ASBESTOS AWARENESS TRAINING Title 8, GISO Section 5208
What is Asbestos? Generic term for group of minerals known for their strength, flame/heat resistance, & indestructible qualities. Miracle mineral Serpentine, state rock, fiber Hazardous when inhaled Symptoms have chronic effect
Where is Asbestos Found? Sprayed on fire proofing Insulation in buildings Insulation on pipes & boilers Wall & ceiling insulation Ceiling & floor tiles
Where is Asbestos Found? Putties, caulks, & cements Roofing shingles Siding shingles on old residential buildings Wall & ceiling texture in older buildings & homes Brake linings and clutch pads
Definitions ACM asbestos containing materials ACBM asbestos containing building materials Friable can be reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry EPA and OSHA define ACM as materials that contain more than 1% asbestos, by weight. Asbestos content can only be determined through analysis of bulk samples! 5
Recognizing Damaged or Water damage Continual vibration Aging Deteriorated ACM Physical impact such as drilling, grinding, buffing, cutting, sawing, or striking
SC-OSHA Limits The Permissible Exposure Limit, or PEL, is 0.1 fiber/cc based on an eight hour time-weighted average. You cannot determine the amount of asbestos in the air or a material by looking at it. Asbestos fibers can only be detected by a microscope.
What does friable mean? Friable means that a material can be easily reduced to a powder by hand pressure. sprayed-on insulation is friable asbestos floor tiles are not friable Friable materials can become airborne if damaged and either inhaled or ingested.
What causes asbestos materials to become damaged and friable? Applied in a friable state (fireproofing, acoustical insulation) Physical disturbance Contact with asbestos ceiling Damaged ceiling tile when removing Air erosion Delamination Water leaks from ceiling causes ceiling asbestos coating to pull away (delaminate) from base material. 9
Health Effects of Asbestos Asbestosis Asbestos Diseases Lung Cancer Pleural Mesothelioma 10
Asbestosis Serious, chronic, non-cancerous respiratory disease Lung tissue scarring Symptoms - shortness of breath, dry crackling lung sounds Can be fatal
Lung Cancer Causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. Symptoms - coughing, change in breathing, shortness of breath, persistent chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia. Risk can be 90 times higher if you smoke and have asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma Rare form of cancer which affects the membrane lining of the lungs, chest & abdomen. 200 cases diagnosed/year in the U.S. Almost all cases are linked to asbestos.
Para-occupational Exposure People who live: with asbestos workers near asbestos mining areas near asbestos product factories, or near shipyards where large quantities of asbestos fibers were released into the air, may be at risk of asbestos related diseases.
Determining Factors Amount and duration of exposure may correlate directly with asbestos related illnesses. Smoking & programs/support Student Health Center National Cancer Institute (1-800-4-CANCER) American Heart Association (1-800-242-8721) American Lung Association (1-800-586-4872) Age The younger a person (child) is, the more likely he/she may develop mesothelioma.
Activities Involving Potential Exposure Occupational Exposure exposure at or above 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) Maintenance, repair, renovation, demolitions that disturb ACM Fiber release from o Fallout (old/deteriorated ACM) o Contact (striking, cutting, drilling, air erosion) o Re-entrainment (sweeping, dusting, unfiltered vacuuming of settled dust) 16
How to Avoid Exposure Be aware of locations Assume positive until verified otherwise Never take a sample unless trained DO NOT DISTURB IT: NEVER drill, hammer, cut, saw, break, damage, move, dry sweep, use compressed air, disturb any ACM or suspected materials
How to Avoid Exposure Damage and deterioration Avoid touching or disturbing ACM on ceilings, pipes, boilers Do not drill, sand or scrape ACM Do not attempt to clean friable ACM Cleanup only by HEPA vac and wet methods
Notices and Labeling Entrances to mechanical rooms Entrances to regulated abatement areas Entrances to crawl spaces 19
Facility Workers: Housekeeping should never sand or dry buff asbestos containing floor tiles, and only wet stripping methods may be used during stripping operations. Low abrasion pads should be used at speeds below 300 rpm. Leave broken and damaged ceiling/floor tiles until positively identified. If they contain asbestos, they must be removed by trained asbestos abatement workers.
Spills Do not attempt to clean up spills yourself Disturb material as little as possible Take measures to prevent others from disturbing the spill
Roles of Custodial & Maintenance Personnel Be familiar with health hazards of asbestos Be aware that some areas can contain ACM Report evidence of disturbance or damage to Facilities management at 503-5500. Report improper actions which could damage ACM 22
You may now finish this safety training tutorial by completing the OSHA Assessment Quiz.