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Comment by tegiddrone | Hacker News Reader

When I read the description on HEPA filters, it is alarming advice to me:

  > "[A HEPA Filter] is particularly useful for very fine dust that can be harmful, like asbestos or mold spores [...]"

It is a misconception that you can purchase a vacuum with a HEPA filter and safely pick up materials like asbestos, lead dust, mold. If the seals in the vacuum are not sufficient then you risk throwing around the hazardous materials when you suck them up.

The professional vacuums (such as some manufactured Pullman Holt, Nikro) are tested and certified for these purposes. Please do comprehensive research when dealing with hazardous materials. Consider professional abatement services.

Edit: formatting, disclaimer, typos, precision

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This is an important disclaimer.

I'll mention, though, that a HEPA filter on the vacuum, together with an N95 on your face, is often adequate, even if the vacuum doesn't have a properly sealed full HEPA system. The upside of a HEPA filter on the vacuum which most of the air passes through is that it will catch most (not 99+%) of the fine dust. If you reduce fine, harmful dust by 80% every time (assuming 80% of the air passes through the filter and 20% goes around it), after three cleanings, you'll have removed >99% of the fine dust.

A lot of this depends on the level of hazard. There's a scale from pollen allergies to nuclear/BSL-4 waste.

For the pollen end, I've found that combined half-measures usually do better than the uber-over-engineered stuff.

This is where Europe labelling and certification make more sense. L, M , H and H asbestos. Having a HEPA filter is like saying your clothes is 100% polyester, doesn't really say anything useful.

While good advice in general, these sort of products are designed for professionals with 40 hours of exposure a week to hazardous materials. Vacuuming up small quantities on an infrequent basis isn't going to create an elevated risk.

Something is clearly wrong if you are being exposed to hazardous materials 40 hours a week.

What if you work for a company that specialises in complex clean ups?

Sadly, I know that a number more than zero of building companies will simply bury asbestos when they happen upon it, rather than paying through the nose for specialist disposal companies.

Companies that specialises in complex clean ups will most certainly have all sorts of regulations and procedures employees need to follow before, during and after performing a job. Assess the risk and determine how to perform the task in the safest manner possible by following the appropriate standards.

Do all companies follow these steps, no. Can they be held accountable for neglecting safety, yes. Being exposed to hazard materials like asbestos is gross negligence. Knowing that such a company exists doesn't means it's normal or common practice.

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