Document KmDK7qpRypzwRkMZvaeMj65o

FILE NAME: Asbestos Cement Pipe and Sheet (ACPS) DATE: 1977 DOC#: ACPS029 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Recommended Practices with Cover letter UU. CLARK COOPCR, M.D. 2150 SHRTTUCK AV. (SUITG 811) seR H aev, Ca lifo r n ia 94704 PHONC (510) 6 49 -8 6 4 0 FAX NO. (510) 649 -8 74 8 February 24, 1992 WCC-5371 Dr. Barry Castleman, 1722 Linden Avenue Baltimore, MD 21217 Dear Barry: I am enclosing copies of two booklets on work practices for those handling A/C pipe, one (1977) pre pared by the A/C Pipe Producers Assn, and the other(1978) by the American Water Works Assn. The contens are es sentially the same. As I told you in San Francisco, I supervised industrial hygiene studies of workers handling such pipe while I was with Equitable Environmental Health. The actual work was done by'Barbara Kawahara, now Barbara Jimbo. I was glad I had a chance to see you on Friday, although you can have no doubt about my view of the meet ing as a whole. What a demonstration of combining truth and fiction! I could write or talk for hours about the fallacies and the retrospective misjudgements expressed about industry (which is not an entity but combines good and bad individuals), about labor, about government, and about researchers. Some of the latter were objective, others were out to prove preconceived ideas on both sides of the questions; some were honest, some were dishonest, And so on and on. As the world moves on.and on also, I send my best wishes. Cooper, MD A /C Pipe R educersAssociation lhiXi \Si ' s!>n B o u I e \ u r d , S u i t e HOS, Ai !i rtgtcm, \ ti gi n i.i 2 2 2 0 S R ecom m ended W ork Practices forA /C Pipe Contents In trodu ction.........................................................................................2 Asbestos and H e alth ,.......................................................................3 Summary of OSH A Asbestos S t a n d a r d ................................ 4 Products and O p e r a t i o n s ..............................................................5 Recommended Work Practices Shipping, Receiving, Handling and A s s e m b l y ...................6 Cutting A/C Pipe Carbide Blade E q u ip m e n t......................................................... 7 Snap Cutting E q u i p m e n t ......................................................... 8 Machining A/C Pipe Field Lathe-- M a n u a l .................................................................. 9 Field Lathe-- P o w e r .................................................................. 10 Rasp-- M a n u a l..............................................................................11 Cutting Holes in A/C Pipe Shell Cutters ................................................................................ 12 Drill and R a s p ..............................................................................13 Chisel and R a s p ......................................................................... 14 Tapping A/C Pipe Non-Pressure ..............................................................................15 Pressure .........................................................................................16 Coupling R e m o v a l ......................................................................... 17 Housekeeping and W'aste Disposal ....................................... 18 Non-Recommended Work Practice Cutting Abrasive Disc-Dry .....................................................................19 Copyright 1977 by A/C Pipe Producers Association Printed m t ,C,A 877 Introduction The Occupational Safety and Health Act in the United States and similar laws in Canada and other countries were enacted to ensure so far as possible, every worker a safe and healthy work place. This legislation is far-reaching. It cov ers millions of employees and nearly every employer, in cluding those involved in utility duct and pipeline construc tion. In keeping with the spirit and intent of these laws, the asbestos-cement pipe industry is cooperating with labor by disseminating information regarding the potential hazards of exposure to airborne asbestos and the means of reducing such potential hazards through good work practices. Good work practices is what this booklet is about. The recommendations that appear on the following pages are the result of field testing and were developed through study.* They are intended as general guides to achieve safe and clean job site conditions when working with asbestoscement (A.'C) pipe products. Since field conditions will vary, adherence to these work practices will not necessarily guarantee compliance with national, state or local regula tions. Questions relating to compliance should be directed to appropriate regulatory agencies. The A.'C Pipe Producers Association believes this booklet will be helpful to engineers, superintendents, contractors, foremen and laying crews in understanding and explaining established procedures for the safe handling of A/C pipe products. # "-Til " \ - b w . t o - I \j-w>>.imO-. D' itina t'no ('titliiu' and M u h i n i m ; of AsbesUw- C' ement 111 r^ o r e p o r t pr epar ed b\ Fquitable 1 n\ lronmerital 1 lealth iiu , M i u h, 1Q~7 m b " \ t> \(' " r 'ftlOo ( e\ b\ t oe ( \ e uual i ona ! I ! \e Asbestos and Health As you arc aware, airborne asbestos fiber has been iden tified as a possible health hazard. Very few things to which we are exposed are "zero risljcs." But like the automobile, electricity and x-rays, there are non-harmful ways to use potentially harmful things. Generally, asbestos-cement (A/C) pipe products contain less than 20% asbestos. The asbestos fibers are not free, but encapsulated or "lo ck ed -in " the cement binder like rein forcing rods in concrete. The distinction between "fre e" and "b o u n d " asbestos is extremely important. First of all, it determines the probability of fiber release, which in turn, directly relates to the probability of risk. More importantly, it explains clearly and simply why A'C pipe is a nonharmful use of asbestos. Experience has shown that minimizing exposure to air borne asbestos dust is the only effective method of prevent ing asbestos-related diseases. Recommended work prac tices are the best assurance of providing exposure safe guards for yourself and your employees. Summary of OS HA Asbestos Standard The Occupational Safety and Health Act was signed into law on December 29, 19*70, and became effective on April 28, 1971. On December 7, 1971, the Secretar)' of Labor K C i u v<i*. ,> f^mua`m [ wnurtaun^r c fu u arel afnxwv ONoancnrn fn n c l^io^ c f^rvic ^r^i i c f"` As inquired by the Act, a permanent standard for asbestos exposure was promulgated six months later. Under the current standard, it is the employer's respon sibility to assure that exposure of employees to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers does not exceed the fol lowing "permissible exposure levels": a. Tight hour time weighted average Two fibers, Linger than 5 micrometers, per cubic centimeter. b. Ceiling concentrations. Ten fibers, longer than 5 m i crometers, per cubic centimeter. hi October, 1975, OSH A proposed a revision to the cu r rent standard which would reduce the eight hour time weighted average exposure to 0.5 fibers per cubic centim e ter of air and ceiling concentrations to 5.0 fibers per cubic centimeter In their notice, OSH A stated that a separate "construction industry standard" would be issued to cover workers who handle asbestos-containing products. This work practice booklet will be revised as necessary to reflect anv chantOies the construction industry. standard may necessitate. The moik practices recommended m this booklet are based on data foi "peak dust concentrations'' representing short time periods of maximum exposure. F leld cutting and m ad lining opera tion^ involving A C pipe aie normally iiifiequcnt and o f short duration. Using these recommended ivorl. practices, it is im proba ble that field personnel mould be exposed in a typical mocking day to lei'cls exceeding the eight hoin time weighted aveiage. Products and Operations T\ pes oi A C Ripe P r o d u c t s c o v er ed by these' w o r k practices include. "Class" Pressure Pipe "Transmission" Pressure Pipe Pressure Sewer Pipe Gravity Sewer Pipe Building Sewer Pipe Storm Drain Pipe Perforated Undeidrain Pipe Electrical Conduit Telephone Duet Air Duct Operations to which these work practices Shipping, Receiving and Handling Cutting Machining I iole Cu tting Tapping C o u p l i n g Re mo x al Housekeeping and Waste Disposal apple include Shipping, Receiving, Handling and Assembly* Y ,i A/'C pipe is shipped clean from the factory and carefully loaded using methods acceptable to the carrier. Loading, unloading, stringing out and assembling A/C pipe are essentially dust-free operations. Even in enclosed spaces, airborne asbestos fiber levels from pipe handling operations are far below existing and proposed occupational standards. All hand and mechanical unloading operations should be car ried out m uccouiance with the manufacturer s installation m an uals. A' C Pipe Products: All Size Ranee All Cutting Carbide Blade Equipment Blade cutters consist of a frame adjustable to the circumference of the pipe and a number of outboard, self-tracking rollers that align one or more carbide-tipped cutting blades. Blade cutters are typically hand-operated Due to the relatively low mechanical input and clean cutting action, significant amounts of airborne asbestos dust are not produced. A C P i p e P i o d u c P AH Size Range 3" through 24" Cutting Snap Cutting Equipment Snap cutters or "squeeze and pop" equipment operates by means of cutting wheels mounted in a chain wrapped around the pipe barrel. Hydraulic pressure, applied by means of a remote electric or manually-operated pump, simultaneously squeezes the cut ting wheels into the pipe wall until the cut is made. A'C Pipe Products All Size Range: Pressure Pipe-- 3" through 24" Pressure, Gravity and Building Sewer; Storm Drain; Air, Electrical and Telephone Duct-- 3" through 36" ' t Machining Field Lathe-Manual Manual field lathes are designed to end-trim and re-machine rough pipe barrels to factory-machined end profiles. The lathe consists of an adjustable, self-aligning arbor inserted into the pipe bore (which acts as a mandrel upon which the turning handle operates), a screw-fed turning frame, carbide machining blades and manual (hand or ratchet) turning handles. A/C Pipe Products: All Size R a n g e Ail Machining Field Lathe-Power \ / /, U -** -- I Power field lathes, like manual lathes, are designed to end trim and re-machine rough pipe barrels to factory-machined end pro files. The lathe consists of an adjustable, self-aligning arbor in serted into the pipe bore (which acts as a mandrel upon which the turning handle operates), a screw-fed turning frame, carbide machining blades and electric or pneumatic power drive. A'C Pipe P i oduc N' All Siye Range All Short lengths of A C pipe (MEE's & MOA's) can be cut for pipe closures, repairs and to locate fittings exactly. Field cut ends mav be rebeveled with a coarse wood rasp to form a taper approximat ing the same profile as the factory-beveled end A/'C Pipe Products All Size Range: All I , n, il Hole Cutting Shell Cutters For field connections into A/C pipe, clean, even entry cuts may be accomplished by means of shell cutting equipment. Shell cutters consist of a hole cutter housing mounted on the pipe, a carbide or diamond-tipped hole cutter and a manual ratchet, pneumatic, electric or gasoline drive to power the cutting head. When cutting holes in A/C pipe products, all dust and cuttings should be removed from the pipe or duct interior after the cutting operation. Removal may be accomplished by flushing with w a ter, wet mopping or vacuuming prior to placing in service. DO NOT BLOW OUT WITH COMPRESSED AIR OR DRY SWEEP. A/C Pipe Products: Pressure, Gravity and Building Sewer, Air Duct Size Range: All Hole Cutting Drill and Rasp* Field connections may be made with a heavy duty electric drill and rasp. Using a carbide-tipped drill, a series of closely-spaced holes are first drilled around the hole outline. The disc is knocked free with a h ammer and the edges of the hole are dressed with a coarse wood rasp. When cutting holes in A/'C pipe products, all dust and cuttings should be removed from the pipe or duct interior after the cutting operation. Removal may be accomplished by flushing with wa ter, wet mopping or vacuuming prior to placing in service. DO NOT BLOW OUT WITH COMPRESSED AIR OR DRY SWEEP. A/C Pipe Products: Pressure, Gravity and Building Sewer; Air Duct Size Range: All * Fx pos ur u d,i fn nitt i h rren tlv n\ niLihlo R(>r< nn nmndnt ion bn sod on n\ post u o d at A for operations Oel : c\ cd to be vompe.Mble lo Hole Cutting Chisel and Rasp Holes mav be cut into A/C pipe with n hammer and chisel. The edge of a plumber's wood chisel is used to cut complete!}' around the hole outline, about a Vs" from the prescribed line. The opera tion is repeated and the cut deepened until through The edges of the hole are then dressed with a coarse wood rasp. When cutting holes m A C pipe products, all dust and cuttings should be renun ed from the pipe or duct interior after the cutting operation. Removal may bo accomplished b\ iiuslung with w a ter, wet mopping or vacuuming prior to placing in service DO NOT BLOW OUT WITH C OM P R ES S E D AIR OR DRY SWEEP. A C Pipe Pioducts. Pressure, Cravit} and Building Sewer, Air Duet O/n Raima -Ml J 1 Tapping Non-Pressure* Non-pressure or " dr y" tapping for service connections may be performed in or above the trench. The equipment is affixed to the pipe bv means of a chain yoke. Separate drills and taps or a combination tool drills and taps the pipe wall Corporation stops or other connections may then be affixed to the pipe. To minimize (a) the fouling of valves, regulators, meters, etc. with chips and (b) unnecessary addition of asbestos to drinking water, all dust and cuttings should be removed horn the pipe interior bv flushing with water, wet mopping or vacuuming prior to placing in service DO NOT BLOW OUT WITH COMPRLSSLD AIR OR DRY 5WLEP. A.'C Pipe Pioducls Pressure Pipe Size Range All Tapping Pressure* Pressure or " w e t " tapping for service connections is performed in the trench while the pipe is under pressure. The equipment (manual or power driven) is affixed to the pipe by means of a chain yoke. A combination boring and inserting bar drills and taps the pipe wall and inserts a corporation stop or pipe plug. The pressure chamber, which protects against water leakage, also catches the asbestos-cement chips, so this is essentially a dustc........... . ,t: ,,, i U L k-ip k i ... U vi . t . To minimize (a) the fouling of valves, regulators, meters, etc with chips and (b) unnecessary addition of asbestos to drinking water, provisions should be made for downstream flushing or use of tapping equipment with positive purge or "blow-off" features A'C Pipe Products Piessure Pipe Size Ramu>- All Coupling Removal Hammer and Chisel* Replacement of damaged pipe necessitates excavation, exposure and removal. Coupling removal may be accomplished bv gradu ally splitting the coupling lengthwise,usingachisel andball-peen hammer After the top of the coupling has been split, a crowbar or similar tool is used as a lever to split the bottom of the coupling. A/'C Pipe Products All pipe with A/C couplings Size Range- All Housekeeping and Waste Disposal Housekeeping is an important part of any safe construction operation. It is even more essential when airborne dust created by the lack of good housekeeping has the potential for harm to employees or others. EQUIPMENT: All external surfaces of equipment should be maintained free of dust accumulations that might, if dispersed, create asbestos fiber concentrations above per missible exposure limits. WASTE DISPOSAL: Asbestos-cement chips and cut tings from the field operations described in this booklet should be disposed of in a manner that will not contribute airborne asbestos dust to the atmosphere. Where cutting and machining operations are performed at the construc tion site, the chips should be placed in the trench and buried with the pipeline. Where operations are performed at a central location such as a contractor's or distributor's yard on a more or less continuing basis, the chips and cuttings may be collected and mixed wet with cement and made into non-friable forms. These forms may be used in the trench as supports for cast iron fittings and waives, as appropriate. Otherwise, chips and cuttings should be collected in sealed bags or closed containers impermeable to asbestos dust. Loose material should never be dry swept. When vacuum equipment is available, it should be used. Water or other dust suppressants should be applied m those circum stances where sweeping is unavoidable. DO NOT BLOW WASTE MATERIAL WITH COMPRESSED AIR. No visible emissions to the atmosphere may result from the collection, processing, packaging, transporting or de position ot any asbestos-containing material. W astes should be disposed at a site operated in accordance with the requirements or applicable national, state or local laws. Cutting Abrasive D isc-Dry P o u or dii \on saw s u ith abiasiv o discs (masonin' blades) should not be' used toi dm cutting or be\cling asbestos-cement pipe Abrasm e disc cutters produce concentrations ot airborne asbestos dust which exceed OSHA permissible levels* THIS WORK P R U T I C P IS rilLRlT ORL SPIXTblCALl Y Y O l RhCOWMhXDhl) A C Pipe Products All S i / e Ran ge All n.11.1 not I in h n ! l\ ,n . " ' . A Y Ii-M u 'n is '. al S s 1 n i la i il e O '.u -.1 u ' i i l i ' O n ; J i - A/C Pipe Producers Association REGULAR MEMBERS Asbestos de Mexico, S.A. Tlalnepantla, Mexico Atlas Asbestos Company Montreal, Quebec, Canada Canadian Johns-Manville Co., Ltd. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Cement Asbestos Products Company Birmingham, Alabama Certain-teed Corporation Valley Forge, Pennsylvania Johns-Manville Sales Corporation Denver, Colorado Mexalit del Norte, S.A. Mexico City, Mexico ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Amiantus Dienst Export Hamburg, Germany Asbestos Monterrey, S.A. Mexico City, Mexico Association de l'Industrie l'Asbeste-Ciment Nyon, Switzerland Eternit, B.V. Amsterdam, Holland Everitube Neuilly-sur-Seine, France James Hardie & Company Pty., Ltd. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Hellenit, S.A. Athens, Greece Hyderabad Asbestos Cement Products Ltd. Hyderabad, India Paraisten Kalkki Oy Pargas, Finland Sociedad Industrial Pizarreo, S.A. Santiago, Chile TAC Construction Materials, Ltd. Manchester, United Kingdom AWWA No M16 Work Practices for Asbestos-Cement Pipe AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION MANUAL OF WATER SUPPLY PRACTICES Work Practices for Asbestos-Cement Pipe Manual Am erican Water Works Association 6 6 6 6 W. Quincy Ave., Denver, Colorado 8 0 2 3 5 1978 American Water Works Assn Printed in US Committee Recognition The Committee* on Use of Asbestos in Water Utility Construction, Jeptha A. Wade, Jr., C hairm an Ann Smith, Subcom m ittee Chairm an, that reviewed and approved this manual had the following personnel at the time of approval: Robert W. Greaves East St. Louis & Interurban Water Co. East St. Louis, IL James R. Rawlins Pilot-Wheeler Mfg. Co. Torrance, CA Joseph E. Jackson Assn of Asbestos Cement Pipe Producers Washington, D.C. Harold E. Kcrkhoff Gwinnett County Water Auth. Lawrenceville, GA. Wm. S. Kowalski, Vice-Chairman Township of Cedar Grove Cedar Grove, N.l. H. L. Olson, Secretary Johns-Manville Corp. Denver, CO. Ann Smith, Subcom m ittee Chairm an Texas Water Utility Assoc. Garland, TX. Thomas A. Switalski Certainteed Products Corp. Valley Forge, PA. Jeptha A. Wade, Chairman California Water Service Co. San Jose, CA. Clarke C ooper (MD), Advisor Equitable Environmental Health, Inc. Berkeley, CA. I M l b in ( t i>opel im m b. is \ \V V. \ II Acknowledgment A / C Pipe Producers Assn. ("A C P P A ") prepared, published, and copyrighted a pamphlet in 1977, " Recommended Work Practices for A / C Pipe."which formed the basis for this manual. AWWA received A C PPA permission to reproduce the' pamphlet as part of AWWA Manual 16, " Work Practices for Asbestos-Cement Pipe." Ill I IV Table of Contents Foreword vii Section 1-- Recommended Work Practices Shipping, Receiving, Handling, Assembly and Disassembly of A-C Pipe in All Size Ranges. 1 Cutting of all A-C Pipe, in Sizes From 3 in. Through 24 in. Using Carbide-Tipped Blades. 2 Cutting of all A-C Pipe in Size Ranges 3 in. Through 24 in. Using Snap Cutters. 3 Machining of all A-C Pipein all Sizes Using Manual Field Lathe. 4 Machining of all A-C Pipein all Sizes Using Power-Driven Field Lathe. 5 Machining of all A-C Pipein all Sizes Using a Manual Rasp. 6 Hole Cutting in A-C Pipe of all Sizes Using Shell Cutters. 7 Hole Cutting in A-C Pipe of all Sizes Using Drill and Rasp. 8 Hole Cutting in A-C Pipe in all Sizes Using Chisel and Rasp. 9 " Dry" Tapping of A-C Pressure Pipe in all Sizes. 10 "Wet" Tapping of A-C Pressure Pipe in all Sizes. 11 A-C Coupling Removal From all Pipe in all Sizes Using Hammer and Chisel 12 Section 2 --Non-Recommended Work Practices Cutting Any A-C Pipe Using Abrasive Disc-Dry Tools. 13 Machining Any A-C Pipe Using Right-Angle Sanders or Other Dry High-Speed Abrasive Tools. 14 Section 3 -- Housekeeping and Waste Disposal Care of Equipment 15 Waste Disposal 15 v VI Foreword The Occupatiorial Safety and Health Act in the US and similar laws in Canada and other countries were enacted to ensure so far as possible every worker a safe and healthful work place. This legislation is far reaching. It covers millions of employees and nearly every employer, including those involved in utility duct and pipeline construction. In keeping with the spirit and intent of these laws, this committee has reviewed information regarding the potential hazards of exposure to airborne asbestos and the means of reducing such potential hazards through good work practices. This manual is about good practices. The recommendations that follow are the result of field testing and were developed through study.1Ia i They are in tended as general guides to achieve safe and clean job-site conditions when working with asbestos cement (A-C) pipe products. Since field conditions will vary, adherence to these work practices will not guarantee compliance with national, state, or local regulations. Questions relating to compliance should be directed to appropriate regulatory agencies. The committee believes this report will be helpful to engineers, utility man agers, superintendents, contractors, foremen, and layingcrews in understanding and explaining established procedures for the safe handling of A-C pipe pro ducts. A sb e sto s and health. Prolonged or heavy exposure to airborne asbestos fiber has been identified as a possible health hazard. Very few things to which man is exposed are "zero risks," but as for the automobile, electricity, and x-rays, there are non-harmful ways to use potentially harmful things. Experience has shown that minimizing exposure to airborne asbestos dust is the only effective method of preventing asbestos-related diseases. Recommend ed work practices are the best insurance of providing exposure safeguards for employer and employee. Generally, A-C pipe products contain less than 20 per cent asbestos. The as bestos fibers are not free but encapsulated or "locked-in" the cement binder like reinforcing rods in concrete. The distinction between "free" and " bound" asbes tos is extremely important. First it determines the probability of fiber release, which in turn directly relates to the probability of risk. It explains why A-C pipe is a non-harmful use of asbestos. Many studies have been made to establish a link between asbestos ingested with potable water and cancer. All such studies have proved negative. The U SEPA and the State of Connecticut recently reported on an epidemiological study conducted in that state to find a relationship between the use of A-C pipe and cancer. It was reported that3 The preliminary findings of the epidemiology study did not show any excess in cancer incidence for stomach, colon, or rectum in Connecticut townships during 1935-1973 that could be related to the use of asbestos-cement pipe for drinking water. A select study group sponsored by the AW W A Research Fdn. reported4 VII No firm evidence shows that the proper use of asbestos-cement pipe poses a hazard to health by reason of ingestion of asbestos fibers. Calculations comparing the probable in gestion exposure in occupational groups to that likely to occur as a result of ingestion ol potable water from asbestos-cement pipe systems suggest that the probability of risk to health from the use of such systems is small--approaching zero. Sum m ary of O S H A asbestos standard. The Occupational Safety and Health Act was signed into law on Dec. 29, 1970, and became effective on Apr. 28, 1971. On Dec. 7, 1971, the secretary of labor issued a temporary standard for exposure to asbestos dust. As required by the act, a permanent standard for as bestos exposure was promulgated six months later. Under the current standard, it is the employer's responsibility to ensure that exposure of employees to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers does not exceed the following "permissible exposure levels": 1. Time weighted average (TW A) is the permissible exposure level to air borne concentrations of asbestos fibers longer than 5 gm on an 8-hr timeweighted average, as determined on the basis of a 40-hr work week and by the method prescribed in "Standard for Exposure to Asbestos Dust" pro- mulgated by OSHA, June 7, 1972. The present TWApermissibleexposure level is 2 fibers/cm1. 2. Ceiling concentration is the maximum level of exposure to airborne con centrations of asbestos fibers longer than 5 fim as determined for a period of up to 15 min by the method prescribed in "Occupational Exposure to Asbestos" published by OS HA. The present permissible ceiling concentra tions is 10 fibers/cm1. In October 1975 OSHA proposed a revision to the existing standard, which would reduce the 8-hr time-weighted average exposure to 0.5 fibers per cubic centimeter. In its notice, OSHA stated that a separate "construction industry standard" would be issued to cover workers who handle asbestos-containing products. The work practices recommended in this manual are based on data for "ceiling dust concentrations" representing short periods of maximum exposure. (Field cutting and machining operations involving A-C pipe are normally infrequent and of short duration.) Using these recommended work practices, it is improb able that field personnel would be exposed in a typical working day to levels exceeding the 8-hr time-weighted average. References 1. Dust Exposures During the Cutting and Machining of Asbestos-Cement Pipe. Report prepared by Equitable Envir. Health, Inc. (M ar. 1977). la. Additional studies (Dec. 15, 1977). 2. News from TAC. TAC Construction Mtls., Ltd. (Report of a survey from the Occupational Hygiene Unit of North of England Indi. Health Svce.) (Feb. 1977). 3. Exposure to Asbestos Fibers in Water Distribution Systems. A W W A Ann. Conf., Anaheim, Calif. (May 1977). 4. A Study of the Problem of Asbestos in Water. Jour. A WWA, 66:9 (Sep. 1974, pt. 2). vin R ECO M M EN D ED PR A CTICES Section 1 Recommended Work Practices Shipping, Receiving, Handling, Assembly and Disassembly of A-C Pipe in All Size Ranges. A-C pipe is shipped clean from the factory and carefully loaded using methods acceptable to the carrier. Loading, unloading, stringing out, and assembling A-C pipe are essentially dust-free operations. Even in enclosed spaces, airborne asbestos fiber levels from pipe-handling operations are far below existing and proposed occupational standards. All hand- and mechanical-unloading operations should be carried out in ac cordance with the manufacturer's installation manuals. 1 2 WORK P R A C TIC ES FOR A SB ESTO S-CEM EN T PIPE Cutting of all A-C Pipe, in Sizes From 3 in. Through 24 in. Using Carbide-Tipped Blades. Blade cutters consist of a frame adjustable to the circumference of the pipe and a number of self-tracking rollers that align one or more carbide-tipped cutting blades. Blade cutters are typically hand-operated. Because of the relatively low mechanical input and clean cutting action, significant amounts of airborne as bestos dust are not produced. Waste material is disposed of in accordance with "Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. RECO M M EN D ED P R A C TIC ES Cutting of all A-C Pipe in Size Ranges 3 in. Through 24 in. Using Snap Cutters. Snap cutters ("squeeze-and-pop" equipment) operate by means of cuttinj wheels mounted in a chain wrapper around the pipe barrel. Hydraulic pressure applied by means of a remote electrically, pneumatically, or manually operate! pump, squeezes the cutting wheels into the pipe wall until the cut is made. Wasti material is disposed of in conformance with " Housekeeping and Waste Dis posal," Section 3. * Applu. a ble also to pressure, gras it v .m il b u ild in g sewer; s to rm d ru m ; a ir. e le c tric a l, a nd te le p h o n e d u c t in sue 1 m th io iig h V* m 4 W ORK P R A C T IC E S FO R A SB ESTO S-CEM EN T PIPE Machining of all A-C Pipe in all Sizes Using Manual Field Lathe. Manual field lathes are designed to end-trim and remachine rough pipe bar rels to factory-machined end profiles. The lathe consists of an adjustable, self aligning arbor inserted into the pipe bore (which acts as a mandrel upon which the turning handle operates), a screw-fed turning frame, carbide machining blades, and manual (hand or ratchet) turning handles. Waste material is dis posed of in accordance with " Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. R EC O M M EN D ED P R A CTICES Machining of all A-C Pipe in all Sizes Using Power-Drivei Field Lathe. Power field lathes, like manual lathes, are designed to end-trim and remachini rough pipe barrels to factory-machined end profiles. The lathe consists of ai adjustable, self-aligning arbor inserted into the pipe bore (which acts as a man drel upon which the turning handle operates), a screw-fed turning frame, carbidi machining blades and electric- or pneumatic-power drive. Waste material is dis posed of in accordance with " Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3 6 WORK P R A C TIC ES FO R A SB ESTO S-CEM EN T PIPE Machining of all A-C Pipe in all Sizes Using A Manual Rasp. Short lengths of A-C pipe, machined-end exclusively (M E E ) and machined overall (MOA), can he cut to make closures and repairs and to locate fittings exactly. Field-cut ends may be rebcveled with a coarse wood rasp to form a taper approximating the profile of the factory-beveled end. Waste material is disposed of in accordance with "Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. RECO M M EN D ED P R A C TIC ES 7 Hole Cutting in A-C Pipe* ot all Sizes Using Shell Cutters. For field connections into A-C pipe, clean, even entry cuts may be accom plished by means of shell-cutting equipment. Shell cutters consist of a holecutter housing mounted on the pipe, a carbide- or diamond-tipped hole cutter and a manual ratchet or a pneumatic, electrical or gasoline drive to power th( cutting head. When cutting holes in A-C pipe products, all dust and cuttings should be re moved from the pipe or duct interior after the cutting operation. Removal ma; be accomplished by flushing with water, wet mopping, or vacuuming prior tc placing in service. Do not blow out with com pressed air, o r dry sweep. Waste material is disposed of in accordance with "Housekeepingand Waste Disposal.' Section 3. T e ch n iq u e app lica ble fo r pressure-, g ravity-, and b uilding-sew e r pipe as w e ll as a ir d u c tin g 8 W O RK P R A C T IC E S FO R A SB ESTO S-CEM EN T PIPE Hole Cutting in A-C Pipe* of all Sizes Using Drill and Rasp. Field connections may be made with a heavy-duty electrical drill and rasp. Using a carbide-tipped drill, a series of closely spaced holes first are drilled around the hole outline. The disc is knocked free with a hammer and the edges of the hole are dressed with a coarse wood rasp. When cutting holes in A-C pipe products, all dust and cuttings should be re moved from the pipe or duct interior after the cutting operation. Removal may be accomplished by flushing with water, wet mopping or vacuuming prior to placing in service. Do not blow out with compressed air, o r dry sweep. Waste material is disposed of in accordance with "Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. A pplicable also to pressure, gravtly and b u ild in g sewer and a ir duct R EC O M M EN D ED P R A CTICES 9 Hole Cutting in A-C Pipe* in all Sizes Using Chisel and Rasp. Holes may be cut into A-C pipe with a hammer and chisel. The edge of a plumber's wood chisel is used to cut completely around the hole outline, about SA in. (7 mm) from the prescribed line. The operation is repeated and the cut deepened until through. The edges of the hole are then dressed with a coarse wood rasp. When cutting holes in A-C pipe products, all dust and cuttings should be re moved from the pipe or duct interior after the cutting operation. Removal may be accomplished by flushing with water, wet mopping o r vacuuming prior to placing in service. Do n o t blow out with com pressed air, or dry sweep. Waste material is disposed of in accordance with "Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. A p p lica b le also to pressure. g ra \it\ and b u ild in g sewer and a ir duct 10 WORK PR A C TIC ES FOR A SB ESTO S-CEM EN T PIPE "Dry" Tapping of A-C Pressure Pipe in all Sizes. Nonpressure o r"dry" tapping for service connections may be performed in or out of the trench. The equipment is affixed to the pipe by means of a chain yoke. Separate drills and taps or a combination tool is used to drill and tap the pipe wall. Corporation stops or other connections may then be affixed to the pipe. I o minimize ( I) the fouling of valves, regulators, metets, and other equipment with chips and (2) the unnecessary addition of asbestos to drinking water, all dust and cuttings should be removed from the pipe's interior by flushing with water, wet mopping, or vacuuming prior to placing the pipe in service. Do not blow out with compressed air, or dry sweep. Waste material is disposed of in accordance with "Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. RECO M M EN D ED P R A C TIC ES I! Pressure or "wet" tapping for service connections is performed in the trend while the pipe is under pressure. The equipment (manual or power driven) i: affixed to the pipe by means of a chain yoke. A combination boring-and-insert ing bar drills and taps the pipe wall and inserts a corporation stop or pipe plug The pressure chamber, which protects against water leakage, also catches th< asbestos-cement chips, so this is essentially a dust-free operation. To minimize (I) the fouling of valves, regulators, meters, and other equipmen with chips and (2) unnecessary addition of asbestos to drinking water, provision: should be made for downstream flushing or use of tapping equipment with posi tive purge or "blow -off features. Waste material is disposed of in accordant with " Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. 12 WORK P R A C T IC E S FOR A SB ESTO S-CEM EN T PIPE A-C Coupling Removal From all Pipe in all Sizes Using Ham mer and Chisel. Replacement of damaged pipe necessitates excavation, exposure and remov al. A-C coupling removal may be accomplished by gradually splitting the coup ling lengthwise using a chisel and hammer. After the top of the coupling has been split, a crowbar or similar tool is used as a lever to split the bottom of the coup ling. Waste male liai is disposed of in accordance with "Housekeeping and Waste Disposal," Section 3. N O N -R EC O M M EN D ED P R A C TIC ES Section 2 Non-Recommended Work Practices Cutting Any A-C Pipe Using Abrasive Disc-Dry Tools. Power-driven saws with abrasive discs (masonry blades) should not be used for dry cutting or beveling A-C pipe. Abrasive disc cutters produce concentra tions of airborne dust that exceed OSHA permissible levels. This work practice is therefore specifically not recommended. 13 14 WORK P R A C TIC ES FOR A SB ESTO S-CEM EN T PIPE Machining Any A-C Pipe Using Right-Angle Sanders or Other Dry High-Speed Abrasive Tools. Powtr-driven abrasive-disc sanders should not be used for shaping or beveling A-C pipe. Abrasive discs produce concentrations of airborne dust that exceed OS HA permissible levels. This w ork p ra c tic e is therefore specifically n ot recommended. HOUSEKEEPING AND WASTE DISPOSAL Section 3 Housekeeping and Waste Disposal Housekeeping is an important part of any safe construction operation. It is even more essential when airborne dust created by the lack of good housekeep ing has the potential for harm to employees or others. Care of Equipment All external surfaces of equipment should be maintained free of A-C pipe dust accumulations that might, if dispersed, create asbestos-fiber concentrations above permissible exposure limits. Waste Disposal. Waste disposal at construction site. A-C chips and cuttings from the field operations described here should be disposed of in a manner that will not con tribute airborne asbestos dust to the atmosphere. Where cutting and machining operations are performed at the construction site, the chips should be placed in the trench, in such a manner as to avoid raising dust and should be buried with the pipeline. Waste disposal at central or stock location. Where operations are per formed at a central location such as a contractor's or corporation's yard on a more or less continuing basis, the chips and cuttings may be collected and mixed wet with cement and made into nonfriable forms. These forms may be used in the trench as supports for cast-iron fittings and valves, as appropriate. Otherwise, chips and cuttings should be collected in sealed bags or closed con tainers impervious to asbestos dust. Loose material should never be dry-swept. When vacuum equipment is available, it should be used. Water or other dust suppressants should be applied in circumstances where sweeping is unavoidable. Do not blow waste material with compressed air. No visible emissions to the atmosphere may result from the collection, pro cessing, packaging, transporting, or deposition of any asbestos-containing material. Wastes should be disposed of at a site operated in accordance with the requirements of applicable national, state, or local laws. *- IS