DE Asbestos Abatement flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Six regulated asbestos minerals

Chrysotile (serpentine group) plus five amphiboles: amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite. All are fibrous silicates; amphiboles are straighter and more biopersistent than curly chrysotile.

Asbestosis

Diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis caused by inhaling asbestos fibers, typically appearing 10 to 20 years after heavy, prolonged exposure. It is a nonmalignant pneumoconiosis characterized by scarring and reduced lung function.

Mesothelioma

A malignant tumor of the pleura or peritoneum strongly associated with asbestos exposure, especially amphibole types. Latency is often 20 to 50 years, and smoking does not increase mesothelioma risk.

Smoking and asbestos synergy

Tobacco smoke and asbestos interact multiplicatively to raise lung cancer risk far above either exposure alone, though smoking is not linked to mesothelioma. Cessation remains the single largest modifiable risk reduction.

Respirable fiber fraction

Fibers longer than about 5 micrometers, with a length-to-width ratio of at least 3:1 and a width below roughly 3 micrometers, can reach the deep lung and are the fraction of health concern.

Pleural plaques

Localized areas of fibrous thickening on the parietal pleura, often the earliest and most common radiographic sign of asbestos exposure. They are usually asymptomatic and do not themselves become malignant.

Cumulative exposure dose

Total risk is driven by the product of airborne fiber concentration and duration of exposure over a working lifetime. Lower intensity over longer time can equal higher intensity over shorter time.

One percent ACM threshold

A material is generally classified as asbestos-containing when analysis shows more than 1 percent asbestos by weight, typically determined by polarized light microscopy after gravimetric reduction.

Friable material

Material that can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. Friable ACM releases fibers easily and is subject to the strictest handling requirements.

Category I nonfriable

Nonfriable ACM such as packings, gaskets, resilient floor coverings, and asphalt roofing products. It can become regulated if sanded, ground, cut, or otherwise made friable.

Category II nonfriable

All nonfriable ACM not in Category I, such as asbestos cement siding and transite pipe. It becomes regulated when weathered, cut, or broken so it can be crumbled by hand.

Homogeneous area

A surfacing material, thermal system insulation, or miscellaneous material uniform in color and texture. Sampling and quantity estimates are organized by homogeneous area during inspection.

Presumed ACM

Suspect material assumed to contain asbestos until bulk sampling proves otherwise. Thermal system insulation and surfacing materials in older buildings are typically presumed ACM absent reliable data.

Polarized light microscopy

The standard bulk-sample analysis method, using refractive index and optical properties to identify asbestos type and estimate percentage. It cannot reliably quantify below about 1 percent.

Bulk sampling minimum

Inspectors collect at least three samples from each homogeneous area, with each sample analyzed by an accredited laboratory, to characterize whether the material is asbestos-containing.

NESHAP notification

Written notice to the delegated agency before demolition or renovation. Demolitions always require notice; renovations require it when threshold amounts of regulated asbestos-containing material will be disturbed.

Renovation threshold quantities

Notification is triggered by disturbing at least 80 linear meters (260 linear feet) on pipes, 15 square meters (160 square feet) on other components, or 1 cubic meter (35 cubic feet) off components.

Ten working day notice

Notification must generally be postmarked or delivered at least 10 working days before work starts. Moving the start date earlier requires a new notice with a full 10-working-day lead.

Emergency demolition notice

When a demolition is ordered because of a structural emergency, notification is made as soon as possible and no later than the following working day, with written follow-up to the agency.

Revised notification

An amended notice must be submitted when start or completion dates, the amount of regulated asbestos-containing material, or the designated waste disposal site changes before work begins.

Remove before demolition

NESHAP requires all regulated asbestos-containing material to be removed before demolition or renovation that would disturb it, and before any activity that would render it friable.

Abatement contractor license

A contractor performing abatement must hold the required state or local license, and its workers, supervisors, and inspectors must hold current training certificates with valid refreshers.

Negative pressure containment

The work area is sealed with plastic sheeting and kept under negative pressure by HEPA-filtered exhaust units, so air flows inward and fibers are filtered before release.

Three-stage decontamination

A clean room, shower, and equipment room sequence. Workers move from dirty to clean areas and must not re-enter the work area without full decontamination.

Amended water wetting

Water mixed with a surfactant wetting agent, used to saturate asbestos-containing material before and during removal to suppress fiber release. Material stays wet through bagging and transport.

HEPA respirator use

Air-purifying respirators equipped with high-efficiency particulate filters are required for most abatement tasks. Fit testing, medical clearance, and training must be current before use.

Clearance air sampling

After visual inspection confirms no visible debris, area air samples are analyzed by phase contrast microscopy and must fall below the project's established clearance level before reoccupancy.

Encapsulation versus enclosure

Encapsulation seals the material surface with a coating; enclosure builds a physical barrier around it. Both leave the material in place and require ongoing management and reinspection.

Double-bagging waste

Wet asbestos waste is sealed in leak-tight bags, typically 6-mil or thicker, then placed in a second bag or impermeable container and labeled before leaving containment.

Waste shipment record

A manifest tracking asbestos waste from generator to permitted disposal facility. The generator keeps signed copies and must follow up if the disposal receipt is not returned.

Permitted asbestos landfill

A disposal site authorized to accept asbestos-containing waste. Waste is typically covered with soil or other material at the end of each operating day to prevent fiber release.

Equipment decontamination

Reusable tools are HEPA-vacuumed and wet-wiped before leaving the work area; disposable items are bagged and disposed of as asbestos waste. Wastewater is filtered or settled before discharge.