BLR s Safety Training Presentations

BLR s Safety Training Presentations Asbestos Safety 29 CFR 1910.1001 I. Background for the Trainer: The OSHA Asbestos Standard for general industry, found in 29 CFR 1910.1001, requires information and training for workers who may be exposed to asbestos. Construction and shipbuilding asbestos standards have additional requirements because workers in those industries are more likely to encounter asbestos during demolition or renovation projects. Some states have much more stringent training requirements, even for general industry. Be sure to check your state requirements. Note that this training session will focus on asbestos awareness and potential points of exposure for workers in general industry. I This training session will focus on the basics of asbestos hazards, potential points of exposure, asbestos management, and some basic work procedures. Additional training is required for workers who are actually involved with the demolition or renovation of asbestos-containing materials. 1

Goals Asbestos health hazards and potential exposure Asbestos management and work procedures Quiz First we will talk about the potential health hazards associated with asbestos materials and the occupations with potential exposure. Then we will discuss asbestos management practices and safe work practices. Finally, we will wrap up the training session with a summary and a quiz. 2

What Is Asbestos? Group of natural minerals Still mined in some countries Long, thin, and strong fibrous crystals Resistant to heat and corrosive chemicals Asbestos is the name for a group of naturally occurring minerals that can be found throughout the world. In fact, asbestos is still mined in a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the former Soviet Union. Asbestos are forms of hydrated silicates that differ in the type of metal and the amount of water they contain. They are long, thin, and extremely strong crystals that are usually referred to as fibers. Asbestos fibers have been used for centuries in many different products because of their resistance to heat and resistance to corrosive chemicals. 3

Use of Asbestos Building materials installed prior to 1980 Thermal insulation and fire protection Floor and ceiling tiles Acoustical and decorative coatings Roofing materials Friction materials Textiles Gaskets and Filters Asbestos materials were used in many building materials that were installed prior to 1980. Spray coatings on steel work, concrete walls and ceilings, and asbestos insulating boards were used for fire protection and insulation. It can also be found in insulation on pipework and ductwork, and for boilers. Asbestos is contained in some cement products such as sheeting on walls and roofs, tiles, cold water tanks, gutters, pipes, and in decorative plaster finishes. Asbestos is still used in many automotive brake pads today. Fireproof blankets and other textiles are still manufactured from asbestos. Some gaskets and filters use asbestos for the heat and corrosive chemical resistance. 4

Health Hazard No health risk when asbestos materials are intact Potential inhalation hazard from damaged materials Airborne fibers are usually microscopic Many people have been led to believe that all forms of asbestos materials are a health hazard. This is not true. There is not a health hazard if the asbestos material is left intact. The potential for a health hazard occurs when the asbestos-containing material is damaged such that the asbestos fibers become airborne and inhale d. Depending on the material, asbestos materials are most often damaged by sawing, cutting, or sanding operations. With a quality maintenance program, most asbestos materials are better left in place than completely removed. The airborne asbestos fibers that can cause health damage are often too small to see with the naked eye. 5

Friable Asbestos Friable materials Pipe insulation Insulating boards Insulating textiles Non-friable materials Floor and ceiling tiles Caulking Friable asbestos materials are the biggest concern because they can more easily be damaged and crumbled, which creates an inhalation hazard. Some example of friable asbestos materials include pipe and duct insulation, insulating boards, and insulating textiles. Non-friable materials are not likely to release asbestos fibers because the fibers have been bound in a tight matrix. Only sanding or cutting this type of material could release asbestos fibers. Some examples of non-friable materials include floor and ceiling tiles and caulking. 6

Exposure Considerations Length of exposure Concentration of airborne fibers Smoking habits Obviously someone who has been exposed to asbestos fibers for years has a much greater chance of adverse health effects than someone who has been exposed only for a short period of time. The concentration of airborne fibers is another contributing factor to adverse health effects. Asbestos concentration is measured by the amount of fibers in the air that could potentially be inhaled. In many studies, the amount of asbestos fibers found inside a building containing asbestos materials has been the same level as the amount of asbestos fibers found outside the building. Again, if the asbestos materials are properly managed in place, there is not a significant health hazard. Generally, adverse health effects from asbestos are the result of long-term exposure to high concentrations. A person who has been exposed to asbestos and is also exposed to cigarette smoke has a greater risk of developing lung cancer than someone who does not smoke and is exposed to similar amounts of asbestos. 7

Health Impacts Asbestosis is the scarring of the lungs Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lungs and abdomen Cancers of the lungs, esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectum There is no cure for asbestos-related illnesses Asbestosis results in a loss of lung function that progresses to disability and death. The asbestos fibers will lodge deep inside the lungs and cut the tissue, which creates scarring. The scarred tissue cannot transfer oxygen from the lungs and into the blood, which reduces the capacity of the lungs. Mesothelioma affects the membranes lining the lungs and abdomen. Symptoms include shortness of breath and pain in the chest cavity and abdomen. A number of different cancers have been attributed to exposure to asbestos fibers. These include cancers of the lungs, esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectum. There is no cure for asbestos-related illnesses. Continued exposure causes the asbestos fibers to build up over time, damaging more and more tissue. 8

Occupational Exposure Construction, contracting, and demolition Manufacturing of asbestos materials Maintenance and janitorial workers Automotive brake and clutch work I. Background for the Trainer: Discuss the areas of your company that might be exposed to asbestos-containing materials. I An estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job (according to the US Department of Labor). Heaviest exposures occur in the construction industry, particula rly during the removal of asbestos during renovation or demolition. Employees may also be exposed during manufacture of asbestos products (textiles, friction products, insulation, building materials). Maintenance and janitorial workers may be exposed when working in buildings that have materials with the potential to contain asbestos, particularly building materials that were installed prior to 1980. Automotive brake and clutch work is another potential source of exposure. 9

Exposure Awareness Be aware of asbestos potential in older buildings Know if asbestos is present Know what precautions to take I. Background for the Trainer: Building owners are advised to have an asbestos survey conducted to determine any building materials that could potentially contain asbestos. The materials can then be tested to see if they actually contain asbestos. Once asbestos materials have been identified, all maintenance, janitorial, contractors, and construction workers can be advised of their locations. I Be aware of the potential for asbestos-containing materials in buildings that were constructed prior to 1980. Many building owners were not aware of the presence of asbestos-containing materials, so they were not able to inform maintenance workers, contractors, construction workers, and demolition crews of the asbestos hazards. Because they did not inform those workers, many building owners and construction companies have been cited by OSHA for not providing a safe and healthy work environment. Often, workers who were informed of the presence of asbestos-containing materials did not perform the work safely because they did not understand the risks involved and the safe work procedures that should be followed. 10

Goals Asbestos health hazards and potential exposure Asbestos management and work procedures Quiz Are there any questions concerning the potential health hazards associated with asbestos materials and the occupations with potential exposure? Now let s discuss asbestos management practices and safe work practices. 11

Asbestos Management Risk of asbestos disease depends upon exposure to airborne fibers Average asbestos levels inside and outside asbestos-containing buildings are similar Removal of asbestos material may create hazards Asbestos removal is required only during building demolition or renovation EPA recommends an in-place management program The EPA has developed a fact sheet discussing the importance and effectiveness of a good operations and maintenance program to reduce the hazards of asbestos and calm the fears that people might have about the mere presence of asbestos in their buildings. The five points from this fact sheet are discussed on the slide above. The risk of asbestos-related diseases depends on the level of exposure to airborne fibers. Without airborne fibers there are no dangers. The EPA studied a number of government buildings and found that the asbestos levels inside those buildings was similar to the levels found outside the buildings. Removing asbestos materials may create a hazard where none previously existed. If asbestos materials are undisturbed, they are not a hazard. If they are removed, asbestos fibers are added to the building atmosphere during the demolition. Asbestos removal is not required by law except during demolition or renovation. The EPA is recommending an in-place management program for asbestoscontaining materials. The EPA hopes these facts will discourage the automatic decision of some building owners to remove all asbestos-containing material regardless of condition. 12

Asbestos Control Program Survey the asbestoscontaining materials in the building Corrective measures if necessary Operations and maintenance procedures Train all affected employees Periodic surveillance To maintain an asbestos control program, conduct a survey of asbestos-containing materials in the building and assess their condition. If any of the asbestos-containing materials are damaged and require repair, immediately execute corrective measures. Develop and implement operating and maintenance procedures to ensure that asbestos materials are properly controlled and maintained. Train all affected employees, including maintenance and janitorial workers, on how to detect and report damage to potential asbestos-containing materials. Conduct periodic surveillance of the materials found in the survey to ensure that it remains in good condition. Execute corrective measures on damaged items. 13

Asbestos Work Only trained, authorized employees should work with asbestos Report damaged asbestos-containing materials Following asbestos regulations will help protect everyone exposed I. Background for the Trainer: Some states require a license and certification before a worker can be involved with the removal, repair, maintenance, or cleanup of asbestos-containing materials. In some states, certain asbestos-related jobs or projects might require more training or a different certification than other jobs or projects. Check your state regulations for more specific information. I Remember, do not attempt to remove, repair, or clean up asbestos-containing materials unless trained and authorized to do so. There are specific work practices that must be followed in order to ensure the safety of yourself and others. If you have not been trained and authorized, report any damage to potentially asbestos-containing materials to your supervisor. Adhering to all asbestos regulations will help protect workers, building occupants, and the environment from the hazards of asbestos fibers. 14

Exposure Limits 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air (f/cc) over an 8-hour workday 1 fiber per cubic centimeter of air over a 30-minute period I. Background for the Trainer: If your company has conducted asbestos monitoring, discuss the results of the monitoring. I OSHA has established asbestos permissible exposure limits for both general and construction industries. Respiratory protection is required when working in areas with concentrations of asbestos fibers that are higher than the OSHA limits. For an 8-hour workday, the average exposure must be below 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air. Over a 30-minute period, the average exposure must be below 1 fiber per cubic centimeter of air. 15

Exposure Monitoring General industry Initial monitoring if exposure might be above TWA PEL of 0.1 f/cc Subsequent monitoring at reasonable intervals no longer than 6 months Construction industry Daily monitoring until exposure drops below TWA PEL of 0.1 f/cc Daily monitoring not required when positive pressure supplied-air respirators are used. General industry, such as asbestos material manufacturing or brake and clutch repair, requires initial monitoring if exposure is suspected to be above the 8-hour time-weighted average permissible exposure level, or TWA PEL, of 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter. Additional monitoring is required at intervals no longer than every 6 months. Monitoring should be more frequent if there are changes to the operations or production. The construction industry is required to have initial monitoring if exposure is suspected to be above the TWA PEL of 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter. Monitoring must be conducted daily until the exposure level has dropped below the TWA PEL. Daily monitoring is not required when positive pressure supplied-air respirators are used. 16

Regulated Work Areas Established for areas that exceed the exposure limits Warning signs posted at all approaches Only authorized personnel wearing appropriate respirators can enter No eating, smoking, drinking, chewing tobacco or gum, or applying cosmetics I. Background for the Trainer: Sample warning signs can be found in the OSHA regulations at 29 CFR 1910.1001(j)(3). OSHA has a respirator selection table for asbestos fibers in 29 CFR 1910.1001(g)(3). I OSHA requires that regulated work areas be established for all areas that exceed either the 8-hour or the 30-minute exposure limits. The regulated area must have warning signs posted at all approaches to the area. Only authorized and trained personnel can enter the area. These personnel must be wearing the required respiratory protection. Respirators are selected depending on the concentration of asbestos fibers in the area. Of course there is no eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum, or applying cosmetics while inside the regulated area to avoid accidental ingestion of asbestos fibers. 17

Protective Clothing Coveralls Head coverings Gloves Foot coverings Eye protection In addition to the respirator, OSHA requires protective clothing for employees exposed to airborne concentrations above the limitations set by OSHA. The additional protective clothing includes coveralls, head coverings, gloves, foot coverings, and eye protection, such as goggles or a face shield. Do not take contaminated work clothing home to wash. They must be properly bagged, labeled, and sent to a specialty laundering facility. 18

Hygiene Facilities Employees enter/exit through decontamination area Clean change rooms with showers Two lockers to separate protective work clothing from street clothing Lunchroom with positive pressure, filtered air supply Employees do not enter lunch area with work clothing unless decontaminated Employees will enter and exit the regulated area through a decontamination area. This will remove a large amount of the asbestos fibers from their protective clothing before they enter nonregulated areas. Employees will be provided with clean change rooms that have showers. The showers will remove asbestos fibers from the employees bodies so that they don t take the fibers home and potentially contaminate their families. Employees will also be provided with two separate lockers. One for their noncontaminated street clothing and the other for their contaminated work clothing. The employee lunchroom will be positive pressure with a filtered air supply. Employees will not enter the lunch area with work clothing unless the surface of their work clothing has been properly decontaminated. 19

Safe Work Procedures All work procedures should prevent or reduce dust Keep asbestos material damp Use hand tools on asbestos material Wear required PPE, especially respirator Wash hands before eating, drinking, smoking, and at the end of the day Obviously, since the main hazard associated with asbestos is breathing the dust, all work practices should prevent or reduce dust. Keeping asbestos material damp will reduce the amount of dust created. Remember that power tools will create a lot of dust in a short time and dramatically increase the concentration of asbestos fibers. Use hand tools when working on asbestos materials. Always wear the required PPE, particularly your respirator. Wash your hands and face after leaving the regulated area. 20

Asbestos Dust Clean up asbestos dust using a dustless method Use a special vacuum cleaner with a highefficiency filter Use damp cloths dispose as asbestos waste Never use brooms, brushes, or compressed air Cleaning up asbestos dust requires extra precautions. Again, try to use wet methods to prevent dust from becoming airborne. A special vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency filter is an effective way to safely manage dust. Damp cloths can be used to wipe up asbestos dust. Clothes should be handled as asbestos waste. Never use brooms, brushes, or compressed air to clean up asbestos dust. This will cause a large portion of the asbestos fibers to become airborne. 21

Asbestos Waste Place asbestos waste in a sealed container, such as a bag Place the waste container inside a second bag Label the bag Place the asbestos waste inside a container that can be adequately sealed to prevent the release of asbestos fibers. Place the first container inside a second container or bag so that the asbestos waste is double-bagged. Label the bag to warn others that it contains asbestos fibers. 22

Medical Exams Assignment to occupations with airborne exposure above OSHA limits Pre-placement, annually, and upon termination Construction: Annually when exposed for 30 days or more per year Medical exams are required for all employees that work in regulated areas. Remember these areas have airborne asbestos fiber exposure above the OSHA permissible limits. The exams are required before assignment to the occupation with potential exposure, annually, and upon termination. Construction workers are required to have medical examinations if they are working in areas with exposure above the OSHA limits for 30 days or more per year. Medical exams include chest X-ray, medical work history, and pulmonary function tests. 23

Recordkeeping Monitoring measurements Respiratory protective devices worn Employees exposed Retained for 30 years Monitoring includes dates of monitoring, operation involving exposure, sampling and analytical methods, evidence of accuracy, number of samples, duration of samples, and results. Types of respiratory protection worn by exposed employees. Names and Social Security numbers of employees exposed. The records must be retained for 30 years. 24

Goals Asbestos health hazards and potential exposure Asbestos management and work procedures Quiz Are there any questions concerning asbestos management practices and safe work practices? Let s wrap up this training session with a summary and a quiz. 25

Summary Asbestos is primarily an inhalation hazard Health effects are long term and include cancer Know the location of asbestos-containing materials Wear your respirator and other protective clothing when needed 26

Quiz 1. Friable asbestos-containing materials are more easily damaged or crumbled. True or False 2. Asbestos was primarily used because of its special resistance to. 3. The EPA recommends removing asbestoscontaining materials from buildings. True or False 4. The most important piece of protective clothing when working with asbestos is your. 5. The best way to reduce dust when working with asbestos material is to keep the material damp. True or False I. Background for the Trainer: Remind employees that the quiz is to encourage further discussion and to be sure that everyone understands what was discussed. 27

Quiz (cont.) 6. A broom is the quickest and safest way to clean up asbestos dust. True or False 7. Why are regulated work areas established? 8. Describe some materials that could potentially contain asbestos:. 9. After working with asbestos, you should take your clothes home to wash them right away. True or False 10. Generally, adverse health effects from asbestos are the result of short-term exposure to high concentrations. True or False 28

Quiz Answers 1. True. Friable asbestos will crumble while non-friable asbestos fibers are bound in a tight matrix inside the material. 2. Asbestos was primarily used for its resistance to heat. 3. False. The EPA recommends an in-place management program for asbestos-containing materials. 4. A respirator is the most important because asbestos is primarily an inhalation hazard. 5. True. Keeping the material damp will reduce airborne dust. 29

Quiz Answers (cont.) 6. False. Never use a broom to clean up asbestos dust because you will generate a lot of airborne dust. 7. Regulated work areas are established because the airborne concentration of asbestos fibers is above the OSHA exposure limits. 8. There are many answers, including pipe insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, spray on insulation coatings, roofing materials, decorative coatings, brake pads, and textiles 9. False. Never take your contaminated clothing home to wash. It should be taken to a specialty laundering facility that knows the clothing contains asbestos fibers. 10. False. Adverse health effects are usually caused by longterm exposure. 30