Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00418:body:0:p37
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00418
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 95804–98798

changing facilities is to provide a mobile or specially constructed on-site decontamination unit.
The decontamination unit should be immediately adjacent to and directly connected with the enclosed removal work area. It should be located as far away as practicable from workplace facilities such as a lunchroom.
The decontamination unit should include a dirty decontamination area, a clean decontamination area and a clean changing area. These areas need to:
    * be large enough to enable workers to adequately decontaminate themselves
    * be separated by suitable airlocks or buffer zones
    * have doors with large openings with a hinged flap operating as a one-way valve to ensure there is sufficient airflow through the decontamination unit.
Towels and soap should be provided to allow workers to appropriately decontaminate themselves.
All water from the decontamination facility should pass through a particulate filter or other trap before it passes into sewer mains. The filter or trap should be capable of capturing particles down to 5 µm.
Workers should not smoke, eat or drink in any part of the decontamination unit.
The asbestos removalist may want to have a worker stationed outside an enclosure for the duration of the asbestos removal work to liaise with the project supervisor, communicate with personnel inside the work enclosure and instigate emergency/evacuation procedures if necessary.
Records about these activities should be kept on a daily basis.

Remote decontamination units for friable asbestos removal
Remote decontamination units are decontamination units not attached to an enclosure when friable asbestos is being removed. Remote units are not located next to the asbestos removal work area and can only be used if a decontamination unit cannot be located immediately adjacent to the asbestos removal work area.
When a remote decontamination unit is to be used, the asbestos removalist would need to implement additional transiting procedures to minimise asbestos contamination of pathways leading from the enclosure to the decontamination unit. These procedures are longer and more complex than non-transiting. This involves the use of 'transiting' PPE and additional facilities to enable the worker to carry out preliminary decontamination before travelling to the decontamination unit for full decontamination.
This may include a three-stage airlock isolated changing area, which should be specially constructed and made of 200 µm thick polythene sheeting. The area should be attached to the enclosure and should comprise three compartments separated by weighted sheets to minimise the spread of dust between the compartments.
Before workers enter this changing area, all obvious signs of asbestos dust need to be removed from their protective clothing using an asbestos vacuum cleaner. The isolated changing area is then used to discard outer garments, including coveralls and overshoes, before workers can put on fresh outer/protective clothing for the