Abstract: A disposable canister containing a HEPA filtration mechanism is used in conjunction with a removably mounted vacuum motor assembly. The vacuum motor assembly draws particulate-laden air, including harmful airborne contaminants, into an inlet opening of the canister by a disposable vacuum hose. The inlet opening is made of a magnetically attracting material. The particulate-laden air is then filtered through the HEPA filtration mechanism prior to exiting from the canister as non-contaminated air. Upon termination of the vacuum force on the inlet, a hinged magnetic flap seals the inlet to the canister. The immediate and complete sealing of the inlet by the magnetically biased flap assures against escape of harmful contaminants from the canister.

Abstract: An impermeable membrane seals a layer of asbestos contaminated material and contaminated earth of an earthen floor so as to prevent airborne contamination by asbestos fibers to a crawl space located underneath a building. The asbestos contaminated material is permanently encapsulated in the crawl space with the impermeable membrane which allows walking or crawling through the crawl space without the asbestos contaminated material becoming airborne due to the stretchability of the impermeable membrane. In addition, any gas entrapped by the impermeable membrane is vented to the outside by a hollow tube passing through the membrane and communicating with the outside of the building. Optionally, cementatious material may be entrapped between the earthen floor and the impermeable membrane which, upon mixture with condensate formed on the undersurface of the membrane, would harden and rigidify the asbestos contaminated material in place.

Abstract: An entranceway to an asbestos contaminated work area includes solid doors for a rapid escape from a contaminated work area due to an emergency such as a fire and the dangers posed by exposure to smoke. Also during a power failure it is easy for the workers to leave the work area. The immediate exiting from the work area is thereby greatly facilitated by the solid swinging doors of the invention. Each of the doors have a transparent portion through which the work area or an adjacent chamber of a decontamination chamber may be observed. The doors further include an air inlet having at least one flexible plastic flap covering the inlet which allows suitable amounts of air to flow through the inlet to maintain a negative air pressure in the work area while the air in the work area is changed at least every 10 to 15 minutes. The plastic flaps of the doorway seal automatically upon loss of negative air pressure in the work area.

Abstract: An entranceway to an asbestos contaminated work area includes solid doors for a rapid escape from a contaminated work area due to an emergency such as a fire and the danger posed by exposure to smoke. Also during a power failure it is easy for the workers to leave the work area. The immediate exiting from the work area is thereby greatly facilitated by the solid swinging doors. Each of the doors have a transparent portion through which the work area or an adjacent chamber of a decontamination chamber may be observed. The doors further include an air inlet having at least one flexible plastic flap covering the inlet which allows suitable amounts of air to flow through the inlet to maintain a negative air pressure in the work area while the air in the work area is changed at least every 10 to 15 minutes. The plastic flaps of the doorway seal automatically upon loss of negative air pressure in the work area.

Abstract: A fire condition detection and control system for use with air moving and filtering units. The system includes one or more remote fire condition detection units, which sense heat or smoke and, upon such sensing, transmit a signal indicative of an alarm condition to one or more air moving and filtering units located within a containment area. The transmission is by wireless radio frequency transmission and/or a wired transmission line or cable. The air moving and filtering units detect the alarm condition and disconnect power to the blower motor of the air moving and filtering unit. The receiver and control circuitry may be integral with the air moving and filtering unit, or may be part of a separate control unit that plugs into conventional air moving and filtering units.

Abstract: A filtration device for filtering airborne contaminants, such as airborne asbestos fibers, from the air, including a housing having an inlet for receiving contaminated air, an outlet for expelling filtered air outside of the housing, a filter, including a HEPA filter, in sealed communication with the inlet, and a blower within the housing for drawing air through the filter means and for expelling the filtered air through the outlet to the outside of the housing. A control and display system continuously senses differential air pressure within the housing and blower speed, converts the differential air pressure and blower speed to an air flow rate value and displays the air flow rate through a display unit. Manually controllable key pad switches are provided to selectively change the desired air flow rate, to set upper and lower pressure limit values, and to set the operating time for the system operation.