Packaging system and method for containing reusable equipment contaminated by asbestos, and range of such systems

Abstract

A packaging system for containing reusable equipment contaminated with asbestos, said reusable equipment (11) having a shape, wherein the packaging system comprises an airtight inner container (13) and an outer container (14), wherein the inner container (13) is adapted to surround, in an airtight manner, the reusable equipment (11), the inner container (13) comprising a rigid lower inner base (28) having at least one cavity (17) shaped to the shape of the reusable equipment (11), and an upper inner portion (16) assembled in an airtight manner to the lower inner base (28), wherein the outer container (14) is adapted to surround the inner container (13), the outer container (14) comprising a rigid lower outer portion (12) adapted to support the inner container (13).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to systems for packaging reusable equipment contaminated by asbestos, to ranges of such systems, and to packaging methods. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

[0002] The present invention is placed in the field of construction sites in the presence of asbestos.

[0003] To reduce the risk of contamination, regulations impose drastic conditions for such construction sites. Such construction sites must be carried out under containment to prevent any spread of contaminating or harmful particles into the atmosphere. Personnel also wear very restrictive overalls, unsuitable for construction work.

[0004] Reference may be made to Subsection 4 (“Special provisions for work on materials, equipment, materials or articles likely to cause the emission of asbestos fibres”) of Section 3 (“Risks of exposure to asbestos”) of Chapter II (“Measures for the prevention of chemical risks”) of Title 1 (“Chemical risks”) of Book IV (“Prevention of certain exposure risks”) of Part IV (“Health and safety at work”) of the regulatory part of the Labour Code in force in France on the priority date of this patent application.

[0005] To access the construction site, personnel must pass through an airlock separating the site from the outside world. In particular, when leaving the construction site, personnel must not take any contaminating particles with them. The airlocks therefore include a series of compartments in which personnel can shower and remove their suits, in order to resume normal activity. Waste (used suits and other items) is placed in containment envelopes and sent to a waste center for burial.

[0006] Such airlocks are also used for the passage of equipment between the confined area and the outside world.

[0007] Currently, some equipment is consumable used only for the construction site, and can be treated as waste when leaving the contaminated area.

[0008] Some equipment, however, is reusable, for example due to its complexity or price. It will be intended to be reused from site to site. Since it has been used in a contaminated area, it is likely to have been contaminated, and must therefore be decontaminated after one site before being able to move to another. To do this, it is packaged at the site in the most airtight way possible, before being transported to a clean room for decontamination.

[0009] It is currently difficult to adequately and efficiently process such reusable equipment within an airlock. On the one hand, some equipment may be electrical equipment with complex internal electrical parts (electric motors, electrical connection boxes, printed circuits, etc.) which may have been contaminated by asbestos dust and which, due to their electrical nature, cannot be cleaned with water. On the other hand, some equipment may include complex parts with geometries where some parts are difficult to access, such as casters.

[0010] Currently, there is no truly satisfactory solution for putting such reusable equipment back into service.

[0011] The present invention aims to reduce the health risk that operators run when using reusable equipment that may have been contaminated in a previous construction site, as presented above, and to make the decontamination treatment of such equipment more efficient and more reliable. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Thus, the invention relates to a packaging system for containing reusable equipment contaminated by asbestos, said reusable equipment having a shape, wherein the packaging system comprises an airtight inner container and an outer container, wherein the inner container is adapted to airtightly surround the reusable equipment, the inner container comprising a rigid lower inner base having at least one cavity shaped to the shape of the reusable equipment, and an upper inner portion assembled airtightly to the lower inner base, wherein the outer container is adapted to surround the inner container, the outer container comprising a rigid lower outer portion adapted to support the inner container.

[0013] Thanks to these provisions, simple arrangements can be implemented at the exit airlock. The packaged reusable equipment can thus be safely transported to a unit dedicated to its decontamination, which may include the appropriate tools.

[0014] Depending on different aspects, one and / or the other of the provisions below can be provided.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the inner container, and in particular the upper inner portion thereof, comprises a port adapted to be connected to a vacuum cleaner adapted to place an interior of the inner container under depression.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the upper interior part of the inner container is shaped to the shape of the reusable equipment.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the lower interior base of the inner container comprises feet spaced apart from each other, adapted to allow lifting by a forklift.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the lower outer part of the outer container comprises at least one cavity shaped to receive said feet of the lower inner base of the inner container.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the inner container comprises a flexible envelope completely surrounding and / or airtightly attached to the rigid lower inner base.

[0020] According to one aspect, the invention relates to a range of packaging systems comprising at least a first and a second such packaging system, the first packaging system being adapted to contain reusable equipment contaminated by asbestos of a first type, said reusable equipment having a first shape, the second packaging system being adapted to contain reusable equipment contaminated by asbestos of a second type, said reusable equipment having a second shape, wherein said shapes are different, and wherein at least the cavities of the rigid lower inner base of the inner container of the packaging systems (12) differ.

[0021] Depending on the implementation, the packaging system or the range is in kit form.

[0022] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method of packaging reusable equipment contaminated by asbestos, said reusable equipment having a shape, in which: an inner container is provided comprising a rigid lower inner base comprising at least one cavity shaped to the shape of the reusable equipment, and an upper inner part which can be assembled in an airtight manner to the lower inner base, the reusable equipment is surrounded in an airtight manner with the inner container, the reusable equipment being housed at least partially in the cavity, an outer container is provided comprising a rigid lower outer part, the inner container is surrounded with the outer container, the rigid lower outer part supporting the inner container.

[0023] According to an achievement: surrounding the reusable equipment with the inner container in an interior of an asbestos removal site, cleaning an exterior surface of the inner container, moving the inner container out of the interior of the site before surrounding the inner container with the outer container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Embodiments of the invention will now be described in relation to the figures below, which represent: There figure 1 is a schematic view of a construction site. The figure 2 is a view showing various examples of reusable equipment that might be used in such a construction site. figure 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view of an example packaging system.

[0025] In the figures, the same reference designates identical or similar elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] There figure 1 schematically represents a construction site 1 polluted by asbestos. Reference 2 represents a wall 2 of this construction site defining an interior of the construction site 1. The wall 2 separates the interior 3 of the construction site and the exterior 4. The interior 3 is, for example, surrounded by an airtight enclosure of which the wall 2 is a part. These arrangements make it possible to place the interior 3 under pressure relative to atmospheric pressure, using suitable equipment, so that any asbestos dust inside the construction site 1 cannot easily reach the exterior 4.

[0027] One or more airlocks 5 are used to transfer personnel, equipment and / or waste between the interior 3 and the exterior 4. There may be different types of airlocks, depending on whether they are used to transfer personnel, equipment and / or waste. In the present invention, the focus is in particular on an airlock, called a “material and waste airlock” suitable for transferring equipment between the interior and the exterior. Consequently, the reference 5 also designates a material airlock. Such a material airlock 5 comprises an area, called the “dirty” area 6, and an area, called the “clean” area 7, separated from each other by a door. This door can alternately take an airtight closed state, and an open state allowing passage between the “dirty” area 6 and the “clean” area 7.

[0028] The “dirty” area 6 of the airlock is installed so as to allow passage to and from the inside 3 of the site. The “clean” area 7 of the airlock is installed so as to allow passage to and from the outside 4.

[0029] The invention also relates to reusable equipment used in the context of the construction site. "Reusable equipment" is any tool, device or machine that can be used by personnel in the context of construction site 1, and that can be used on a subsequent construction site after the current construction site 1 has been completed. "Reusable" equipment is thus distinguished from consumable equipment that is typically discarded after use on the construction site.

[0030] Such reusable equipment thus has a lifespan that exceeds the lifespan of the construction site. It may be heavy and / or sophisticated equipment. In particular, it may include mechanisms, for example, including machined parts, rotating parts, parts including cavities, slots, recesses, etc. In particular, it may be electrical equipment. Such electrical equipment may typically include an electric motor, electrical or electronic components, printed circuits, electrical connection boxes, etc.

[0031] Such reusable equipment, especially when heavy, can for example be mounted on wheels or casters, so as to facilitate their movement.

[0032] By way of purely illustrative example, such reusable equipment may comprise a sander 8, an air extractor 9 or a part thereof, or a vacuum cleaner 10, as shown in the figure 2 , typically equipment including absolute filters, or even a forklift, a wall sanding cart, a planer, a stripper, a grinder, a nacelle, a mechanized robot (not shown), or other.

[0033] Such equipment may typically weigh at least 25 kilograms (kg), at least 50 kg, at least 100 kg, or even at least 200 kg. Such equipment will typically weigh less than 1,500 kg, including less than 500 kg, less than 250 kg, less than 150 kg, less than 100 kg, or even less than 50 kg. Thus, the equipment concerned will typically weigh between 25 and 1,500 kg, between 50 and 1,000 kg, or even between 100 and 500 kg.

[0034] To clarify the ideas, the invention will be described below with reference to reusable equipment of the vacuum cleaner type 10. However, the invention is applicable to other reusable equipment, for example among the examples given above.

[0035] In this example, the reusable equipment is substantially rigid, that is to say it has its own shape, as opposed to certain waste that we also want to remove from the site, for example used flexible suits, bags of rubble, paint or wallpaper waste, etc. The reusable equipment is also intended to be used according to a certain orientation in space, typically with a base, feet, wheels or casters intended to be placed on a flat horizontal support, such as the ground.

[0036] In this description, the terms "lower" and "upper" will be used to designate parts of a device respectively close to or far from the ground, in a given orientation.

[0037] There figure 3 represents the reusable equipment 11 contained in a hermetic and sealed manner in a packaging system 12 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0038] The packaging system 12 is specific to the type of reusable equipment concerned, in this case a certain type of vacuum cleaner.

[0039] The packaging system 12 comprises an inner container 13 and an outer container 14. The inner container 13 may be closed in an airtight manner around the reusable equipment 12. According to an exemplary embodiment, as shown, it is made of two or more pieces assembled together. Thus, in this example, the inner container 13 comprises a rigid base 28 and a flexible envelope 29. The flexible envelope 29 completely surrounds at least the rigid base 28, and defines an airtight enclosure around it. According to an exemplary embodiment, the inner container 13 comprises a lower portion 15 and an upper portion 16 assembled to each other, for example permanently, in an airtight manner. The lower portion 15 comprises the rigid base 28, as well as the lower portion of the flexible envelope 29.The rigid base 28 comprises a cavity 17 whose shape is adapted to receive the lower part of the reusable equipment 11. In particular, the reusable equipment 11 is received with complementary shape in the cavity 17. Thus, the lower part 15 is dimensioned to receive and support the reusable equipment 11. In addition, the lateral movement capacities of the reusable equipment relative to the packaging system 12 are limited by the lower part 15. For example, if the reusable equipment 11 comprises casters 23, the casters 23 are partially inserted into corresponding cavities 17 of the lower part 15.

[0040] The rigid base 28 is for example a molded plastic part.

[0041] According to an exemplary embodiment, the rigid base 28 comprises a base plate 18 raised by feet 19.

[0042] The upper part 16 may for example comprise the upper part of the flexible three-dimensional envelope 29. The envelope has for example a thickness of between 100 and 1000 micrometers. The envelope may be translucent. If it is opaque, it may comprise a translucent window 24, allowing its contents to be viewed. For example, the flexible envelope 29 completely surrounds the rigid base 28 and the reusable equipment 11 placed thereon, as shown. The upper part 16 may comprise an opening, and a closure system adapted to place the opening alternately in an open or closed state. In the closed state, the inner container 13 is airtight. In the open state, it is possible to bring the reusable equipment 11, or even the lower part 15, into / out of the envelope.The closure system is, for example, a plastic zipper, slider, flap closure, stick closure, or other suitable system.

[0043] The envelope 29 may in particular have a shape specific to the lower part 15. It may in particular comprise a flexible lower part shaped in three dimensions to correspond to the shape of the rigid base 28 and receive the latter. Thus, the feet 19 of the rigid base 28, where appropriate surrounded by the flexible envelope, form the feet of the inner container 13, and therefore of the lower part thereof.

[0044] Where appropriate, the upper part 16 may have a shape specific to the type of reusable equipment. In the case of a vacuum cleaner, for example, it may be a three-dimensional pocket of cylindrical shape of revolution. As seen in the figure 3, it is even possible to provide a more complex shape to adapt to the geometry of the reusable equipment 11. This is a general shape of the upper part 16, this being, as described above, flexible, even if having its own shape. Where appropriate, reinforcements (for example metal angles integral with the casing) are provided at the locations most exposed to the risk of damage.

[0045] The upper portion 16 may comprise a connection port 20 to an external vacuum cleaner (not shown). This connection port 20 may be alternately assembled to and disassembled from the external vacuum cleaner. In the assembled configuration, the vacuum cleaner is operated to place the interior of the inner container 13 under vacuum.

[0046] Alternatively, the casing 29 may, for example, be welded by plastic welding to the rigid base 28. In this case, the casing 29 does not necessarily surround the rigid base 28. The rigid base 28 and the casing 29 welded thereto then form the airtight inner container 13. In this case, it is obviously not possible to remove the lower part 15 from the upper part 16, the two being assembled by welding.

[0047] The outer container 14 comprises a lower part 21 and an upper part 22.

[0048] The lower portion 21 comprises a shape adapted to receive and support the inner container 13.

[0049] For example, the lower part 21 of the outer container 14 comprises one or more cavities 26 shaped to receive the feet 19 of the rigid base 28 of the inner container 13, where appropriate with the interposition of the lower part of the flexible envelope 29. The feet 19 can be received in a fitted manner in the lower part 21 of the outer container 14, so as to limit the relative lateral movements of the outer container 14 and the inner container 13. The lower part 21 can also comprise casters 27 to facilitate its movement.

[0050] The outer container 14 comprises a rigid upper part 22. This part is for example made of plastic, wood, metal, composite material, or combinations thereof.

[0051] The upper part 22 is assembled to the lower part 21 in any suitable manner, for example by interlocking, mechanical assembly, screwing, clipping, strapping by means of straps 25, or other, in a removable manner. Thus, the outer container 14 can alternately take a closed configuration in which it completely surrounds and prevents access to the inner container 13, and an open configuration, in which it allows access to the inner container 13.

[0052] The system just described works as follows.

[0053] In an initial configuration, a site 1 is confined, and waste, equipment and / or personnel can exit via one or more airlocks 5 as shown in the figure 1 .

[0054] Reusable equipment 11, present inside construction site 1, potentially contaminated, is to be removed from construction site area 1.

[0055] It should be noted that this process is typically implemented at the end of the construction site. The atmosphere inside the confined area and the dirty area 6 of the airlock is generally clean at this stage of the construction site.

[0056] There is, in the construction site, an interior container 13, in open configuration, which can be associated with the reusable equipment 11 in question.

[0057] This inner container 13 comprises, for example, an open flexible envelope 29, inside which the rigid base 28 is placed.

[0058] The reusable equipment 11 is placed on the lower part 15 of the inner container 13, for example by shape adjustment, in order to reduce possible lateral movements of the reusable equipment 11 in the packaging system during subsequent movements. To place the reusable equipment 11 on the lower part 15 of the inner container 13, personnel lift it by hand or using appropriate tools (ramps, straps, levers, forklifts, etc.).

[0059] The inner container 13 is closed airtight around the reusable equipment 11. For example, the rigid base 28 and the reusable equipment 11 placed thereon are surrounded with a flexible envelope 29 of a shape associated with the rigid base 28 and the reusable equipment 11 placed thereon, and this flexible envelope 29 is closed airtight, for example by means of a zipper, slider, rod closure, flap or other closure. This is for example a non-woven closure. The reusable equipment 11, and in particular the wheels thereof, is then entirely contained in an airtight inner container 13, and no dust can escape therefrom.

[0060] A vacuum cleaner is connected to the port 20 of the inner container 13, and the air is sucked in so as to place the interior of the inner container 13 under vacuum. This reduces the risk of damaging the flexible envelope from the outside. In addition, this suction makes it possible to check that the inner container 13 is airtight (if it is pierced, the suction does not work, or works poorly). The suction remains limited so as not to risk piercing the flexible envelope with a blunt edge of the reusable equipment 11 during suction.

[0061] The inner container 13 is moved into the dirty area 6 of the airlock. This movement is done, for example, by hand, or with any appropriate tool (straps, forklift, etc.).

[0062] The outer surface of the inner container 13 is cleaned, for example by vacuuming and / or spraying with liquid. The inner container 13 is impervious to the cleaning liquid, which prevents the risk of the reusable equipment 11 coming into contact with it.

[0063] The clean inner container 13 containing the reusable equipment 11 is moved into the clean zone 7 of the airlock, or even to the outside of the airlock. This movement can be carried out by hand by uncontaminated operators, or using clean tools, such as straps and / or a forklift.

[0064] The inner container 13 is placed inside the outer container 14. For example, the inner container 13 is held in the outer container 14 by complementary shapes, so as to limit lateral movements of the inner container 13 inside the outer container 14 during subsequent movements of the packaging 12. The outer container 14 is rigid, and protects the inner container 13 which it surrounds from potential impacts or damage.

[0065] For example, the inner container 13 is placed on the lower part 21 of the outer container 14, for example by hand, or with any suitable tool. Then, the upper part 22, rigid, of the outer container 14 is assembled to the lower part 21, for example by nesting or embedding and / or strapping. For example, the outer container 14 is mobile, which facilitates its subsequent movements. It includes, for example, casters equipped with brakes and / or steerable casters.

[0066] The outer container may bear, on one or more sides, an indicator that it contains a device likely to be contaminated with asbestos.

[0067] The outer container 14 is transported to a decontamination workshop, where the reusable equipment can be removed from the packaging system 12 and decontaminated according to a dedicated protocol that cannot be easily implemented in a material exit airlock. This dedicated protocol includes, for example, the removal of a used absolute filter from the reusable equipment.

[0068] The packaging system 12 may be available as a kit. The components are removably assemblable together. This makes the unused packaging 12 compact, allowing it to be transported efficiently. This allows the packaging 12 to be reused several times. In addition, this allows certain components of the packaging 12 to be replaced when they are no longer operational. Typically, the flexible envelope could be replaced more often than the other, rigid components of the system. Typically, the flexible envelope could be consumable.

[0069] A range of packaging is provided comprising various packagings 12 all on the same principle, but of which at least the cavity of the lower part of the inner container 13 differs, to be adapted to various reusable equipment. Where appropriate, the other components may also be available in different dimensions. This may be the case in particular if the reusable equipment has very different shapes or weights from each other.

[0070] In one example, several inner containers have the same feet, which allows the number of lower parts of the outer container to be reduced. NOMENCLATURE

[0071] 1: Construction site 2: Wall 3: Interior 4: Exterior 5: Airlock 6: Dirty area 7: Clean area 8: Sander 9: Air extractor 10: Vacuum cleaner 11: Reusable equipment 12: Packaging 13: Inner container 14: Outer container 15: Lower part 16: Upper part 17: Cavity 18: Base plate 19: Feet 20: Port 21: Lower part 22: Upper part 23: Castors 24: Window 25: Straps 26: Cavity 27: Castor 28: Rigid base 29: Flexible casing

Claims

1. A packaging system for containing reusable equipment contaminated with asbestos, said reusable equipment (11) having a shape, wherein the packaging system comprises an airtight inner container (13) and an outer container (14), wherein the inner container (13) is adapted to surround, in an airtight manner, the reusable equipment (11), the inner container (13) comprising a rigid lower inner base (28) having at least one cavity (17) shaped to the shape of the reusable equipment (11), and an upper inner portion (16) assembled in an airtight manner to the lower inner base (28), wherein the outer container (14) is adapted to surround the inner container (13), the outer container (14) comprising a rigid lower outer portion (12) adapted to support the inner container (13).

2. Packaging system according to claim 1, wherein the inner container (13), and in particular the upper inner part (16) thereof, comprises a port (20) adapted to be connected to a vacuum cleaner adapted to place an interior of the inner container (13) under vacuum.

3. Packaging system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper inner part (16) of the inner container (13) is shaped to said shape of said reusable equipment (11).

4. Packaging system according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower inner base (28) of the inner container (13) comprises feet (19) spaced from each other, adapted to allow lifting by a forklift.

5. Packaging system according to claim 4, wherein the lower outer part (21) of the outer container (14) comprises at least one cavity (26) shaped to receive said feet (19) of the lower inner base (28) of the inner container (13).

6. Packaging system according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the inner container (13) comprises a flexible envelope (29) completely surrounding and / or fixed in an airtight manner to the rigid lower inner base (28).

7. A range of packaging systems comprising at least a first and a second packaging system (12) each according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the first packaging system being adapted to contain reusable equipment (11) contaminated by asbestos of a first type, said reusable equipment (11) having a first shape, the second packaging system (12) being adapted to contain reusable equipment (11) contaminated by asbestos of a second type, said reusable equipment having a second shape, wherein said shapes are different, and wherein at least the cavities (17) of the rigid lower inner base (15) of the inner container (13) of the packaging systems (12) differ.

8. Packaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 or range of packaging systems according to claim 7 in kit form.

9. A method of packaging reusable equipment contaminated by asbestos, said reusable equipment having a shape, in which: - an inner container (13) is provided comprising a rigid lower inner base (28) comprising at least one cavity (17) shaped to the shape of the reusable equipment (11), and an upper inner part (16) which can be assembled in an airtight manner to the lower inner base (28), - the reusable equipment (11) is surrounded in an airtight manner with the inner container (13), the reusable equipment (11) being housed at least partially in the cavity (17), - an outer container (14) is provided comprising a rigid lower outer part (21), - the inner container (13) is surrounded with the outer container (14), the rigid lower outer part (21) supporting the inner container (13).

10. Packaging method according to claim 9, in which: - the reusable equipment (11) is surrounded with the inner container (13) in an interior (3) of an asbestos removal site, - an outer surface of the inner container (13) is cleaned, - the inner container (13) is moved out of the interior (3) of the site (1) before surrounding the inner container (13) with the outer container (14).

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