Chemical Hazards in Construction

Chemical Hazards in Construction The Hazard Communication Standard

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Chemical Terms and Concepts

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Hazardous Substances Identification

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Asbestos in the Construction Industry

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The Hazards of Asphalt Fumes

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Lead Hazards in Construction

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Methylene Chloride Hazards in Construction

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Methylenedianiline Hazards in Construction

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Crystalline Silica Hazards in Construction

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Hazard Communication

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Introduction

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OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is based on a simple concept—that employees have both a need and a right to know the hazards and identities of the chemicals they are exposed to when working. They also need to know what protective measures are available to prevent adverse effects from occurring. OSHA designed the HCS to provide employees with the information they need to know. Knowledge acquired under the HCS will help employers provide safer workplaces for their employees. When employees have information about the chemicals being used, they can take steps to reduce exposures, substitute less hazardous materials, and establish proper work practices. These efforts will help prevent the occurrence of work-related illnesses and injuries caused by chemicals. The HCS addresses the issues of evaluating and communicating chemical hazard information to workers. Evaluation of chemical hazards involves a number of technical concepts, and is a process that requires the professional judgment of experienced experts. That’s why the HCS is designed so that employers who simply use chemicals—rather than produce or import them—are not required to evaluate the hazards of those chemicals. Hazard determination is the responsibility of the manufacturers and importers of the chemicals, who then must provide the hazard information to employers that purchase their products Employers that do not produce or import chemicals need only focus on those parts of the rule that deal with establishing a workplace program and communicating information to their workers. This publication is a general guide for such employers to help them determine what the HCS requires. It does not supplant or substitute for the regulatory provisions, but rather provides a simplified outline of the steps an average employer would follow to meet those requirements.

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Introduction

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Becoming Familiar with the Rule

OSHA has provided a simple summary of the HCS in a pamphlet entitled Chemical Hazard Communication (OSHA 3084). Some employers prefer to familiarize themselves with the rule’s requirements by reading this pamphlet. A single, free copy may be obtained from your local OSHA Area Office, or by contacting the OSHA Publications Office at (202) 693-1888. The standard itself is long and some parts are technical, but the basic concepts are simple. In fact, the requirements reflect what many employers have been doing for years. You may find that you already largely comply with many of the provisions and will simply have to modify your existing programs somewhat. If you are operating in an OSHA-approved State Plan State, you must comply with the State’s requirements, which may be different than those of the Federal rule. Many of the State Plan States had hazard communication or “right-to-know” laws prior to promulgation of the federal rule. Employers in State Plan States should contact their State OSHA Offices for more information regarding applicable requirements. (See the list of contacts in “States with Approved Plans” at the back of this booklet.) The HCS requires information to be prepared and transmitted regarding all hazardous chemicals. The HCS covers both physical hazards (such as flammability) and health hazards (such as irritation, lung damage, and cancer.) Most chemicals used in the workplace have some hazard potential, and thus will be covered by the rule. One difference between this rule and many others adopted by OSHA is that this one is performance-oriented. That means you have the flexibility to adapt the rule to the needs of your workplace, rather than having to follow specific rigid requirements. It also means that you have to exercise more judgment to implement an appropriate and effective program. The standard’s design is simple. Chemical manufacturers and importers must evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import. Using that information, they must then prepare labels for containers and more detailed technical bulletins called material safety data sheets (MSDSs). Chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors of hazardous chemicals are all required to provide the appropriate labels and material safety data sheets to the employers to whom they ship the Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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chemicals. The information must be provided automatically. Every container of hazardous chemicals you receive must be labeled, tagged, or marked with the required information. Your suppliers also must send you a properly completed MSDS at the time of the first shipment of the chemicals, and with the next shipment after the MSDS is updated with new and significant information about the hazards. You can rely on the information received from your suppliers. You have no independent duty to analyze the chemical or evaluate the hazards of it. Employers that “use” hazardous chemicals must have a program to ensure the information is provided to exposed employees. “Use” means to package, handle, react, or transfer. This is an intentionally broad scope, and includes any situation where a chemical is present in such a way that employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency. The requirements of the rule that deal specifically with the hazard communication program are found in the standard in paragraphs (e), written hazard communication programs; (f), labels and other forms of warning; (g), material safety data sheets; and (h), employee information and training. The requirements of these paragraphs should be the focus of your attention. Concentrate on becoming familiar with them, using paragraphs (b), scope and application, and (c), definitions, as references when needed to help explain the provisions. There are two types of work operations where coverage of the rule is limited. These are laboratories and operations where chemicals are only handled in sealed containers (e.g., a warehouse). The limited provisions for these workplaces can be found in paragraph (b), scope and application. Basically, employers having these types of work operations need only keep labels on containers as they are received, maintain material safety data sheets that are received and give employees access to them, and provide information and training for employees. Employers do not have to have written hazard communication programs and lists of chemicals for these types of operations. The limited coverage of laboratories and sealed container operations addresses the obligation of an employer to the workers in the

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Becoming Familiar with the Rule

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operations involved, and does not affect the employer’s duties as a distributor of chemicals. For example, a distributor may have warehouse operations where employees would be protected under the limited sealed container provisions. In this situation, requirements for obtaining and maintaining MSDSs are limited to providing access to those received with containers while the substance is in the workplace, and requesting MSDSs when employees request access for those not received with the containers. However, as a distributor of hazardous chemicals, that employer will still have responsibility for providing MSDSs to downstream customers at the time of the first shipment and when the MSDS is updated. Therefore, although they may not be required for the employees in the work operation, the distributor may, nevertheless, have to have MSDSs to satisfy other requirements of the rule.

Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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Identifying Responsible Staff

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Hazard communication will be a continuing program in your facility. Compliance with HCS is not a “one shot deal.” In order to have a successful program, you must assign responsibility for both the initial and ongoing activities that have to be undertaken to comply with the rule. In some cases, these activities may be part of current job assignments. For example, Site Supervisors are frequently responsible for on-the-job training sessions. Early identification of the responsible employees and their involvement in developing your action plan will result in a more effective program design. Involving affected employees also will enhance the evaluation of the effectiveness of your program. For any safety and health program, success depends on commitment at every level of the organization. This is particularly true for hazard communication, where success requires a change in behavior. This will occur only if employers understand the program and are committed to its success, and if the people presenting the information motivate employees.

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Identifying Responsible Staff

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Identifying Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace

The standard requires a list of hazardous chemicals in the workplace as part of the written hazard communication program. The list will eventually serve as an inventory of everything for which you must maintain an MSDS. At this point, however, preparing the list will help you complete the rest of the program since it will give you some idea of the scope of the program required for compliance in your facility. The best way to prepare a comprehensive list is to survey the workplace. Purchasing records also may help, and certainly employers should establish procedures to ensure that in the future purchasing procedures result in MSDSs being received before using a material in the workplace. The broadest possible perspective should be taken when doing the survey. Sometimes people think of “chemicals” as being only liquids in containers. The HCS covers chemicals in all physical forms— liquids, solids, gases, vapors, fumes, and mists—whether they are “contained” or not. The hazardous nature of the chemical and the potential for exposure are the factors that determine whether a chemical is covered. If it’s not hazardous, it’s not covered. If there is no potential for exposure, (e.g., the chemical is inextricably bound and cannot be released), the rule does not cover the chemical. Look around. Identify the chemicals in containers, including pipes, but also think about chemicals generated in the work operations. For example, welding fumes, dusts, and exhaust fumes are all sources of chemical exposures. Read labels provided by the suppliers on hazard information. Make a list of all chemicals in the workplace that are potentially hazardous. For your own information and planning, you also may want to note on the list the location(s) of the products within the workplace, and an indication of the hazards as found on the label. This will help you as you prepare the rest of your program. Paragraph (b), scope and application, includes exemptions for various chemicals or workplace situations. After compiling the complete list of chemicals, you should review paragraph (b) to determine if any of the items can be eliminated from the list because they are exempted materials. For example, food, drugs, and cosmetics brought into the workplace for employee consumption are exempt; rubbing alcohol in the first aid kit would not be covered. Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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Once you have compiled as complete a list as possible of the potentially hazardous chemicals in the workplace, the next step is to determine if you have received material safety data sheets for all of them. Check your files against the inventory you have just compiled. If any are missing, contact your supplier and request one. It is a good idea to document these requests, either by copy of a letter or a note regarding telephone conversations. If you have MSDSs for chemicals that are not on your list, figure out why. Maybe you don’t use the chemical anymore. Or maybe you missed it in your survey. Some suppliers do provide MSDSs for products that are not hazardous. These do not have to be maintained by you. If you have questions regarding the hazard status of a chemical, contact the manufacturer, distributor, or importer. You should not allow employees to use any chemicals for which you have not received an MSDS. The MSDS provides information you need to ensure you have implemented proper protective measures for exposure.

Identifying Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace

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Preparing and Implementing a Hazard Communication Program

The HCS requires all workplaces where employees are exposed to hazardous chemicals to have a written plan that describes how that facility will implement the standard. Preparation of the plan is not just a paper exercise—all of the elements must be implemented in the workplace to comply with the rule. See paragraph (e) of the standard for the specific requirements regarding written hazard communication programs. The only work operations that do not have to comply with the written plan requirements are laboratories and work operations where employees only handle chemicals in sealed containers. See paragraph (b), scope and application, for the specific requirements for these two types of workplaces. The plan does not have to be lengthy or complicated. It is intended to be a blueprint for implementing your program—an assurance that all aspects of the requirements have been addressed. Many trade associations and other professional groups have provided sample programs and other assistance materials to affect employers. These have been very helpful to many employers since they tend to be tailored to the particular industry involved. You may wish to investigate whether your industry trade groups have developed such materials. Although such general guidance may be helpful, you must remember that the written program has to reflect what you are doing in your workplace. Therefore, if you use a generic program, you must adapt it to address the facility it covers. For example, the written plan must list the chemicals present at the site and indicate where written materials will be made available to employees. It also may indicate who is responsible for the various aspects of the program in your facility. If OSHA inspects your workplace for compliance with the HCS, the OSHA compliance officer will ask to see your written plan at the outset of the inspection. In general, the following items will be considered in evaluating your program. The written program must describe how the requirements for labels and other forms of warning, materials safety data sheets, and employee information and training, are going to be met in your facility. The following discussion provides the type of information compliance officers will be looking for to decide whether you have properly addressed these elements of the hazard communication program. Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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Labels and Other Forms of Warning In-plant containers of hazardous chemicals must be labeled, tagged, or marked with the identity of the material and appropriate hazard warnings. Chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors must ensure that every container of hazardous chemicals they ship is appropriately labeled with such information and with the name and address of the producer or other responsible party. Employers purchasing chemicals can rely on the labels provided by their suppliers. If the material is subsequently transferred by the employer from a labeled container to another container, the employer will have to label that container, unless it is subject to the portable container exemption. See paragraph (f) for specific labeling requirements. The primary information to be obtained from an OSHA-required label is the identity for the material and appropriate hazard warnings. The identity is any term which appears on the label, the MSDS, and the list of chemicals, and thus links these three sources of information. The identity used by the supplier may be a common or trade name (“Black Magic Formula”), or a chemical name (1, 1, 1 trichloroethane). The hazard warning is a brief statement of the hazardous effects of the chemical (“flammable,” “causes lung damage”). Labels frequently contain other information, such as precautionary measures (“do not use near open flame”) but this information is provided voluntarily and is not required by the rule. Labels must be legible and prominently displayed. There are no specific requirements for size or color or any specified test. With these requirements in mind, the compliance officer will be looking for the following types of information to ensure that labeling is properly implemented in your facility: • Designation of person(s) responsible for ensuring labeling of in-plant containers; • Designation of person(s) responsible for ensuring labeling of any shipped container; • Description of labeling system(s) used; • Description of written alternatives to labeling of in-plant containers (if used); and, • Procedures to review and update label information when necessary.

Preparing and Implementing a Hazard Communication Program

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Employers that are purchasing and using hazardous chemicals— rather than producing or distributing them—will primarily be concerned with ensuring that every purchased container is labeled. If materials are transferred into other containers, the employer must ensure that these are labeled as well, unless they fall under the portable container exemption (paragraph f(7)). In terms of labeling systems, you can choose to use the labels provided by your suppliers on the containers. These will generally be verbal text labels, and do not usually include numerical rating systems or symbols that require special training. The most important thing to remember is that this is a continuing duty—all in-plant containers of hazardous chemicals must always be labeled. Therefore, it is important to designate someone to be responsible for ensuring that the labels are maintained as required on the containers in your facility and that newly purchased materials are checked for labels prior to use. Material Safety Data Sheets Chemical manufacturers and importers are required to obtain or develop a material safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Distributors are responsible for ensuring that their customers are provided a copy of these MSDSs. Employers must have an MSDS for each hazardous chemical which they use. Employers may rely on the information received from their suppliers. The specific requirements for material safety data sheets are in paragraph (g) of the standard. There is no specific format for the MSDS under the rule, although there are specific information requirements. OSHA has developed a nonmandatory format, OSHA Form 174, which may be used by chemical manufacturers and importers to comply with the rule. The MSDS must be in English. You are entitled to receive from your supplier a data sheet which includes all of the information required under the rule. If you do not receive one automatically, you should request one. If you receive one that is obviously inadequate, with, for example, blank spaces that are not completed, you should request an appropriately completed one. If your request for a data sheet or for a corrected data sheet does not produce the information needed, you should contact your local OSHA Area Office for assistance in obtaining the MSDS. Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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Under the rule, the role of MSDSs is to provide detailed information on each hazardous chemical, including its potential hazardous effects, its physical and chemical characteristics, and recommendations for appropriate protective measures. This information should be useful to you as the employer responsible for designing protective programs, as well as to the workers. If you are not familiar with material safety data sheets and with chemical terminology, you may need to learn to use them yourself. A glossary of MSDS terms may be helpful in this regard. Generally speaking, most employers using hazardous chemicals will primarily be concerned with MSDS information regarding hazardous effects and recommended protective measures. Focus on the sections of the MSDS that are applicable to your situation. MSDSs must be readily accessible to employees when they are in their work areas during their workshifts. This may be accomplished in many different ways. You must decide what is appropriate for your particular workplace. Some employers keep the MSDSs in a binder in a central location (e.g., in the pickup truck on a construction site.) Others, particularly in workplaces with large numbers of chemicals, computerize the information and provide access through terminals. As long as employees can get the information when they need it, any approach may be used. The employees must have access to the MSDSs themselves—simply having a system where the information can be read to them over the phone is permitted only under the mobile worksite provision, paragraph (g)(9), when employees must travel between workplaces during the shift. In this situation, they have access to the MSDSs prior to leaving the primary worksite, and when they return, so the telephone system is simply an emergency arrangement. In order to ensure that you have a current MSDS for each chemical in the plant as required, and that you provide employee access, the compliance officers will be looking for the following types of information in your written program: • Designation of person(s) responsible for obtaining and maintaining the MSDSs; • How such sheets are to be maintained in the workplace (e.g., in notebooks in the work area(s) or in a computer with terminal access), and how employees can obtain access to them when they are in their work area during the workshift; Preparing and Implementing a Hazard Communication Program

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• Procedures to follow when the MSDS is not received at the time of the first shipment; • For producers, procedures to update the MSDS when new and significant health information is found; and, • Description of alternatives to actual data sheets in the workplace, if used. For employers using hazardous chemicals, the most important aspect of the written program in terms of MSDSs is to ensure that someone is responsible for obtaining and maintaining the MSDSs for every hazardous chemical in the workplace. The list of hazardous chemicals required to be maintained as part of the written program will serve as an inventory. As new chemicals are purchased, the list should be updated. Many companies have found it convenient to include on their purchase order the name and address of the person designated in their company to receive MSDSs. Employee Information and Training Each employee who may be “exposed” to hazardous chemicals when working must be provided information and be trained prior to initial assignment to work with a hazardous chemical, and whenever the hazard changes. “Exposure” or “exposed” under the rule means that an employee is subjected to a hazardous chemical in the course of employment through any route of entry (inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or absorption) and includes potential (e.g., accidental or possible) exposure. See paragraph (h) of the standard for specific requirements. Information and training may be done either by individual chemical, or by categories of hazards (such as flammability or carcinogenicity). If there are only a few chemicals in the workplace, then you may want to discuss each one individually. Where there are a large number of chemicals, or the chemicals change frequently, you will probably want to train generally based on the hazard categories (e.g., flammable liquids, corrosive materials, carcinogens). Employees will have access to the substance-specific information on the labels and MSDSs. Employers must ensure, however, that employees are made aware of which hazard category a chemical falls within. Information and training are a critical part of the hazard communication program. Workers obtain information regarding hazards and Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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protective measures through written labels and material safety data sheets. It is through effective information and training, however, that workers will learn to read and understand such information, determine how to acquire and use it in their own workplace, and understand the risks of exposure to the chemical in their workplaces as well as the ways to protect themselves. A properly conducted training program will ensure comprehension and understanding. It is not sufficient to either just read material to the workers or simply hand them material to read. You want to create a climate where workers feel free to ask questions. This will help you to ensure that the information is understood. You must always remember that the underlying purpose of the HCS is to reduce the incidence of chemical source illnesses and injuries. This will be accomplished by modifying behavior through the provision of hazard information and information about protective measures. If your program works, you and your workers will better understand the chemical hazards within the workplace. The procedures you establish, regarding, for example, purchasing, storage, and handling of these chemicals will improve, and thereby reduce the risks posed to employees exposed to the chemical hazards involved. Furthermore, your workers’ comprehension also will be increased, and proper work practices will be followed in your workplace. If you are going to do the training yourself, you will have to understand the material and be prepared to motivate the workers to learn. This is not always an easy task, but the benefits are worth the effort. More information regarding appropriate training can be found in Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines (OSHA 2254), which contains voluntary training guidelines prepared by OSHA’s Training Institute. A copy of this document is available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954; (202) 512-1800. When reviewing your written program regarding information and training, consider the following items: • Designation of person(s) responsible for conducting training; • Format of the program used (audiovisuals, class room instruction); • Elements of the training programs (should be consistent with the elements in paragraph (h) of the HCS); and, Preparing and Implementing a Hazard Communication Program

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• Procedure to train new employees at the time of their initial assignment to work with a hazardous chemical, and to train employees when introducing a new hazard into the workplace. The written program should provide enough details about the employer’s plans in this area to assess whether or not a good faith effort is being made to train employees. OSHA does not expect that every workers will be able to recite all the information about each chemical in the workplace. In general, the most important aspects of training under the HCS are to ensure that employees are aware that they are exposed to hazardous chemicals, that they know how to read and use labels and material safety data sheets, and that, as a consequence of learning this information, they are following the appropriate protective measures established by the employer. OSHA compliance officers will be talking to employees to determine if they have received training, if they know they are exposed to hazardous chemicals, and if they know where to obtain substance specific information on labels and MSDSs. The rule does not require employers to maintain records of employee training, but many employers choose to do so. This may help you monitor your own program to ensure that you have trained all employees appropriately. If you already have a training program, you may simply have to supplement it with whatever additional information is required under the HCS. For example, construction employers that are already in compliance with the construction training standard (29 CFR 1926.21 ) will have little extra training to do. An employer can provide employees information and training through whatever means found appropriate and protective. Although there would always have to be some training on site (such as informing employees of the location and availability of the written program and MSDSs), employee training may be satisfied in part by general training about the requirements of the HCS which is provided by, for example, trade associations, unions, colleges, and professional schools. In addition, previous training, education, and experience of a worker may relieve the employer of some of the burdens of information and training that worker. Regardless of the method relied upon, however, the employer is always ultimately responsible for ensuring that employees are adequately trained. If the compliance Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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officer finds that the training is deficient, the employer will be cited for the deficiency regardless of who actually provided the training on behalf of the employer. In addition to these specific items, compliance officers also will be asking the following questions in assessing the adequacy of the program: • Does a list of the hazardous chemicals exist in each work area or at a central location? • Are methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine tasks outlined? • Are employees informed of the hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas? • On multi-employer worksites, has the employer provided other employers with information about labeling systems and precautionary measures where the other employers have employees exposed to the initial employer’s chemicals? • Is the written program made available to employees and their designated representatives? If your program adequately addresses the means of communicating information to employees in your workplace and provides answers to the basic questions outlined above, it will comply with the rule.

Preparing and Implementing a Hazard Communication Program

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Checklist for Compliance

The following checklist will help to ensure you comply with the rule: • Obtained a copy of the rule. • Read and understood the requirements. • Assigned responsibility for tasks. • Prepared an inventory of chemicals. • Ensured containers are labeled. • Obtained MSDS for each chemical. • Prepared written program. • Made MSDSs available to workers. • Conducted training of workers. • Established procedures to maintain current program. • Established procedures to evaluate effectiveness.

Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance

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Chemical Terms and Concepts

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BASIC CHEMISTRY and TOXICOLOGICAL TERMS & CONCEPTS A. Introduction 1. There are 5 to 6 million known chemicals, with this number growing at the rate of 6,000 more each month. 2. 64,000 of these chemicals are known to be hazardous, with 1000 more hazardous chemicals proposed for manufacture each year. 3. Most hazardous chemicals are not regulated. a. DOT regulates 2,700 chemicals b. OSHA regulates 400 chemicals 4. Less than 2% of the 64,000 known hazardous chemicals have been studied thoroughly enough to fully understand their health hazards a. Examples: (1) There are 3,350 pesticides on the market with information available to make a partial health assessment on about 34% of them. (2) There are 1,815 drugs on the market with information available to make a partial health assessment on about 36% of them (3) There are 8,627 food additives on the market with information available to make a partial health assessment on about 19% of them (4) There are 48,500 other commonly used industrial chemicals on the market with information available to make a partial health assessment on about 10% of them

B. Terminology - for the purposes of this course and for most general usage, the term hazardous materials or HAZMATS is sufficient to describe chemicals that may be hazardous to people or the environment. But many government regulations attach particular meaning to various terms often thought to synonymous.

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1. The term "hazardous materials" is used to describe DOT regulated materials that are considered to be a threat in transport. 2. The term "hazardous substances": a. Is used to describe EPA regulated materials which may threaten the environment b. OSHA uses this term to describe every chemical regulated by DOT and EPA 3. The term "extremely hazardous substances" is used to describe EPA regulated substances for materials requiring reporting of spills if the spill exceeds the published Reportable Quantity (RQ) 4. The term "toxic chemicals" is used to describe EPA regulated substances whose emissions or releases must be reported annually by manufacturers. 5. The term "hazardous wastes" is used to describe EPA regulated wastes under RCRA. 6. The term "hazardous chemicals" is used by OSHA to denote any chemical that would be a risk to employees in the workplace.

C. Physical State 1. The Physical State of a chemical is important since a change in physical state may equal an increase in hazard. a. A solid has definite size & shape (1) It usually has a melting point at which it becomes a liquid (2) Solids that undergo sublimation turn directly from a solid to a gaseous state b. A liquid can flow easily, it has no shape but it has volume. (1) It usually has a freezing point at which it becomes a solid (2) It usually has a boiling point at which it becomes a gas or vapor. c. A gas has no independent shape or volume.

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(1) It usually may be condensed into a liquid. d. Many HAZMATS are often in flux. (1) Gasoline constantly changing from a liquid to a vapor. (2) Dry ice constantly changing from a solid to a gas. (3) Ice melting from a solid to a liquid.

D. Organic Chemicals 1. Organics vs inorganic compounds a. Organics contain carbon, inorganics do not b. Common organics include hydrocarbons and many other naturally forming chemicals 2. A very common and basic family of organic chemicals are hydrocarbons. a. Hydrocarbons are molecules made of atoms of hydrogen and carbon. b. Hydrocarbons include oil and oil related products such as: (1) Natural Gas, Propane, kerosene, gasoline, fuel oil etc. 3. Hydrocarbon Derivatives are formed by replacing hydrogen or carbon atoms with another element or molecule; the new element or molecule determines the properties of the new molecule a. Halogenated hydrocarbons are formed when one or more halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine) are added to a hydrocarbon chain (1) When possible one should try to avoid halogenated hydrocarbons since they can cause damage to the central nervous system. They are also an environmental hazard since they attack the ozone layer, decompose and emit toxic vapors in fires, and their vapors are heavier than air.

b. Alcohols are formed when the hydroxyl group (oxygen and hydrogen) is added to a hydrocarbon chain.

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(1) Examples: methyl, ethyl, isopropyl alcohol. (2) The hydroxyl group makes the molecule more water soluble. (3) The hydroxyl group causes an affinity for oxygen so the alcohol will burn very hot. (4) Most alcohols are toxic by ingestion or inhalation. (a) methyl alcohol causes blindness. (b) ethyl alcohol can affect the central nervous system. c. Ethers are formed when an oxygen atom is placed between two hydrocarbon groups. (1) Ethers are often highly volatile and burn intensely. (2) Ethers often have low boiling points and flash points. (3) Ethers tend to react with oxygen to form unstable peroxides. d. Amines are formed when a nitrogen - hydrogen group is added to a hydrocarbon chain. (1) Amines are often very toxic and corrosive. (2) Amines commonly cause respiratory, liver, or kidney damage; and are often carcinogenic e. Nitros are formed when a nitrogen oxygen group is added to a hydrocarbon (1) Nitros are often explosive and toxic E. Explosives 1. An explosion can be defined as a "rapid oxidation in a confined space". An "oxidation" of this type is an "oxidation reduction reaction with the evolution of heat and light" which is the definition of fire. a. In other words, an explosion is a confined fire. 2. The Department of Transportation (DOT) classifies explosives in six categories.

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(1) Division 1.1 explosives are the most hazardous and represent explosives that could present a massive projectile hazard and/or may be easily detonated. (2) Division 1.2 explosives represent those explosives with some limited projectile hazard and may include propellants and some pyrotechnics. (3) Division 1.3 explosives that primarily present a fire hazard. (4) Division 1.4 explosives that present no significant blast hazard. (5) Division 1.5 insensitive explosives such as blasting agents that are used to initiate larger explosions in Division 1.1 and 1.2 explosives. (6) Division 1.6 extremely insensitive detonating substances.

F. Corrosives 1. Corrosives include acids and caustics. Caustics are also referred to as bases or alkalis. 2. ph is a method of expressing the intensity of an acid or base which is determined by measuring the hydrogen-ion concentration. a. ph is measured on a logarithmic scale which ranges from 1 to 14. b. A ph < 7 indicates an Acid, while a PH > 7 indicates a base (alkali or caustic). A ph of 7 is neutral. c. The lower the ph the more acidic a material is. d. The higher the ph the more caustic a material is. 2. Both acids and caustics are corrosive since they will both damage skin and deteriorate metal. a. The Department of Transportation (DOT) classifies corrosives by whether or not they will damage skin and deteriorate metal. b. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) both classify corrosives as either acids or bases in accordance with their ph.

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3. Although acids and caustics are both classified as corrosives they are actually very different. Acids and caustics are incompatible and may react violently with each other (a neutralization reaction). 4. Inorganic acids (those with no carbon) are usually strong acids. 5. Organic acids (those containing carbon) are usually weak acids, so try to use organic acids.

G. Hazardous Liquids - It is important to note that liquids do not burn. Only the vapors they produce may burn. Therefore a flammable liquid that is not readily producing vapors (like kerosene) is much safer than a flammable liquid that is constantly producing vapors (like gasoline). 1. Flammable liquids a. Flammable liquids are defined by DOT as liquids having a flashpoint less than or equal to 141º F and combustible liquids are defined as any liquid that does not meet the definition of any other hazard class specified in this subchapter and has a flash point above 60.5°C (141°F) and below 93 °C (200 °F). (DOT has other elements to these definitions also) b. OSHA defines Flammable and Combustible liquids as follows: Flammable liquid is any liquid having a flashpoint below 100 deg. F. except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 100 deg. F. or higher, the total of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture. Flammable liquids shall be known as Class I liquids. Class I liquids are divided into three classes as follows: Class IA includes liquids having flashpoints below 73 deg. F. and having a boiling point below 100 deg. F. Class IB includes liquids having flashpoints below 73 deg. F. and having a boiling point at or above 100 deg. Class IC includes liquids having flashpoints at or above 73 deg. F. and below 100 deg. F. Combustible liquid is any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 100 deg. F. Combustible liquids shall be divided into two classes as follows: Class II Liquids Class III Liquids

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Class II liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 100 deg. F. and below 140 deg. F., except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 200 deg. F.or higher, the volume of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture. Class III liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 140 deg. F. Class III liquids are subdivided into two subclasses: Class IIIA liquids Class IIIB liquids Class IIIA liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 140 deg. F. and below 200 deg. F., except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 200 deg., or higher, the total volume of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture. Class IIIB liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 200 deg. F.

2. Toxic liquids are those that are toxic by skin absorption, ingestion, or injection. Only their vapors could be toxic by inhalation. Therefore if the liquid is not readily producing vapors it is more safe than if it were producing vapors. 3. Vapor Pressure is the pressure exerted by vapor from a liquid at equilibrium. a. Vapor pressure is a measure of the ability of a material to evaporate into a gas or vapor. The higher the vapor pressure of a substance the faster it will turn into a vapor or gas. b. Volatile liquids are liquids are liquids that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. 4. Boiling Point is the temperature at which liquid changes to a gas or vapor a. A higher molecular weight usually means a higher boiling point. b. A lower boiling point is more dangerous since the material will more readily produce vapors. 5. Flash Point is the lowest temperature at which a material gives off enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air. a. The lower the flash point of a substance the more flammable it is.

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6. Solubility is the extent to which a substance will dissolve in another (usually water).

7. Specific Gravity is a comparison of the density of a liquid as compared to water which. Water has a specific gravity of 1. a. A material with a specific gravity < 1 means that it is lighter than water so it will float on water. b. A material with a specific gravity > 1 means that it is heavier than water so it sinks in water. H. Hazardous Gases 1. Hazardous Gases include: a. Flammable gases. b. Non-flammable gases. (1) Even non-flammable, non-toxic gases are hazardous because they are stored and transported under pressure (compressed). (2) If the vessel in which the gas is contained is heated the gas will expand with the potential of rupturing the container. c. Poisonous (or toxic) gases. d. Some have multiple hazards. (1) Some gases may be both flammable and toxic. 2. Vapor Density for gas/vapors is a comparison of the mass/unit volume of the gas/vapor to air. Air has a vapor density of 1. a. A vapor density < 1 means the material is lighter than air so it will rise in air b. A vapor density > 1 means the material is heavier than air so it will sink in air (1) If a material is heavier than air and toxic or flammable it may endanger a very large area

26

(2) If a material is heavier than air and non-toxic or non-flammable it may still displace air and suffocate its victims. c. Propane has a vapor density of 1.56, while methane has a vapor density of .55 d. Some common materials that are lighter than air are ammonia, hydrogen, acetylene, and natural gas 3. Flammable or Explosive Limits represents the range in which a gas or vapor is mixed with air in a proportion that is flammable. a. The UEL (Upper Explosive Limit) is the concentration above which the mixture is too "rich" to burn (too much fuel or too little air). b. The LEL (Lower Explosive Limit) is the concentration below which the mixture is too "lean" to burn (not enough fuel or too much air).

I. Flammable Solids 1. Flammable Solids are solids that readily ignite and burn vigorously. a. The ignition may be by friction, moisture absorption, or chemical reaction. 2. Melting Point is the temperature at which a solid changes to liquid. a. Inorganic materials usually have higher melting points than organic.

J. Oxidizers and Organic Peroxides 1. Oxidizers are chemicals that can take the place of oxygen in a fire. For example many materials will burn in a chlorine atmosphere with no oxygen present. a. Oxidizers may increase fire intensity. b. Oxidizers may increase sensitivity to heat, shock & friction. c. Oxidizers may react spontaneously with organic matter. 2. Peroxides react easily to give up their oxygen.

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a. Peroxides act similarly to oxidizers except instead of replacing oxygen in a reaction they release oxygen contained within their own molecular structure. a. Oxidizers may increase fire intensity. b. Oxidizers may increase sensitivity to heat, shock & friction. c. Oxidizers may react spontaneously with organic matter.

K. Etiologic Agents 1. Etiologic agents cause infectious disease in humans. a. Examples include hepatitis B and HIV.

L. Reactivity 1. Reactivity is the tendency of a material to react with other substances. a. Some substances tend to easily react with many other substances. b. An example would be the spontaneous reaction between chlorine and most hydrocarbons. M. Polymerization 1. Polymerization is the combining of single chemical units (monomers) into chains (polymers). a. A catalyst is a chemical that is used to speed a reaction but is not itself a part of the reaction. Catalysts can be used to control the speed of polymerization. b. An inhibitor is sometimes added to prevent polymerization.

N. Toxicology 1. Toxicology is the study of chemical or physical agents that produce adverse health effects.

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2. Toxicity is the extent of the adverse health effects of chemical or physical agents. 3. Exposure - 29 CFR 1910.1200 defines exposure as "any employee subjected to a hazardous chemical in the course of employment through any route of entry". a. Exposure is dependent upon: (1) Duration of exposure. (2) Concentration of substance. 4. Toxic chemicals may enter our bodies in four different ways. These routes of entry are: a. absorption through skin b. inhalation through lungs c. ingestion through mouth d. Injection

5. Toxic chemicals effect the internal organs of the human body in many different ways. a. Etiologic agents cause infectious diseases. b. Hepotoxins produce liver damage. c. Nephrotoxins produce kidney damage. d. Neurotoxins produce damage to the nervous system. e. Pulmonary Toxins irritate or damage the lung tissue. f. Mutagens effect reproductive capability usually by genetic or chromosome damage. g. Teratogens affect the development of existing fetuses. h. Carcinogens cause cancer.

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6. Acute Effects from hazardous chemicals are immediate short term effects. They are generally the biological effects of a single short term exposure. 7. Chronic Effects from hazardous chemicals are long term effects of repeated exposure. 8. IDLH stands for Immediately Dangerous to Life & Health. a. It usually expressed as a "concentration", often a percentage. b. IDLH is the maximum concentration of a material from which one could escape within 30 minutes without experiencing irreversible health effects 9. LD50 stands for Lethal Dose 50 which is the dosage by ingestion at which 50% of the lab animals died. 10. LC50 stands for Lethal Concentration 50 which is the dosage by inhalation at which 50% of the lab animals died. 11. TLV stands for Threshold Limit Value which is the airborne concentration of a material that nearly all persons can be exposed day after day without adverse effects. 12. TWA stands for Time Weighted Average which is the TLV related to a normal 8 hour work day. 13. STEL stands for Short Term Exposure Limit which is based on a specific time period, often 15 minute exposure, for a maximum of 4 times/day, with a minimum of 1 hour between exposures, provided the TLV and TWA are not exceeded. 14. PEL stands for Permissible Exposure Limits. This is an OSHA term and represents the maximum allowable exposure for a specific time period.

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Hazardous Substances Identification

31

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IDENTIFICATION

I. INTRODUCTION At an incident, response personnel may be exposed to a number of substances that are hazardous because of their biological, radiological or chemical characteristics. Biological agents are living organisms (or their products) that can cause sickness or death to exposed individuals. Radiological materials are considered hazardous because of their ability to emit various types of radiation at intensities that may be harmful if response personnel are either inadequately shielded from the radiation source or exposed to the radiation for too long a time. Chemical hazards are classified into several groups, including fire, toxic, corrosive, and reactive hazards. A material may elicit more than one chemical hazard during an incident. For example, toxic vapors can be released during chemical fires. The hazards can be a result of the physical/chemical properties of a material or of its chemical reactivity with other materials or the environment to which it is exposed. Many hazards may be present at any one incident. It is important to understand the fundamentals of each and their relationships so that effective safety practices may be employed to reduce the risk to the public and response personnel.

II. BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS There are five general categories of biological agents that are capable of causing infection or disease in exposed individuals. They are: viral, rickettsial/chlamydial, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic. These agent types may be present at hazardous waste sites and hazardous material spills. Like chemical hazards, they may be dispersed throughout the environment via wind and water. Many biological agents have complex life cycles that require host and intermediate (carrier) host organisms to complete their growth cycles. Rodents, for example, which are commonly found at landfills, act as carriers for the rabies virus. Likewise, the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever tick can carry the bacillus that produces this disease in many.

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The same personnel protective requirements that are used against a hazard can be applied to biological hazards. Body coverings and respiratory protective equipment should be utilized. Personal cleanliness is especially important. Showering after removing protective clothing and thoroughly washing exposed body parts, including hands and face, should help remove any residual contamination. III. RADIATION HAZARDS Radioactive materials that may be encountered at a site can emit three types of harmful radiation: alpha particles, beta particles and gamma waves. All three forms harm living organisms by imparting energy which ionizes molecules in the cells. Hence, the three are referred to as ionizing radiation. Ionization may upset the normal cellular function causing cell dysfunction or death. An alpha particle is positively charged. The beta is an electron possessing a negative charge. Both particles have mass and energy. Both are emitted from the nucleus. They travel short distances in material before interaction with the material causes them to lose their energy. The outer layers of the skin and clothing generally protect against these particles. Therefore, they are considered hazardous primarily when they enter the body through inhalation or ingestion. Gamma radiation is pure electromagnetic energy and is wave-like rather than particulate. Gamma waves pass through all materials to some degree. Clothing, including protective gear, will not prevent gamma radiation from interacting with body tissue. Unlike many hazardous substances that possess certain properties which can alert response personnel to over-exposure (odor, irritation or taste), radiation has no such warning properties. Hence, preventing the radioactive material from entering the body or protecting against external radiation is the best protection. As with biological and chemical hazards, the use of respiratory and personnel protective equipment, coupled with scrupulous personal hygiene, will afford good protection against radioactive particles. IV. CHEMICAL HAZARDS A. Fire Hazards

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Fire Protection The Fire Tetrahedron Four things must be present at the same time in order to produce fire: 1. Enough oxygen to sustain combustion, 2. Enough heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature, 3. Some sort of fuel or combustible material, and 4. The chemical, exothermic reaction that is fire.

Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the "fire triangle." Add in the fourth element, the chemical reaction, and you actually have a fire "tetrahedron." The important thing to remember is: take any of these four things away, and you will not have a fire or the fire will be extinguished. The concentration of the fuel and the oxygen must be high enough to allow ignition and maintain the burning process. Combustion is a chemical reaction that requires heat to proceed: fuel + oxygen ----------------------> byproducts Heat is either supplied by the ignition source and is maintained by the combustion, or supplied from and external source. Most fires can be extinguished by removing one of these components. For example, water applied to a fire by itself generates enough heat to self-ignite and combust, spontaneous combustion occurs, either as a fire or explosion. A fire can be defined as a self-sustaining oxidation-reduction reaction with the evolution of heat and light. Each side of the fire tetrahedron represents one of the necessary elements of a fire. A fire requires sufficient heat, fuel in an ignitable form, oxygen in a

34

proper mixture with the fuel, and a chemical chain reaction involving these elements. Removing any one of these elements will extinguish the fire. Flammability Flammability is the ability of a material to generate a sufficient concentration of combustible vapors under normal conditions to be ignited and produce a flame. It is necessary to have a proper fuel-to-air ratio (expressed as the percentage of fuel in air) to allow combustion. There is a range of fuel concentrations in air for each material that is optimal for the ignition and the sustenance of combustion. There is a range of fuel concentrations in air for each material that is optimal for the ignition and the sustenance of combustion. This is called the Flammable Range.

UEL

LEL

Flammable or Explosive Range

The lowest concentration of fuel in this range is the Lower Flammable Limit (LFL). Concentrations less than the LFL are not flammable because there is too little fuel, that is, the mixture is too "lean". The highest ratio that is flammable is the Upper Flammable Limit (UFL). Concentrations greater than the UFL are not flammable because there is too much fuel displacing the oxygen (resulting in too little oxygen). This mixture is too "rich". Fuel concentrations between the LFL and UFL are optimal for starting and sustaining fire. Example: The LFL for benzene is 1.3% (13,000 ppm), the UFL is 7.1% (71,000 ppm), thus the flammable range is 1.3% to 7.1%. Flash Point

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have established strict definitions for flammability based on the flash point of a material. The flash point is the lowest temperature at which a material will produce sufficient flammable vapors to ignite when an ignition source is present. Flammable and Combustible Liquids A Combustible liquid is any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 100 deg. F. Combustible liquids are divided into two classes: Class II Liquids and Class III Liquids. Class II liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 100 deg. F. and below 140 deg. F., except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 200 deg. F. or higher, the volume of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture. Class III liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 140 deg. F. Class III liquids are subdivided into two subclasses: Class IIIA liquids and Class IIIB liquids. Class IIIA liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 140 deg. F. and below 200 deg. F., except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 200 deg., or higher, the total volume of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture. Class IIIB liquids include those with flashpoints at or above 200 deg. F. A Flammable liquid is any liquid having a flashpoint below 100 deg. F. except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 100 deg. F. or higher, the total of which make up 99 percent or more of the total volume of the mixture. Flammable liquids shall be known as Class I liquids. Class I liquids are divided into three classes as follows: Class IA includes liquids having flashpoints below 73 deg. F. and having a boiling point below 100 deg. F. Class IB includes liquids having flashpoints below 73 deg. F. and having a boiling point at or above 100 deg. Class IC includes liquids having flashpoints at or above 73 deg. F. and below 100 deg. F.

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B. Explosive Hazard 1. Explosives An explosive is a substance which undergoes a very rapid chemical transformation producing large amounts of gases and heat. Due to the heat produced, any gases produced, for example, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and steam, due to the heat produced, rapidly expand at velocities exceeding the speed of sound. This creates both a shockwave (high pressure wave front) and noise (brisance). 2. Types of Explosive Hazards High or detonating: Chemical transformation occurs very rapidly with detonation rates as high as 4 miles per second. The rapidly expanding gas produces a shock wave which may be followed by combustion. Primary high explosive: detonating wave produced in an extremely shore period of time. May be detonated by shock, heat, or friction. Examples are lead azide, mercury fulminate, and lead styphnate. Secondary high explosive: generally needs a booster to cause them to detonate. Relatively insensitive to shock, heat, or friction. Examples are tetryl, cyclonite, dynamite, and TNT. Low or deflagrating: Rate of deflagration up to 1000 feet per second. Generally combustion is followed by a shock wave. Examples are smokeless powder, magnesium, and molotov cocktail. 3. Practical Considerations High or low does not indicate the explosion hazard (or power) but only the rate of chemical transformation. Explosions can occur as a result of reactions between many chemicals not ordinarily considered as explosives. Ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer, can

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explode under the right conditions. Alkali metals and water explode; as will water and peroxide salts. Picric acid and certain ether compounds become highly explosive with age. Gases, vapors, and finely divided particulates, when confined, can also explode if an ignition source is present. C. Toxic Hazards 1. Toxicity Toxic material cause local or systemic detrimental effects in an organism. Exposure to such materials does not always result in death, although that is often the most immediate concern. Types of toxic hazards can be categorized by the physiological effect they have on the organism. A material may induce more than one physiological response that may include: asphyxiation, irritation allergic sensitization, systemic poisoning, mutagenesis, teratogenesis and carcinogenesis. The likelihood that any of these effects will be experienced by an organism depends not only on the inherent toxicity of the material itself (as measured by its lethal dose) but also by the magnitude of the exposure (acute or chronic) and the route of exposure (ingestion, inhalation, skin absorption.) These concepts will be described in greater detail in a later chapter. D. Corrosive Hazards 1. Corrosion Corrosion is the process of material degradation. Upon contact, a corrosive material may destroy body tissues, metals, plastics and other materials. Technically, corrosivity is the ability of material to increase the hydrogen ion or hydronium ion concentration of another materia; it may have the potential to transfer electron pairs to or from itself or another substance. A corrosive agent is a reactive compound or element that produces a destructive chemical change in the material upon which it is acting. Common corrosives are the halogens, acids, and bases (Table 2). Skin irritation and burns are typical results when the body contacts an acidic or basic material. Table 2. Corrosives. ______________________________________________________________________ _______

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Elements

Acids

Bromine Chlorine Fluorine Iodine Ozone

Acetic acid Hydrochloric acid Hydorfluoric acid Nitric acid Sulfuric acid

Bases (Caustics)

Other Solvents

Potassium hydroxide Acetic anhydride Sodium hydroxide Hydrazine ______________________________________________________________________ _____ The corrosiveness of acids and bases can be compared on the basis of their ability to dissociate (form ions) in solution. Those that form the greatest number of hydrogen ions (H+) are the strongest acids, while those that form the most hydroxide ions (OH-) are the strongest bases. The H+ ion concentration in solution is called pH. Strong acids have a low pH (any H+ in solution) while strong bases have a high pH (few H+ in solution; many OH- in solution). The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 as follows:

0

1

2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Measurements of pH are valuable because they can be quickly done onsite, providing immediate information on the corrosive hazard. 2. Practical Considerations When dealing with corrosive materials in the field, it is imperative to determine: -

How toxic is the corrosive material? Is it an irritant or does it cause severe burns? What kind of structural damage does it do, and what other hazards can it lead to? For example, will it destroy containers holding other hazardous materials, releasing them into the environment?

E. Hazards Due to Chemical Reactivity 1. Reactivity Hazards A reactive material is one that can undergo a chemical reaction under

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certain specified conditions. Generally, the term "reactive hazard" is used to refer to a substance that undergoes a violent or abnormal reaction in the presence of water or under normal room temperature in the absence of added heat, shock, or friction, and the water-reactive flammable solids which will spontaneously combust upon contact with water (See Table 1, p. 4). 2. Chemical Reactions A chemical reaction is the interaction of two or more substances, resulting in chemical changes. Exothermic chemical reactions, which give off heat, can be the most dangerous. A separate source of heat is required to maintain endothermic chemical reactions. Removing the heat source stops the reaction. The rate at which a chemical reaction occurs depends on the following factors: -

Surface area of reactants available at the reaction site; for example, a large chunk of coal is combustible, but coal dust is explosive. Physical state of reactant (solid, liquid or gas) Concentration of reactants Temperature Pressure Pressure of a catalyst

3. Compatibility If two or more hazardous materials remain in contact indefinitely without reaction, they are compatible. Incompatibility, however, does not necessarily indicate a hazard. For example, acids and bases (both corrosive) react to form salts which may or may not be corrosive, and water. Many operation on waste or accident sites involve mixing or unavoidable contact between different hazardous materials. It is important to know ahead of time is such materials are compatible. If they are not, then any number of chemical reactions could occur. The results could range from the formation of an innocuous gas to a violent explosion. Table 3 illustrates what happens when some incompatible materials are combined. Table 3. Hazards due to chemical reactions (incompatibilities). ______________________________________________________________________ ___ Hazard Example

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Generation of Heat

Acid and water

Fire

Hydrogen sulfide and calcium hypochlorite

Explosion

Picric acid and sodium hydroxide

Toxic gas or vapor production

Sulfuric acid and plastic

Flammable gas or vapor production Acid and metal Formation of a substance with a greater toxicity than the reactants Chlorine and ammonia Formation of shock or friction sensitive compounds

Ammonia and iodine

Pressurization of closed vessels

Fire extinguisher

Solubilization of toxic substances

Hydrochloric acid and chromium

Dispersal of toxic dusts and mists

Phosphorus trichloride and water

Violent polymerization

Ammonia and acrylonitrile

The identity of unknown reactants must be determined by chemical analysis to establish compatibility. On the basis of their properties, a chemist then should be able to anticipate any chemical reactions resulting from mixing the reactants. Judging the compatibility of more than two reactants is very difficult; analysis should be performed on a one-to-one basis. Response personnel who must determine compatibilities should refer to "A Method for Determining the Compatibility of Hazardous Waste" (EPA 600/2-80--76), published by EPA's Office of Research and Development. Final decisions about compatibilities should only be made by an experienced chemist. Sometimes the identity of a waste is impossible to ascertain due to money and time constraints. In this event, simple tests must be performed to determine the nature of the material or mixture. Tests such as pH, oxidation-reduction potential, and flashpoint are useful In addition, very small amounts of the reactants may be carefully combined to determine compatibility.

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4.

Practical Considerations

If material are compatible they may be stored together in bulk tanks or transferred to tank trucks for ultimate disposal. It is necessary, then, to establish the compatibility of the materials through analyses prior to bulking them. Compatibility information is also very important in evaluating an accident involving several different hazardous materials. The ultimate handling and treatment of the materials may be partially based on such information. F. Physical Properties of Chemicals Chemical compounds possess inherent properties which determine the type and degree of the hazard they represent. Evaluating risks of an incident depends on understanding these properties and their relationship to the environment. 1. Solubility / Miscibility The ability of a solid, liquid, gas or vapor to dissolve in a solvent is solubility. An insoluble substance can be physically mixed or blended in a solvent for a short time but is unchanged when it finally separates. The solubility of a substance is independent of its density or specific gravity. The solubility of a material is important when determining its reactivity, dispersion, mitigation, and treatment. Solubility is generally given in parts per million (ppm), percent by weight (w/v), or percent by volume (v/v). Miscibility refers specifically to the solubility of a ligand in a solvent. This term is most often encountered when dealing with non-aqueous solutions. 2. Density and Specific Gravity The density of a substance is its mass per unit volume, commonly expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc). The density of water is 1 g/cc, since 1 cc has a mass of 1 g. Specific gravity (SpG) is the ratio of the density of a substance (at a given temperature) to the density of water at the temperature of its maximum density (4 degrees C)). Numerically, SpG is equal to the density in g/cc, but is expressed as pure number without units. If the SpG of a substance is greater than 1 (the SpG of water), it will sink in water. The substance will float on water if its SpG is less than 1. This is important when considering mitigation and treatment methods.

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3. Vapor Density The density of a gas or vapor can be compared to the density of the ambient atmosphere. If the density of a vapor or gas is greater than that of the ambient air, then it will tend to settle to the lowest point. If vapor density is close to air density or lower, the vapor will tend to disperse in the atmosphere. Vapor density is given in relative terms similar to specific gravity. In settling, dense vapor creates two hazards. First, if the vapor displaces enough air to reduce the atmospheric concentration of oxygen below 16%, asphyxia may result. Second, if the vapor is toxic, then inhalation problems predominate even if the atmosphere is not oxygen deficient. If a substance is explosive and very dense, the explosive hazard may be close to the ground rather than at the breathing zone (normal sampling heights). 4. Vapor Pressure The pressure exerted by a vapor against the sides of a closed container is called vapor pressure. It is temperature dependent. As temperature increases, so does the vapor pressure. Thus, more liquid evaporates or vaporizes. The lower the boiling point of the liquid, the greater the vapor pressure it will exert at a given temperature. Values for vapor pressure are most often given as millimeters of mercury (mmHg) at a specific temperature. 5. Boiling Point The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid will change to a vapor - that is, it is the temperature where the pressure of the liquid equals atmospheric pressure. The opposite change in phases is the condensation point. Handbooks usually list temperatures as degrees Celsius (C) or Fahrenheit (F). A major consideration with toxic substances is how they enter the body. With high-boiling point liquids, the most common entry is by body contact. With low-boiling point liquids, the inhalation route is the most common and serious. 6. Melting Point The temperature at which a solid changes phase to a liquid is the melting point. This temperature is also the freezing point, since a liquid can change phase to a solid. The proper terminology depends on the direction of the phase change.

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If a substance has been transported at a temperature that maintains a sold phase, then a change in temperature may cause the solid to melt. The particular substance may exhibit totally different properties depending on the phase. One phase could be inert while the other highly reactive. Thus, it is imperative to recognize the possibility of a substance changing phase due to changes in the ambient temperature. 7. Flash Point If the ambient temperature in relation to the material of concern is right, then it may give off enough vapor at its surface to allow ignition by an open flame or spark. The minimum temperature at which a substance produces sufficient flammable vapors to ignite is its flash point. If the vapor does ignite, combustion can continue as long as the temperature remains at or above the flash point. The relative flammability of a substance is based on its flash point. An accepted relation between the two is: Highly flammable: Moderately flammable: Relatively inflammable:

Flash point less than 100 deg F Flash point greater than 100 deg F but less than 200 deg F Flash point greater than 200 deg F

8. Viscosity Viscosity is the resistance of a fluid to flow. Normally, viscosity decreases with an increase in temperature, ie, heating a fluid makes it easier to pour. 9. Ignition Temperature The minimum temperature at which an external heat source is capable of igniting a flammable gas/air mixture is called the ignition temperature for a specific fuel. The temperature ranges from 400-1000 deg F for typical hydrocarbon fuels and must not be confused with the flash point (see above). 10. Flammable Range The flammable range of a liquid is the concentration range, given as percent, of the vapor in air which will support combustion. The minimum concentration (%) of fuel is termed the Lower Flammable

44

Limit (LFL) or Lower Explosive Limit (LEL). Similarly, UFL and UEL are used to denote the maximum concentration (%) which will ignite when mixed with air.)

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS I. INTRODUCTION Hazardous materials are frequently stored and transported in large quantities. An accidental release of these material presents a potential hazard to the public and environment. Such an incident can be managed more expeditiously when the hazardous material is specifically identified and characterized. Unfortunately, the contents of storage tanks or trucks may not be specifically or properly identified. Records or shipping papers may be inaccessible. Even with such information, an experienced person is needed to define the hazards and their seriousness. Because of the immediate need for information concerning a hazardous material, two systems for hazard identification have been developed. Both help responders to deal with a hazardous material incident quickly and safely, and both were devised for persons untrained in chemistry. The first is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 704M System, which is used on storage tanks and smaller containers (fixed facility). The second system is used exclusively on containers and tanks transported in interstate commerce. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for this system. Its use, by way of placards and labels, is required under DOT regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations 49 (49 CFR). II. NFPA 704M HAZARD IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM A. Description NFPA 704M is a standardized system which uses numbers and colors on a sign to define the basic hazards of a specific material under fire conditions. Health, Flammability and Reactivity are identified and rated on a scale of 0 to 4 depending on the degree of hazard presented (Figure 1). The ratings for individual chemicals can be found in the NFPA "Guide to Hazardous Materials". Other references such as the U.S. Coast Guard Manual, CHRIS Volume 2 and the National Safety Council's "Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene" contain the NFPA ratings for specific chemicals. Such information can

45

be useful not only in emergencies but also during long-term remedial activities when extensive evaluation is required.

Figure 1.

704M Hazard Identification System

NFPA

B. Summary of Hazard Ranking System 1. Health Hazard (BLUE) Rank Number:

4

Description: Materials that on very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury even though prompt medical treatment was given. Examples:

Acrylonitrile, Bromine, Parathion

Rank Number:

3

Description: Materials that on short exposure could cause serious or major residual injury even though prompt medical treatment was given. Examples:

Aniline, Sodium hydroxide, Sulfuric Acid

Rank Number:

2

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Description: Materials that on intense or continued exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury unless prompt medical treatment was given. Examples: Bromobenzene, Pyridine, Styrene Rank Number:

1

Description: Materials that on exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury even if no treatment was given. Examples:

Acetone, Methanol

Rank Number:

0

Description: Materials that on exposure would offer no health hazard. Examples: 2. Flammability Hazard (RED) Rank Number:

4

Description: Materials that (1) rapidly or completely vaporize at atmospheric pressure and normal ambient temperatures and burn readily or (2) are readily dispersed in air and burn readily. Examples:

1, 3-Butadiene, Propane, Ethylene oxide

Rank Number:

3

Description: Liquids and solids that can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions. Examples:

Phosphorus, Acrylonitrile

Rank Number:

2

Description: Materials that must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperatures before ignition can occur. 13

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Examples:

2-Butanone, Kerosene

Rank Number:

1

Description: Materials that must be pre-heated before ignition can occur. Examples:

Sodium, Red phosphorus

Rank Number:

0

Description: Materials that will not burn. Examples: 3. Flammability Hazard (RED) Rank Number:

4

Description: Materials that in themselves are readily capable of detonation or of explosive decomposition or reaction at normal temperatures and pressures. Examples:

Benzoyl peroxide, Picric acid, TNT

Rank Number:

3

Description: Materials that (1) in themselves are capable of detonation or explosive reaction but require a strong initiating source or (2) must be heated under confinement before initiation or (3) react explosively with water. Examples:

Diborane, Ethylene oxide, 2-Nitropropadene

Rank Number:

2

Description: Materials that (1) in themselves are normally unstable and readily undergo violent chemical change but do not detonate or (2) may react violently with water or (3) may form potentially explosive mixtures with water. 14

48

Examples:

Acetaldehyde, Potassium

Rank Number:

1

Description: Materials that in themselves are normally stable but which can (1) become unstable at elevated temperatures or (2) react with water with some release of energy but not violently. Examples:

Ethyl ether, Sulfuric Acid

Rank Number:

0

Description: Materials that in themselves are normally stable, even when exposed to fire, and that do not react with water. Examples: 4. Special Information (WHITE) The white block is designated for special information about the chemical. For example, it may indicate that the material is radioactive by displaying the standard radioactive symbol, or unusually water-reactive by displaying a large W with a slash through it (W). For a more complete discussion of these various hazards, consult the NFPA Standard 704M.

III. DOT HAZARD IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM The DOT's Hazardous Materials Transportation Administration regulates over 1,400 hazardous materials. The regulations require labels on small containers and placards on tanks and trailers. These placards and labels indicate the nature of the hazard presented by the cargo. The classification used for the placards and labels is based on the United Nations Hazard Classes (Table 1). The UN hazard class number is found in the bottom corner of a DOT placard or label. The various hazards are defined in Table 2 at the end of this section. Also shown is a color chart of the current DOT placards and labels.

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Table 1. UN Hazard Class System. United Nations Hazard Class Number Description ______________________________________________________________________ _______ 1 2 3 4

Explosives Compressed gases Flammable liquids Flammable solids, spontaneously combustible substances and water-reactive substances 5 Oxidizing materials, including organic peroxides 6 Poisons, irritants and etiologic (disease-causing) materials 7 Radioactive materials 8 Corrosive materials (acids, alkaline liquids and certain corrosive liquids and solids) 9 Miscellaneous hazardous materials not covered by any of the other classes ______________________________________________________________________ _______ To facilitate handling a hazardous material incident some placards are being altered to accept a 4-digit identification number (Figure 2). This number comes from the Hazardous Material Table in the DOT regulations, 49 CFR 172.101. This ID number also must be written on the shipping papers or manifest. In the event of an incident, the ID number on the placard will be much easier to obtain than the shipping papers. Once the number is obtained, the DOT's "Emergency Response Guide Book" can be consulted. This book describes the proper methods and precautions for responding to a release of each hazardous material with an ID number. The DOT system goes one step further in aiding response personnel than the NFPA system. However, using both systems when responding to hazardous material incidents will help to properly identify and characterize the materials involved.

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Asbestos in the Construction Industry

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Introduction What is asbestos? Asbestos is the generic term for a group of naturally occurring, fibrous minerals with high tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to heat, chemicals, and electricity. In the construction industry, asbestos is found in installed products such as sprayed-on fireproofing, pipe insulation, floor tiles, cement pipe and sheet, roofing felts and shingles, ceiling tiles, fire-resistant drywall, drywall joint compounds, and acoustical products. Because very few asbestoscontaining products are being installed today, most worker exposures occur during the removal of asbestos and the renovation and maintenance of buildings and structures containing asbestos.

What are the dangers of asbestos exposure? Asbestos fibers enter the body when a person inhales or ingests airborne particles that become embedded in the tissues of the respiratory or digestive systems. Exposure to asbestos can cause disabling or fatal diseases such as asbestosis, an emphysema-like condition; lung cancer; mesothelioma, a cancerous tumor that spreads rapidly in the cells of membranes covering the lungs and body organs; and gastrointestinal cancer. The symptoms of these diseases generally do not appear for 20 or more years after initial exposure.

What construction activities does this booklet cover? The asbestos standard for the construction industry (29 CFR Part 1926.1101, see www.osha.gov) regulates asbestos exposure for the following activities: ■

Demolishing or salvaging structures where asbestos is present.

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Removing or encapsulating asbestos-containing material (ACM). Constructing, altering, repairing, maintaining, or renovating asbestos-containing structures or substrates.

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Installing asbestos-containing products.

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Cleaning up asbestos spills/emergencies.

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Transporting, disposing, storing, containing, and housekeeping involving asbestos or asbestos-containing products on a construction site.

Note: The standard does not apply to asbestos-containing asphalt roof coatings, cements, and mastics.

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Provisions of the OSHA Standard OSHA has established strict exposure limits and requirements for exposure assessment, medical surveillance, recordkeeping, competent persons, regulated areas, and hazard communication.

What is work classification? The OSHA standard establishes a classification system for asbestos construction work that spells out mandatory, simple, technological work practices that employers must follow to reduce worker exposures. Under this system, the following four classes of construction work are matched with increasingly stringent control requirements: ■

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Class I asbestos work is the most potentially hazardous class of asbestos jobs. This work involves the removal of asbestos-containing thermal system insulation and sprayed-on or troweled-on surfacing materials. Employers must presume that thermal system insulation and surfacing material found in pre-1981 construction is ACM. That presumption, however, is rebuttable. If you believe that the surfacing material or thermal system insulation is not ACM, the OSHA standard specifies the means that you must use to rebut that presumption. Thermal system insulation includes ACM applied to pipes, boilers, tanks, ducts, or other structural components to prevent heat loss or gain. Surfacing materials include decorative plaster on ceilings and walls; acoustical materials on decking, walls, and ceilings; and fireproofing on structural members. Class II work includes the removal of other types of ACM that are not thermal system insulation such as resilient flooring and roofing materials. Examples of Class II work include removal of asbestos-containing floor or ceiling tiles, siding, roofing, or transite panels. Class III asbestos work includes repair and maintenance operations where ACM or presumed ACM (PACM) are disturbed.

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Class IV work includes custodial activities where employees clean up asbestos-containing waste and debris produced by construction, maintenance, or repair activities. This work involves cleaning dust-contaminated surfaces, vacuuming contaminated carpets, mopping floors, and cleaning up ACM or PACM from thermal system insulation or surfacing material.

What is the permissible exposure limit for asbestos? Employers must ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of asbestos in excess of 0.1 f/cc as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). In addition, employees must not be exposed to an airborne concentration of asbestos in excess of 1 f/cc as averaged over a sampling period of 30 minutes.

Which asbestos operations must employers monitor and assess? Employers must assess all asbestos operations for the potential to generate airborne fibers, and use exposure monitoring data to assess employee exposures. You must also designate a competent person to help ensure the safety and health of your workers.

What is the function of a competent person? On all construction sites with asbestos operations, employers must designate a competent person—one who can identify asbestos hazards in the workplace and has the authority to correct them. This person must be qualified and authorized to ensure worker safety and health as required by Subpart C, General Safety and Health Provisions for Construction (29 CFR Part 1926.20). Under these 4

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requirements for safety and health prevention programs, the competent person must frequently inspect job sites, materials, and equipment. The competent person must attend a comprehensive training course for contractors and supervisors certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a stateapproved training provider, or a complete a course that is equivalent in length and content. For Class III and IV asbestos work, training must include a course equivalent in length, stringency, and content to the 16-hour Operations and Maintenance course developed by EPA for maintenance and custodial workers. For more specific information, see 40 CFR Part 763.92(a)(2).

What is an initial exposure assessment? To determine expected exposures, a competent person must perform an initial exposure assessment to assess exposures immediately before or as the operation begins. This person must perform the assessment in time to comply with all standard requirements triggered by exposure data or the lack of a negative exposure assessment and to provide the necessary information to ensure all control systems are appropriate and work properly. A negative exposure assessment demonstrates that employee exposure during an operation is consistently below the permissible exposure limit (PEL). The initial exposure assessment must be based on the following criteria: ■

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Results of employee exposure monitoring, unless a negative exposure assessment has been made; and Observations, information, or calculations indicating employee exposure to asbestos, including any previous monitoring.

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For Class I asbestos work, until employers document that employees will not be exposed in excess of the 8-hour TWA PEL and short-term exposure limit STEL, employers must assume that employee exposures are above those limits.

What is a negative exposure assessment? For any specific asbestos job that trained employees perform, employers may show that exposures will be below the PELs (i.e., negative exposure assessment) through the following: ■

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Objective data demonstrating that ACM, or activities involving it, cannot release airborne fibers in excess of the 8-hour TWA PEL or STEL; Exposure data obtained within the past 12 months from prior monitoring of work operations closely resembling the employer’s current work operations (the work operations that were previously monitored must have been conducted by employees whose training and experience were no more extensive than that of current employees, and the data must show a high degree of certainty that employee exposures will not exceed the 8-hour TWA PEL or STEL under current conditions); or Current initial exposure monitoring that used breathing zone air samples representing the 8-hour TWA and 30minute short-term exposures for each employee in those operations most likely to result in exposures over the 8-hour TWA PEL for the entire asbestos job.

Are employers required to perform exposure monitoring? Yes. Employers must determine employee exposure measurements from breathing zone air samples representing the 8-hour TWA and 30-minute short-term exposures for each employee. 6

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Employers must take one or more samples representing full-shift exposure to determine the 8-hour TWA exposure in each work area. To determine short-term employee exposures, you must take one or more samples representing 30-minute exposures for the operations most likely to expose employees above the excursion limit in each work area. You must also allow affected employees and their designated representatives to observe any employee exposure monitoring. When observation requires entry into a regulated area, you must provide and require the use of protective clothing and equipment.

When must employers conduct periodic monitoring? For Class I and II jobs, employers must conduct monitoring daily that is representative of each employee working in a regulated area, unless you have produced a negative exposure assessment for the entire operation and nothing has changed. When all employees use supplied-air respirators operated in positive-pressure mode, however, you may discontinue daily monitoring. When employees perform Class I work using control methods not recommended in the standard, you must continue daily monitoring even when employees use supplied-air respirators. For operations other than Class I and II, employers must monitor all work where exposures can possibly exceed the PEL often enough to validate the exposure prediction. If periodic monitoring shows that certain employee exposures are below the 8-hour TWA PEL and the STEL, you may discontinue monitoring these employees’ exposures.

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Is additional monitoring ever needed? Changes in processes, control equipment, personnel, or work practices that could result in new or additional exposures above the 8-hour TWA PEL or STEL require additional monitoring regardless of a previous negative exposure assessment for a specific job.

Are employers required to establish medical surveillance programs for employees? It depends. Employers must provide a medical surveillance program for all employees who do the following: ■

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Engage in Class I, II, or III work or are exposed at or above the PEL or STEL for a combined total of 30 or more days per year; or Wear negative-pressure respirators.

In addition, a licensed physician must perform or supervise all medical exams and procedures that you provide at no cost to your employees and at a reasonable time. Employers must make medical exams and consultations available to employees as follows: ■

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Prior to employee assignment to an area where negativepressure respirators are worn; Within 10 working days after the 30th day of combined engagement in Class I, II, and III work and exposure at or above a PEL, and at least annually thereafter; and When an examining physician suggests them more frequently.

If an employee was examined within the past 12 months and that exam meets the criteria of the standard, however, another medical exam is not required. 8

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Medical exams must include the following: ■

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Medical and work histories; Completion of a standardized questionnaire with the initial exam (see 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, Appendix D, Part 1) and an abbreviated standardized questionnaire with annual exams (see 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, Appendix D, Part 2); Physical exam focusing on the pulmonary and gastrointestinal systems; and Any other exams or tests deemed necessary by the examining physician.

Employers must provide the examining physician with the following: ■

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Copy of OSHA’s asbestos standard and its appendices D, E, and I; Description of the affected employee’s duties relating to exposure; Employee’s representative exposure level or anticipated exposure level; Description of any personal protective equipment and respiratory equipment used; and Information from previous medical exams not otherwise available.

It is the employer’s responsibility to obtain the physician’s written opinion containing results of the medical exam as well as the following information: ■

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Any medical conditions of the employee that increase health risks from asbestos exposure. Any recommended limitations on the employee or protective equipment used.

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A statement that the employee has been informed of the results of the medical exam and any medical conditions resulting from asbestos exposure. A statement that the employee has been informed of the increased risk of lung cancer from the combined effect of smoking and asbestos exposure.

Note: A physician’s written opinion must not reveal specific findings or diagnoses unrelated to occupational exposure to asbestos. You must provide a copy of the physician’s written opinion to the employee involved within 30 days after receipt.

Do employers have to keep any employee records? Yes. Employers must maintain employee records concerning objective data, exposure monitoring, and medical surveillance. If using objective data to demonstrate that products made from or containing asbestos cannot release fibers in concentrations at or above the PEL or STEL, employers must keep an accurate record for as long as it is relied on and include the following information: ■

Exempt products.

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Objective data source.

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Testing protocol, test results, and analysis of the material for release of asbestos. Exempt operation and support data descriptions. Relevant data for operations, materials, processes, or employee exposures.

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Employers must keep records of all employee exposure monitoring for at least 30 years, including following information: ■

Date of measurement.

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Operation involving asbestos exposure that you monitored.

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Methods of sampling and analysis that you used and evidence of their accuracy.

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Number, duration, and results of samples taken.

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Type of protective devices worn.

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Name, social security number, and exposures of the employees involved.

Employers must also make exposure records available when requested to affected employees, former employees, their designated representatives, and/or OSHA’s Assistant Secretary. In addition to retaining a copy of the information provided to the examining physician, employers must keep all medical surveillance records for the duration of an employee’s employment plus 30 years, including the following information: ■

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Employee’s name and social security number. Employee’s medical exam results, including the medical history, questionnaires, responses, test results, and physician’s recommendations. Physician’s written opinions. Employee’s medical complaints related to asbestos exposure.

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Employers must also make employees’ medical surveillance records available to them, as well as to anyone having specific written consent of an employee, and to OSHA’s Assistant Secretary. Also, employers must maintain other records. Employers must maintain all employee training records for 1 year beyond the last date of employment. If data demonstrate ACM does not contain asbestos, building owners or employers must keep associated records for as long as they rely on them. Building owners must maintain written notifications on the identification, location, and quantity of any ACM or PACM for the duration of ownership, and transfer the records to successive owners. When employers cease to do business without a successor to keep their records, employers must notify the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at least 90 days prior to their disposal and transmit them as requested.

What is a regulated area? A regulated area is a marked-off site where employees work with asbestos, including any adjoining areas where debris and waste from asbestos work accumulates or where airborne concentrations of asbestos exceed, or can possibly exceed, the PEL. All Class I, II, and III asbestos work, or any other operations where airborne asbestos exceeds the PEL, must be performed within regulated areas. Only persons permitted by an employer and required by work duties to be present in regulated areas may enter a regulated area. The designated competent person supervises all asbestos work performed in this area. Employers must mark off the regulated area in a manner that minimizes the number of persons within the area and 12

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protects persons outside the area from exposure to airborne asbestos. You may use critical barriers (i.e., plastic sheeting placed over all openings to the work area to prevent airborne asbestos from migrating to an adjacent area) or negativepressure enclosures to mark off a regulated area. Posted warning signs demarcating the area must be easily readable and understandable. The signs must bear the following information: DANGER ASBESTOS CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY RESPIRATORY AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ARE REQUIRED IN THIS AREA Employers must supply a respirator to all persons entering regulated areas. (See respiratory protection requirements elsewhere in this booklet.) Employees must not eat, drink, smoke, chew (tobacco or gum), or apply cosmetics in regulated areas. An employer performing work in a regulated area must inform other employers onsite of the following: ■

Nature of the work,

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Regulated area requirements, and

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Measures taken to protect onsite employees.

The contractor creating or controlling the source of asbestos contamination must abate the hazards. All employers with employees working near regulated areas, must daily assess the enclosure’s integrity or the effectiveness of control methods to prevent airborne asbestos from migrating.

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General contractors on a construction project must oversee all asbestos work, even though they may not be the designated competent person. As supervisor of the entire project, the general contractor determines whether asbestos contractors comply with the standard and ensures that they correct any problems.

Who is responsible for communicating asbestos hazards at worksites? The communication of asbestos hazards is vital to prevent further overexposure. Most asbestos-related construction involves previously installed building materials. Building/ facility owners often are the only or best source of information concerning these materials. Building/facility owners, as well as employers of workers who may be exposed to asbestos hazards, have specific duties under the standard. Before work begins, building/facility owners must identify all thermal system insulation at the worksite, sprayed or troweled-on surfacing materials in buildings, and resilient flooring material installed before 1981. They also must notify the following persons of the presence, location, and quantity of ACM or PACM: ■

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Prospective employers applying or bidding for work in or adjacent to areas containing asbestos. Building owners’ employees who work in or adjacent to these areas. Other employers on multi-employer worksites with employees working in or adjacent to these areas. All tenants who will occupy the areas containing ACM.

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Employers discovering ACM on a worksite must notify the building/facility owner and other employers onsite within 24 hours regarding its presence, location, and quantity. You also must inform owners and employees working in nearby areas of the precautions taken to confine airborne asbestos. Within 10 days of project completion, you must inform building/facility owners and other employers onsite of the current locations and quantities of remaining ACM and any final monitoring results. At any time, employers or building and facility owners may demonstrate that a PACM does not contain asbestos by inspecting the material in accordance with the requirements of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) (40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E) or by performing tests of bulk samples collected in the manner described in 40 CFR Part 763.86. (See 29 CFR Part 1926.1101 for specific testing requirements.) Employers do not have to inform employees of asbestosfree building materials present; however, you must retain the information, data, and analysis supporting the determination. (See recordkeeping requirements elsewhere in this publication for more specific information.)

Does the OSHA standard require the posting of warning signs? Yes. At the entrance to mechanical rooms or areas with ACM or PACM, the building/facility owner must post signs identifying the material present, its specific location, and appropriate work practices that ensure it is not disturbed. Also, employers must post warning signs in regulated areas to inform employees of the dangers and necessary protective steps to take before entering. (See the regulated area requirements elsewhere in this publication.)

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Must employers provide asbestos warning labels? Employers must attach warning labels to all products and containers of asbestos, including waste containers, and all installed asbestos products, when possible. Labels must be printed in large, bold letters on a contrasting background and used in accordance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR Part1910.1200). All labels must contain a warning statement against breathing asbestos fibers and contain the following legend: DANGER CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBERS AVOID CREATING DUST CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD Labels are not required if asbestos is present in concentrations less than 1 percent by weight. They also are not required if bonding agents, coatings, or binders have altered asbestos fibers, prohibiting the release of airborne asbestos over the PEL or STEL during reasonable use, handling, storage, disposal, processing, or transportation. When building owners or employers identify previously installed asbestos or PACM, employers must attach or post clearly noticeable and readable labels or signs to inform employees which materials contain asbestos.

Do employers have to train employees regarding asbestos exposure? Yes. Employers must provide a free training program for all employees who are likely to be exposed in excess of a PEL and for all employees performing Class I through IV asbestos operations. Employees must be trained prior to or at initial assignment and at least annually thereafter. Training courses 16

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must be easily understandable and include the following information: ■

Ways to recognize asbestos.

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Adverse health effects of asbestos exposure.

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Relationship between smoking and asbestos in causing lung cancer. Operations that could result in asbestos exposure and the importance of protective controls to minimize exposure. Purpose, proper use, fitting instruction, and limitations of respirators.

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Appropriate work practices for performing asbestos jobs.

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Medical surveillance program requirements.

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Contents of the standard.

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Names, addresses, and phone numbers of public health organizations that provide information and materials or conduct smoking cessation programs. Sign and label requirements and the meaning of their legends. Written materials relating to employee training and selfhelp smoking cessation programs at no cost to employees.

Also, the following additional training requirements apply depending on the work class involved: ■

For Class I operations and for Class II operations that require the use of critical barriers (or equivalent isolation methods) and/or negative pressure enclosures, training must be equivalent in curriculum, method, and length to the EPA Model Accreditation Plan (MAP) asbestos abatement worker training (see 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E, Appendix C).

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For employees performing Class II operations involving one generic category of building materials containing asbestos (e.g., roofing, flooring, or siding materials or transite panels), training may be covered in an 8-hour course that includes hands-on experience. For Class III operations, training must be equivalent in curriculum and method to the 16-hour Operations and Maintenance course developed by EPA for maintenance and custodial workers whose work disturbs ACM (see 40 CFR Part 763.92). The course must include hands-on training on proper respirator use and work practices. For Class IV operations, training must be equivalent in curriculum and method to EPA awareness training (see 29 CFR Part1926.1101 for more information). Training must focus on the locations of ACM or PACM and the ways to recognize damage and deterioration and avoid exposure. The course must be at least 2 hours in length.

Note: Employers must provide OSHA’s Assistant Secretary and the Director of NIOSH all information and training materials as requested.

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Methods of Compliance What methods must employers use to control asbestos exposure levels? For all covered work, employers must use the following control methods to comply with the PEL and STEL: ■

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Local exhaust ventilation equipped with HEPA-filter dust collection systems (a high-efficiency particulate air [HEPA] filter is capable of trapping and retaining at least 99.97 percent of all mono-dispersed particles of 0.3 micrometers in diameter). Enclosure or isolation of processes producing asbestos dust. Ventilation of the regulated area to move contaminated air away from the employees’ breathing zone and toward a filtration or collection device equipped with a HEPA filter. Feasible engineering and work practice controls to reduce exposure to the lowest possible levels, supplemented by respirators to reach the PEL or STEL or lower.

Employers must use the following engineering controls and work practices for all operations regardless of exposure levels: ■

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Vacuum cleaners equipped with HEPA filters to collect all asbestos-containing or presumed asbestos-containing debris and dust. Wet methods or wetting agents to control employee exposures except when infeasible (e.g., due to the creation of electrical hazards, equipment malfunction, and slipping hazards). Prompt cleanup and disposal in leak-tight containers of asbestos-contaminated wastes and debris.

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The following work practices and engineering controls are prohibited for all asbestos-related work or work that disturbs asbestos or PACM regardless of measured exposure levels or the results of initial exposure assessments: ■

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High-speed abrasive disc saws not equipped with a point-of-cut ventilator or enclosure with HEPA-filtered exhaust air. Compressed air to remove asbestos or ACM unless the compressed air is used with an enclosed ventilation system. Dry sweeping, shoveling, or other dry cleanup of dust and debris. Employee rotation to reduce exposure.

In addition, OSHA’s asbestos standard has specific requirements for each class of asbestos work in construction.

What are the compliance requirements for Class I work? A designated competent person must supervise all Class I work, including installing and operating the control system. The competent person must inspect onsite at least once during each work shift and upon employee request. Employers must place critical barriers over all openings to regulated areas or use another barrier or isolation method to prevent airborne asbestos from migrating for the following jobs: ■

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All Class I jobs removing more than 25 linear or 10 square feet of thermal system insulation or surfacing material. All other Class I jobs without a negative exposure assessment. All jobs where employees are working in areas adjacent to a Class I regulated area.

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If using other barriers or isolation methods instead of critical barriers, employers must perform perimeter area surveillance during each work shift. No asbestos dust should be visible. Perimeter monitoring must show that clearance levels are met (as contained in 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E of the EPA Asbestos in Schools rule) or that perimeter area levels are no greater than background levels. Employers must ensure the following for all Class I jobs: ■

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Isolating heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in regulated areas by sealing with a double layer of 6 mil plastic or the equivalent. Placing impermeable drop cloths on surfaces beneath all removal activity. Covering and securing all objects within the regulated area with impermeable drop cloths or plastic sheeting. Ventilating the regulated area to move the contaminated air away from the employee breathing zone and toward a HEPA filtration or collection device for jobs without a negative exposure assessment or where exposure monitoring shows the PEL is exceeded.

In addition, employees performing Class I work must use one or more of the following control methods: ■

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Negative-pressure enclosure systems when the configuration of the work area does not make it infeasible to erect the enclosure. Glove bag systems to remove ACM or PACM from piping. Negative-pressure glove bag systems to remove asbestos or PACM from piping. Negative-pressure glove box systems to remove asbestos or ACM from pipe runs.

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Water spray process systems to remove asbestos or PACM from cold-line piping if employees carrying out the process have completed a 40-hour training course on its use in addition to training required for all employees performing Class I work. Small walk-in enclosure that accommodates no more than 2 people (mini-enclosure) if the disturbance or removal can be completely contained by the enclosure.

For the specifications, limitations, and recommended work practices of these required control methods, refer to Occupational Exposure to Asbestos, 29 CFR Part 1926.1101. Employers may use different or modified engineering and work practice controls if they adhere to the following provisions: ■

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Control method encloses, contains, or isolates the process or source of airborne asbestos dust, or captures and redirects the dust before it enters into the employees’ breathing zone. Certified industrial hygienist or licensed professional engineer qualified as a project designer evaluates the work area, the projected work practices, and the engineering controls and certifies, in writing, that based on evaluations and data the planned control method adequately reduces direct and indirect employee exposure to or below the PEL under worst-case conditions. The planned control method also must prevent asbestos contamination outside the regulated area, as measured by sampling meeting the requirements of the EPA Asbestos in Schools rule or perimeter monitoring. Employer sends a copy of the evaluation and certification to the OSHA National Office, Office of Technical Support, Room N3653, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20210, before using alternative methods to remove

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more than 25 linear or 10 square feet of thermal system insulation or surfacing material.

What are the compliance requirements for Class II work? In addition to all indoor Class II jobs without a negative exposure assessment, employers must use critical barriers over all openings to the regulated area or another barrier or isolation method to prevent airborne asbestos from migrating for the following: ■

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When changing conditions indicate exposure above the PEL, or When ACM is not removed substantially intact.

If using other barriers or isolation methods instead of critical barriers, employers must perform perimeter area monitoring to verify that the barrier works properly. In addition, impermeable drop cloths must cover all surfaces beneath removal activities. All Class II asbestos work can use the same work practices and requirements as Class I asbestos jobs. Alternatively, Class II work can be performed using work practices set out in the standard for specific jobs. For removing vinyl and asphalt flooring materials containing asbestos or installed in buildings constructed before 1981 and not verified as asbestos-free, employers must ensure that workers observe the following: ■

Do not sand flooring or its backing,

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Do not rip up resilient sheeting,

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Do not dry sweep,

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Perform mechanical chipping only in a negative-pressure enclosure,

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Use vacuums equipped with HEPA filters to clean floors, Remove resilient sheeting by cutting with wetting of the snip point and wetting during delamination, Use wet methods to scrape residual adhesives and/or backing, Remove tiles intact, unless impossible (you may omit wetting when tiles are heated and removed intact), and Assume resilient flooring material—including associated mastic and backing—is asbestos-containing unless an industrial hygienist determines that it is asbestos-free.

To remove asbestos-containing roofing materials, employers must ensure that workers do the following: ■

Remove them intact if feasible,

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Use wet methods when intact removal is infeasible, and

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Mist cutting machines continuously during use, unless the competent person determines misting to be unsafe.

When removing built-up roofs using a power roof cutter employers must ensure that workers observe the following procedures: ■

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Use power cutters equipped with HEPA dust collectors or perform HEPA vacuuming along the cut line for roofs that have asbestos-containing roofing felts and an aggregate surface. Use power cutters equipped with HEPA dust collectors, or perform HEPA vacuuming along the cut line, or gently sweep along the cut line and then carefully and completely wipe up the still-wet dust and debris that was acquired for roofs that have asbestos-containing roofing felts and a smooth surface.

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Do not drop or throw to the ground ACM that has been removed from a roof. Carry or pass the ACM to the ground by hand, or lower the material to the ground via covered, dust-tight chute, crane or hoist. Lower both intact ACM and non-intact ACM to the ground as soon as it is practicable, but no later than the end of the work shift. Keep material wet if it is not intact, or place it in impermeable waste bags, or wrap it in plastic sheeting while it remains on the roof. Lower to the ground, as soon as possible or by the end of the work shift, any unwrapped or unbagged roofing material using a covered, dust-tight chute, crane, or hoist. Place unwrapped materials in closed containers to prevent scattering dust after the materials reach the ground. Isolate roof level heating and ventilation air intake sources or shut down the ventilation system.

When removing cement-like asbestos-containing siding or shingles, or asbestos-containing transite panels on building exteriors other than roofs, employers must ensure that employees adhere to the following: ■

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Do not cut, abrade, or break siding, shingles, or transite panels unless methods less likely to result in asbestos fiber release cannot be used; Spray each panel or shingle with amended water before removing (amended water is water to which a surfactant [wetting agent] has been added to increase the ability of the liquid to penetrate ACM);

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Lower immediately to the ground any unwrapped or unbagged panels or shingles using a covered dust-tight chute, crane, or hoist, or place them in an impervious waste bag or wrap them in plastic sheeting and lower them to the ground no later than the end of the work shift; and Cut nails with flat, sharp instruments.

When removing asbestos-containing gaskets, employers must ensure that employees do the following: ■

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Remove gaskets within glove bags if they are visibly deteriorated and unlikely to be removed intact; Wet the gaskets thoroughly with amended water prior to removing; Place the wet gaskets in a disposal container immediately; and Keep the residue wet if removed by scraping.

For removal of any other Class II ACM, employers must ensure that employees observe the following: ■

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Do not cut, abrade, or break the material unless infeasible; Wet the material thoroughly with amended water before and during removal; Remove the material intact, if possible; and Bag or wrap removed ACM immediately or keep it wet until transferred to a closed receptacle no later than the end of the work shift.

Employers may use different or modified engineering and work practice controls under the following conditions: ■

If they can demonstrate that employee exposure will not exceed the PEL under any anticipated circumstances; and

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If a competent person evaluates the work area, the projected work practices, and the engineering controls and certifies, in writing, that these different or modified controls will reduce all employee exposure to or below the PELs under all expected conditions of use and that they meet the requirements of the standard. This evaluation must include, and be based on, data representing employee exposure during use of the controls under conditions closely resembling those of the current job. Also, the employees participating in the evaluation must not have better training and more experience than that of the employees who are to perform the current job.

What are the compliance requirements for Class III work? Employers must use wet methods and local exhaust ventilation, to the extent feasible, during Class III work. When drilling, cutting, abrading, sanding, chipping, breaking, or sawing of asbestos-containing thermal system insulation or surfacing materials occurs, employers must use impermeable drop cloths as well as mini-enclosures, glove bag systems, or other effective isolation methods and ensure that workers wear respirators. If the material is not thermal system insulation or surfacing material and a negative exposure assessment has not been produced or monitoring shows the PEL is exceeded, employers must contain the area with impermeable drop cloths and plastic barriers or other isolation methods and ensure that employees wear respirators. (See also respirator requirements elsewhere in this publication.) In addition, the competent person must inspect often enough to assess changing conditions and upon employee request.

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What are the compliance requirements for Class IV work? Employees conducting Class IV asbestos work must have attended an asbestos awareness training program. They must use wet methods and HEPA vacuums to promptly clean asbestos-containing or presumed asbestos-containing debris. When cleaning debris and waste in regulated areas, employees must wear respirators. In areas where thermal system insulation or surfacing material is present, workers must assume that all waste and debris contain asbestos.

Does the competent person have duties that apply to more than one work class? Yes. For Class II, III, and IV jobs, the competent person must inspect often enough to assess changing conditions and upon employee request. For Class I or II asbestos work, the competent person must ensure the integrity of the enclosures or other containments by onsite inspection and supervise the following activities: ■

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Setup of regulated areas, enclosures, or other containments. Setup procedures to control entry to and exit from the enclosure or area. Employee exposure monitoring by ensuring it is properly conducted. Use of required protective clothing and equipment by employees working within the enclosure or using glove bags (a plastic bag-like enclosure affixed around ACM, with glove-like appendages through which materials and tools may be handled). Setup, removal, and performance of engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment through onsite inspection.

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Use of hygiene facilities by employees.

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Required decontamination procedures.

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Notification requirements.

What does the OSHA standard require concerning respirators? Employees must use respirators during the following activities: ■

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Class I asbestos jobs. Class II work where ACM is not removed substantially intact. Class II and III work not using wet methods. Class II and III work without a negative exposure assessment. Class III jobs where thermal system insulation or surfacing ACM or PACM is cut, abraded, or broken. Class IV work within a regulated area where respirators are required. Work where employees are exposed above the TWA or excursion limit. Emergencies.

Employers must provide respirators at no cost to workers, selecting the appropriate type from among those certified by NIOSH. Employers must provide employees performing Class I work with full-facepiece supplied air respirators operated in pressure-demand mode and equipped with an auxiliary positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus when exposure levels exceed 1 f/cc as an 8-hour TWA.

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Employers must provide half-mask purifying respirators —other than disposable respirators—equipped with highefficiency filters for Class II and III asbestos jobs where work disturbs thermal system insulation or surfacing ACM or PACM. If a particular job is not Class I, II, or III and exposures are above the PEL or STEL, the asbestos standard, 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, contains a table specifying types of respirators to use. According to 29 CFR Part 1910.134, employers must institute a respiratory program that includes the following: ■

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Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace; Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators; Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations; Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and maintaining respirators; Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators; Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations; Training of employees in the proper use and maintenance of respirators, including putting on and removing them, and any limitations on their use; and Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

(See Respiratory Protection, 29 CFR Part 1910.134, for complete program requirements.) 30

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With regard to fit testing, employers must do the following: ■

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Ensure that employees are fit tested with the same make, model, style, and size of respirator that they will be using; Ensure that employees using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator pass an appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT); Ensure that an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different size, style, model or make of respirator facepiece is used, and at least annually thereafter. Conduct an additional fit test whenever an employee reports (or the employer, physician or other licensed health-care professional, supervisor, or program administrator makes) visual observations of changes in an employee’s physical condition that could affect respirator fit. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, facial scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or an obvious change in body weight.

Employers must not assign any employee to tasks requiring respirator use who, based on the most recent physical exam and the examining physician’s recommendations, would be unable to function normally. Employers must assign such employees to other jobs or give them the opportunity to transfer to different positions in the same geographical area and with the same seniority, status, pay rate, and job benefits as they had before transferring, if such positions are available.

Do employers have to provide protective clothing for employees? Employers must provide and require the use of protective clothing—such as coveralls or similar whole-body clothing, head coverings, gloves, and foot coverings—for the following:

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31

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Employees exposed to airborne asbestos exceeding the PEL or STEL; Work without a negative exposure assessment; or Employees performing Class I work involving the removal of over 25 linear or 10 square feet of thermal system insulation or surfacing ACM or PACM.

Employers must ensure that the laundering of contaminated clothing does not release airborne asbestos in excess of the PEL or STEL. Employers who give contaminated clothing to other persons for laundering must inform them of the requirement to follow procedures that do not release airborne asbestos in excess of the PEL or STEL. Employers must transport contaminated clothing in sealed, impermeable bags or other closed impermeable containers bearing appropriate labels. (See the hazard communication section elsewhere in this publication for label requirements.) The competent person must examine employee worksuits at least once per work shift for rips or tears. Rips or tears found while an employee is working must be mended or the worksuit replaced immediately.

What are the hygiene-related requirements for employees performing Class I asbestos work involving more than 25 linear feet or 10 square feet of thermal system insulation or surfacing ACM or PACM? For this class of asbestos work, the requirements are as follows: ■

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Employers must create a decontamination area adjacent to and connected with the regulated area. Workers must enter and exit the regulated area through the decontamination area.

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The decontamination area must include an equipment room, shower area, and clean room in series and comply with the following: ■

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Equipment room must have impermeable, labeled bags and containers to store and dispose of contaminated protective equipment. Shower area must be adjacent to both the equipment and clean rooms, unless work is performed outdoors or this arrangement is not feasible (in either case, employers must ensure that employees remove asbestos contamination from their worksuits in the equipment room using a HEPA vacuum before proceeding to a shower not adjacent to the work area or remove their contaminated worksuits in the equipment room, don clean worksuits, and proceed to a shower not adjacent to the work area). Clean room must have a locker or appropriate storage container for each employee.

Note: When it is not feasible to provide a change area adjacent to the work area, or when the work is performed outdoors, employees may clean protective clothing with a portable HEPA vacuum before leaving the regulated area. Employees then must shower and change into “street clothing” in a clean change area meeting the requirements described above. To enter the regulated area, employees must pass through the equipment room. But before entering the regulated area, employees must do the following: ■

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Enter the decontamination area through the clean room. Remove and deposit street clothing within a provided locker. Put on protective clothing and respiratory protection before leaving the clean area.

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Before exiting the regulated area, employees must do the following: ■

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Remove all gross contamination and debris. Remove protective clothing in the equipment room (depositing the clothing in labeled, impermeable bags or containers). Remove respirators in the shower and then shower before entering the clean room to change into “street clothing.”

Note: When workers consume food or beverages at the Class I worksite, employers must provide lunch areas with airborne asbestos levels below the PEL and/or excursion limit.

What are the hygiene-related requirements for employees performing other Class I asbestos work and Class II and III asbestos work where exposures exceed a PEL or where a negative exposure assessment has not been produced? For this class of asbestos work, the requirements are as follows: ■

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Employers must establish an equipment room or area adjacent to the regulated area for the decontamination of employees and their equipment. Workers must cover area with an impermeable drop cloth on the floor or horizontal work surface and must be large enough to accommodate equipment cleaning and personal protective equipment removal without spreading contamination beyond the area. Workers must clean area with a HEPA vacuum before removing work clothing.

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Workers must clean all equipment and surfaces of containers filled with ACM before removal. Employers must ensure employees enter and exit the regulated area through the equipment room or area.

What are the hygiene-related requirements for employees performing Class IV work? For this class of asbestos work, the requirements are as follows: ■

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Employers must ensure that workers cleaning up dust, waste, and debris while a Class I, II, or III activity is still in progress observe the hygiene practices required of the workers performing that activity. Workers cleaning up asbestos-containing surfacing material or thermal system insulation debris from a Class I or III activity after the activity is finished must be provided decontamination facilities required for Class I work involving less than 25 linear or 10 square feet of material, or for Class III work where exposure exceeds a PEL or no negative exposure assessment exists.

Note: For any class of asbestos work, employers must ensure that workers do not smoke in any work area with asbestos exposure.

What are an employer’s housekeeping responsibilities? Asbestos waste, scrap, debris, bags, containers, equipment, and contaminated clothing consigned for disposal must be collected and disposed of in sealed, labeled, impermeable bags or other closed, labeled impermeable containers. When vacuuming methods are selected, employees must use and empty HEPA-filtered vacuuming equipment carefully and in a way that will minimize asbestos reentry into the workplace.

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Unless the building/facility owner demonstrates that the flooring does not contain asbestos, all vinyl and asphalt flooring material must be maintained in accordance with the following conditions: ■

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Sanding flooring material is prohibited. Employees stripping finishes must use wet methods and low abrasion pads at speeds lower than 300 revolutions per minute. Burnishing or dry buffing may be done only on flooring with enough finish that the pad cannot contact the flooring material. Employees must not dust, dry sweep, or vacuum without a HEPA filter in an area containing thermal system insulation or surfacing material or visibly deteriorated ACM. Employees must promptly clean up the waste and debris and accompanying dust, and dispose of it in leak-tight, labeled containers.

For a quick reference to the OSHA standard’s provisions by work class, please see the following table.

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Must be onsite Must inspect each workshift Must attend supervisory training

Initial if no negative exposure assessment (NEA) ■ Daily unless positive pressure mode respirator is used ■ Additional if conditions change Note: Terminate if < permissible exposure limits (PELs)

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Must be onsite Must inspect often Must attend supervisory training

Initial if no NEA Daily unless positive pressure mode respirator is used ■ Additional if conditions change Note: Terminate if < PELs

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Required (warning signs mandatory)

Removal of material other than TSI or SM containing > 1% asbestos

Class II

Must be onsite Must inspect often Must attend operational and maintenance training

Initial if no NEA Periodic to accurately predict if > PELs ■ Additional if conditions change Note: Terminate if < PELs ■

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Required (warning signs mandatory)

Maintenance and repair operations disturbing material containing > 1% asbestos

Class III

Must be onsite Must inspect often Must attend operational and maintenance training Initial if no NEA Periodic to accurately predict if > PELs ■ Additional if conditions change Note: Terminate if < PELs ■

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Required (warning signs mandatory)

Housekeeping and custodial cleanup of dust, waste, and debris from Class I, II, or III activities

Class IV

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

Air Monitoring

Competent Person

Required (warning signs mandatory)

Regulated Areas

Class I

Removal of thermal system insulation (TSI) and surfacing material (SM) containing > 1% asbestos

Definition

Quick Reference of Provisions byWork Class*

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Equivalent to EPA Model Accreditation Plan (MAP) asbestos abatement workers course

Training

Equivalent to MAP course if critical barriers required; otherwise, train on specific work practices and engineering controls that must be used

Required for all jobs if No NEA, or ■ > PEL

■

Mandatory if ■ Non-intact removal, or ■ No NEA, or ■ > PEL, or ■ Dry removal (except for roofing), or ■ In emergencies

Required if ■ Wearing negativepressure respirator, or ■ > 30 days of work/year

Class II

Equivalent to AHERA course for maintenance and custodial staff

Required for all jobs if No NEA, or ■ > PEL ■

Mandatory if No NEA, or ■ TSI or SM disturbed, or ■ > PEL, or ■ Dry removal (except for roofing), or ■ In emergencies ■

Required if ■ Wearing negativepressure respirator, or ■ > 30 days of work/year

Class III

Equivalent to AHERA course for maintenance and custodial staff

Required for all jobs if No NEA, or ■ > PEL ■

Mandatory ■ In regulated area where required, or ■ If > PEL, or ■ In emergencies

Required if Wearing negativepressure respirator, or ■ > PEL for more than 30 days/year ■

Class IV

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

Required for all jobs if ■ > 25 linear or 10 square feet of TSI or ■ SM removal, or ■ No NEA, or ■ > PEL

Mandatory for all Class I jobs

Respirators

Protective Clothing and Equipment

Required if ■ Wearing negativepressure respirator, or ■ > 30 days of work/year

Class I

Medical Surveillance

Quick Reference of Provisions byWork Class* (continued)

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Class I

Class II

No smoking in work area

If NEA must vacuum

Class IV

Note: If cleaning up dust, waste, and debris while a Class I, II, or III activity is still in progress, the requirements of that activity apply.

No smoking in work area

If cleaning up asbestos containing surfacing material or thermal system insulation debris from a Class I or III activity after the activity is finished ■ Equipment room/area required ■ Dropcloths required ■ Area must accommodate cleanup ■ Must clean work clothes with HEPA vacuum before removal ■ Must decontaminate all PPE ■ Must enter regulated area through equipment room/ decon area

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

No smoking in work area

Class III

If > PEL or no NEA If > PEL or no NEA ■ Equipment room/area ■ Equipment room/area required required ■ Impermeable dropcloths ■ Impermeable dropcloths required required ■ Area must accommodate ■ Area must accommodate cleanup cleanup ■ Must clean work clothes ■ Must clean work clothes with HEPA vacuum before with HEPA vacuum before removal removal ■ Must Decontaminate all ■ Must Decontaminate all PPE PPE ■ Must enter regulated area ■ Must enter regulated area through equipment room/ through equipment room/ decon area decon area ■ Must enter regulated area ■ Must enter regulated area through equipment room/ through equipment room/ decon area decon area

If < 25 linear or 10 square feet TSI or SM removal ■ Equipment room/area required No smoking in work area ■ Impermeable dropcloths required ■ Area must accommodate cleanup ■ Must decontaminate all personal protective equipment (PPE) ■ Must enter regulated area through equipment room/decon area

Note: Must follow detailed decontamination procedures (see 29 CFR Part 1926.1101(j)(1)(iii)

Employee Required if > 25 linear or 10 and square feet TSI or SM removal Equipment ■ Full decon unit Decontami- ■ Equipment room, shower, and nation clean room in series connected to the regulated area; other decon facility arrangements are acceptable if the specified series arrangement is not feasible (see 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, Subpart Z) ■ Lunch areas

Quick Reference of Provisions byWork Class* (continued)

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Critical barriers/isolation methods required if • > 25 linear or 10 square feet of TSI or SM removal • < 25 linear or 10 square feet of TSI or SM removal only if no NEA or there are adjacent workers HVAC isolation required

High-speed abrasive disc saws without HEPA Compressed air without capture device Dry sweeping/shoveling

HEPA local exhaust Enclosure or isolation Directed ventilation Other work practices Respirators

Wet methods HEPA vacuum Prompt cleanup/disposal

Class I

High-speed abrasive disc saws without HEPA Compressed air without capture device Dry sweeping/shoveling

HEPA local exhaust Enclosure Directed ventilation Other work practices Respirators

Wet methods HEPA vacuum Prompt cleanup/disposal

For indoor work only Critical barriers/isolation methods required if • no NEA • likely > a PEL • non-intact removal ■ Impermeable dropcloths required ■

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Class II

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Critical barriers required • If no NEA • > Pel via monitoring Impermeable dropcloths required Local HEPA exhaust required

High-speed abrasive disc saws without HEPA Compressed air without capture device Dry sweeping/shoveling

HEPA local exhaust Enclosure Directed ventilation Other work practices Respirators

Wet methods HEPA vacuum Prompt cleanup/disposal

Class III ■

High-speed abrasive disc saws without HEPA Compressed air without capture device Employee rotation

HEPA local exhaust Enclosure Directed ventilation Other work practices Respirators

See Generally Required Work Practices and Engineering Controls in this table

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Wet methods HEPA vacuum Prompt cleanup/disposal

Class IV ■

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

Controls and Work Practices

Prohibited Work Practices and Administrative Controls

Required Work Practices and Engineering Controls to Comply with PELs

Generally Required Work Practices and Engineering Controls

Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class* (continued)

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(continued)

Impermeable dropcloths required Directed ventilation required if no NEA or > a PEL Objects must be covered

Class II

For removal of roofing materials ■ Intact removal if possible ■ Wet methods if feasible ■ Cutting machine misting ■ HEPA-vacuum debris ■ Lower to ground as soon as possible but no later than day’s end ■ Control dust of unbagged material ■ Prevent intake of airborne asbestos through roof vent system

For removal of vinyl and asphalt flooring materials ■ No sanding ■ HEPA vacuum ■ Wet methods ■ No dry sweeping ■ Any mechanical chipping must be done in negative-pressure enclosure ■ Intact removal if possible ■ Dry heat removal allowed ■ Assume contains asbestos without an analysis

Note: Enclosure or isolation of operation required if TSI or SM is drilled, cut, abraded, sanded, sawed, or chipped

Class III

Class IV

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

One or more of the following controls must be used: ■ Negative-pressure enclosure ■ Glove bag ■ Negative-pressure glove bag ■ Negative pressure glove box ■ Water spray process ■ Mini enclosure

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Class I

Controls and Work Practices

Quick Reference of Provisions byWork Class* (continued)

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Additional requirements ■ Wet methods ■ Intact removal if possible ■ Cutting, abrading, or breaking prohibited

For removal of gaskets ■ Use glove bags if not intact ■ Wet removal ■ Prompt disposal ■ Wet scraping

For removal of cement-like siding, shingles, or transite panels ■ Intact removal if possible ■ Wet Methods ■ Lower to ground via dust-tight chute, crane, or hoist immediately or place in an impervious waste bag or wrap in plastic sheeting and lower to ground by day’s end ■ Cut nail heads

Class II

Class III

Class IV

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

(continued)

Controls and Work Practices

Class I

Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class* (continued)

The Hazards of Asphalt Fumes

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RTK Substance number: 0170 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Name:

ASPHALT FUMES

* Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results from your employer. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you.

CAS Number: 8052-42-4 DOT Number: NA 1999 (Asphalt) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

HAZARD SUMMARY * * * *

* * * * *

Asphalt fumes can affect you when breathed in. Asphalt fumes contain substances known to cause cancer. Asphalt fumes can irritate the eyes on contact. Breathing Asphalt fumes can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. Exposure to Asphalt fumes can cause severe irritation of the skin and may cause dermatitis and acne-like lesions. Breathing Asphalt fumes can cause headache, dizziness and nausea. Long-term contact can cause skin pigment change which is made worse by sunlight exposure. Cutback and Rapid Curing Liquid Asphalt are FLAMMABLE and FIRE HAZARDS. Asphalt is derived from petroleum. Asphalt and Coal Tar Pitch are different. If you are actually working with Coal Tar Pitch chemicals,

WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS NIOSH:

The recommended airborne exposure limit is 5 mg/m3 , which should not be exceeded at any time.

ACGIH:

The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.5 mg/m3 (as the inhalable fraction) averaged over an 8-hour workshift.

* Asphalt fumes contain substances known to cause CANCER in humans. There may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level.

WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. * Wear protective work clothing. * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Asphalt fumes and at the end of the workshift. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training effort, communicate all information on the health and safety hazards of Asphalt fumes to potentially exposed workers.

IDENTIFICATION Asphalt is a blackish-brown mass. Asphalt fumes are produced during the manufacture and heating of Asphalt, which is used for road building and roofing, and in rubber and adhesives.

REASON FOR CITATION * Asphalt fumes are on the Hazardous Substance List because they are cited by ACGIH, DOT, NIOSH and NFPA. * Definitions are provided on page 5.

HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED The HAZCOM Standard requires most employers to label chemicals in the workplace and requires employers to provide their employees with information and training concerning chemical hazards and controls.

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ASPHALT FUMES Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020.

This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all potential and most severe health hazards that may result from exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential effects described below. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mixed Exposures * Exposure to sunlight may make skin effects of Asphalt fumes worse. * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health problems.

HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Asphalt fumes:

WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES

* Asphalt fumes can irritate the eyes on contact. * Breathing Asphalt fumes can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. * Exposure to Asphalt fumes can cause severe irritation of the skin and may cause dermatitis and acne-like lesions. * Breathing Asphalt fumes can cause headache, dizziness and nausea.

Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is sometimes necessary.

Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Asphalt fumes and can last for months or years:

In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible.

Cancer Hazard * Asphalt fumes contain substances such as Benzo(a)pyrene and Dibenz(a,h)anthracene that are known to cause cancer in humans.

In addition, the following controls are recommended:

Reproductive Hazard

* Where possible, automatically transfer Asphalt or pump liquid Asphalt from drums or other storage containers to process containers. * Before entering a confined space where Asphalt may be present, check to make sure that an explosive concentration does not exist.

* According to the information presently available Asphalt fumes have not been tested for their ability to affect reproduction.

Other Long-Term Effects * Long-term contact can cause skin pigment change which is made worse by sunlight exposure. * Very irritating substances may affect the lungs. It is not known whether Asphalt fumes cause lung damage.

Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Asphalt should change into clean clothing promptly. * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family members could be exposed. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Asphalt. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency shower facilities should be provided. * On skin contact with Asphalt, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Asphalt, whether or not known skin contact has occurred.

MEDICAL Medical Testing Before beginning employment and at regular times after that, for those with frequent or potentially high exposures, the following are recommended: * Lung function tests. Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure.

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ASPHALT FUMES * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Asphalt is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, smoking, or using the toilet.

HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Asphalt you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Asphalt may ignite or explode when mixed with NAPHTHA, other VOLATILE SOLVENTS, and LIQUID OXYGEN. * Asphalt is not compatible with OXIDIZING AGENTS (such as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES, PERMAN-GANATES, CHLORATES, NITRATES, CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE). * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area. * Sources of ignition, such as smoking and open flames, are prohibited where Cutback and Rapid Curing Asphalt are used, handled, or stored. * Metal containers involving the transfer of Cutback and Rapid Curing Asphalt should be grounded and bonded. * Wherever lighter or liquid forms of Asphalt are used, handled, manufactured, or stored, use explosion-proof electrical equipment and fittings.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace controls are being installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate. OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train employees on how and when to use protective equipment. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may not apply to every situation.

Clothing

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

* Avoid skin contact with Asphalt. Wear protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment suppliers/manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove/clothing material for your operation. * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put on before work.

Q: A:

Q:

Eye Protection

A:

* Wear indirect-vent, impact and splash resistant goggles when working with liquids or semi-solids. * Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances.

Q:

Respiratory Protection

A:

IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. Such equipment should only be used if the employer has a written program that takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing and medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134.

Q: A:

* Where the potential exists for exposure over 0.5 mg/m3 , use a MSHA/NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode. For increased protection use in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a pressure-demand or other positivepressure mode.

Q: A:

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Q: A:

If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic health effects? Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from repeated exposures to a chemical. Can I get long-term effects without ever having shortterm effects? Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make you immediately sick. What are my chances of getting sick when I have been exposed to chemicals? The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is determined by the length of time and the amount of material to which someone is exposed. When are higher exposures more likely? Conditions which increase risk of exposure include physical and mechanical processes (heating, pouring, spraying, spills and evaporation from large surface areas such as open containers), and "confined space" exposures (working inside vats, reactors, boilers, small rooms, etc.). Is the risk of getting sick higher for workers than for community residents? Yes. Exposures in the community, except possibly in cases of fires or spills, are usually much lower than those found in the workplace. However, people in the community may be exposed to contaminated water as well as to chemicals in the air over long periods. This may be a problem for children or people who are already ill. Don't all chemicals cause cancer? No. Most chemicals tested by scientists are not cancercausing.

ASPHALT FUMES NAERG is the North American Emergency Response Guidebook. It was jointly developed by Transport Canada, the United States Department of Transportation and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico. It is a guide for first responders to quickly identify the specific or generic hazards of material involved in a transportation incident, and to protect themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of the incident.

DEFINITIONS ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. It recommends upper limits (called TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer. The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service to identify a specific chemical.

NCI is the National Cancer Institute, a federal agency that determines the cancer-causing potential of chemicals.

A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies substances according to their fire and explosion hazard.

A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes irreversible damage to human tissue or containers. . DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency that regulates the transportation of chemicals.

NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves respirators, conducts studies of workplace hazards, and proposes standards to OSHA.

EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards.

NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests chemicals and reviews evidence for cancer.

A fetus is an unborn human or animal.

OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety standards.

A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will ignite easily and burn rapidly.

PIH is a DOT designation for chemicals which are Poison Inhalation Hazards.

The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air.

ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a measure of concentration by volume in air.

HHAG is the Human Health Assessment Group of the federal EPA.

A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases energy under certain conditions.

IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a scientific group that classifies chemicals according to their cancer-causing potential.

A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by damaging the fetus.

A miscible substance is a liquid or gas that will evenly dissolve in another.

TLV is the Threshold Limit Value, the workplace exposure limit recommended by ACGIH.

mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume).

The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in.

MSHA is the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that regulates mining. It also evaluates and approves respirators. A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer.

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