Pine Tree ISD
Asbestos Awareness Training
WHAT IS ASBESTOS?
•
Widely used, mineral based
material
•
Resistant to heat & corrosive
chemicals
•
Fibers may range from coarse
to silky
When is Asbestos Dangerous?
When it becomes airborne.
Fibers are so light it hang in the air for days.
If you step in asbestos you will push it back
into the air.
It can go through air ducts, under doors, down
halls and stairs.
Air Sampling
Air pumps pull the air through a filter.
The fibers collect on the filter.
The fibers are counted with the
use of a microscope.
Asbestos is measured in fibers
per cubic centimeter (f/cc) of air.
A Single Asbestos Fiber
Asbestos Fibers are Hollow.
Human Fiberglass
Hair
Fiber
Asbestos
Fiber
Areas Where Asbestos Can Be Found
* Suspended ceiling tiles
* Thickening agents in paints
* Pipe insulation
* Fireproof drapes and curtains
* Vinyl flooring and mastic (glue)
* Friction products (brake &
clutch facings)
* Reinforcing materials (cement pipe &
sheet materials)
* Primary insulation and lagging material
for high temperature machinery,
boilers, and piping
Contains Asbestos Fibers
Avoid Creating Dust
Cancer & Lung Disease Hazard
Asbestos pipe and boiler insulation does not
present a hazard unless the protective canvas
covering is cut or damaged in such a way that
the asbestos underneath is actually exposed to
the air.
Pipe Insulation
Vinyl Floor Tiles
Asbestos Board
Acoustical Ceiling Tile
Why is it used?
Good insulator for heat, sound, fire, etc.
Plentiful (naturally occurring, easy to mine
and mill.
Stronger than steel.
The Two States of Asbestos
Materials
•Friable
•Non-friable
Friable
Able to crumble into powder with hand
pressure when dry.
Dangerous when airborne.
Examples:
Boiler insulation
Spray-on fireproofing
Popcorn ceiling (Spray-on)
Non-Friable
May become Friable or airborne through
deterioration or processes that disturb.
Examples:
Vinyl Floor Tile
Ceiling Tile
Can asbestos be
identified visually?
There is no way to visually identify
asbestos. Many materials that
contain asbestos look just
the same as materials that don't. The only way to
confirm that a material is asbestos is to take
samples and analyze the material in a laboratory.
Therefore, it is best to treat anything that looks
like it may contain asbestos as if it does until it is
analyzed and proven to not contain any asbestos.
Three Types Found in Buildings
Chrysotile
Amosite
Crocidolite
Chrysotile
Unmilled mineral asbestos (chrysotile).
Respirators
Protection Factor (PF)
Maximum Use Levels (MUL)
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
EXPOSURE LIMITS
OSHA PEL = .1f/cc for 8 hr time weighted avg
Average adult breathes in 10 M3 of air/shift
PEL = 1 million fibers per shift.
Wor
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hACM’
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 If you have reason to suspect that something is asbestos,
either because it is labeled as such, or because it something
that is likely to contain asbestos (9" floor tile, for example)
DO NOT DISTURB IT. Never:








Drill
Hammer
Cut
Saw
Break
Damage
Move
Disturb
Control Methods
Limited activity when in contact with ACMs
Encapsulation.
Enclosure.
Repair.
Removal.
Operations and Maintenance.
Building Systems
Structural
Mechanical
Electrical
Architectural Finishes
Other
HVAC SYSTEM
Block or board insulation
Blanket or batt insulation.
Gasket material
Rope filler
Valve packing
Vibration-dampening cloth
Plumbing System
Pipe Insulating Materials
Transite water supply lines.
Electrical System
Transite ducts for electrical cable runs
Partitions in electrical panels
Asbestos cloth to bind bare wires
Insulation on stage lighting
Mill board templates behind knock-out panels
Braided wire insulation on incandescent
lighting.
Braided wire insulation in older buildings.
Exposure to Asbestos
Diseases
Asbestosis
Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma
Digestive System Cancer
ASBESTOSIS
A progressively restrictive fibrosis of
the lung and is recognized as a
disabling and fatal
occupational disease.
MESOTHELIOMA
A rare malignant tumor of the lung
membrane which lines
the chest and
abdominal cavity.
Mesothelioma
Age - cases of mesothelioma have occurred in
the children of asbestos workers whose only
exposures were from the dust brought home
on the clothing of family members who
worked with asbestos. The younger people are
when they inhale asbestos, the more likely
they are to develop mesothelioma. This is
why enormous efforts are being made to
prevent school children from being exposed.
Digestive System Cancer
Change in bowel patterns
Blood in BM
Feeling tired
Weight loss
BRONCHIAL LUNG CANCER
Malignant tumor of the bronchial tubes,
this disease is more common than the
other three.
Other Cancers
Evidence suggests that cancers in the
esophagus, larynx, oral cavity, stomach,
colon and kidney may be caused by
ingesting asbestos. For more information
on asbestos-related cancers, contact your
local chapter of the American Cancer
Society.
LATENCY PERIOD
(How long it takes to get sick)
10 - 40 years after initial exposure.
How Your Lungs Work
Defense Mechanisms
Exhaling contaminants back out
Nose hair
Mucous
Cilia
Health Hazards of Asbestos
and Tobacco
Smoking sedates the cilia, disabling one of
your key defense mechanisms.
A smoker who does not work with asbestos is
about 22 times more likely to get cancer.
Asbestos workers who
smoke are about 80 times
more likely to get lung
cancer.
Hazard Communication
Who should you contact when you recognize
a damaged condition?
What do you tell them when you call?
a) nature of damage
b) amount of damage
c) location of damage
d) description of the scene
e) occupancy issues
Agencies
EPA
AHERA - schools
ASHARA - public & commercial buildings
NESHAP - air quality districts
NIOSH - equipment approval
OSHA - worker protections
Asbestos Regulating Agencies
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Texas Department of Public Health
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Toxic Substance Control
Cont
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REMEMBER!
Do
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thought to contain asbestos.
Notify your supervisor if you suspect an ACM
has been compromised.
Do
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vinyl tile thought to contain asbestos.
Do
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notifying the Maintenance Department.