Document 5D56GeejGQ2B0y7yKOj3eOxMV

* U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Washington, O.C. 20210 Reply to the Attention of: MEMORANDUM FOR: FROM: THROUGH: SUBJECT: SEP riSSS GIBERT J. SAULTER Regional Administrator / CHARLES E. ADKINS Acting Director c Health Standards Programs a JOHN B. MILES, JR. L ) \ 07 Director ---> ^ Field Operations Asbestos Construction Standard a) Competent Person b) OSHA Reference Method ? I1/A. I l ___ JK- f \_____ . . ! &volZi-Scum`H S -----r-- Ts l i This is in response to your memo of July 25 requesting clarification as to the minimum qualifications a "competent person" must possess and for clarification as to what constitutes a method equivalent to the OSHA Reference Method (Appendix A) for asbestos sampling and analysis. A "competent person" must have academic credentials and/or field experience in asbestos abatement. By virtue of his or her back ground, this individual will be capable of identifying existing asbestos hazards in the workplace and will be a person who has the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them, as specified in S1926.32(f). The ^competent person" will be knowledgeable of the contents of the new asbestos standard (29 CFR 1926.58), the identification of asbestos and its removal procedures, and other practices for reducing the hazard. This individual must also have attended an EPA-approved training course or be State certified in those States with asbestos cibate- ment certification and training programs. (States with certi fication and training programs are Alabama, Alaska,' Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,/Maryland, New Jersey, Oklahoma,, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Washington.) In regard to your second question, methods equivalent to the OSHA Reference Method are the NTOSH,7400 method (Revision 12) and the OSHA ID 160 method developed by the OSHA Salt Lake City Laboratory. Any other method would have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by our laboratory. *l FEB 16 1987 * ABS-CI03956