Asbestos

Regulations
OSHA & EPA

• Together, these agencies established guidelines and work practices for removal activities
• They specified engineering controls and personal protective equipment regulations to protect workers and occupants.

OSHA

• Standards for asbestos established in 1970s after influx of negative health effects
• Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL) of 0.1 fibers per cc of air for 8 hours.
• Establishes PEL for 30 minutes of 1 fiber per cc

EPA

• Asbestos Hazards Emergency Response Act (AHERA)
  • K-12 public and private schools
  • Must identify, inspect and maintain materials
  • 6 month surveillences
  • Triennial reinspections
    • Notify parents, teachers and students
    • Following abatement activities, air levels must be either <0.01 f/cc by PCM or <70 Structures by TEM.
• National Emission Standard of Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)
  • Inspections prior to renovations and/or demolitions of buildings
  • Must notify state of all demolitions regardless of asbestos
  • Must notify state of renovations disturbing over 160 sq ft or 260 ln ft
• In certain states, EPA has designated specific state agencies to enforce the regulations that have been established
  • These agencies monitor all asbestos projects in their respective states
  • They regulate the licensing of all asbestos inspectors, designers, supervisors, and workers