Asbestos
Fortunately, U.S. Army service members' and civilian employees' enrollment in the Army Asbestos Medical Surveillance program has decreased across the enterprise. Asbestos exposures to Army personnel who work with vehicle parts such as brake pads and insulation, construction projects, and outdoor training environments have decreased. Major abatement projects are generally contracted out to private industry thus removing the risk to Army personnel. The Army is still required to have an Asbestos Management Program in installations world-wide.
Role of Army Industrial Hygiene in Asbestos Program
- Serve as the principal advisor and consultant (competent person) (29 CFR 1926.1101) to the Asbestos Control Manager and for DA operations involving personnel, to include military and DA civilian, on the installation concerning asbestos abatement projects.
- Provide technical input to the Installation Asbestos Management Team for the selection of proper methods for abating potential asbestos health hazards.
- Advise government-contracting officials on the preparation and review of contract specifications and proposals for asbestos abatement issues.
Suggested training/certification: EPA Asbestos Inspector/ Management Planner
Army-Related Asbestos Information
DoD and Army Asbestos Policies
AR 40-5, Preventive Medicine
AR 420-1 Army Facilities Management
AR 200-1 Environmental Protection and Enhancement
DA Pam 40-513, Occupational and Environmental Health Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Asbestos Exposure
is the Army's guidance on protecting ALL personnel and dependents that are exposed to asbestos on installations.
Medical Surveillance Program Management Tools
6055.05-M - Occupational Medical Examinations and Surveillance Manual
USAPHC Model SOP Asbestos Medical Surveillance
Developing and Implementing an Asbestos Control Program
Installation Asbestos Management Program
(U.S. Army Center for Public Works Technical Bulletin (PWTB) 420-70-8) is a guidebook that is intended to help installations comply with Army policy by developing and implementing an effective management program.
Performing Asbestos Inspections
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers scopes of work for asbestos inspections:
Asbestos Surveys and Assessments Standard Scope of Work
(EP 1110-1-22).
This pamphlet provides guidance on developing scopes of work for inspection and survey of real property facilities on Army installations in accordance with
Installation Asbestos Management Program
(U.S. Army Public Works Technical Bulletin (PWTB) 420-70-8), to identify, document, and develop a plan for the control or elimination of asbestos hazards.
USAPHC Fact Sheet: Air Sampling for Asbestos for Comparison to Occupational Exposure Limits
USAPHC Fact Sheet: Asbestos: An Occupational Health Overview
Non-Government Resources
Oklahoma State University Environmental Health & Safety - Asbestos
Federal Regulations and Guidance
EPA Asbestos
EPA - Asbestos
EPA's
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT)
manages the asbestos program under the
Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA)
.
EPA regulations
Asbestos
(40 CFR Part 763) and
NESHAPS Subpart M
(40 CFR Part 61) implement:
OSHA Asbestos
OSHA Safety and Health Topics - Asbestos
Asbestos Construction Standard
(OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101) applies to any work that disturbs asbestos-containing materials, including operation and maintenance work as well as demolition, abatement, housekeeping at construction sites, and emergency cleanup.
Asbestos General Industry Standard
(OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001) applies to industrial (non-construction) work operations such as vehicle brake and clutch maintenance.
It also applies to general housekeeping operations in facilities (other than at construction sites) where asbestos is not disturbed but may be contacted.
NIOSH - Asbestos
Planning and Performing Asbestos Abatement Work
Unified Facilities Guide Specifications:
Engineering Control of Asbestos Containing Materials (UFGS-02 82 16.00 20) covers building abatement work.
Pre-Design Lead/Asbestos Survey Standard Scope of Work
(EP 1110-1-30) provides a generic scope of work for conducting pre-design surveys for lead and/or asbestos containing materials in/around affected portions of structures to be altered, renovated, or demolished.
Data collected from these surveys should be incorporated into the design to ensure that construction specification requirements and execution are in accordance with acceptable Federal, state, and local environmental and safety/occupational health regulations.
Engineering and Design - Asbestos Abatement Air Monitoring Standard Scope of Work (EP 1110-1-23) provides guidance on developing a scope of work for the hiring of an independent contractor to conduct air monitoring during asbestos abatement, in accordance with
Asbestos Hazard Control Activities
(UFGS-02 83 14.00 10), to include environmental air quality control and/or air sampling for baseline (pre-abatement) and final clearance phases.
Asbestos Abatement Guideline Detail Sheets
(EP 1110-1-11) provides abatement Guideline Detail Sheets that are used in conjunction with COE Specification for military construction (CEGS 02080) asbestos abatement.
Construction Criteria Base (CCB)
is an extensive electronic library of construction guide specifications, manuals, standards, and many other essential criteria documents, published on the Internet by the non-profit NIBS.
Documents are organized into Libraries (Specifications, Regulations, Codes, Standards, Documents, CADD, Energy and Environment, Sustainable Design), then by Source and Category (additional subdivisions). Locate asbestos documents using the search feature.
Asbestos Analyzing and Sampling
Measurement Methods
OSHA
ID160 ,
ID191
NIOSH Method 7400 Asbestos Fibers by PCM
Phase Contrast Microscopy
- Air and wipe samples only
- OSHA required method
- 3 to 1 ratio, > 5 microns
- No identification of fiber types
- Results in fibers per cc of air
NIOSH Method 7402 Asbestos Fibers by TEM
Transmission Electron Microscopy
- Air and bulk samples
- Fiber type identification
- Two standard protocols
- for occupational exposures
- for clearance samples (EPA AHERA)
- Results in structures per cc of air
NIOSH Method 9000 Asbestos, Chrysotile by XRD
X-Ray (Powder) Diffraction
- Bulk sample (1-10 grams)
- Determines if asbestos minerals are present
- Analysis of percentage of chrysotile asbestos in bulk samples
NIOSH Method 9002 Asbestos (bulk) by PLM
Polarized Light Microscopy
- Bulk and wipe samples only
- Used with differential staining
- Identification of fiber types
- Results in percent (by volume)
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards - Asbestos
Industrial Hygiene Air Sampling and Bulk Sampling Guide (USAPHC Technical Guide 141)
Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Work
"Managing Asbestos in Place, A Building Owner's Guide to Operations and Maintenance Programs for Asbestos-Containing Materials" (the "EPA Green Book") and "Guidance for Controlling Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings" (the "EPA Purple Book") can be ordered from the
National Service Center for Environmental Publications .
Training and Certification
Installation personnel and contractors must be trained and certified to perform asbestos evaluation or abatement work.
They must meet any applicable State training, certification, and licensing requirements.
EPA's
training requirements , according to the Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan , apply to schools and public/commercial buildings.
State agencies that administer asbestos programs can provide lists of contractors who are certified to offer their services in those states.
Installations should review contractor qualifications as part of the selection process.
