How to protect yourself when taking an asbestos sample yourself

When you take an asbestos sample yourself, protect yourself with an FFP3 respirator, disposable gloves and, if needed, disposable coveralls, moisten the sampling spot before removing the sample and use hand tools only. A small sample, working calmly and cleaning with a damp cloth keep dust to a minimum. If the material is badly damaged or dusty, leave the sampling to a professional.

Taking a single small sample is a low-risk task when done correctly. Protecting yourself is still simple and inexpensive, so do not skip it. Below we go through the equipment and the steps before, during and after sampling.

Whether protection is needed does not depend on whether the material contains asbestos, because you do not know that yet. So always proceed as if the material contained asbestos.

What protective equipment do you need for an asbestos sample?

• FFP3 respirator. An ordinary face mask or a simple dust mask is not enough. FFP3 is the highest protection class for disposable particle-filtering masks.
• Disposable gloves, for example nitrile.
• Disposable coveralls or clothing you can wash straight after sampling. Coveralls are particularly useful if the sample is taken from the ceiling or above head height.
• Safety glasses, so that no crumbs or dust get into your eyes.

Have everything ready before you start: protective equipment, tools, spray bottle, resealable bags, waterproof marker, damp cloths and a waste bag. That way you will not have to leave the room in the middle of the work. Do not eat, drink or smoke while sampling.

How do you put on an FFP3 respirator correctly?

The respirator only protects against asbestos dust if it fits tightly. Dust easily gets in through gaps at the edges, and then the filter class hardly matters.

• Shape the nose clip to the bridge of your nose with both hands.
• Tighten the straps so that the respirator sits firmly.
• Do a fit check: breathe in and out forcefully and notice whether air escapes at the edges. If it does, adjust the respirator again.
• Beards and stubble impair the seal. The respirator fits best on a clean-shaven face.
• Wear the respirator throughout the work and cleaning, and take it off at the very end.

An FFP3 respirator with a valve makes breathing easier but likewise only protects if it fits correctly. A disposable respirator is used only once. Do not keep it for next time, because dust may have settled on its surface.

Asbestos sample step by step

1. Prepare the room. Switch off the ventilation and close the doors so that any dust does not spread to other rooms. Keep children and pets away. If necessary, lay plastic sheeting under the sampling spot. Take textiles such as rugs out of the room or cover them with plastic sheeting.
2. Moisten the sampling spot. Spray the material lightly with water, for example with a spray bottle. Moist material produces much less dust.
3. Use hand tools. Remove the sample with a knife, a chisel or another sharp hand tool. Do not use a drill, a sander or other power tools, because they spread fibres into the air very effectively.
4. Take a small sample. A piece of a few centimetres, roughly the size of a matchbox, is enough for the analysis. If the structure has several layers, take the sample so that all layers are included. If you take several samples, wipe the tool with a damp cloth between samples so that the materials do not get mixed.
5. Pack it immediately. Put the sample straight into a resealable bag, seal it and label it. See the detailed packing instructions.

What do you do after sampling?

Seal the sampling spot. After removing the sample, a small hollow or damaged edge remains. Cover it, for example with tape, paint or joint compound, so that no dust comes loose from it later.

Clean with a damp cloth. Wipe the sampling spot, the tools and the floor or the sheeting underneath with a damp cloth. Do not brush, sweep or use an ordinary vacuum cleaner, because this stirs up dust, and an ordinary vacuum cleaner can spread fine fibres with its exhaust air.

Dispose of used items. Put cloths, gloves, sheeting, coveralls and, at the very end, the respirator into an airtight plastic bag and seal it carefully. If the analysis shows that the material contains asbestos, the waste is hazardous waste; follow the instructions of your local waste authority or recycling centre. Read more in the article Disposing of asbestos waste.

Take off the equipment in the right order. Take off the coveralls by turning them inside out, so that the dust on the surface ends up inside. Finally, wash your hands and face, and change your clothes if you did not wear coveralls.

When should you not take the asbestos sample yourself?

Taking your own sample is suitable for a small sample from intact or only slightly damaged material. Leave the sampling to a professional if:

• the material is badly damaged, crumbling or already dusty,
• it is soft, easily crumbling insulation, such as old pipe insulation (such material must not be sent by post either),
• the sampling spot is hard to reach, for example in a confined space where dust is difficult to control,
• many materials need to be analysed or a major renovation or demolition is planned.

A professional is also the safer choice if you do not have suitable protective equipment or are unsure which material the sample should be taken from.

In such cases it is worth commissioning an asbestos survey from a company that carries out such surveys.

Analysis of the sample at Semlab

Once the sample has been taken and packed, post it to the laboratory as a letter or small parcel with your national postal service, as described in the instructions for sending the sample. Semlab examines the samples with a JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope. The analysis costs €49.99 incl. VAT per sample, and you pay by card when you order. You receive the result in English by email on the same day the sample arrives at the laboratory. Postage is not included. All the sampling steps can also be found in the sampling instructions.