Specification:Guidelines for reducing air concentrations of asbestos during abatement work

__NUMBEREDHEADINGS__ =GENERAL=

SUMMARY
 This procedure includes guidance on work necessary to reduce air concentrations of asbestos to the specified level and maintain the specified asbestos control limits. See also Specification:Procedures for removing asbestos-containing materials for general asbestos abatement procedures. For specific guidance in removing vinyl asbestos tile or asbestos-containing light ballasts, see 02080-02-R and 02080-03-R respectively. See Specification:General project guidelines for general project guidelines to be reviewed along with this procedure. These guidelines cover the following sections:  Safety Precautions Historic Structures Precautions Submittals Quality Assurance Delivery, Storage and Handling Project/Site Conditions Sequencing and Scheduling</li> General Protection (Surface and Surrounding)</li>  These guidelines should be reviewed prior to performing this procedure and should be followed, when applicable, along with recommendations from the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). </li> </ol> </li> </ol>

SUBMITTALS
<ol type="A"> Submit prior to beginning work. Do not commence work until the following have been approved.</li> Plan of Action: Submit a detailed plan of the procedures proposed for use in complying with the regulations included in this specification. The plan shall include the location and layout of decontamination areas, the sequencing of asbestos work, the interface of trades involved in the performance of work, methods to be used to assure the safety of building occupants and visitors to the site, disposal plan including location of approved disposal site, and a detailed description of the methods to be employed to control pollution. Expand upon the use of portable HEPA ventilation system, closing out of the building s HVAC system, method of removal to prohibit visible emissions in work area, and packaging of removed asbestos debris. The plan must be approved by the Contracting Officer prior to commencement of work.</li> Contractor Qualification Information: Approval by the Contracting Officer is required of the following submittals, which shall be submitted immediately after award of contract: <ol> Name and location of at least 5 asbestos abatement projects performed by the Contractor, including name and telephone number of contract representative. Include the dollar value of the abatement contract, the number of abatement workers used and the type of work performed.</li> Copy of daily log and air monitoring reports including final decontamination levels of last five abatement projects.</li> Name of and experience record of superintendent and foreperson. Include evidence of knowledge of applicable regulations; evidence of participation and successful completion of EPA-approved training course in asbestos removal and/or supervision of asbestos related work; and experience with asbestos related work in a supervisory position as evidenced through supervision of at least two asbestos abatement contracts.</li> Name and experience record of workers who will be assigned to this project. Include for each person the location of last two abatement projects, and evidence of successful completion of in-house training given qualified superintendent or foreperson, or its equivalent. Provide copy of in- house training course outline and attendance record for all employees who will be working on the project.</li> If the State or municipality in which the work is to take place requires a certification or license, provide copy.</li> </ol> </li> Laboratory Qualification Information: <ol> Submit proof of qualifications of testing laboratory and personnel. Accreditation by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) for asbestos work; and certification that person analyzing the samples have been judged proficient by successful participation in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Proficiency Analytical Testing (PAT) Program, shall be considered sufficient proof of compliance. Submittal must be approved by the Contracting Officer prior to beginning any testing.</li> Testing laboratory shall be a firm separate from the abatement contractor. Use of abatement contractor personnel to conduct air sampling and monitoring work will not be acceptable.</li> </ol> </li> Certificates of Compliance: Submit certification that vacuums, ventilation equipment, and other equipment required to contain airborne asbestos fibers conform to ANSI Z9.2.</li> </ol>

QUALITY ASSURANCE
<ol type="A"> Contractor Qualifications: The Contractor shall be a firm of established reputation (or if newly organized, whose personnel have previously established a reputation in the same field), which is regularly engaged in, and which maintains a regular force of workers skilled in asbestos abatement, one of which will be an independent professional Industrial Hygienist (CIH Ref. PBS P 50900.2C Ch. 4 Par. 69) who has performed asbestos abatement on previous projects, and who will be responsible for supervising inspections, reports, monitoring daily logs that meet regulatory requirements, and will be required to follow the requirements of this specification. See Submittals  paragraph for information which must be submitted and approved.</li> Contractor Responsibility: The Contractor shall assume full responsibility and liability for compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local regulations pertaining to the protection of workers, visitors to the site, and persons occupying areas adjacent to the site. The Contractor is responsible for providing medical examinations and maintaining medical records of personnel as required by the applicable Federal, State, and local regulations, and shall hold the government harmless for failure to comply with any applicable safety or health regulation on the part of Contractor, Contractor s employees, or subcontractors.</li> <li>Laboratory Qualifications: Laboratory shall be regularly engaged in asbestos testing, and personnel used for monitoring airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers shall be proficient in this field. See Submittals  paragraph for information which must be submitted and approved.</li> <li>Asbestos Control Limits: <ol> <li>Inside Asbestos Work Area: Air concentrations of asbestos shall not exceed an 8-hour time weighted average of 0.2 fibers (longer than 5 microns), per cubic centimeter of air and shall not exceed at any time the ceiling level of 10 fibers (longer than 5 micrometers) per cubic centimeter of air. See 29 CFR 1910.1001. See evaluation regarding above article.</li> <li>Outside Asbestos Work Area: Air concentrations of asbestos shall be maintained at 8-hour time weighted average below 0.01 fibers (longer than 5 microns) per cubic centimeter of air. This applies to all areas in the building while work is in progress except for the asbestos work area, and to the entire building including the former work area, after final clean-up.</li> </ol> </li> <li>Field Quality Control Monitoring: <ol> <li>Monitoring of airborne concentrations of asbestos shall be in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1001 and ASTM E 849. Monitor the airborne concentration of asbestos before starting work to obtain a baseline fiber concentration in the affected areas. Then monitor once every four hours, continuously during the course of the work inside the asbestos work area, outside the entrance to the asbestos work area and at the exhaust opening of the local exhaust system. If monitoring show airborne concentrations greater than the asbestos control limits, stop all work, correct the conditions causing the excessive levels, and notify the Contracting Officer immediately. In addition, monitor the airborne concentrations of asbestos after final clean-up and removal of the enclosure of the asbestos control area in accordance with paragraph Field Clean-up and Removal of Enclosures. </li> </ol> </li> <li>Field Quality Control Site Inspection: While performing asbestos abatement work, the contractor shall be subject to on-site inspection by agency officials. Work shall also be subject to inspection by OSHA and EPA inspectors and/or local building or health officials. If found to be in violation of 29 CFR 1910.1001, the Contractor shall cease all work immediately and until the violation is resolved. Standby time required to resolve the violation shall be at the Contractor s expense. One complete set of equipment (such as respirators and disposable clothing) required for entry to the asbestos control area shall be made available within 2 hours of request by the Contracting for inspection of the asbestos control area. Such requests will only be made during working hours.</li> </ol>

PROJECT/SITE CONDITIONS
<ol type="A"> <li>Means of Egress: Establish and maintain emergency and fire exits from the work area.</li> <li>Use of Existing Facilities: <ol> <li>The use of showers, toilets and/or similar facilities for decontamination areas is strictly prohibited.</li> <li>The use of existing facilities shall be coordinated with the Director of Facilities with reference to maintaining normal building work schedules.</li> </ol> </li> </ol>

SEQUENCING AND SCHEDULING
<ol> <li>Coordinate the work of all trades to assure that their work is performed in accordance with the applicable regulations and that the asbestos control limits are maintained at all times both inside and outside the asbestos work area.</li> </ol> =PRODUCTS=

EQUIPMENT
<ol type="A"> <li>Equipment, including protective clothing and respirators, used in the execution of this contract and provided to visitors to the site, shall comply with ASTM E 849 and with the applicable Federal, State, and local regulations. Respirators shall conform to the OSHA requirements in 29 CFR 1910.134. Use supplied air type (type C ) units during actual removal operations. </li> </ol> =EXECUTION=

PREPARATION
<ol type="A"> <li>General: <ol> <li>Isolate the work area for the duration of the work by completely sealing off all openings and fixtures in the work area, including but not limited to, heating and ventilation ducts, doorways, corridors, windows, and lighting with plastic sheeting taped securely in place.</li> <li>Build double barriers of plastic sheeting at all entrances and exits to the work area so that the work area is always closed off by one barrier when workers enter or exit.</li> </ol> </li> <li>Protection: <ol> <li>Cover all floors and wall surfaces in the work area with plastic sheeting taped securely in place to protect from damage.</li> <li>Before the work is begun, clean all removable items and equipment. Remove them from the work area and store as directed.</li> <li>Cover all nonremovable items and equipment in the work area with plastic sheeting taped securely in place.</li> <li>Remove all heating, ventilation, and air- conditioning system filters, pack them in sealable plastic bags (6-mil minimum) for disposal in the approved waste disposal site and replace them with new filters.</li> </ol> </li> <li>Post warning signs and labels as required by 29 CFR 1910.1001, ASTM E 849, and as directed by the Contracting Officer.</li> </ol>

ERECTION, INSTALLATION, APPLICATION
<ol type="A"> <li>General Procedures: Perform all asbestos related work and comply with the general safety and health provisions in conformance with 29 CFR 1910.1001 and 29 CFR 1910.20, respectively. For asbestos abatement work, use general work practices, work practices for removal, and work practices for encapsulation as specified in 34 CFR Part 231, Appendix C, ASTM E 849, and other appropriate work procedures approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).</li> <li>Local Exhaust System: Provide a local exhaust system in the asbestos control area as required to meet the asbestos control limit and ceiling concentration. The local exhaust system shall be in accordance with ANSI Z9.2, using High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. Equip exhaust openings with the necessary filters required to reduce the airborne asbestos concentration to below the asbestos control limit. Local exhaust equipment must be sufficient to maintain a negative air pressure in the asbestos control area. In no case shall the building ventilation system be used as the local exhaust system for the asbestos control limit. Filtering in vacuums and exhaust equipment shall conform to ANSI Z9.2.</li> <li>Clean-up and Disposal: <ol> <li>Permits and Notifications: Secure necessary permits in conjunction with asbestos removal, hauling and disposition and provide timely notification of such actions, as may be required by Federal, State, regional and local authorities. Notify the Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and provide copies of the notification to the Contracting Officer twenty (20) days prior to the commencement of the work. Provide notification in accordance with 40 CFR 61.22(d)(1).</li> <li>Housekeeping: Essential parts of an asbestos dust control are housekeeping and cleanup procedures. Maintain all surfaces throughout the area free of accumulations of asbestos fibers to prevent further dispersion. Give meticulous attention to restricting the spread of dust and debris, keep waste from being distributed over the general area or to lower floors. Use approved industrial vacuum cleaners with a HEPA filter to collect dust and small scraps. The blowing down of the space with compressed air is forbidden. Post appropriate asbestos hazard warning signs. In all possible instances workers shall clean up their own areas. Equip personnel engaged in cleaning up asbestos scraps and waste with necessary respiratory equipment and protective clothing. When cleanup is completed, monitor the asbestos airborne concentration of the areas as specified herein and certify the area as safe before the signs are removed. Notify the Contracting Officer before unrestricted entry is permitted. The Government shall have the option to perform monitoring to certify the areas are safe before entry is permitted.</li> <li>Disposal of Friable Asbestos: Collect and dispose of friable asbestos waste, scraps, debris, bags, containers, equipment and asbestos-contaminated clothing which may produce airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers in sealed impermeable bags. Prior to placing in bags, or containers, wet down asbestos wastes to reduce airborne concentrations. Waste asbestos material shall be disposed of in accordance with all Federal regulations at a sanitary landfill that meets EPA requirements. Establish a temporary holding area approved by the Contracting Officer for properly packaged asbestos waste.</li> <li>Final Cleanup and Removal of Enclosure: The Contracting Officer or designated representative will inspect the work area prior to decontamination and removal of enclosure. Visual observation of asbestos materials, dust or debris is not permitted on any surface in or around the work area. Clean work area in accordance with EPA-approved methods, then perform air sampling for clearance purposes. Perform sampling in an aggressive manner, using fans or similar equipment to create exaggerated air movement during the clearance air sampling. Repeat the process until fiber concentration level reaches 0.01 f/cc or the level recommended by EPA. Then wait 24 hours and repeat air sampling process again. If fiber concentration does not exceed 0.01 f/cc or the level recommended by EPA, the Contracting Officer or designated representative may authorize removal of the enclosure. Contracting Officer approval of final cleaning and restoration of the work area is required.</li> </ol> </li> </ol>