Encountering Asbestos

ENCOUNTERING
ASBESTOS

www.amienvironmental.com

What is Asbestos?

 Natural mineral that occurs in rocks
 Has varied uses and has been seen in products for
centuries
 Widespread use of asbestos beginning in the late
1800s
 By the 1970s, asbestos was used in:
— Insulation
— Fireproofing
— Pipe wrap


What is Asbestos?
ACMs
 Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are any
materials containing more than one percent
asbestos
 Presumed ACMs include thermal system insulation
and surfacing material found in buildings
constructed before 1981
 ACMs are divided into two basic groups:
— Friable
— Non-friable


What is Asbestos?
Friable ACMs
 Greater than one percent asbestos
 When dry, it can be crumbled, pulverized or
reduced to powder by hand pressure
 Releases fibers more readily
 Friable ACM is found in:
— SM
— Thermal insulation

The WTC contained 400 tons of
a friable asbestos/cement
mixture


What is Asbestos?
Non-Friable ACMs
 Cannot be reduced to powder, when dry, by hand
pressure
 Is safer than friable ACMs
 Can release asbestos fibers when cut, sanded or
drilled
 Non-friable ACM is found in:
— Roofing material
— Gaskets
— Floor tile
— Exterior siding
— Table tops
— Transite pipes

What is Asbestos?
Categories of ACMs
 Category I ACMs: Asbestos-containing resilient
floor covering, asphalt roofing products, packings,
gaskets and mastic
 Category II ACMs: All remaining types of non-
friable ACM not included in Category I that, when
dry, cannot be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to
powder by hand pressure
— Non-friable asbestos cement products (transite)


What is Asbestos?
Properties
 Characterized by its soft, pliant properties
 Nearly indestructible
 Resists heat, chemical corrosion and friction
 Does not conduct electricity
 Has high thermal and tensile strength
 Insulates well against condensation, heat and noise


What is Asbestos?
Health Effects
 A known carcinogen in humans
 When inhaled, asbestos fibers become lodged in the
lung tissue or alveoli, clogging and scarring the
tissues
 Can cause disabling or fatal diseases, including:
— Asbestosis (scarring of the lung)
— Lung cancer
— Mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the chest
or lining of the abdominal wall)


Where Can Asbestos Be Found?

 SM
— Sprayed on the structural members of high-rise
buildings to prevent warping or collapsing in a
fire
— May have been painted or encapsulated with a
sealant
— May be concealed behind suspended ceilings or
wall systems
— May collect as dust on top of ceiling panels
— May be sprayed on nearby walls and ceilings


Where Can Asbestos Be Found? (cont)
 Thermal system insulation
— Used on boilers, pipes and ducts for thermal
insulation and condensation control
 Asbestos cement products
— Generally made of Portland cement, aggregate
and chrysotile fibers
— Common products include:
 Wallboard
 Siding and roofing
 Cladding and partitions
 Pipes



 Asbestos vinyl and asphalt
— Floor tile and covering
— Roofing felts and shingles
— Exterior siding
— Joint compounds and adhesives
— Asphalt additive
 Acoustical materials
 Decorative materials
 Friction products



 It is estimated that one-half of all multi-story
buildings in the United States, built between 1950
and 1970, have some form of asbestos
 Approximately 66% of asbestos materials used
today are in asbestos-cement products
— Corrugated roofing and panels
— Drain pipes and gutters
— Flat sheets and siding
— Pressure pipes


How Did Asbestos Get There?

 By 1936, asbestos had become the single most
common construction material in the United States
and can be found in a variety of building and other
materials
 The U.S. did not accept asbestos as a disease-
producing agent until 1960, and bans on asbestos
didn’t begin until more than 10 years later
 The known health hazards of asbestos ultimately
resulted in bans on several products
 Most bans were mandatory, but some were
voluntary


How Did Asbestos Get There?
Mandatory Bans
 1973: Dry spray-applied friable material banned by
EPA
 1975: Molded or wet-applied thermal system
insulation banned by EPA
 1977: Asbestos-containing compounds and
emberizing materials banned by Consumer
Products Safety Commission
 1978: All spray-applied materials banned by EPA


How Can You Get Rid of Asbestos?

 Asbestos in buildings is not always a hazard
 If asbestos is in good condition, the EPA
recommends that it be left alone and periodic
surveillance be performed to monitor its condition
 If asbestos is damaged, disturbed or has
deteriorated, it becomes a health hazard and must
be addressed


Causes of Damage
 Asbestos-containing materials can be damaged by:
— Age
— Water
— Air erosion
— Vibration
— Touching or gouging


Identifying Hazards
 Asbestos can be released into the air by:
— Fallout (results from the aging and
deterioration of bonding agents that hold the
asbestos product together)
— Impact (results from striking, cutting and
penetration)
— Re-entrainment (results from the disturbance of
settled fibers)
 All can be minimized by proper work practices


Regulated ACMs
 EPA defines regulated ACMs as:
— Friable asbestos material
— Category I non-friable ACM that has become
friable
— Category I non-friable ACM that will be or has
been subjected to sanding, grinding, cutting or
abrading


Regulated ACMs (cont)
 EPA defines regulated ACMs as:
— Category II non-friable ACM that has a high
probability of becoming or has become
crumbled, pulverized, or reduce to powder by
the forces expected to act on the material in the
course of demolition or renovation


Requirements
 All friable and non-friable materials should be
removed prior to demolition
 Mastics and adhesives can be left in the facility
during demolition if they are Category I non-friable
ACMs and the probability is low that the materials
will become crumbled, pulverized or reduced to
powder during demolition


Requirements (cont)
 During demolition, if a facility component
contains, is covered with or is coated with RACM
is being taken out of the facility as a unit or in a
section, the demolition contractor should
adequately wet all RACM exposed during cutting
or disjoining operation


Multi Employer Worksites
• Interpretation and compliance with the OSHA “multi-employer”
construction work site standard often varies depending on the jurisdiction.
• The presence of asbestos containing building materials (ACBM) dictates
communication of the hazard to all employers and their employees by the
party who will or may be disturbing the ACBM in conjunction with their
work site activities.
• OSHA requires that all hazards associated with the presence and
disturbance of asbestos is performed by competent personnel who have
received the appropriate training are equipped with proper personal
protective equipment.


Multi Employer Worksites Cont.

When citations will be given.
Employers normally shall be cited, whether or not their own employees
are exposed:
The employer who actually creates the hazard (the creating
employer)
The employer who is responsible, by contract or through actual
practice, for safety and health conditions on the worksite; the
employer who has the authority for ensuring that the hazardous
condition is corrected (the controlling employer)
The employer who has the responsibility for actually correcting the
hazard (the correcting employer).



How to avoid being cited.
Prior to issuing citations to an exposing employer, it must first be
determined whether the available facts indicate that employer has a
legitimate defense to the citation as set forth below:
The employer did not create the hazard.
The employer did not have the responsibility or the authority to
have the hazard corrected.
The employer did not have the ability to correct or remove the
hazard.


How to Avoid Being Cited Cont.

The employer can demonstrate that the creating, the
controlling and/or the correcting employers have been
specifically notified of the hazards to which his/her employees
are exposed to.
The employer has instructed his/her employees to recognize
the hazard and, where necessary, informed them how to avoid
the dangers associated with it.
- Where feasible, an exposing employer must have taken
appropriate alternative means of protecting employees from
the hazard .
- When extreme circumstances justify it, the exposing employer
shall have removed his/her employees from the job to avoid
citation.



What happens if a company met OSHA’s requirements?
• If an employer meets all the criteria, the employer shall not be cited.
• If all employers on a worksite with employees exposed to a hazard meet
these conditions, then the citation shall be issued only to the employers
who are responsible for creating the hazard.
• A citation would also go to the employer who is in the best position to
correct the hazard or to ensure its correction.
• The controlling employer and the hazard-creating employer shall be cited
even though no employees of those employers are exposed to the
dangerous condition.
• Penalties for such citations shall be appropriately calculated, using the
exposed employees of all employers as the number of employees for
probability assessment.


Classes of Work

• There are four different classes of work for removing or performing
maintenance on asbestos.
• Many people get confused on the differences between the classes
and what type of work can be done.
• The classes of work range from class I to class IV.
• Class I is the most dangerous of the classes and needs the most
amount training to do.
• Where class IV is not as dangerous and will not require the
same amount of training.
• All the classes will need over site by a competent person and follow
OSHA guidelines. However, if asbestos removal work is not done
properly in any class it can have adverse effects on a person’s health.


Classes of Work
Class I work
• Class I work is the most potentially dangerous class of asbestos jobs.
• Class I work involves the removing of thermal insulation systems and sprayed-
on/toweled-on surfacing materials that contain asbestos. Whenever a job is
going to be started the employer must presume that they are dealing with
construction pre-1981 construction that it is ACM.
• All Class I work needs to have a competent person, which is someone who can
identify asbestos hazards on the job site and will have the authority to correct
them.
• In order to be considered a competent person, they will need comprehensive
training course for contractors and supervisors certified by the EPA or a state
approved training provider.


Classes of Work

Class II work
• Class II work is very similar to class I work with the exception
that the removal of thermal system insulation such as resilient
flooring and roofing materials is not allowed.
• Class II work does include the removal of asbestos-containing
flooring and ceiling tiles, siding, roofing and transit panels.
• For class II work there must still be a competent person present
who will be able to make any corrections. The same amount of
training is needed just as class I would have.


Classes of Work
Class III work
• Employers must use wet methods and local exhaust ventilation, to the
extent feasible, for Class III work.
• Drilling, cutting, sanding, chipping, breaking, abrading, or sawing ACM,
employers must use impermeable drop cloths as well as mini- enclosures,
glove bag systems and any other effective isolation methods.
• Employers must ensure that all employees are wearing the proper
respirators and they are correctly working at all times. A competent
person must inspect frequently and asses changing conditions and upon
employee request.


Classes of Work
Class IV work
• Employees who are conducting Class IV work must have to attend an
asbestos awareness training program.
• They must also use wet methods and HEPA vacuums to properly clean
ACM or PACM.
• When cleaning debris and trash in regulated areas, employees must
wear respirators.
• Class IV is mainly for janitorial duties but should still use precaution for
any debris could be an asbestos containing material.
• Just like in the rest of the classes a competent person will need to
oversee the process and make any corrections based up on the
conditions or upon the employee’s request.


What are NESHAP regulations?
• Under the CAA federal regulations were created to form NESHAP that
applies to facility owners and contractors who perform work in public and
commercial buildings.
• NESHAP regulations address common small business activities such as
milling, manufacturing and fabricating operations.
• They also address demolition and renovation activities, waste disposal
issues, active and inactive waste disposal sites, and asbestos conversion
processes.


Frequently Asked Questions

When is an asbestos inspection required? An inspection is required under the NESHAP
Standard prior to any renovation and/or demolition activities of a building or structure.

Why is an inspection required? In accordance with the NESHAP Standard, written
notification must be made to the EPA 10 days prior to any site work if asbestos
containing materials were identified during the survey in quantities greater than 160
lineal and 260 square feet.

What are the chances that I would find asbestos present in a facility? If the structures
were constructed prior to 1981 the presence of asbestos containing building materials is
likely.

Are there any special requirements that a building owner is responsible for? Yes there
are a number including hazard communication, work practices and procedures, and
cradle to grave liability exposure to name a few.


Frequently Asked Questions

Do the same rules apply to friable and non-friable? There are some variations based on
the type of building material, proposed work practices and/or anticipated disposition of
the asbestos, and local jurisdiction.

What should be done with the asbestos after it has been properly removed? The NESHAP
Standard also regulates the transportation and disposal of asbestos waste. All materials
must be labeled and disposed in a designated landfill.

If the latency period for contracting a disease from asbestos exposure is so long (30 to 50)
years why don’t they save money on the personal protective equipment and just use
death row inmates for abatement workers instead?
What do I do if asbestos is present and will be disturbed in conjunction with site work
activities? All work associated with asbestos containing building materials in public or
commercial facilities must be performed by workers trained in accordance with the
USEPA ASHREA Standard.

What if I am not sure if a building material contains asbestos? The Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) dictates that all suspect materials are to be presumed
asbestos containing materials until determined otherwise.


Encountering Asbestos

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