Description of work Required

Type 1 operations

All Type 1 operations If worker asks an employer to provide a respirator:

Recommended PPG

Air-purifying halfmask respirator with N-100, R-100, or P-100 particulate filter.

If the worker requests the respirator from the employer, then the worker must wear it.

Type 2 operations B

Removing all or part of a false ceiling to obtain access to a work area, if ACM is likely to be lying on the surface of the false ceiling. Choose any of the following:

Air-purifying full-facepiece respirator with N-100, R-100, or P-100 particulate filter.
Powered air-purifying respirator with a tight-fitting facepiece (either full or half facepiece)
and either a high-efficiency filter or an N-100, R-100, or P-100 particulate filter.
Negative pressure (demand) supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece.
Continuous-flow supplied-air respirator with a tight-fitting facepiece (full or half facepiece).
Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding, or vibrating non-friable
ACM if the work is done by means of power tools that are attached to dustcollecting
devices equipped with HEPA filters.

Material is not wetted-B(see above)

Material is wetted to control fibres Air-purifying halfmask
respirator with N-100, R-100, or P-100 particulate filter. If the worker
requests the respirator from the employer, then the worker must wear it.

All other Type 2 operations require:

Air-purifying full-facepiece respirator with N-100, R-100, or P-100 particulate filter.
Powered air-purifying respirator with a tight-fitting facepiece (either full or half facepiece)
and either a high-efficiency filter or an N-100, R-100, or P-100 particulate filter.
Negative pressure (demand) supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece.
Continuous-flow supplied-air respirator with a tight-fitting facepiece (full or half facepiece).
Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding, or vibrating non-friable
ACM if the work is done by means of power tools that are attached to dustcollecting
devices equipped with HEPA filters.
it.

Type 3 operations

Breaking, cutting, drilling, abrading, grinding, sanding, or vibrating non-friable
ACM using power tools, if the tool is not attached to a dust-collecting device
equipped with a HEPA filter.

Material is not wetted

Pressuredemand supplied-air respirator with a half facepiece. Material is wetted to control fibres-B

Removing or disturbing more than one square metre of friable ACM during
the repair, alteration, maintenance, or demolition of all or part of a
building, aircraft, ship, locomotive, railway car or vehicle, or any machinery
or equipment.
Spraying sealant on friable ACM.
Cleaning or removing air-handling equipment, including rigid ducting but
not including filters, in a building where sprayed fireproofing is ACM.
Repairing, altering, or demolishing all or part of a kiln, metallurgical furnace,
or similar structure that is made in part of refractory ACM.
Repairing, altering, or demolishing all or part of any building in which
asbestos is or was used in the manufacture of products, unless the asbestos
was cleaned up and removed before 16 March 1986.

Material is not wetted

Friable ACM other than
chrysotile was applied or
installed by spraying, and is
wetted to control fibres

A Pressuredemand supplied-air respirator with a half facepiece.
Friable chrysotile ACM was applied or installed by spraying, and is wetted to control fibres-B
Friable ACM was not applied or installed by spraying, and is wetted to control fibres-B

Disposable respirators or dust masks are useless for avoiding exposure to asbestos fibres. It is impossible to test for negative and positive pressure.

The first step in properly evaluating a potential mold problem is the R3 visual inspection. Throughout this phase, an R3 inspector is looking for three things: evidence of previous moisture intrusion, evidence of mold growth, and areas with a potential for future mold infestation. An R3 assessment typically covers the interior living space, basement, attic or crawl space. Exterior surfaces are sometimes also examined for evidence of water damage or intrusion.

Instrumental Readings

Instrumental readings are usually taken during the visual R3 inspection to help identify indoor conditions that may be supporting mold growth. This may include the use of a thermo-hygrometer to measure temperature and relative humidity differentials throughout the building. A moisture meter or probe may be used to check the moisture content of various materials. In addition, an Infra Red Camera may be used to, again, identify temperature differentials throughout the home. These instruments are primarily used to evaluate the effects of condensation throughout the building, and assess for water damage.

Surface & Bulk Sampling

R3 Surface and/or bulk sampling may be used to identify mold types at a specific location. This technique is useful also in ruling out possible discolorations or staining that sometimes exhibit mold like characteristics. Typically a cotton swab or piece of clear tape is used to collect a small quantity of material. In turn, this is analyzed either with a fungi screen or culture analysis.

Air Sampling

Air sampling is an effective method for determining whether a mold infestation is potentially creating an unsafe living environment in need of a Mold Removal Contractor. Air sampling may be conducted to help the R3 inspector identify hidden mold growth, and to confirm or deny suspected sources of growth. The testing procedure utilizes the  Air-O-Cell cassette. Air is drawn through the cassette by means of an air sampling pump. As air passes over the surface of a sticky cover slip within the cassette, particles become impacted. The calibrated pump draws about 15 litres of air per minute, for 5 minutes to yield a sample size of about 75 litres. The cassette is then sent to a laboratory, where the spores are identified and counted to provide a concentration (spores per cubic meter air). This type of sampling is referred to as spore trap sampling, as the cassette traps airborne mold spores. It is a non-viable sampling approach, meaning the cassette will trap both viable and non-viable fungi spores, cells, cell fragments, etc. As both non-viable and viable spores can generate allergenic responses in people, this is a preferred  sampling method by many environmental professionals.
The indoor suspect area concentrations, alone, do not provide enough information to accurately determine the level of contamination. Outside control samples are needed to identify the quantity and type of mold found in the natural environment. In a healthy indoor environment, quantities and types of spores are expected to be comparable to those from outside samples and non-complaint indoor areas.

A good reason not to occupy a 1st floor unit

Time and time again we come across this exact same situation.

Just a tip when purchasing a condo or renting an apartment, the first floor of a building is most susceptible to being contaminated with sewage from the units above it.

The Rich and the Shameless

To your right is an absolutely gorgeous dining room probably worth the average persons salary for one year.

After the initial assessment and negotiations we received our security deposit in the form of a personal check and began a sewage backup cleanup decontamination. After 5 days of work the bank phoned, check bounced!

Another hard lesson learned at R3. Since then and without exception we have had to decline personal checks for large sums and strictly enforce a 50% security deposit policy.  This is to protect us from some of the SEEMINGLY wealthy folks who in actuality have NO MONEY.

Even further to this story…..

When returning to recover lost monies we found police, fire trucks, a locksmith and the bank were present to assist in the eviction. Thankfully after about a dozen phone calls they finally paid us in CASH.

The Culpret? A leaking faucet ignored for several months.

The Result? Sleep deprivation + a phone call to R3 Restoration for Mold Remediation Assessment followed by Mold Removal Repair and Renovation.