Asbestos from soil - air monitoring and analysis
This event will examine air monitoring and laboratory analysis of asbestos from soil.
Ticket information
This event is free to attend for LACL and BRMF members
This event costs £250 to attend for non-members
When?
14 April 2015, 10am - 4.30pm (Registration from 9.30)
Background
CIRIA is delighted to bring a unique programme of 5 advanced courses on asbestos in soil. The events are intended for those who want to deepen their working knowledge of the investigation, assessment and remediation of asbestos in soil and made ground. Each day is self contained but the whole package would also be relevant so there is no overlap between the days.
Asbestos is toxic and a class 1 carcinogen known to cause serious illnesses such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis and yet for many decades was widely used in concrete and roofs in the UK. Currently in the UK, 2000-3000 people die of asbestos related disease every year. Previous focus of asbestos research and practice has dealt with the management of asbestos contamination within buildings. However results from thousands of investigations at contaminated sites across the UK have found that asbestos is frequently identified in made ground and there has been ambiguity in the approach to assessing the risk it poses.
This seminar is the first in a series, which will also include a laboratory visit to explore air monitoring and analysis of samples. It will discuss issues such as recent development of methodologies, limitation of detection and sampling approaches.
The topic will be delivered by LQM and in association with IOM.
This event will explore:
- how to design an air monitoring strategy
- the limitations of different air monitoring approaches and their recent developments
- what to look out when selecting the appropriate approach?
- how to manage site issues during air monitoring
- how to choose the right analytical technique
- accreditation needed
- other new or emerging approaches
Who should attend?
- Clients/developers
- Consultants
- Contractors
- Laboratories
- Waste management organsiations
- Regulators
- Local authorities
CPD
This course has a value of 5 hours towards your CPD. Certificates will be sent to delegates following completion.
Programme
09:30am Registration and Coffee
10:00am Welcome and Introduction
10:30am Laboratory methods: pros and cons
- Polarised light microscopy (PLM)
- Phase-contrast optical microscopy (PCOM)
- Transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM/SEM)
- Detection limits
- Fibre discrimination
11:30am Tea / Coffee
12:00pm Air Sampling methods:
- Occupational (CAR) vs environmental sampling
- Static pumps
- Personal monitoring and activity based sampling
- Dust swab sampling
Fibre counting:
- What is it? How does it work?
- Counting rules
- Limits of detection
UKAS accreditation requirements and inter-lab schemes
Use of PCM for exposure-risk modelling and interconversion
13:00pm Lunch
14:00pm Soil analysis
- HSG248
- Gravimetric analysis of visible asbestos
- Quantification of invisible free fibres by water suspension
- UKAS accreditation requirements
- International developments
15:00pm Tea / Coffee
15:30pm Tour of the laboratory
16:00pm Q&A Session and debrief
16:30pm Close
The day will explore the three main laboratory methods for identifying and quantifying asbestos in both soils and air samples, including the equipment required, sample preparation methods, detection limits and ability to discriminate between asbestos types and asbestos and non-asbestos fibres. The different requirements for occupational air monitoring, which demonstrated compliance with CAR, and environmental air monitoring, which is intended to provide protection from civil liabilities, will be discussed together with the different types of air monitoring. The fibre counting methods commonly used, detection limits and the strengths and limitations of each method will also be reviewed. The methods generally used in the UK to quantify asbestos in soils will also be described together with current international efforts to develop new methods. The detailed method description will be complemented by a tour of an asbestos analysis laboratory.
Following the event, there will be a display to explain the important stages of the
analytical procedures and techniques for asbestos in soil and asbestos
in air. This will include preparing soil samples, sieving, hand picking,
analysis to identify fibres by polarising light microscopy, counting
fibres by phase contrast optical microscopy and scanning electron
microscopy. The IOM laboratory staff will be available to discuss
details of the procedures.
Where?
Heriot Watt University
Edwin Chadwick Building
Riccarton
Edinburgh, EH14 4AS
Booking
If you are unable to book online, please contact Patrick Williams on 0207 549 3308 or return the booking form by post or fax.