The
Asbestos Abatement Team consists of an in-house crew trained
and certified by the New York State Department of Labor to perform
removal of asbestos containing materials on the SUNY Fredonia
campus. The crew consists of 7 members and one coordinator.
Training certifications and physicals are kept updated while
the crew continually identifies and abates asbestos located
within the campus buildings. OSHA's
respiratory protection rule is now the standard for all
industries and includes requirements, such as annual fit testing,
medical evaluation requirements, and some training and record
keeping provisions. All asbestos abatement work performed on
campus is completed following the guidelines set forth by regulations
29 CFR 1910.1001, and title 12 of NYCRR Part 56, commonly referred
to as Code Rule 56. Code
Rule 56 requires licensing of contractors, certification
of all persons working on asbestos projects, filing of notifications
of large asbestos projects and pre-demolition surveys of buildings
to identify any asbestos which may be present to ensure proper
abatement of asbestos materials. The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)
and national databases established under the federal National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and
NARS/ACTS also oversee asbestos operations.
Asbestos exists in many materials on the campus and around the
world. Asbestos is a strong, durable material able to with stand
extreme temperatures and abuse. Some of the common materials
that contain asbestos include floor and ceiling tile, wall and
ceiling plaster, caulking, window glazing, flooring mastic,
roof materials, siding, boiler linings and pipe insulation.
There are three categories of asbestos: surfacing materials,
thermal system insulation (TSI) and miscellaneous building materials.
When left intact and undisturbed, these materials do not pose
a health risk to building occupants. There is a potential for
exposure only when the material becomes damaged to the extent
that asbestos fibers become airborne and are inhaled. Asbestos
is more likely to release fibers when it is friable. The term
friable means the material can be easily crumbled. If powdered
or friable forms of asbestos are disturbed and become airborne,
an inhalation hazard may result. In non-friable materials like
floor tile, ceiling tiles, laboratory cabinet tops, and caulks,
the asbestos fibers are tightly bound in a matrix which prevents
the release of fibers to the environment unless the material
is abraded, sanded or sawed. It is not necessary to remove all
asbestos containing materials from a building to assure a safe
workplace. The identification and monitoring of existing asbestos
containing materials (ACM) in buildings and proper management
of the materials drastically reduces the potential for exposure.
Damaged asbestos containing materials (ACM) or materials presumed
to contain asbestos (PACM) should be reported to the Director
of Building Services and Grounds immediately. The damaged material
or suspect material will be inspected to determine the appropriate
remedy such as removal, repairing or encapsulating the material.
Do not attempt to handle the material.
If exposed to asbestos, several factors may influence whether
harmful health effects will occur. These factors include the
dose (how much), the duration (how long), and whether or not
you smoke. Generally, adverse health effects from asbestos are
the result of long-term exposure to high concentration of airborne
fibers. According to the EPA, airborne asbestos levels in buildings
are typically very much lower than those identified in industrial
work places where asbestos health effects have been observed.
People, who have been exposed to asbestos and are also exposed
to cigarette smoke, have a greater risk of developing lung cancer
than someone who does not smoke.
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