Asbestos Inspections

Asbestos Introduction
Asbestos is a hazardous material that needs to be remediated by a professional. According to OSHA, “Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber. It was used in numerous building materials and vehicle products for its strength and ability to resist heat and corrosion before its dangerous health effects were discovered.” Asbestos fibers are so small; the human’s naked eye cannot see them; therefore, workers are at increased risk. The mineral fibers include chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, actinolite.
Asbestos Hazards
Asbestos fibers are hazardous when they are released and distributed by asbestos-containing materials. When Asbestos gets distributed in the air and inhaled in and trapped in the lungs. If it is ingested, the asbestos fibers can be embedded into the digestive tract. When this happens, it will cause chronic lung disease as well as lung cancer and other cancers.
According to OSHA, “The hazard may occur during manufacturing of asbestos-containing products; performing brake or clutch repairs; renovating or demolishing buildings or ships; or cleanup from those activities; contact with deteriorating asbestos-containing materials and during cleanup after natural disasters.” Before 1981 some materials contained Asbestos, such as:
- Thermal system insulation
- Roofing and siding shingles
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Plaster, cement, putties, and caulk
- Ceiling tiles and spray-on coatings
- Industrial pipe wrapping
- Heat-resistant textiles
- Automobile brake linings and clutch pads
OSHA standards
- General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1001 covers work in general industry, such as exposure during brake and clutch repair, maintenance work, and manufacture of asbestos-containing products
- Shipyards: 29 CFR 1925.1001 covers construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, renovation, and demolition of structures containing Asbestos during work in shipyards
- Construction: 29 CFR 1926.1101 covers construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, or renovation and demolition of structures containing Asbestos
Reduce the hazards of Asbestos
According to OSHA, “The standards listed above reduce the risk of workers by requiring that employers provide personal exposure monitoring to assess the risk and hazards awareness training for operations where there is any potential exposure to asbestos.” When exposure occurs, employers are responsible for protecting the working by establishing regulated areas, controlling work practices, and developing engineering controls to reduce the airborne levels. The employers are also responsible for using administrative rules and providing personal protective equipment to all staff.
Asbestos Inspection
The inspection begins with a visual analysis of the affected building or material. Depending on the regulation, there will be a number of samples taken from each material. This process can take hours to a couple of days, depending on the size of the building being tested. After samples are taken it goes to the laboratory to be analyzed. Part of the inspection entails extracting small pieces of material from the building. AS we have learned above there are many materials that were built with asbestos and need to be tested today. After all samples are taken, a report will be written. If the asbestos levels are large, removal of asbestos may be required.
Citations
https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3507.pdf
https://www.airpf.com/blog/2019/may/what-to-expect-during-asbestos-inspection/

A Superfund site is
an area designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that
have been classified as being heavily contaminated with hazardous substances. These
substances may include chemicals, pollutants, or other toxic materials that
could have a significant risk to human health and the environment.
How Superfund site was created
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "In the late 1970s, toxic waste dumps, such as Love Canal and Valley of the Drums, received national attention when the public learned about the human health and environmental risks posed by the contaminated sites. In response, Congress established the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in 1980." This law was created to enforce the responsibility of parties involved in contamination to clean up the sites or compensate the government for EPA's cleanup efforts. In cases where no responsible party is identified for the cleanup or reimbursement, the EPA assumes responsibility for cleaning up the contaminated area. The CERCLA act is commonly referred to as a Superfund Site.
CERCLA Act
According to the EPA “The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, was enacted by Congress on December 11, 1980. This law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment. Over five years, $1.6 billion was collected and the tax went to a trust fund for cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites."
The purpose of CERCLA
According to the EPA: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA):
· established prohibitions and requirements concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites;
· provided for liability of persons responsible for releases of hazardous waste at these sites; and
· established a trust fund to provide for cleanup when no responsible party could be identified.
How Superfund site are chosen
According to the EPA, sites are chosen by “Using Hazard Ranking System (HRS) criteria, EPA, its state and tribal partners, or the appropriate federal department or agency then conduct a preliminary assessment and, if warranted, a site inspection or other more in-depth assessment.” Sites that have a HRS score below 28.50 do not qualify for the National Priorities List (NPL) and are assigned to a No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP) decision.
CTI offers safety consulting and the cleanup of sites and contaminated locations. If you have questions or comments, call CTI at 562.608.8401 or email info@ctienviro.com.
Citations:
References available, upon request please contact us.






