About Us

• Contact Us
• Cal State Safety Personnel
• Our Mission and Goals
• Safety Services
• Staff Directory
• Where Are We

Program Areas

• Academic Safety
• Biosafety
• Chemical/Lab Safety
• Emergency Information
• Environmental Management
• Occupational Health & Safety
• Radiation Safety
• Safety Training
• Student Safety

Asbestos Operations and Maintenance

The purpose of these procedures is to provide safe methods for employees of California State University, Fullerton to work with and around the asbestos containing building materials(ACBM) identified on our campus. It is the intent of these procedures to comply with the Asbestos Standard revised in 1995.

Definitions

Class I Asbestos Work

Removal/abatement of thermal insulation and on surface material. All Class I work on campus is contracted to a licensed asbestos abatement contractor.

Class II Asbestos Work

Removal of floor or ceiling tiles, siding, roofing or transite panels or piping.

Class III Asbestos Work

Repair and maintenance operations where employees may disturb ACBM. An example of this work is the removal or moving of asbestos ceiling tiles while servicing above-the-ceiling utilities or running electrical or telecommunications cable. No more than a glovebag of material when ACBM should be disturbed when performing maintenance procedures.

Class IV Asbestos Work

Cleanup of ACBM waste and debris. At Fullerton, this work is done by Class II or III workers.

Initial Exposure Assessment

Assessment of a job by an asbestos contractor/supervisor or building inspector to ensure all precautions are taken prior to the start of work. The assessment is based on previous exposure and area monitoring, observations and information relevant to the job.

Negative Exposure Assessments

An assessment of an asbestos job that shows exposure will be below the Permissible Exposure Level(PEL). This assessment is confirmed by historical, objective past job data(exposure monitoring) that shows airborne fibers are not released in excess of the PEL. Data should show a high degree of certainty that there was no employee exposure under similar conditions.

Permissible Exposure Level (PEL)

The new PEL is 0.1 fibers/cc.

Work Control Center Procedures for Asbestos Work Orders

• When asbestos is identified to exist in an area where Physical Plant work is to be accomplished, an Initial Exposure Assessment will be conducted by EH&IS or a Physical Plant 40 hour competent person.
• When work will involve contact with ACBM, the Physical Plant Work Order will be marked "ASBESTOS" and all required safety procedures will be implemented.
• The Work Control Center will retain asbestos records as required.

Class I Work

California State University, Fullerton does not conduct Class I work. All abatement jobs are contracted.

Class II Work

The procedures listed below can be altered by an asbestos certified supervisor if a negative exposure assessment has been completed.

All Class II work must have the following:

• An asbestos certified supervisor on the job.
• All employees should have 40 hour AHERA training or 32 hour worker training.
• Removal area barricaded with caution tape and signed.
• All non-asbestos trained personnel removed from the area.
• HVAC turned off to the removal location.
• Wear respiratory protection with HEPA filtration.
• At least one worker should wear an air monitor.
• Bag or wrap and label the material and place in the designated asbestos dumpster.
• Wear personal protective clothing unless a negative exposure assessment has been developed.

Vinyl asbestos flooring

• Remove no more than 10 square feet.
• Assume all flooring is asbestos containing unless proven otherwise by testing.
• Use wet methods for removal of flooring and adhesive backing
• Omit wetting when tiles are heated and removed intact.
• Use vacuums equipped with HEPA filters for cleanup.
• Do not sand flooring or the backing.
• Do not rip up resilient sheeting; wet and cut.
• Do not use mechanical chipping unless in negative pressure containment.

Asbestos ceiling tile removal/replacement

• Remove no more than 10 square feet.
• Place impermeable dropcloths below the removal site.
• Lightly spray the ceiling tile with water to reduce friability.
• Do not cut or break the material unless not feasible.
• Use vacuums equipped with HEPA filters for cleanup.

Roofing repairs

• Isolate HVAC air intakes.
• Remove no more that 10 square feet.
• Use wet methods when possible.
• Continuously mist when possible.
• Immediately HEPA vac all loose dust along the cut.
• Encapsulate remaining cut areas.

Transite siding, panels and piping

• Do not cut, abrade, or break unless methods less likely to result in asbestos fiber release cannot be used.
• Spray material with amended water.
• Use vacuums equipped with HEPA filters for cleanup.

Asbestos gaskets

• Use glovebag techniques when feasible.
• Thoroughly wet with amended water.
• Scrape residue using wet method.

Class III Work

All Class III work must have the following:

• 16 Hour training.
• An asbestos certified supervisor available.
• Barricade removal area with caution tape and sign.
• All non-asbestos trained personnel removed from the area.
• HVAC turned off to the removal location.
• Wear respiratory protection with HEPA filtration.
• If a spill occurs, notify an asbestos certified supervisor.
• Bag or wrap and label the material and place in the designated asbestos dumpster.

Removal of thermal insulation for maintenance/repair purposes

• Forty hour AHERA training
• Do not drill, cut, abrade, sand or chip thermal insulation.
• Use glove bags whenever possible
• Use impermeable dropcloth.
• Use amended water.

Maintenance work above McCarthy Hall ceiling tile

• Whenever possible, notify room occupants prior to work.
• Location of work must be posted and occupants relocated during ceiling tile removal and replacement.
• Room occupants may re-enter the room during maintenance operations not involving ceiling tile movement.
• Avoid breaking or cutting ceiling tile.
• If modifications to the tiles are required, notify a 40 hour trained asbestos employee or supervisor.

Class IV Work

All employees involved in Class II and III work are responsible for cleanup of asbestos containing debris and do the following:

• Use wet methods for cleanup.
• Use HEPA vacuum.
• Wear respirators.
• Bag or wrap and label the material and place in the designated asbestos dumpster.

Training

• All Class II work and some portions of Class III (glove bag maintenance) require 40 hour worker certification as a minimum. Annual certification is required.
• Class III workers requires 16 hours Operations and Maintenance course with an annual refresher.

Medical Surveillance

• Class II workers must receive annual asbestos physical.
• Class III and IV workers must receive annual respiratory physicals.

Exposure Monitoring

• Exposure monitoring must be conducted during Class II and Class III glove bag operations.
• Exposure monitoring can be conducted by any Physical Plant or EH&IS 40 hour trained asbestos person or asbestos building inspector.
• Testing and analysis will be conducted by a State Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) certified lab.
• Funding for sample testing of department work order requests will be charged to the requesting department whenever possible.
• EH&IS will maintain exposure monitoring records for development of Negative Exposure Assessments.

Reviewed/Revised: 12/2005 SB; 8/19/2008

• 
• 
• 
• 

This page is maintained by the Cal State Fullerton Division of Administration IT Team. Report problems to Eugene Sim.

California State University, Fullerton ©2008. All Rights Reserved.

This site may contain links to Web sites not administered by California State University, Fullerton, or one of its divisions, schools, departments, units or programs. California State University, Fullerton, is not responsible or liable for the accuracy or the content of linked pages.