Glossary
Wet Methods
Wetting asbestos-containing material before and during removal to suppress fiber release. A core work-practice control under both OSHA and NESHAP.
Wet methods mean keeping asbestos-containing material saturated before, during, and after removal so that fibers stay bound in the wetted matrix instead of becoming airborne.
Both OSHA 1926.1101 and EPA NESHAP require wet methods for most regulated work. NESHAP requires RACM to be adequately wet during stripping and kept wet until collected and contained for disposal. The water is usually amended water — water with a surfactant added so it penetrates the material.
Wet methods are skipped only in narrow situations, such as when wetting would create an electrical or safety hazard, and then only with the alternative controls the rules require.