Asbestos

Asbestos Awareness
Awareness

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Objectives

• What is asbestos
• Where can it be found
• What are the health problems associated
with exposure to asbestos
• How can exposure occur
• OSHA Requirements
• Fermilab Policy
Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness
 Asbestos

• Group of Naturally Occurring Minerals

• Fibrous Structure
• Different Types
• Most Common (95%)
– Chrysotile (White)
– Amosite (Brown)

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Good Things About Asbestos

• Good insulator (heat and electricity)

• High tensile strength
• Resistant to corrosives
• Doesn’t burn
• Inexpensive
• Fibrous – can be used in a variety of ways

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Uses – Prior to 1980

• Ceiling tiles • Vibration dampers

• Drywall taping • Cement sheet
compound (transite)
• Adhesives and mastics • Floor tile
• Valve packing and
• Thermal system
insulation
insulation
• Fire Resistant drywall
• Roofing felts • Sprayed-on
• Gaskets fireproofing

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Health Concerns

• Inhaled or swallowed
• Asbestosis – scarring of lung – 20 year
latency period
• Lung Cancer – 20 to 30 year latency period
• Mesothelioma – cancer of the lining of lung
– 30 year latency period – rare
• Digestive Tract Cancer

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 How Much Is Too Much?

• Studies done on people exposed to asbestos in the

course of their work show increased risk
• Much higher concentrations of asbestos than the
general public
• Cannot state that there is a threshold below which
risk of cancer is not increased
• OSHA – 8 hour time-weighted-average of 0.1f/cc
• Smoking increases risk

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 So What?
• If you work around asbestos containing building
materials which are damaged or deteriorated there
is a potential you may be exposed to asbestos
fibers (fibers may not be visible and remain in air
for a long time)
• Asbestos is a hazard ONLY if it can release fibers
(friable)
• Friable – pipe insulation, fireproofing, etc.
• Non-friable - floor tile, transite (unless machined
or broken)
Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness
 Damage or Deterioration

• Water leaks, cutting or bumping, strong air

currents, age
• Evidence
– Debris
– Ripped or cracked
– Delamination
• Report to ES&H Group immediately

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Don’ts

• Don’t use pipes lined with asbestos as a

platform to work from
• Don’t cut through pipe insulation
• Don’t bump into sprayed on materials
• Don’t open up enclosures
• Don’t disturb non-friable material
• Don’t clean-up or repair material
Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness
 OSHA Regulations
1910.1001 and 1926.1101
• Presumed Asbestos Containing Material
(PACM)
• Determine presence, location, and quantity
• Maintain records
• Warning signs and labels
• Contractor Notification
• Training
Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness
 Presumed Asbestos Containing
Material
• Suspect thermal system insulation, sprayed-
on and troweled-on surfacing materials in a
building constructed no later than 1980.
• Asphalt and vinyl flooring installed no later
than 1980 must be treated as asbestos
containing.

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Declassification of PACM

• Complete an inspection per EPA

requirements
• Accredited inspector or certified industrial
hygienist (IH). The State of Illinois
requires a license.
• Accredited laboratory
• Floor tile and mastic determination of IH
using recognized analytical techniques

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Inventory

Building and facility owners shall determine

the presence, location and quantity of ACM
and PACM

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

Fermilab Program (FESHM 5052.4)
Inventory
• Inventory – ES&H Share Volume – IH Folder –
Asbestos Folder – Inventory
• Buildings built on or before 1980
• Thermal System Insulation, Surfacing Materials,
Floor Tile
• Materials grouped into “homogeneous areas”
• Positive result – one sample in the homogeneous
group (1% or more)

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

Examples – Friable Material Locations
Thermal System Surfacing Material
Insulation
• Lab A • Lab A (enclosed)
• PS-4 • Cross Gallery
• IB2 • Linac Gallery
• Wilson Hall Ground Floor
• Transfer Gallery
and Below
• CUB and tunnel
• Transfer Gallery
• Cross Gallery
• Linac
• Site 68

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Warning Labels

• Labels must be affixed so that employees

will be notified of what materials contain
ACM and/or PACM
• Materials not friable (in any foreseeable
use, handling, storage, disposal, processing,
or transportation) need not be labeled

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Warning Signs

Warning signs shall be at the entrance to

mechanical rooms/areas in which, if
followed, will ensure that ACM and/or
PACM will not be disturbed

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Training

• Removal Workers
• Operations and Maintenance Workers
• Annual Awareness training for employees
“who perform housekeeping operations in
an area which contains ACM or PACM

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Contractor Notification

• Shall notify of the presence, location and

quantity of ACM or PACM at the work site.
• Notification shall be in writing or shall
consist or personal communication between
the owner and contractor

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Procedures
• In building built before, assume all pipe
insulation, surfacing material, and floor tile DO
contain asbestos whether or not labeled.
• Check inventory database
• Contact ES&H Group personnel
• May request that the material be sampled
• Contact ES&H Group for help if material must be
removed. This can ONLY be done by specially
trained individuals.

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Review
• Asbestos is a naturally
occurring mineral fiber
• It is contained in many
materials in buildings built
before 1980
• It is associated with
asbestosis and lung cancer
• Exposure can occur if
friable building material
has been damaged
Fermilab ES&H Section
• Exposure can occur if
non-friable material
sanded, sawed, etc.
• Damage can occur by
bumping or cutting, water
damage, or deterioration
with age
Asbestos Awareness
 Review

• Inventory
• Label
• Only trained inspectors may take samples
• ES&H Group personnel
• Only trained workers may disturb this
material

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness

 Asbestos
Asbestos Concern
Concern Contact
Contact Numbers
Numbers
• Accelerator Division • FES Section
– Richard Rebstock (3499) – Mike Bonkalski (8448)
• ESH Section • Technical Division
– Tom Gibbs (8001) – Richard Ruthe (5424)
• Workforce Development • Business Services Section
and Resources Section – Greg Mitchell (8002)
– Mike Bonkalski (8448) • Computing Division
• Particle Physics Division – Amy Pavnica (8493)
– Robert Bushek (2399)

Note: Tom Gibbs is the Point-of-Contact for all Asbestos removal

projects at Fermilab. Phone (8001) Cell (630-432-4420)

Fermilab ES&H Section Asbestos Awareness