Asbestos Awareness

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Asbestos Awareness

• Presented by QBE the Americas
• Loss Control Services

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Asbestos Awareness
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What is Asbestos ?

• Generic term for various fibrous mineral
  silicates
• Fibers very resistant to heat and chemicals and
  do not conduct electricity
• Formerly widely used in many industries

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Uses of Asbestos

• 3600 commercial products
• Use began around 1900
• Until 1940 use limited
• From 1940 until 1970s used extensively
• After 1980 phase out began
• 1989- EPA phase out rule

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Types of Asbestos

• Chrysotile
• Amosite
• Crocidolite
• Tremolite
• Actinolite
• Anthophylite

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Chrysotile

• Most common type of asbestos
• Heat resistant
• Sprayed on insulation
• Fireproofing
• Long flexible fibers easily spun into yarn

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Amosite

• Not as common as chrysotile
• Pipe and boiler insulation
• Fibers easily become airborne

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Pipe Insulation
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Crocidolite

• Fibers shorter and more brittle
• High tensile strength
• Primarily used in cement products
• Fibers hard to control

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Common Uses

• Insulating Products (1926-1971)
• Surfacing Material (sprayed or troweled)
  (1935-1970)
• Extrusion Panels (since 1930)
• Transite Boards (unknown)

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Ceiling Tiles

• Armstrong Sanserra
• Armstrong Santaglio
• Armstrong Embossed Design

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Roofing Materials

• Shingles and clapboard (unknown)
• Roofing felts (since 1910)
• Roofing asphalt (unknown)
• Roof putty (unknown)
• Roof coatings (since 1900)

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Floor Materials

• Mastics (1945-1980)
• Asphalt tile cement (since 1959)
• Vinyl asbestos tile (1950-1980)
• (9 x 9 tiles more likely to contain asbestos
  than 12 x 12 tiles)
• Asphalt asbestos tile (1920-1980)

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Paper Products

• Corrugated (1910-1980)
• Indented (since 1935)
• Millboard (since 1925)

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Other Products

• Caulks and putties (1900-1973)
• Adhesives (since 1945)
• Joint compound (1945-1977)
• Plaster/stucco (unknown)
• Spackles (1930-1978)
• Fireproofing (1935-1978)
• Cements (since 1900)
• Paints and coatings (1900-1978)

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Spray-on Insulation
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Spray-on Insulation
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Asbestos in Buildings

• About 20 of all buildings
• About 5 with sprayed or trowled on ACM (asbestos
  containing materials)
• About 16 with ACM on pipes or boilers
• Very few with ACM ceiling tiles
• About 42 with ACM containing floor tiles

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Asbestos Related Diseases

• Asbestosis
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma
• Other Cancers

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Asbestos Fiber In Lungs
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Asbestosis

• Lung scarring of air sacs (alveoli)
• Since asbestos fibers strong, they do not break
  down
• Asbestos fibers act as small needlesscarring
  lung tissue
• Scarring reduces expansion or air sacs

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Asbestosis
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Asbestosis Symptoms

• Latency 15 years
• Heavy difficult breathing
• Blue skin tone
• Clubbing of toes and fingers
• More susceptible to colds and pneumonia
• Victims usually die from heart failure

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Mesothelioma

• Asbestos Cancer
• Rare- 2000 cases per year in U.S.
• Cancer of the pleura (chest cavity lining) or
  peritoneum (abdomen wall lining)
• Small fibers enter cells causing uncontrolled
  growth (cancer)
• Increased pressure on lungs, heart and other
  internal organs

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Mesothelioma
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Mesothelioma

• Latency 30 years
• Painful progressive disease
• 6-12 month prognosis
• Death by heart attack or stroke

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Mesothelioma Symptoms

• Cough, chest tightness and pains
• Swelling of abdomen
• Dramatic weight loss
• Stomach pains

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Lung Cancer

• Non-smokers with asbestos exposure- 5 chance
• Smoker 1-pack/day and asbestos exposure- 50
  chance
• Smoker 2 pack/day and asbestos exposure- 95
  chance

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Other Disease

• Cancers of colon, stomach, large intestine,
  esophagus
• Pleural Plaques- Scars on lining of chest walls
• Pleural Effusion- fluid buildup in lungs

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Pleural Plaques
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Who is at Risk from Asbestos?

• Insulators
• Boiler Makers Repairers
• Miners of Asbestos
• Ship Yard Workers
• Power-plant Workers
• Brake Line Workers
• Pipe Fitters

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Exposure Limits

• ACGIH-TLV as an 8 hr. time-weighted average- 0.1
  f/cc (fiber per cubic centimeter of air)
• OSHA PEL as an 8 hr. time-weighted average- 0.1
  f/cc (1 f/cc for a 30 min. excursion period)

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Exposure Factors

• Concentration of fibers in air
• Duration of exposure
• Use of respirators and other protective measures

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Release of Fibers

• Friable- Loose, easily released into air. Example
  - spray applied materials
• Non-friable- Fibers not easily released into air.
  Example - floor tiles

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Friable Asbestos

• Damaged ACM.
• Fluffy, spray-applied fireproofing
• Non-friable ACM can pose a hazard when sawed,
  sanded or during demolition

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Friable Asbestos

• In most cases, intact, undisturbed ACM does not
  pose a health hazard. Only when disturbed does a
  health hazard exists.
• Removal of ACM may cause a problem where none
  existed
• In-place management may be the best control method

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EPA Regulations

• AHERA- Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act
  -1986 Inspection and management of asbestos in
  schools
• NESHAP- National Emission Standard for Hazardous
  Air Pollutants- 1973 regulates activities
  involving asbestos, i.e. manufacture, disposal,
  demolition, application, etc

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Asbestos Abatement
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OSHA

• 1926.1101- Construction
• 1910.1001- General Industry

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29 CFR 1926.1101

• Demolition or salvage where asbestos present
• Removal or encapsulation of ACM
• Construction, alteration, repair and maintenance
  where asbestos is present
• Installation of materials containing asbestos
• Cleanup, transportation, disposal and storage of
  ACM

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State/Local Regulations

• May have separate rules
• Enforcement delegated from federal government
• Training and certification required in each state
  or local area

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Contractors

• Only certified contractors meeting EPA, state or
  local requirements allowed to perform work
  involving ACM

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Awareness

• Buildings containing ACM should be abated before
  contractor begins work
• If materials suspected of containing ACM are
  encountered, stop work and contact management
• Wear respiratory protection in dusty situations