Asbestos Air Monitoring

Personal samples are collected using a small pump worn by a worker, with a filter placed near the breathing zone. They show what that worker actually breathed during a task. Area samples are collected from fixed locations to check conditions in a space, such as outside a containment barrier. Filters are sent to laboratories for analysis. Common methods count fibers under a microscope, while more specialized methods can identify asbestos specifically. Results are compared with regulatory limits to determine whether controls are working. Monitoring also verifies that respirators and controls are appropriate for the task.

Once an abatement project is finished and the area has been cleaned, clearance testing checks whether fiber levels are low enough for the space to be reoccupied. This testing is often performed by an independent consultant rather than the removal contractor. Aggressive sampling methods may be used, such as stirring the air with fans, to make sure fibers are not lingering. If results fail, the area is cleaned again and retested. Owners should receive a written report showing the results. Keep that report with your property records.

Workplace monitoring records can show where asbestos was present and how much workers may have been exposed. OSHA rules require employers to keep exposure records for long periods, and workers generally have the right to access their own records. These documents can support an exposure history, although older records may be incomplete. The absence of monitoring records does not mean exposure did not occur, since monitoring was limited in earlier decades. Investigators consider these records alongside testimony and product information. Workers can ask for copies before leaving a job.

1. 1

   Ask your current or former employer for any exposure monitoring records about you.

2. 2

   Keep copies of clearance reports after abatement work in your home or building.

3. 3

   Note any jobs where you wore air sampling pumps and the approximate years.

4. 4

   Share monitoring records with your doctor and anyone reviewing your case.