Asbestos Awareness

Objectives

Background Standards Contracting Repair/Removal Maintenance Activities

Background

Asbestos Origin Properties Uses Diseases

Asbestos

Is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral which is mined like diamonds and comes in two forms:– Serpentine - snake like– Amphibole - needle like

Mineral content includes:– Silica– Water– Iron– Magnesium (may include)

Asbestos Types

Chrysotile - 95%type used in the United States

Amosite - Used to harden Crocidolite - Frequently found as a

contaminant of Amosite

Origins

Found in nature Arctic Deserts Mountains Snow Drinking water

Origins continued

Mined USA Canada Russia South Africa Italy

Properties

Tensile strength Flexibility Heat Resistant Chemical Resistant

Uses

Historical – 480 BC - Candle wicks– Egyptians wove asbestos into cremation shrouds– Romans used in textiles like cremation shrouds,

lamps, napkins and table cloths– Wide spread uses in the late 1800 and 1900

Present Day– Acoustical spray-on asbestos– TSI -Thermal system insulation– brakes/clutches– vinyl floor tile

Diseases

Asbestosis - Scarring of the lungs due to cell damage from inhalation of asbestos fibers.

Mesothelioma - Cancer of the lining around the lungs called the mesothelium. Fatal

Lung Cancer - Cancer of the bronchioles. Synergistic effect with cigarette smoking.

Standards

COMDTINST 6260.16A

29 CFR 1910.1001 (General Industry)

29 CFR 1926.1101 (Construction)

40 CFR 61.156 (NESHAPS)

Vocabulary

ACM: Asbestos-containing material. Material which contains one or more percent asbestos.

Friable/Nonfriable: Friable-ACM which can be crumbled under hand pressure. Nonfriable-ACM which can not be crumbled or become airborne easily such as floor tile or transite.

TSI: Thermal system insulation

PACM: Presumed asbestos-containing material. TSI or surfacing materials installed prior to 1980.

Competent person/Qualified person: Someone who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or work conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous especially in regards to asbestos and who is authorized to select the appropriate control strategy and can take prompt corrective actions to eliminate them.

Vocabulary of Standards

PEL: OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit-limit which is based on an 8-hour time weighted average and can not be exceeded. (This is law.)

TWA: Averaged airborne concentration of a substance over a given period of time such as eight hours.

Excursion Limit: A 30 minute limit which must not be exceeded more than twice per day.

TLV: a time weighted average concentration for a normal 8-hour work day and a 40-hour work week, to which nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effects. (recommendation from ACGIH).

Criteria

PEL - 0.01 f/cc Excursion Limit - 1.0 f/cc

Program Elements

Responsibilities

Asbestos Management Plan

Identification

Repair and Removal

Asbestos Management Plan

Designation of a Coordinator Identification Inventory Labeling Management in Place

Identification

Sampling - Sampling should be done as outlined in the handout provided and provided to MLCPAC (kse) to process for analysis.

Analysis - Analysis is done by an accredited lab.

Sampling

Who can Sample - Legally the person sampling must be A CIH or certified by attending an AHERA course

Training Requirements to Sample - Classes referred to as AHERA certified by the EPA

Uses of Samples Results - Samples taken by personnel who are not certified to take samples can only be used for establishing the cost of the project. The can not be used by the contractor.

Analysis

PLM-Polarized Light Microscopy

TEM-Transmission Electron Analysis

Labels

DANGERCONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBERS

AVOID CREATING DUSTCANCER AND LUNG DISEASE

HAZARD

Repair and Removal

Prohibited Activities

Contract Concerns

PACM

Prohibited Activities

Coast Guard personnel are prohibited from repairing or removing asbestos-containing materials.

Except at the CG Yard, Base Ketchikan and underway casualty repair activities.

Contract Concerns

MLCPAC (kse) Review spec packages Inform contractors

Standards to be followed Possible presents of asbestos

Recommend independent consulting firm to oversee the abatement.

Signs

Maintenance Activities Involving ACM

Buffing floor tiles

Replacing gaskets

Replacing brake pads

Definitions for Maintenance Operations

Wet Methods: Wetting the material to be removed prior to disturbing it. Prefer the use of amended water over plain water.

Amended Water: Water which has had a chemical added to make it penetrate and adhere to the material be removed more readily.

HEPA: high efficiency particulate air. A filter or filtration system designed to trap and retain 99.97 % of all particles 0.3 micrometers or greater.

Maintenance Procedures Involving ACM

Buffing and waxing floor tiles Must have a heavy wax coating No abrasive buffers

Gasket material replacement Must be done using wet methods

Brake replacement Must use HEPA vacuum drum to catch

fibers from asbestos brakes or Interim wet methods

Prohibited Procedures

Sanding, drilling, grinding, sawing with high speed abrasive discs, anything that causes asbestos fibers to be released from the material.

Dry sweeping, shoveling or other forms of dry clean-up and use of compressed air to remove asbestos debris.

Actual Abatement Activities

Beyond the scope of this training.

Standards are: Complicated Lengthy Confusing Require extensive training

Summary

Asbestos is used throughout the Coast Guard in many ways, e.g. insulation, gaskets, brakes, etc.

Exposure to asbestos can cause diseases that can be fatal.

Asbestos must be identified, inventoried, labeled, removed or managed in place.

Coast Guard personnel are prohibited from working with asbestos (with notable exceptions).

If personnel must work with asbestos, they must have extensive training.

Who & how this applies, at Activities San Diego

Where to get more information

MLCPAC (kse) – Coast Guard Island - (510) 437-3893– District health and safety

representatives – Headquarters

Consulting services