Asbestos Awareness
Objectives
 Background
 Standards
 Contracting
 Repair/Removal
 Maintenance
Activities
Background
 Asbestos
 Origin
 Properties
 Uses
 Diseases
Asbestos
 Is
a naturally occurring fibrous mineral
which is mined like diamonds and comes
in two forms:
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Serpentine - snake like
Amphibole - needle like
 Mineral
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content includes:
Silica
Water
Iron
Magnesium (may include)
Asbestos Types
 Chrysotile
- 95%type used in the United
States
 Amosite - Used to harden
 Crocidolite - Frequently found as a
contaminant of Amosite
Origins
 Found
in nature
 Arctic
 Deserts
 Mountains
 Snow
 Drinking
water
Origins continued
 Mined
 USA
 Canada
 Russia
 South
 Italy
Africa
Properties
 Tensile
strength
 Flexibility
 Heat Resistant
 Chemical Resistant
Uses

Historical
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
480 BC - Candle wicks
Egyptians wove asbestos into cremation shrouds
Romans used in textiles like cremation shrouds, lamps,
napkins and table cloths
Wide spread uses in the late 1800 and 1900
Present Day
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Acoustical spray-on asbestos
TSI -Thermal system insulation
brakes/clutches
vinyl floor tile
Diseases

Asbestosis - Scarring of the lungs due to cell
damage from inhalation of asbestos fibers.

Mesothelioma - Cancer of the lining around
the lungs called the mesothelium. Fatal
 Lung
Cancer - Cancer of the bronchioles.
Synergistic effect with cigarette smoking.
Standards
 COMDTINST
6260.16A
 29
CFR 1910.1001 (General Industry)
 29
CFR 1926.1101 (Construction)
 40
CFR 61.156 (NESHAPS)
Vocabulary

ACM: Asbestos-containing material. Material which contains one or
more percent asbestos.

Friable/Nonfriable: Friable-ACM which can be crumbled under hand
pressure. Nonfriable-ACM which can not be crumbled or become
airborne easily such as floor tile or transite.
TSI: Thermal system insulation


PACM: Presumed asbestos-containing material. TSI or surfacing
materials installed prior to 1980.

Competent person/Qualified person: Someone who is capable of
identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or
work conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous
especially in regards to asbestos and who is authorized to select the
appropriate control strategy and can take prompt corrective actions to
eliminate them.
Vocabulary of Standards

PEL: OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit-limit which is based on an 8hour time weighted average and can not be exceeded. (This is law.)

TWA: Averaged airborne concentration of a substance over a given
period of time such as eight hours.

Excursion Limit: A 30 minute limit which must not be exceeded more
than twice per day.

TLV: a time weighted average concentration for a normal 8-hour work
day and a 40-hour work week, to which nearly all workers may be
repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effects.
(recommendation from ACGIH).
Criteria
 PEL
- 0.01 f/cc
 Excursion Limit - 1.0 f/cc
Program Elements
 Responsibilities
 Asbestos
Management Plan
 Identification
 Repair
and Removal
Asbestos Management Plan
 Designation
of a Coordinator
 Identification
 Inventory
 Labeling
 Management in Place
Identification

Sampling - Sampling should be done as
outlined in the handout provided and
provided to MLCPAC (kse) to process for
analysis.
 Analysis
lab.
- Analysis is done by an accredited
Sampling

Who can Sample - Legally the person sampling must
be A CIH or certified by attending an AHERA course

Training Requirements to Sample - Classes referred
to as AHERA certified by the EPA

Uses of Samples Results - Samples taken by
personnel who are not certified to take samples can
only be used for establishing the cost of the project.
The can not be used by the contractor.
Analysis
 PLM-Polarized
Light Microscopy
 TEM-Transmission
Electron Analysis
Labels
DANGER
CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBERS
AVOID CREATING DUST
CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE
HAZARD
Repair and Removal
 Prohibited
 Contract
 PACM
Activities
Concerns
Prohibited Activities
 Coast
Guard personnel are prohibited
from repairing or removing asbestoscontaining materials.
 Except
at the CG Yard, Base Ketchikan
and underway casualty repair activities.
Contract Concerns
 MLCPAC
 Inform
(kse) Review spec packages
contractors
 Standards
to be followed
 Possible presents of asbestos
 Recommend
independent consulting
firm to oversee the abatement.
Signs
Maintenance Activities
Involving ACM
 Buffing
floor tiles
 Replacing
gaskets
 Replacing
brake pads
Definitions for Maintenance
Operations

Wet Methods: Wetting the material to be removed
prior to disturbing it. Prefer the use of amended
water over plain water.

Amended Water: Water which has had a chemical
added to make it penetrate and adhere to the material
be removed more readily.

HEPA: high efficiency particulate air. A filter or
filtration system designed to trap and retain 99.97 %
of all particles 0.3 micrometers or greater.
Maintenance Procedures
Involving ACM
 Buffing
and waxing floor tiles
 Must
have a heavy wax coating
 No abrasive buffers
 Gasket
 Must
 Brake
material replacement
be done using wet methods
replacement
 Must
use HEPA vacuum drum to catch fibers
from asbestos brakes or
 Interim wet methods
Prohibited Procedures
 Sanding,
drilling, grinding, sawing with
high speed abrasive discs, anything that
causes asbestos fibers to be released
from the material.
 Dry
sweeping, shoveling or other forms
of dry clean-up and use of compressed
air to remove asbestos debris.
Actual Abatement Activities
 Beyond
the scope of this training.
 Standards
are:
 Complicated
 Lengthy
 Confusing
 Require
extensive training
Summary





Asbestos is used throughout the Coast Guard in
many ways, e.g. insulation, gaskets, brakes, etc.
Exposure to asbestos can cause diseases that can be
fatal.
Asbestos must be identified, inventoried, labeled,
removed or managed in place.
Coast Guard personnel are prohibited from working
with asbestos (with notable exceptions).
If personnel must work with asbestos, they must
have extensive training.
Who & how this applies, at
Activities San Diego
Where to get more
information
 MLCPAC
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(kse)
Coast Guard Island - (510) 437-3893
District health and safety representatives
Headquarters
 Consulting
services