exposure (in relation to PEL) for roofing projects with ACM roofs 11 at 4700 -75 200 f / m 3 , and in work zones 8 600 -16 000 f / m 3 . The levels of building contamination during exploitation can result 11,12 in a low values as 70 -120 f / m 3 .…”