ND Asbestos Abatement cheat sheet

Asbestos means the asbestiform varieties of chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite; only these six are regulated under NESHAP and OSHA.

OSHA PEL is 0.1 f/cc as an 8-hour TWA; the excursion limit is 1.0 f/cc averaged over any 30-minute sampling period.

Personal air samples are evaluated against the PEL only when they represent at least 390 minutes of a 480-minute shift; otherwise use the full-shift TWA calculation.

Required PPE in a regulated area: disposable coveralls, head and foot covers, gloves, and negative-pressure respirator with HEPA filters; PAPRs are common for class I work.

Respirator assigned protection factors: half-mask APR = 10, full-face APR = 50, full-face PAPR = 1,000, supplied-air continuous-flow hood = 1,000.

Decontamination sequence leaving the work area: dirty room (remove outer clothing) → shower room (wash) → clean room (dress); never reverse the flow.

Wet methods, HEPA local exhaust, and glove bags control fiber release; dry sweeping and compressed air are prohibited on asbestos debris.

A regulated area must be demarcated with warning signs bearing the legend DANGER, ASBESTOS, AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY, and access limited to trained, protected workers.

A negative-pressure enclosure must maintain at least 0.02 inches of water column (5 Pa) differential relative to adjacent areas; monitor with a manometer and record readings.

Final clearance requires visual inspection with no visible debris, then aggressive air sampling (leaf blower or equivalent) with 5 PCM samples inside the containment.

Clearance criterion: all inside samples must be below 0.01 f/cc by PCM (NIOSH 7400), or the project specification's stricter limit, before reoccupancy.

Notification to the state or EPA must be submitted at least 10 working days before abatement begins where required by the local program; keep a copy on site.

Supervisor duties: pre-abatement inspection, written work plan, employee training records, respirator fit tests, medical surveillance, exposure monitoring, and waste manifests.

Waste must be containerized in leak-tight, labeled containers marked with the OSHA warning and the generator's name, location, and quantity; NESHAP requires no visible emissions during transport.

Critical barriers seal HVAC openings, doors, and windows; the decontamination unit must be attached and sealed to the enclosure before work starts.

Recordkeeping: exposure monitoring records 30 years, medical records duration of employment plus 30 years, training records for the duration of employment.

Inspection requires sampling of each homogeneous area (HA) in each functional space; at least 3 samples per HA, or more if the material is non-uniform.

Bulk samples are analyzed by PLM (polarized light microscopy) per EPA 600/R-93/116; point counting to 400 points is used when the result is near 1%.

Materials are classified as friable or non-friable, and by type: surfacing (TSI), thermal system insulation, and miscellaneous (floor tile, mastic, roofing).

A homogeneous area is material that appears uniform in color and texture and was installed at the same time; different application dates create separate HAs.

Inspector must assess material condition (good, damaged, significantly damaged) and potential for disturbance when recording findings.

Sampling must penetrate all layers of the material; a coring tool or tri-tube is used for layered materials, and each layer is analyzed separately.

Bulk sample results below the detection limit of PLM (about 1%) are reported as none detected; do not treat that as a guarantee of zero asbestos.

The inspection report must document sampling locations, HA descriptions, quantities, analytical method, and a diagram or floor plan of the building.

The management plan applies to schools under AHERA and must be updated every 3 years; the inspection itself is repeated every 3 years.

O&M (operations and maintenance) programs apply to friable ACM that will not be disturbed; periodic surveillance is required every 6 months.

Response actions in order of preference: removal, enclosure, encapsulation, repair, O&M, and no action; selection depends on condition, accessibility, and likelihood of disturbance.

Hazard assessment combines material assessment (condition, friability, accessibility) with likelihood of disturbance to assign a priority ranking.

Reinspection must be done every 3 years by a certified inspector, and the management planner revises the plan based on the new assessment.

Enclosure leaves the material in place behind a rigid barrier; encapsulation seals the surface with a coating; neither eliminates the hazard permanently.

The plan must include a schedule for implementation, a budget estimate, and designation of the person responsible for the plan's execution.

Records of the management plan must be available to parents, teachers, and employees, and to EPA on request.

The designer selects abatement method (removal, enclosure, encapsulation), writes specifications, and prepares the containment and decontamination layout.

Negative air machines are sized by enclosure volume; a common rule is one air change every 15 minutes or enough to hold 0.02 in. w.c. negative pressure.

The design must specify a critical barrier plan, worker decontamination unit, waste load-out route, and emergency egress.

Clearance protocol in the design should specify the number of samples, the sampling method (PCM or TEM), and the pass/fail limit before reoccupancy.

The designer must consider building systems: HVAC shutdown, electrical isolation, fire alarm and sprinkler coverage, and structural support for containments.

Specifications must define the analytical method for both bulk (PLM) and air (PCM or TEM) and the required reporting turnaround.

Design documents should include a pre-abatement inspection report reference, a scope of work, and a schedule of values for payment.

The designer must verify that the contractor's plan meets the specification before work begins, including containment details and air monitoring.

The project monitor verifies the contractor's work against the specification: containment integrity, negative pressure, work practices, and worker protection.

Air monitoring during abatement uses PCM (NIOSH 7400) for clearance and worker exposure; TEM is used where the specification requires it or for final clearance.

Clearance sampling: at least 5 samples inside the containment after aggressive air movement, with all results below 0.01 f/cc by PCM for a pass.

Document manometer readings, air change rates, and any pressure loss; a sustained loss of negative pressure is a stop-work condition.

The monitor must confirm critical barriers are sealed, the decontamination unit is functional, and waste containers are properly labeled before load-out.

Daily logs should record dates, times, personnel, monitoring results, deviations, and corrective actions taken.

Final report should include the inspection findings, air monitoring data, clearance results, and a statement of compliance with the specification.

The monitor does not direct the contractor's workers; findings are communicated to the owner and contractor for correction.