ASBESTOS CONTROL PLAN POLICY It is the long term plan of Emily Carr University to have an asbestos free workplace. In the interim, The University plans to manage asbestos hazards based on prioritization and risk assessment. The removal of asbestos will be subject to priority setting determined by: The condition of asbestos containing material Location of material (working in proximity to asbestos containing material) Building upgrades and construction works The Facilities Department will coordinate the overall asbestos control plan, and will organize all work that involves removal or other disturbance of known asbestos containing material. Removal of asbestos will only be conducted by qualified asbestos removal contractors. No one may bring any asbestos containing material on site, for any purpose. Anyone who feels that material at Emily Carr might contain asbestos must bring the situation to the attention of Facilities Department, before doing any work in the area. The Facilities Department will arrange for bulk sampling and lab analysis of materials suspected to contain asbestos as needed. PURPOSE Potential health hazards to employees, students and visitors arise when individual asbestos fibers become airborne through disturbance, contact or damage/deterioration. The Asbestos Control Plan will help ensure the management of asbestos containing materials and compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation of BC. Both management and employees must work together to ensure that potential hazards are controlled through elimination, engineering controls, education and training of the workforce, and implementation of designed work procedures and practices. DEFINITIONS As defined by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations asbestos as any fibre longer than 5 micrometres with a diameter less than 3 micrometres and an aspect ratio of 3:1 as determined by the membrane filter method at 400 to 450x magnification phase contrast illumination, and counted in accordance with procedures acceptable to the WCB. asbestos-containing material means any manufactured article or other material which contains 1% or more asbestos by weight at the time of manufacture, or which contains 1
1% or more asbestos as determined by WCB Method 0205 (dispersion staining, polarized light microscope) or x-ray diffraction. clean room means a room in a high risk decontamination facility which is used by workers to change from street clothes into protective work clothing and equipment prior to entering the designated work area. clearance air sampling means sampling to determine if the air inside a containment of a high risk work activity is sufficiently free of asbestos fibre to permit the dismantling of the containment. containment means an isolation system designed to effectively contain asbestos fibre within a designated work area where asbestos containing material is handled, removed, encapsulated or enclosed, and includes a glove bag. decontamination facility means a series of rooms constructed so as to allow a person to enter and leave a containment without spreading asbestos fibre or waste material beyond the designated work area. designated work area means an area for work with asbestos containing material which is restricted to access by authorized persons by warning signs and by barricades, enclosures or other means of isolation, with due regard for the level of risk. encapsulation means treatment of an asbestos containing material or surface with a sealant which penetrates the material and binds the fibres together. enclosure means isolation of asbestos-containing material from adjacent occupied areas in a building by physical barriers such as gyproc, plywood, or metal sheeting, to prevent the release of airborne asbestos fibres into these areas. friable material means any material which, when dry, can be easily crumbled or powdered by hand pressure, or a material that is crumbled or powdered. high risk work activity means work activity involving the handling of asbestos containing material or working in proximity to friable asbestos containing material, where there is a high level of control necessary to prevent exposure to excessive concentrations of airborne asbestos fibre. low risk work activity means work activity in proximity to friable asbestos containing material, where the material is not disturbed and there is no significant release of asbestos fibre. moderate risk work activity means work activity involving the handling of asbestos containing material or working in proximity to friable asbestos containing material, not otherwise classified as low or high risk work activities. HEALTH EFFECTS Due to its morphology (long, thin strong fibres), asbestos is a hazardous material when airborne and if handled without caution, may cause serious chronic health problems. 2
Adverse health affects can be caused by long-term exposure to airborne asbestos although it is not clear how asbestos fibres cause disease after entry into the lung. Several diseases are known to be caused due to over exposure to asbestos: Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease resulting from prolonged exposure to high levels of airborne asbestos. It is characterized by scarring of the lung tissue and is an irreversible disease that continues to progress after exposure has stopped. Mesothelioma is a rare but malignant form of cancer affecting the lining of the chest or abdominal cavity. There is a long latency period for mesothelioma, at least 15 years and no effective treatment. There is a strong link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma although causes other than asbestos have been identified. Lung cancer is not only associated with asbestos exposure and there is no basic difference between lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure and other causes. Generally, the risk of lung cancer increases with asbestos exposure, depending upon intensity and duration. The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. Occupational Health and Safety Regulation The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation of BC Part 6 outlines the general hazard requirement details for the handling of asbestos. The WCB publication, Safe Work Practices for Handling Asbestos, outlines handling procedures acceptable to the board. Both OH&S Regulation and Safe Work Practices for Handling Asbestos are kept with the Safety and Security Coordinator. USES OF ASBESTOS The uses of asbestos are generally divided into two groups, friable and non-friable products. The use of friable materials is banned today but due to its use in the past, many buildings contain friable asbestos products. Because of their ease of release, these products are of most concern. Friable asbestos materials are found in products such as fireproofing and spray insulation, acoustic plasters and mechanical system insulation. Non-friable asbestos materials are typically found in asbestos cement products, gaskets, coatings and sealants, paper products, plastics, friction materials and asbestos textiles. RESPONSIBILITIES OH&S Coordinator The OH&S Coordinator is responsible for the daily administration and maintenance of the Asbestos Control Plan, including: Maintaining an up to date record of all documentation and other relevant information pertaining to the Asbestos Control Plan. Responding to any report of debris, damage or disturbance, and initiating clean 3
ups as appropriate. Assisting Facilities personnel in identifying asbestos before any maintenance, renovations or construction activities take place. Ensuring risk assessments are conducted by qualified personnel in areas where work is to be undertaken in the vicinity of asbestos. Liaise with outside asbestos consultants where necessary. Facilities Department The Facilities Department is responsible for: the long term removal of asbestos containing products throughout the campus. the implementation of risk assessments for asbestos before any construction, removal or work is undertaken in areas where asbestos has been identified or may be present. ensuring that copies of all risk assessments, asbestos removal and any other information pertaining to asbestos in order to keep documentation and records up to date and current are forwarded to the Safety and Security Coordinator. Studio Technicians Studio Technicians are responsible for: monitoring the ongoing condition of asbestos-containing material in their areas. keep warning labels in good condition. raising any concerns related to damage to the asbestos with the Supervisor of Technical Services. Supervisors Supervisors are responsible for prompt attention to requests for bulk sampling, requests for information, or other concerns about asbestos in the workplace. RISK IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT As of spring 2011, the following sites are known to contain asbestos: Cement-asbestos wallboard, in metal shop, Room 163 An insulating board, under the heat press, printmaking, Room 152 An insulating board, under the heat press, printmaking, Room 153 (See Facilities for list of areas with asbestos containing floor tiles) Each of these materials must always be prominently labeled Warning asbestos containing material do not scratch, cut, or otherwise disturb. The purpose of this label is to prevent unintentional damage to the surface, which would release asbestos fibers into the air. Each of these sites must be inspected at least once a year, and any damage immediately corrected. Records of these inspections, observations, and corrective measures, are kept with the OH&S Coordinator. Anyone who feels that material might contain asbestos must bring the situation to the attention of a supervisor before doing any work in the area. 4
PROHIBITION OF ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIAL No one may bring any asbestos containing material on site, for any purpose. While asbestos is not as commonly used today as it was in the past, it is still sometimes possible to find products that contain significant quantities of asbestos. Students, faculty, contractors, or other person may be tempted to bring asbestos containing fireproof gloves, jackets, insulating boards, or other items. It is not possible to distinguish visually what products are asbestos or some other type of mineral fiber. When in doubt, concerns should be brought the attention of the OH&S Coordinator or the Facilities Director. REMOVAL AND REMEDIAL ACTION Employees Employees will not conduct any removal or remedial work involving asbestos containing materials. It is the responsibility of employees to inform their supervisor of any deteriorated asbestos containing products so that remedial action can take place. Contractors All removal / remedial asbestos work conducted on site must be done so by an approved contractor. All work conducted on site must be done so in accordance with WCB Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Part 6 and the WCB publication, Safe Work Practices for Handling Asbestos. Appropriate monitoring will be conducted where necessary by an approved consultant and copies of the monitoring results forwarded to the Facilities Department. GENERAL WORK PROCEDURES All work that disturbs asbestos must follow procedures designed to minimize exposure to fibers and dust. Employees who may disturb this type of material should wear personal protective equipment. Equipment required includes the following: Water, in spray bottles, Ample supply of dam disposable towels Sturdy, sealable plastic garbage bags Long protective gloves (nitrile recommended) Tear proof full coverage suit ( tyvek coverall) Air purifying respirator with HEPA cartridges (sometimes referred to as N-100 or P-100 type) General safe work procedures are as follows: Dampen the material before cutting to reduce the creation of dust. Wear a properly fitted air purifying respirator with a HEPA filter. Wear long gloves, and if necessary, cover all clothing and skin surface to prevent 5
contact with the material. After the work is completed, damp wipe all surrounding surfaces. Damp-wipe all tools that were used in the work. Collect the used respirator filters, other used protective gear, and all other trash and debris from the work and put it into a sturdy plastic garbage bag, tied at the top. Label the bag warning may contain less than 1% asbestos do not puncture). This garbage may be disposed of in the ordinary dumpster. Wash up immediately after working, even if the material may only contain very small quantities of asbestos. SAMPLING Any work that may disturb known asbestos containing materials is subject to very strict regulation. For this reason, it is contracted to asbestos removal specialists. These contractors are required to follow procedures that include notifications, isolation of the work area, posting of warning signs, and appropriate use of PPE. If work is scheduled on material of unknown composition, the material can be bulk sampled and analyzed by a laboratory. The sampling must be done by someone with special training. If there is any material to be sampled and analyzed, the supervisor for the area must be notified immediately; arrangements will be made for accurate identification of the material. No special notifications are required for work on material that has been tested and found to contain no asbestos or less than 1% asbestos. TRAINING OF EMPLOYEES Supervisors are responsible for ensuring all workers who may work in close proximity or may disturb friable asbestos receive documented training. The training shall include the following topics: The hazards of asbestos The means of identifying asbestos-containing materials at the worksite The correct use of the required personal protective equipment, and operation of the required engineering controls, and The purpose and significance of any required health monitoring. The training documentation will be forwarded to the OH&S Coordinator for filing. OUTSIDE SERVICE CONTRACTOR INFORMATION All outside service contractors will be notified of the presence of asbestos containing materials prior to beginning work activities. All outside service contractors shall provide general awareness training for their employees to allow employees to identify suspect asbestos-containing materials if found 6
during work activities. Contractors shall contact the OH&S Coordinator in the event that suspect asbestos containing materials are discovered during work activities. Contractors shall be made aware of the Asbestos Control Plan prior to the commencement of work. DOCUMENTATION Thorough and detailed records must be kept of the following: All bulk sampling and analysis results, regardless of outcome. Annual inventories of asbestos containing materials, including observations, and information on corrections. Questions that are raised in the Joint Health and Safety Committee regarding asbestos containing materials must be recorded in the committee minutes. Supervisors must keep records of: Any requests for bulk sampling, requests for information, or other concerns about asbestos on premises. Regular inspections of the ongoing condition of asbestos-containing material, and corrections when made. A copy of all asbestos related documents must be forwarded to the OH&S Coordinator for filing. 7