MO Asbestos Abatement flashcards

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

RACM definition

Regulated asbestos-containing material: material containing more than 1% asbestos by weight, or any material that can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure under normal handling.

NESHAP applicability

The federal asbestos NESHAP (40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M) applies to institutional, commercial, public, industrial, and residential structures, but exempts residential buildings with four or fewer dwelling units.

Missouri notification timing

Written notification to MoDNR is required at least 10 working days before demolition begins and before renovation or abatement involving RACM, unless a documented emergency applies.

Demolition vs renovation

Demolition removes load-bearing structural members or wrecks a structure; renovation alters a facility in any other way, including asbestos removal, and requires inspection before work starts.

Emergency renovation notice

When a sudden, unexpected event (fire, burst pipe, storm) disturbs RACM, the owner must notify MoDNR as soon as possible and document the emergency reason in writing.

Annual notification

Facilities that will disturb RACM more than once in a calendar year may file an annual notification covering all planned work, updated if the scope or dates change.

Inspection requirement

A Missouri-certified inspector must inspect a facility for asbestos before demolition or renovation, and the written report must be kept on site and available to regulators.

Notification contents

Required notice items include owner/operator identity, facility location and description, project dates, estimated RACM quantities, and the certified contractor's name and certification number.

Threshold for notification

Notification is triggered by demolition of any facility, or by renovation or abatement that will disturb RACM above the regulatory threshold, regardless of whether the material is friable.

Stricter rule governs

When Missouri rules and the federal NESHAP differ, the more protective or stricter requirement applies, so contractors must check both before starting work.

Exempt small residential

A residential building with four or fewer dwelling units is generally exempt from NESHAP notification, but not if it is part of a larger installation or demolished by burning.

Recordkeeping

Inspection reports, notifications, waste manifests, air monitoring results, and training records must be retained and produced on request during a compliance inspection.

Wet methods

Asbestos material must be saturated with amended water before and during removal to suppress fiber release; dry removal is prohibited except for narrow NESHAP exceptions.

Negative pressure containment

Work areas are sealed with plastic sheeting and critical barriers and kept under negative pressure using HEPA-filtered exhaust so fibers do not escape into occupied spaces.

Decontamination unit

A three-stage unit with a clean room, shower, and dirty room that workers pass through when entering and leaving the containment to prevent fiber carry-out.

Respirator fit testing

Workers must be fit-tested for their respirators and use them under a written respiratory protection program that includes medical evaluation and training.

OSHA PEL and EL

OSHA sets a permissible exposure limit of 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter as an 8-hour TWA and an excursion limit of 1.0 f/cc over 30 minutes.

Clearance criteria

After abatement, an independent inspector verifies clearance using PCM with a limit of 0.01 f/cc inside the containment, or by transmission electron microscopy.

Certified supervisor

A Missouri-certified asbestos supervisor must be present on site during abatement work, and workers must hold current certification from an approved training course.

Waste packaging

Removed asbestos must be placed in leak-tight, labeled containers, typically 6-mil bags or double 4-mil bags, and transported to a landfill permitted to accept asbestos waste.

Glove bag use

A glove bag is a sealed enclosure attached around pipe insulation that lets a worker remove small sections of friable material without building full containment.

Critical barriers

Plastic sheeting or other barriers placed over openings, HVAC vents, and surfaces in the work area to prevent asbestos fibers from migrating to other parts of the building.

Amended water

Water mixed with a wetting agent or surfactant that penetrates asbestos material better than plain water and reduces airborne fiber release during removal.

Personal air monitoring

Air samples collected in the worker's breathing zone to measure exposure against the PEL and excursion limit and to select the appropriate level of respiratory protection.

HEPA filter

A high-efficiency particulate air filter that removes at least 99.97% of particles 0.3 micrometers in diameter and is used on vacuums and exhaust units.

Waste manifest

A shipping document that tracks asbestos waste from the job site to the permitted landfill and must be retained as proof of proper disposal.

Worker training hours

Missouri asbestos worker certification requires an approved initial course, typically 32 hours, plus annual refresher training to keep certification current.

Non-friable roofing removal

Non-friable roofing material may be removed using wet methods and cutting tools that keep it intact, avoiding practices that crumble the material.

Friable material

Material that can be crumbled or reduced to powder by hand pressure and therefore readily releases fibers when disturbed; it requires the strictest work practices.

Class I vs Class II work

Class I abatement removes thermal system insulation or surfacing material; Class II removes other asbestos-containing material such as flooring or roofing.

Certification categories

Missouri certifies asbestos inspectors, management planners, project designers, contractors/supervisors, and workers, and each category requires its own approved training.

Site signage

Work areas must be posted with warning signs at all entrances stating that asbestos is present and that entry is restricted to authorized, protected personnel.