ASBESTOS AWARENESS
TRAINING
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
Where is Asbestos Found?
Sprayed on fire proofing Insulation in buildings
Insulation on pipes & boilers Wall & ceiling insulation
Where is Asbestos Found?
Putties, caulks, & cements Roofing shingles
Siding shingles on old residential buildings
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!
Recognizing Damaged or
Deteriorated ACM
Water damage
Continual vibration Aging
Physical impact such as drilling, grinding, buffing,
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.
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
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.
Asbestosis
Serious, chronic, non-cancerous
respiratory disease
Lung tissue scarring
Symptoms - shortness of breath, dry crackling lung sounds
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
Mesothelioma
Rare form of cancer which affects
the membrane lining of the lungs,
chest & abdomen.
Para-occupational Exposure
People who live:
with asbestos workers
near asbestos mining areas
near asbestos product factories, or near shipyards
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
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)
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,
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
Housekeeping
Facility Workers:
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
Spills
Do not attempt to clean up spills yourself Disturb material as little as possible
Take measures to prevent others from
