Volcanic
ash
can easily penetrate buildings. Once inside, contamination of
building interiors may lead to: risk of
health hazards for building occupants;
damage to sensitive equipment or furnishings; and abrasion damage to
flooring. During and after ashfall, keeping
ash
out of buildings and homes will significantly reduce cleanup costs
and prevent damage to surfaces, electronics, appliances, floors, and
other equipment.
-
Seal entrances and openings (doors, windows, dampers, air
intakes).
-
Select an entry point which can be used as an 'ash
lock'. Two sets of doors separated by a few meters are ideal.
Ash-covered clothing and footwear should be left in this area.
-
Place damp towels at the bottom of external doors - Close and
seal (e.g. with duct tape) non-essential doors, windows,
vents
and other gaps.
-
Use
ash
foot baths (cleans ash off shoes to avoid ingress).
-
Stockpile cleaning supplies, duct tape, disposal containers,
vacuum cleaner bags and filters.
-
Cover/close external air intakes. Where this is not possible,
install extra (and heavier) filters.
-
Restrict access to a building or home to the most protected
entrance to reduce the potential for
ash
to get inside.
-
Establish an entry room or cleaning and decontamination rooms for
people entering the building. Provide vacuum cleaners and brushes
for people to remove as much
ash
as possible from clothing; provide shoe covers and disposable caps
as appropriate. Remove outdoor clothing before entering a building
as appropriate.
-
Establish any necessary, extra cleaning procedures to protect the
interior environment.
See Also: