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, wet the sampling spot before removing the sample and use hand tools only. A small sample, a calm way of working and cleaning with a damp cloth keep dust to a minimum. If the material is extensively 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 easy and inexpensive, so it is not worth skipping. Below we go through the equipment and the steps before, during and after sampling.

The need for protection does not depend on whether the material contains asbestos, because you do not know that yet. So always act as if the material contained asbestos.

What protective equipment do you need to take an asbestos sample?

• FFP3 respirator. An ordinary face mask or a light dust mask is not enough. FFP3 is the highest protection class for disposable particle-filtering respirators.
• Disposable gloves, for example nitrile gloves.
• Disposable coveralls or clothes you can wash straight after sampling. Coveralls are a good choice especially if the sample is taken from the ceiling or above head height.
• Safety glasses, so that crumbs and dust do not get into your eyes.

Have all the equipment ready before you start: protective gear, tool, spray bottle, zip-lock bags, marker pen, damp cloths and a waste bag. That way you do not need to leave the room in the middle of the job. Do not eat, drink or smoke while sampling.

How do you put on an FFP3 respirator correctly?

A respirator protects against asbestos dust only if it fits tightly. Dust easily gets in through gaps at the edges, and then the filter class makes little difference.

• Shape the nose clip against the bridge of your nose with both hands.
• Tighten the straps so that the respirator sits firmly in place.
• Do a fit check: breathe in and out forcefully and feel whether air leaks at the edges. If it does, adjust the respirator again.
• Beards and stubble weaken the seal. You get the best fit on a clean-shaven face.
• Keep the respirator on throughout the work and the cleaning, and take it off last of all.

An FFP3 respirator with a valve makes breathing easier, but it too protects only if the fit is right. A disposable respirator is used only once. Do not keep it for next time, because dust may have stuck to its surface.

Asbestos sampling 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 needed, spread plastic sheeting under the sampling spot. Move textiles such as rugs out of the way or cover them with plastic.
2. Wet the sampling spot. Lightly spray water onto the material, for example with a spray bottle. Damp 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, as they release fibres into the air very effectively.
4. Take a small sample. A piece a few centimetres across, about the size of a matchbox, is enough for the analysis. If the structure has several layers, take the sample so that all the layers are included. If you take several samples, wipe the tool with a damp cloth between samples so that the materials do not mix.
5. Pack it straight away. Put the sample directly into a zip-lock bag, seal it and label it. See the detailed packing instructions.

What should you do after sampling?

Seal the sampling spot. Removing the sample leaves a small hole or a broken edge. Cover it, for example with tape, paint or sealant, so that no dust comes loose from the spot later.

Clean with a damp cloth. Wipe the sampling spot, the tools and the floor or plastic underneath with a damp cloth. Do not brush, sweep or use an ordinary vacuum cleaner, as these stir dust into the air and an ordinary vacuum cleaner can spread small fibres with its exhaust air.

Dispose of used materials. Put the cloths, gloves, plastic sheeting, coveralls and, last of all, the respirator into a sealed plastic bag and close the bag carefully. If the analysis shows the material contains asbestos, deal with the waste according to the instructions of the waste management company in your area. Read more in the article on asbestos waste disposal.

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

When should you not take an asbestos sample yourself?

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

• the material is extensively damaged, crumbling or already dusty,
• it is soft, easily crumbling insulation, such as old pipe insulation,
• the sampling spot is hard to reach, for example in a cramped space where dust is difficult to control,
• there are many materials to test or a major renovation or demolition lies ahead.

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

In that case it is worth ordering an asbestos survey. Surveys are carried out by our sister brand AsbestiPro, and Onelab handles the laboratory analysis of the samples.

Sample analysis at Onelab

Once the sample has been taken and packed, send it to the laboratory according to the sending instructions. Onelab analyses samples with a JEOL SEM-EDS electron microscope. The analysis costs €39.90 + VAT per sample, and the result is emailed to you typically on the same day the sample arrives at the laboratory. Postage is not included in the price. You can also find all the sampling steps in the sampling instructions.