(a) General provisions. The general work practices in this section are minimum requirements for protection of public health for standard projects using full containment in a public building and do not constitute complete or sufficient specifications and plans for an asbestos abatement project. An asbestos abatement project may have specifications and plans for an asbestos abatement activity that are specific to the project and are more detailed or stringent than the requirements of this section so long as the work practices specified are as protective of the public health as the general requirements in this section. These specifications and plans, to the extent they do not conflict with other applicable federal and state law must be followed as a requirement of this chapter. Otherwise, the general work practices described in this section must be used for asbestos removal that does not meet the conditions required to use alternative methods described in Subchapter M (relating to Alternative Asbestos Practices and Procedures in a Public Building).
(1) Subject to the following conditions, and if otherwise consistent with other applicable federal and state law, a licensed asbestos consultant may specify work practices that vary from the requirements of this section as long as the work practices specified are as protective of public health.
(2) A licensed asbestos contractor must follow the specifications and plans for a design that varies from the general work practices in compliance with this section.
(3) In addition to the requirements of this section, abatement practices must be carried out in accordance with federal standards for asbestos abatement and waste disposal in 40 CFR §61.145 (relating to Standard for demolition and renovation) and §61.150 (relating to Standard for waste disposal for manufacturing, fabricating, demolition, renovation, and spraying operations).
(4) ACBM must be removed, encapsulated, or enclosed within a regulated area that is demarcated. Except as provided in §296.213 of this chapter (relating to Asbestos Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Practices and Procedures for O&M Licensees in a Public Building), §296.231 of this chapter (relating to Alternative Practices and Procedures for Removal of Asbestos-Containing Resilient Floor-Covering Material in a Public Building), §296.232 of this chapter (relating to Alternative Asbestos Abatement Practices and Procedures for Certain Nonfriable Asbestos-Containing Building Material (ACBM) in a Public Building), and §296.234 of this chapter (relating to Alternative Practices and Procedures for Removal of Whole Components of Intact Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM) in a Public Building), or, after a clearance-level assessment is completed as required in §296.233 of this chapter (relating to Alternative Asbestos Practices and Procedures for Small Projects and Repetitive Tasks in a Public Building), removal of ACBM must take place within a containment.
(5) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph or by other applicable law, access to the regulated area must be limited to:
(b) Containment construction.
(1) Plastic sheeting. When specified by a licensed asbestos consultant that fire retardant plastic sheeting must be used, it must be certified by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) as being fire retardant.
(2) Objects within containment. All uncontaminated movable objects must be removed from the containment before the start of asbestos abatement. Contaminated non-porous items that are to be salvaged or reused must be decontaminated. Porous items that are contaminated must be disposed of as ACWM. All non-movable objects that remain in the containment must be decontaminated and covered with a minimum of 4-mil thick plastic sheeting attached securely in place.
(3) Critical barriers. A regulated area within which asbestos abatement is to be conducted must be separated from adjacent areas by a minimum of one impermeable barrier, such as plastic sheeting attached securely in place. Any opening between a containment and adjacent areas must be sealed, including a window, doorway, elevator opening, corridor entrance, ventilation opening, drain, duct, grill, grate, diffuser, skylight, and lay-in suspended ceiling grid system where the space above the grid is open to other rooms. The HVAC system must be isolated from the regulated area, as required in paragraph (9) of this subsection. A penetration of the sheeting that could permit air infiltration or an air leak through the barrier must be sealed, except the make-up air provision and the means of entry and exit. When a critical barrier is placed over a large opening, such as a corridor entrance or when isolating a portion of a hallway or a room, the critical barrier becomes the containment wall and the plastic sheeting requirements in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection apply in addition to the requirements of this paragraph.
(4) Floor abatement preparation. Floors must be sealed to prevent water leakage by performing the following floor abatement preparation. All floor surfaces must be completely covered by a minimum of two layers of 6-mil thick plastic sheeting. Floor sheeting must extend up sidewalls at least 12 inches and be sized to minimize the number of seams. Seams must not be located at wall-to-floor joints. When asbestos abatement includes wall removal, the asbestos consultant must specify how removal will occur and how the practice will be at least as protective of public health as the minimum requirements of this section.
(5) Wall abatement preparation. All wall surfaces must be completely covered by a minimum of two layers of 4-mil thick plastic sheeting. Wall sheeting must be installed so as to minimize seams and must extend beyond wall-to-floor joints at least 12 inches. The wall sheeting must overlap the floor sheeting. Seams must not be located at wall-to-wall joints. Where feasible, a viewing window must be included in the wall for each 260 linear feet or fraction of that distance that permits the viewing of at least 51% of the abatement work area. At least one viewing window must be included in the wall, unless a licensed asbestos consultant specifies that a viewing window is not feasible. The window must be constructed of a transparent, shatter-resistant panel, also called acrylic or acrylic glass, which measures approximately 18 inches by 18 inches. The window must be at a reasonable height for viewing.
(6) Bag-out area. A licensed asbestos consultant must specify when a bag-out area is required as part of containment. At a minimum, a bag-out area is a two-stage area connected to the containment, separated by airlocks, with a rinse station separated from the bagging-room. A bag-out area must not be used to decontaminate personnel.
(7) Prohibited activities in a regulated area. The asbestos abatement contractor and asbestos consultant must ensure that their employees do not eat, drink, smoke, chew tobacco or gum, or apply cosmetics in the regulated area. Food or drink containers, coolers, tobacco products, gum, and cosmetics are not permitted in the regulated area.
(8) Decontamination area. The containment must include an attached personnel decontamination area. The area must consist of a clean room, shower room, and equipment room. Each room must be at least 30 inches by 30 inches wide and 75 inches tall. Each room must be separated from the other and from the containment by airlocks so that air does not escape outside the containment and that air flows from the outside to the inside of containment through the decontamination area. The shower room must be provided with soap and water and, where feasible, hot and cold water where the temperature can be adjusted by the user. A licensed asbestos consultant must specify a remote decontamination area when it is not feasible to attach the decontamination area to the containment. The consultant must specify procedures for minimizing the migration of fibers from the containment to the remote decontamination area. Except where remote decontamination area is specified, all persons must exit the containment through the shower before entering the clean room. An asbestos-contaminated individual or item must not enter the clean room. A licensed asbestos abatement supervisor must ensure that the decontamination area is fully operational before and during any asbestos abatement activity. Any person exiting containment must:
(9) HVAC equipment. The HVAC system must be isolated from the regulated area. Any supply and return opening and any seam in system components must be sealed with either impermeable plastic sheeting, tape, or both. An old filter must be disposed of as asbestos waste.
(10) Warning signs. A warning sign that complies with 29 CFR §1926.1101, must be displayed at all entrances to regulated area, including an area requiring a critical barrier that can be used to gain entrance to the containment, such as a door, window, or hallway. To protect the public from accidental entry, a warning sign must be displayed, at minimum, in both Spanish and English at the same location. Asbestos caution tape must not be substituted for a warning sign.
(11) Cleaning. Cleaning procedures must include wet methods and HEPA vacuuming. A HEPA vacuum designed and equipped with a HEPA filter must remain on-site during any asbestos abatement activity. HEPA vacuums must be operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. A HEPA vacuum that meets the standard of ASTM F1977-04 and is operated according to manufacturer's specifications will meet the requirement of this section.
(12) Containment-area ventilation. HEPA filtration units must be operated continuously from the time containment is established through the time acceptable final air clearance is achieved, maintaining negative pressure with a manometric reading of at least -0.02 inches inside the containment. There must be HEPA units in sufficient number to provide negative pressure within the containment relative to the non-containment area, as indicated by a water column differential that produces a manometric instrument reading of at least -0.02 inches. HEPA units must, in combination, provide a minimum of four containment air changes per hour. Units must be operated with unrestricted exhaust, unless it is not feasible, and must be in a location that draws air across the containment area so that asbestos fibers are captured and minimizes areas without air movement. These units must exhaust filtered air to the outside of the building wherever feasible.
(c) Removal of ACBM. Cont'd...