NY Asbestos Abatement cheat sheet

Asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and pleural disorders; latency is typically 15-40 years after first exposure.

Cigarette smoking multiplies lung cancer risk in asbestos-exposed workers; it does not cause mesothelioma and is not required for asbestosis.

OSHA asbestos medical surveillance applies to employees exposed at or above the PEL for 30 or more days per year.

The OSHA asbestos medical examination includes medical history, physical examination, PA 14x17 chest X-ray, and pulmonary function tests (FVC and FEV1).

Chest radiographs must be interpreted by a B-reader or board-certified radiologist; ILO classification is used for pneumoconiosis.

Medical examinations are provided before assignment and annually thereafter; respirator medical evaluation is separate and required before fit testing.

OSHA asbestos medical records are kept for duration of employment plus 30 years; exposure records are kept for 30 years.

Mesothelioma and lung cancer risk increase with cumulative exposure; no safe threshold has been established for asbestos carcinogenicity.

New York Industrial Code Rule 56 is codified at 12 NYCRR 56 and governs asbestos abatement, licensing, notification, work practices, and clearance.

NYSDOL issues asbestos handling licenses to contractors and certificates to individual asbestos handlers, supervisors, inspectors, project designers, management planners, and air sampling technicians.

Written project notification must reach NYSDOL at least 10 days before abatement begins, unless an emergency provision or variance applies.

Notification content includes owner and contractor identity, site address, start and completion dates, quantity of ACM, and work practices.

Asbestos handler and supervisor certificates require approved initial training and annual refresher training to remain valid.

A variance is a formal NYSDOL approval to use an alternative method when strict Rule 56 compliance is impractical.

New York City projects may also require a separate DEP asbestos filing; local requirements can be stricter than state requirements.

Abatement contractors must keep licensing and certification records available for NYSDOL inspection at the project site.

ACM is material containing more than 1% asbestos by weight, based on representative bulk sample analysis.

Friable material can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry.

Thermal system insulation and sprayed-on or troweled surfacing are presumed ACM until representative samples prove otherwise.

A NYS-certified inspector collects bulk samples using wet methods and avoids cross-contamination between samples.

Polarized light microscopy (PLM) is the standard bulk identification method; it identifies asbestos type and estimates percentage.

Category I non-friable materials include asphalt roofing, asphalt shingles, and vinyl floor tile; Category II covers other non-friable materials.

For PCM fiber counting, a fiber is longer than 5 micrometers, narrower than 3 micrometers, and has an aspect ratio of at least 3:1.

Homogeneous areas should be sampled representatively; the number of samples depends on material type and project requirements.

The work area is isolated with critical barriers and plastic sheeting and kept under negative pressure by HEPA exhaust units.

The decontamination unit has a clean room, shower, and equipment room; workers pass from dirty to clean through the shower.

Wet methods, amended water, and HEPA vacuums control fiber release; dry sweeping and compressed air are prohibited.

A glove bag permits removal of small pipe insulation without constructing a full enclosure.

Minimum respiratory protection for most abatement is a half-face air-purifying respirator with HEPA filters; higher exposure requires greater protection.

Workers wear disposable coveralls, hoods, and booties; street clothing must not be worn into the work area.

Eating, drinking, smoking, and chewing tobacco are prohibited in the asbestos work area.

A certified supervisor must be present during abatement, and all workers must hold valid NYSDOL certificates.

Airborne asbestos samples are commonly analyzed by phase contrast microscopy using NIOSH Method 7400.

OSHA PEL is 0.1 f/cc as an 8-hour TWA; STEL is 1.0 f/cc for 30 minutes; excursion limit is 1.0 f/cc.

Clearance requires a satisfactory visual inspection followed by air sampling that meets the project clearance level before reoccupancy.

Air sampling pumps are calibrated before and after sampling, and flow rates are recorded.

Asbestos waste is wetted, sealed in leak-tight labeled containers (often double 6-mil bags), and sharp items go in rigid containers.

Waste shipment records identify the generator, transporter, quantity, and permitted disposal facility.

Asbestos waste must go to a permitted landfill; it cannot be recycled or disposed of as ordinary construction debris.

Personal breathing-zone and area samples document worker exposure and project conditions.