SAMPLING FOR ASBESTOS FIBERS WITH A DUST WIPE ,7 .. . Thank you for assisting our research project looking at the potential for asbestos fibers in settled dust. Follow these easy steps to complete this test: 1. Find a place on the floor, a shelf, a desk top, a windowsill, a cubbyhole, or another area that appears to have dust or is located near and deteriorated asbestos and is accessible to small children and teachers. (You?re looking for damaged or chipped floor tiles, pipe insulation, ceiling tile, plaster, spackle.) If you can, take a photo of the area prior to wiping. Put on a pair of disposable gloves. Open the dust wipe sample packet and unfold the wipe. in a square area that is about 4 by 4 inches (or 10 by 10 centimeters), make as many 5- like motions as needed to wipe the entire sample area, moving from side to side and top to bottom of the 4 by 4-inch square. Apply firm pressure on the wipe. Fold the wipe in half, keeping the dirty side in, and repeat the wiping procedure. (see below). Flip the wipe and repeat. Now fold the wipe into an even smaller square (roughly the size of the wipe packaging) and repeat again, concentrating on collecting dust from the edges and corners of the sample area. Stuff the wipe into the sample tube. Put the cap on the container. On the label, write the school name, time and date, room number and specific area from which the sample was taken (such as Rm. 101, floor tile, under window ledgeNOTE: Asbestos containing materials (ACM) that remain in good condition are not likely to release asbestos fibers into the air. However, once ACM's become damaged, disturbed, or deteriorated, they are likely to release fibers into the air, resulting in a potential for airborne exposure. Once released into the air, asbestos ?bers can remain suspended in air for extended periods of time. Eventually, the fibers settle in dust on surfaces. At this point, asbestos fibers may be inhaled and serious health hazards may occur.