Asbestos Awareness

Asbestos Awareness ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Objectives • What is asbestos • Where can it be found • What are the health problems associated with exposure to asbestos • How can exposure occur • OSHA Requirements • Fermilab Policy ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Asbestos • • • • Group of Naturally Occurring Minerals Fibrous Structure Different Types Most Common (95%) – Chrysotile (White) – Amosite (Brown) ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Good Things About Asbestos • • • • • • Good insulator (heat and electricity) High tensile strength Resistant to corrosives Doesn’t burn Inexpensive Fibrous – can be used in a variety of ways ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Uses – Prior to 1980 • Ceiling tiles • Drywall taping compound • Adhesives and mastics • Thermal system insulation • Roofing felts • Gaskets • Vibration dampers • Cement sheet (transite) • Floor tile • Valve packing and insulation • Fire Resistant drywall • Sprayed-on fireproofing Asbestos Awareness ES&H Section Health Concerns • Inhaled or swallowed • Asbestosis – scarring of lung – 20 year latency period • Lung Cancer – 20 to 30 year latency period • Mesothelioma – cancer of the lining of lung – 30 year latency period – rare • Digestive Tract Cancer ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness How Much Is Too Much? • Studies done on people exposed to asbestos in the course of their work show increased risk • Much higher concentrations of asbestos than the general public • Cannot state that there is a threshold below which risk of cancer is not increased • OSHA – 8 hour time-weighted-average of 0.1f/cc • Smoking increases risk ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness So What? • If you work around asbestos containing building materials which are damaged or deteriorated there is a potential you may be exposed to asbestos fibers (fibers may not be visible and remain in air for a long time) • Asbestos is a hazard ONLY if it can release fibers (friable) • Friable – pipe insulation, fireproofing, etc. • Non-friable - floor tile, transite (unless machined or broken) ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Damage or Deterioration • Water leaks, cutting or bumping, strong air currents, age • Evidence – Debris – Ripped or cracked – Delamination • Report to ES&H Group immediately ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Don’ts • Don’t use pipes lined with asbestos as a platform to work from • Don’t cut through pipe insulation • Don’t bump into sprayed on materials • Don’t open up enclosures • Don’t disturb non-friable material • Don’t clean-up or repair material ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness OSHA Regulations 1910.1001 and 1926.1101 • Presumed Asbestos Containing Material (PACM) • Determine presence, location, and quantity • Maintain records • Warning signs and labels • Contractor Notification • Training ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Presumed Asbestos Containing Material • Suspect thermal system insulation, sprayedon and troweled-on surfacing materials in a building constructed no later than 1980. • Asphalt and vinyl flooring installed no later than 1980 must be treated as asbestos containing. ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Declassification of PACM • Complete an inspection per EPA requirements • Accredited inspector or certified industrial hygienist (IH). The State of Illinois requires a license. • Accredited laboratory • Floor tile and mastic determination of IH using recognized analytical techniques ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Inventory Building and facility owners shall determine the presence, location and quantity of ACM and PACM ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Fermilab Program (FESHM 5052.4) Inventory • Inventory – ES&H Share Volume – IH Folder – Asbestos Folder – Inventory • Buildings built on or before 1980 • Thermal System Insulation, Surfacing Materials, Floor Tile • Materials grouped into “homogeneous areas” • Positive result – one sample in the homogeneous group (1% or more) ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Examples – Friable Material Locations Thermal System Insulation • • • • • • • • • Surfacing Material • • • • Lab A (enclosed) Cross Gallery Linac Gallery Transfer Gallery Lab A PS-4 IB2 Wilson Hall Ground Floor and Below CUB and tunnel Transfer Gallery Cross Gallery Linac Site 68 ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Warning Labels • Labels must be affixed so that employees will be notified of what materials contain ACM and/or PACM • Materials not friable (in any foreseeable use, handling, storage, disposal, processing, or transportation) need not be labeled ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Warning Signs Warning signs shall be at the entrance to mechanical rooms/areas in which, if followed, will ensure that ACM and/or PACM will not be disturbed ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Training • Removal Workers • Operations and Maintenance Workers • Annual Awareness training for employees “who perform housekeeping operations in an area which contains ACM or PACM ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Contractor Notification • Shall notify of the presence, location and quantity of ACM or PACM at the work site. • Notification shall be in writing or shall consist or personal communication between the owner and contractor ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Procedures • In building built before, assume all pipe insulation, surfacing material, and floor tile DO contain asbestos whether or not labeled. • Check inventory database • Contact ES&H Group personnel • May request that the material be sampled • Contact ES&H Group for help if material must be removed. This can ONLY be done by specially trained individuals. ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Review • Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber • It is contained in many materials in buildings built before 1980 • It is associated with asbestosis and lung cancer • Exposure can occur if friable building material has been damaged • Exposure can occur if non-friable material sanded, sawed, etc. • Damage can occur by bumping or cutting, water damage, or deterioration with age ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Review • • • • • Inventory Label Only trained inspectors may take samples ES&H Group personnel Only trained workers may disturb this material ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness Asbestos Concern Contact Numbers • Accelerator Division – Richard Rebstock (3499) • ESH Section – Dave Baird (3945) • Workforce Development and Resources Section – Mike Bonkalski (8448) • Particle Physics Division – Robert Bushek (2399) • FES Section – Mike Bonkalski (8448) • Technical Division – Richard Ruthe (5424) • Business Services Section – Greg Mitchell (8002) • Computing Division – Amy Pavnica (8493) Note: Dave Baird is the Point-of-Contact for all Asbestos removal projects at Fermilab. Phone (3945) Page (630-266-0404) ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness