Asbestos Abatement

Abatement work will be divided into either Class I or Class II work.

Class I work is the removal of the Thermal System Insulation or surfacing materials
Class II work is the removal of all other materials that are not TSI or surfacing materials i.e. asbestos containing wallboard, floor tile, roofing, and construction mastics.

Maintenance work will be Class III work and custodial work Class IV work.

Class I, II, and III work will be supervised by a competent person in keeping with the requirements of the standard.

Biosphere International, Inc. will ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of asbestos in excess of 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter of air as an eight-hour time-weighted average.

On multi-employer worksites Biosphere International, Inc. will inform other employers on the site the nature of their work, the existence of regulated areas, and the measures taken to ensure that others are not exposed to asbestos.  Regulated areas will be established and demarcated in a manner that will minimize the number of persons within the area and protects persons outside the area from exposure to airborne asbestos.  Signs will be place on all approaches to the regulated area warning others of the work being performed.

Work will be performed within the requirements of section (g) of the standard that outlines the methods of compliance.  In addition to the three generic requirements of this section: HEPA filtered vacuum units, wetting agents/wet abatement methods, and the prompt clean up and disposal.  Biosphere International, Inc. may use other state-of-the-art methods and equipment as site conditions allow.

Biosphere International, Inc. will ensure that all employees who are required to perform asbestos abatement work are trained in compliance with both OSHA and EPA requirements.  The training provided will be the equivalent in curriculum, training method and length to the EPA Model Accreditation Plan (MAP) asbestos abatement workers training (40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E, Appendix C.)  Training of the Competent Person will be obtained in a comprehensive course for supervisors that meet the criteria of EPA’s Model Accreditation Plan.

A Competent Person will be assigned to all sites governed by asbestos standards (29 CFR 1926.1101 and 29 CFR 1915.1001) as required to oversee the work.  The Competent Person will be qualified in the recognition of asbestos hazards in the work place and will have the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.  The Competent Person will also have the qualifications and authority for ensuring worker safety and health as required by Subpart C, General Safety and Health Provisions for Construction (29 CFR 1926.20 through 1926.32).

On worksites where employees are engaged in Class I or II work the Competent Person will perform or supervise the following duties:

• Set up regulated are, enclosure, or other containment
• Ensure (by on site inspection) the integrity of the enclosure or containment
• Set up procedures to control entry to and exit from the enclosure and or area
• Supervise all employee exposure monitoring and ensure it is conducted in a manner in keeping the requirements of the standard
• Ensure that employees wear protective clothing and respirators in the enclosure
• Ensure through on site supervision, that employees set up, and use and remove engineering controls, use work practices and personal protective equipment in compliance with all requirements
• Ensure that employees use the hygiene facilities and observe the decontamination procedures specified
• Ensure through on site inspection that engineering controls are functioning properly and employees are using proper work practices
• Ensure that notification requirements are met

Biosphere International, Inc. will maintain records of objective data used to determine employee exposures, exposure measurements, medical surveillance, training, and data to rebut PACM, records of required notifications and disposal records.  These records will be made available to the Assistant Secretary and the Director for examining and copying.  Employee medical records will be available for examination and copying to the subject employee. The transfer of records will be made in compliance with 29 CFR 1910.20.?