Seattle Public Utilities Program

Title Asbestos Program

Number SAF-410

Rev. no. 0

Responsibility Safety Office

Supersedes March 1, 1999 version (no number)

Pages 6

SPU Director's Approval

^{Ray Hoffman}

Effective Date

December 1, 2013

1. PURPOSE

The aim of this program is to help protect those Seattle Public Utilities employees whose job duties place them at risk of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.

2. SCOPE AND APPLICATION

The Program:

A. Establishes procedures consistent with federal, state, and local regulations to control potential employee exposure to asbestos.

B. Establishes procedures for determining the presence of asbestos prior to performing demolition and renovation work and informing workers and contractors if asbestos is present.

C. Sets minimum standards for work practices and initial disposal procedures.

D. Applies to all employees at risk as well as to workgroups that initiate Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) or bid specifications that involve construction work. If there is any conflict or overlap between this program and any other regulations, or City programs or policies, the provisions more protective of the employee and/or public safety and health will apply.

3. DEFINITIONS

AHERA Building Inspector: A person who has successfully completed the training requirements for a building inspector established by EPA Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan, Interim Final Rule (40 CFR Part 763, Appendix C) and whose certification is current.

Asbestos: Includes chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, actinolite asbestos, and any of these minerals that have been chemically treated and/or altered.

Asbestos Containing Material (ACM): Any material containing more than 1 percent asbestos.

Asbestos Survey: A written report summarizing the results of samples using specific procedures as outlined by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) to determine whether materials to be worked on contain asbestos. An Asbestos Survey also meets the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) requirement for a good faith inspection.

Certified Asbestos Contractor: Any partnership, firm, association, corporation, or sole proprietorship, registered under RCW 18.27, who submits a bid or contracts to remove or encapsulate asbestos for another and is certified by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries to remove or encapsulate asbestos.

Chain of Custody Form: An internal SPU document that is used to track Asbestos Containing Material through SPU's system and document handling and disposal methods for regulatory agencies. (See form SAF410.8.)

Class I Asbestos Work: Activities involving the removal of thermal system insulation or surfacing Asbestos Containing Material.

Class II Asbestos Work: The removal of Asbestos Containing Material which is not thermal system insulation or surfacing material. This includes, but is not limited to, floor tile and sheeting, roofing and siding, construction mastics, and asbestos-cement (transit) pipes.

Class III Asbestos Work: Repair and maintenance operations where Asbestos Containing Material, including thermal system insulation and surfacing materials, may be disturbed.

Class IV Asbestos Work: Maintenance and custodial activities during which employees contact but not disturb Asbestos Containing Material and activities to clean up dust, waste and debris resulting from Class I, II, or III activities.

Competent Person: A Certified Asbestos Supervisor for any work involving 3 linear feet or 3 square feet of Asbestos Containing Material. The Competent Person must be capable of identifying hazards and selecting the appropriate control measures.

Demolition: Wrecking, razing, leveling, dismantling of a structure, and making the structure permanently uninhabitable or unusable. A demolition permit must be filed with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for any demolition of a structure with a roof area greater than 120 square feet.

Engineered Controls: The collective use of equipment, methods, and procedures to minimize the generation and migration of airborne fibers during the containment, removal, and final clean up and disposal of asbestos containing materials.

Friable: Material which, when dry, may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure, and includes previously nonfriable material after such previously non-friable material becomes damaged to this extent.

Intact: Asbestos-containing material that has not crumbled, pulverized, or deteriorated so that it is no longer likely to be bound with its matrix.

Non-friable: Material which when dry may not be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.

PACM: Presumed asbestos-containing material.

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA): The environmental agency that regulates air pollutants in the Puget Sound region.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Includes respirators, Tyvek suits, or other safety devices to be worn by employees.

Renovation: Altering a facility or its components in any way, except for demolition.

Surfacing material: Material that is sprayed-on, troweled-on, or applied to surfaces including, but not limited to, acoustical plaster on ceilings, paints, fireproofing materials on structural members, or other materials on surfaces for decorative purposes.

Thermal System Insulation (TSI): Boiler or pipe insulation or other similar material.

4. PROGRAM ELEMENTS

A. Program Summary

1) Regulatory Compliance SPU will comply with all federal, state, and local regulations relating to the repair, removal, encapsulation, and disposal of asbestos-containing materials.

2) Class II, III, or IV Asbestos Work SPU employees will only perform Class II, III, or IV asbestos work (see Definitions). Examples of this type of work include, but are not limited to, removal, maintenance and repair of Asbestos Containing Material such as floor tile and sheeting, roofing, construction mastics and asbestos-cement (transite) pipes.

3) Class I Asbestos Work All Class I asbestos work will be performed by a certified asbestos contractor, with the exception of certain activities of the Household Hazardous Waste Team that are covered under SAF410.1, Asbestos Handling for Solid Waste Field Operations.

4) Program Administrator A Program Administrator will be appointed by the department and will coordinate the Asbestos Program (see Roles and Responsibilities).

5) Asbestos Survey An Asbestos Survey will be conducted prior to any demolition or renovation project. The results of this Asbestos Survey must be given to contractors prior to the submittal of bids and made available to all employees.

6) Planning for Construction The potential for asbestos fiber release will be taken into account during all phases of construction design and development projects. The requirements for an Asbestos Survey will be incorporated as a routine part of the planning process by engineering and planning staff.

7) New Construction All building materials for new construction, including building renovations or remodels, will be free of asbestos.

8) Asbestos-Cement Pipe All work on asbestos-cement pipe will be done according to procedures of the Pacific Northwest Section of American Water Works Association.

B. Program Review

Review of the asbestos program will be performed by the Safety Office as regulations change or conditions warrant in order to help protect the health and safety of employees.

C. Training

1) Employees performing Class III or IV work on intact Asbestos Containing Material will receive specific training for the type of asbestos work they perform. This training will be in accordance with the requirements of WAC 296-62-07722.

2) Employees working on friable asbestos will be trained and certified per WAC 296-65-010 and 296-65-030.

3) All individuals performing Class II, Class III, or Class IV who are not specifically excluded are to be certified according to WAC 296-65.

4) When certification requirements do not apply, employees with occupational exposure to asbestos will complete a training course that at minimum meets the elements of WAC 296-62-07722(5) regardless of their exposure levels, as specified below:

a. At least 2 hours of awareness training.

b. At least once a year.

5) Safety Training will provide assistance to Supervisors and Crew Chiefs in scheduling any required training classes.

6) Copies of employee training records and certifications will be forwarded to the Safety Training Office for inclusion in the training database.

D. Medical Surveillance

1) Employees required to wear negative-pressure respirators to remove friable asbestos will receive an initial medical examination and a respirator fit-test per WAC 296-62-07725.

2) Follow-up medical examinations and respirator fit-tests will be given annually.

E. Supporting Documentation

1) For specific asbestos-handling procedures in solid waste, please refer to SAF-410.1, Asbestos Handling for Solid Waste Field Operations.

2) For specific asbestos-handling procedures in drainage/wastewater and water transmission/distribution, SPU has adopted the standards recommended by the American Water Works Association. Please refer to SAF-410.2, Asbestos Handling for Asbestos-Cement Pipes.

5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Department Director, Branch Executives, Division Directors

Implement and administer this program, and oversee compliance in the department, including providing adequate funding for the training and equipment needed according to this program.

B. Section Managers

1) Recommend budget allocations to their Division Director for the equipment and training required according to this program.

2) Develop safety procedures for asbestos work their employees have been trained to do. The Program Administrator can help with the development of the safety procedures.

3) Work with the Program Administrator, Supervisors, and Crew Chiefs as necessary to implement administrative and engineering controls to protect employees from exposure to asbestos.

4) Oversee compliance with this program within their sections.

C. Supervisors and Crew Chiefs

1) Water Division and Drainage and Wastewater Division:

a. Provide written notification to the Department of Labor and Industries 10 days prior to beginning any asbestos project which involves more than 10 linear feet of pipe insulation or 48 square feet of other components.

b. Provide written notification to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency 10 days prior to beginning any asbestos project greater than 260 linear feet of pipe or greater than 160 square feet of other components.

2) Keep records of all work involving asbestos and provide copies of these records to the Program Administrator.

3) Complete a waste-tracking form provided by the vendor for all shipments of asbestos and require that the form be signed by the disposal site operator.

4) Maintain records of disposal shipments and send copies of the waste tracking form signed by the disposal site operator to the Program Administrator.

5) Keep all stored asbestos containing material in a secure location and control access to the disposal container.

6) Periodically observe employee's work practices, use of personal protective equipment and decontamination and disposal practices to ensure compliance with this program.

7) In coordination with the Safety Office, arrange for required training, including refresher training, for employees under their supervision who may be exposed to asbestos during construction or maintenance activities.

D. Employees

1) Perform only asbestos work for which they have been trained.

2) Follow applicable regulations and use approved work practices.

3) Use personal protective equipment as appropriate.

4) Follow the work practices and disposal procedures of this program.

5) Handle, store, and dispose of properly bagged asbestos containing material according to this program and the applicable regulations.

6) Notify the Program Administrator of asbestos removal prior to beginning work.

7) Complete SAF-410.8: Asbestos Chain of Custody Form and submit it to the Program Administrator.

8) Be available for annual respirator medical exams as required.

E. Program Administrator

1) Coordinate SPU's asbestos program.

2) Assist Supervisors by developing training plans for in-house training.

3) Assist Supervisors and their employees in selecting respirators and respirator cartridges.

4) Notify relevant management personnel of changes to the asbestos regulations.

5) Serve as the liaison with regulatory agencies, submit quarterly reports to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and maintain internal records of asbestos work.

6) Assist in planning asbestos work and assist Supervisors, Crew Chiefs and employees in meeting their responsibilities in the asbestos program.

7) Serve as a Competent Person for the asbestos program where necessary.

8) Perform bulk sampling and air monitoring as needed, or arrange for a contractor to perform this work, and maintain sampling records.

9) Research and evaluate equipment used in asbestos work.

10) Make report forms available to Supervisors and Crew Chiefs and assist them as necessary in completing them.

11) Maintain the records of the asbestos program.

F. Project Teams for Capital Improvements, Building Renovation, or Demolition Work

Any division or work group that initiates Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) or maintenance work orders that involve building, renovation, or demolition work will:

1) Determine if asbestos is present in materials to be worked on for any CIP they are planning and arrange for an Asbestos Survey as needed. The Program Administrator can provide assistance with this requirement.

2) Ensure that engineering staff receive an appropriate level of training so they may anticipate and incorporate required survey and abatement activities into their planning processes.

3) Require that an Asbestos Survey be included in all specifications involving renovation or demolition work.

4) Ensure that funds are budgeted to cover the costs of asbestos work for these projects.

6. AUTHORITY/REFERENCES

* RCW 49.17: Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act.

* RCW 49.26: Health and Safety -Asbestos.

* WAC 296-62 Part I.1: General Occupational Health Standards -Asbestos, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, and Actinolite.

* WAC 296-65: Asbestos Removal and Encapsulation.

* WISHA Regional Directive 23.10: Occupational Exposure to Asbestos.

* WAC 296-842: Respirators.

* Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Regulation III, Article 4: Asbestos Control Standards.

* 15 USC sections 2641-2656: Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response.

* 40 CFR Part 763: Protection of Environment -Asbestos.

* 40 CFR Part 61, Subparts A and M: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, General Provisions and National Emission Standard for Asbestos.

* "Recommend Standard Asbestos-Cement Pipe Work Practice Procedures and Training Requirements," Pacific Northwest Section of American Water Works Association, as approved by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

Related Procedures, Guidelines & Forms

* SAF-410.1 procedure, Asbestos Handling for Solid Waste Field Operations

* SAF-410.2 procedure, Asbestos Handling for Asbestos-Cement Pipes

* Solid Waste Field Operations, Incident Report Form

Official copy of signed original. V5 [10/09/2013]

Asbestos Program Effective: December 1, 2013