CA Asbestos Abatement key terms

A progressive scarring disease of the lung tissue caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, producing shortness of breath and reduced lung function years after exposure; it is not a cancer and has no cure.

A rare cancer of the thin membrane lining the chest or abdominal cavity, strongly linked to asbestos exposure, often appearing decades later and typically with a poor prognosis.

The delay, often 10 to 40 years, between first asbestos exposure and the appearance of an asbestos-related disease; it explains why illnesses surface long after work has ended.

Scar tissue formation in an organ. In the lungs, inhaled asbestos fibers provoke fibrous scarring that stiffens tissue and impairs the exchange of oxygen into the blood.

The relative ability of a given fiber type, size, and shape to cause disease; long, thin, durable fibers that reach deep lung tissue are considered more hazardous than short or curly ones.

The most common commercial asbestos mineral, a curly serpentine fiber used in many building products; it is classified as a carcinogen and is the only serpentine form of asbestos.

A family of straight, needle-like asbestos minerals including amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite; these fibers are generally more durable in lung tissue than chrysotile.

The liberation of asbestos fibers from a material into the air when it is cut, sanded, crushed, or disturbed; the likelihood depends on how firmly fibers are bound within the product.

Describes asbestos-containing material that can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry, and therefore readily releases fibers into the air.

Describes asbestos-containing material that cannot be crumbled by hand pressure when dry, such as intact floor tile or roofing; it can still release fibers if cut, ground, or damaged.

Any material or product that contains more than one percent asbestos by weight, as determined by an accredited inspector's sampling and laboratory analysis under applicable regulations.

Material assumed to contain asbestos because it is a known suspect product or has not been sampled; it must be handled as ACM until testing proves otherwise.

A physical piece of material collected by an accredited inspector and sent to an accredited laboratory to determine whether and how much asbestos it contains.

A laboratory microscopy method that estimates the percentage of asbestos fibers in a bulk sample by counting fibers and other particles on a prepared slide; used to determine if material exceeds one percent.

The standard laboratory technique for identifying asbestos minerals in bulk samples by observing how light behaves as it passes through fibers under a polarizing microscope.

A person trained and certified under a recognized program to identify suspect asbestos materials, collect bulk samples, and assess their condition for a building survey.

A systematic building inspection that locates, samples, and documents suspect asbestos materials, their quantities, and their condition before renovation, demolition, or abatement work begins.

The removal, encapsulation, or enclosure of asbestos-containing material, or other measures taken to eliminate or reduce fiber release from the material.

A sealed enclosure, typically built of plastic sheeting, that isolates the work area and prevents asbestos fibers and dust from escaping to surrounding occupied spaces.

A condition created by exhausting air from a containment faster than it leaks in, so air flows inward and fibers are kept inside; verified with a manometer or smoke test.

A physical separation, such as plastic sheeting over doors and openings, that keeps the work area isolated from occupied or clean spaces and must remain intact throughout the job.

A high-efficiency particulate air filter capable of trapping at least 99.97 percent of airborne particles of 0.3 micrometers, used in vacuums, air scrubbers, and respirators to capture fibers.

A portable machine that draws air through HEPA filters to remove airborne particles and, in some units, to help maintain negative pressure inside a containment.

Work practices that keep asbestos material wet with water or amended water during removal to suppress fiber release into the air; dry scraping and dry sweeping are prohibited.

Applying a sealant coating to asbestos-containing material so fibers are bound in place; the material remains in the building and must be monitored and recorded.

Gear worn to protect a worker from hazards, including respirators, disposable coveralls, gloves, and eye protection; required during abatement and chosen based on exposure assessment.

A facepiece device that filters or supplies clean air to protect the wearer's lungs; must be fit-tested, medically cleared, and used under a written respiratory protection program.

A procedure that checks whether a respirator seals properly against a worker's face; required before first use and periodically thereafter, using qualitative or quantitative methods.

The sequence of cleaning steps, typically a dirty room, shower, and clean room, through which workers and equipment pass when leaving the work area to avoid carrying fibers out.

Collecting air samples, usually with pumps drawing air through filters, to measure airborne fiber concentrations during work and to verify that the area is safe for reoccupancy.

A laboratory method that counts fibers on an air sample filter; it counts all thin fibers but cannot identify which ones are asbestos, so results are reported as total fibers per cubic centimeter.

A high-magnification technique that identifies and counts asbestos fibers specifically, often used for clearance testing where more definitive results are required than PCM can provide.

The final inspection and air sampling performed after abatement and cleaning to confirm that fiber levels meet the required standard and the space can be released for occupancy.

A shipping document that tracks asbestos waste from the generation site to the disposal facility, recording quantities, transporters, and receipt, and retained as a record of proper disposal.

A permitted landfill authorized to accept asbestos-containing waste, where material is buried under specified conditions to prevent fiber release into the environment.

Placing removed asbestos debris in sealed, leak-tight, labeled containers, often double bags or drums, before transport so fibers cannot escape during handling and shipment.

Maintaining required documents such as surveys, sampling results, training certificates, medical records, waste manifests, and clearance reports for the periods set by regulation.