# Forum Home Renovation Asbestos  Any tips on how to drill screws through Asbestos sheeting?

## fireman

Hi, 
As part of my job, I sometimes have to install fire extinguisher brackets onto asbestos sheeting. Does anyone have any tips on how to drill screws into the asbestos sheets safely? 
Cheers,
Jason

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## Master Splinter

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/asbesto...ents/32640.pdf

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## Batpig

Dear Jason, 
I've always positioned a vacuum-cleaner nozzle just below the tip of the drill-bit whenever I've had to drill through fibro or similar. It's essential, though, to have a paper-bag of some sort in the vacuum-cleaner (as opposed to some sort of "bagless" shop-vac setup...). For obvious reasons, the exercise becomes much more practical and convenient if you use a corded-drill plugged into an auto-starting shop-vac... 
You might also want to look through the Accessories-for-Drilling pages at Bosch's website, because they are very much into that sort of thing. In Europe at least, their range includes off-the-shelf Drills that are set-up for dust-extraction from scratch. 
I've also seen some generic-branded accessories advertised at Bunnings for collecting drilling-swarf, but I don't seem to recall them being set-up for connection to a vacuum-cleaner. 
Good Luck,
Batpig.

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## twinny

big blob of really thick shaving cream on the spot your drilling, wipe it away with absorbent paper towel and put the paper towel in a bin when finished  :Speakhearsee:   *ADMIN NOTE:*...NOT RECOMMENDED

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## SilentButDeadly

I have a tip.  Don't because in doing so both you and your employer are violating some rather interesting OH&S laws that will almost certainly expose yourself and your employer to the risk of hefty financial penalties.  You may also be open to legal action from the very organisations who are paying you for your service.....or worse their employees.

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## Bloss

SBD - not quite so - and varies widely from state to state. 
The main thing is to wear right gear - water is good so minimising dust creation. Aim is to protect yourself and also others so wiping up and cleaning with wet/ damp disposable cloth or paper towels is common. And READ THE STICKIES .  .  .  
Without wanting to start another war on this - the greatest danger from asbestos is from long term exposure to high levels of dust/ aerosol containing the fibres. So those who worked mining asbestos, in the building industry manufacturing and using asbestos products, mechanics who used to blow out brake lining dust from brakes and others who were exposed to asbestos dust for long periods are who are at highest risk. Smokers more than double the risk of getting a disease from asbestos exposure. 
And while a horrible and nasty disease - and sadly entirely preventable - mesothelioma is a still rare cancer that by far the majority of those exposed to asbestos never get. The gestation for the disease is generally some 20-30 and more years from exposure which is why we are seeing more & more diagnosis and deaths - and that will continue to rise for some years then decline. That is because there were increasing numbers of people being exposed year after year right up until the 80s - so right up into the 2020s there will be more and more cases and then a gradual decline. 
But as always although the risk of disease is quite low that is no reason not to wear masks etc and take care - and the same goes for all dusts. Human lungs (and life) is not compatible with high levels of dust inhalation.

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## SilentButDeadly

Sorry Bloss but OH&S regs don't vary much at all these days....and if a contractor came onto my site to install a fire extinguisher mounting in an area identified as having asbestos then Old Mate would have to demonstrate he's (and his employer) got an approved Safe Work Plan for managing asbestos risk along with an appropriate risk assessment for each mounting location. 
I'm with you totally on the asbestos risk (typically overstated) but I wouldn't be complying with OH&S regs if I did not demonstrate appropriate duty of care in the work place.....there's more to asbestos than just asbestos.

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## fireman

Thank you everyone for your helpful answers. Much appreciated.

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## Bloss

> Sorry Bloss but OH&S regs don't vary much at all these days....and if a contractor came onto my site to install a fire extinguisher mounting in an area identified as having asbestos then Old Mate would have to demonstrate he's (and his employer) got an approved Safe Work Plan for managing asbestos risk along with an appropriate risk assessment for each mounting location.

  Yep I'm well aware of the law - and the actual practice too (I am not in the game anymore) - just say that commonsense usually prevails and often  'tis honoured in the breach' in these simple sorts of jobs. But you are right - if he is doing it for a living he might one day run out of luck on a site and have a compliance issue to deal with. Although in such a case it is rare to receive anything but some advice and a warning (but wouldn't want another one or two!).

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