Document Z4Q4Egmy65LZyvm56OeO3GBVd

SAFETY BROADCAST MLLETII Published By Engineering & Facilities General Services ' February 27, 1981 Supervisors General Supervisors Superintendents Facilities Operations Department ce L. E. Johnson V. Lilac R, M. Quarles I. Tomkov 0. D. Veilings Subject: Asbestos - Recommended Work Practices The following information haft been taken from Plant Engineering Letter No. 80-1, dated March 17, 1980 and is being paBBed on for your information. If any,other questions or problems arise regarding asbestos, contact the Safety Coordinator. A potential hazard exists wherever asbestos is cut, ripped, drilled, ground or handled in any way which oauses dust to become airborne. The following work practices must be followed. These work practices are based on OSRA regulations, Company guidelines, and common sense. The Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Department has requested that they be notified prior to any involvement by maintenance personnel in working with asbestos insulating or similar material which might create airborne asbestos dust. This will afford them the opportunity to provide on-the-spot dust monitoring as deemed necessary. All reporting of our involvement in the Research and Engineering Center with asbestos dust must be made to the Safety Engineer's Office, Room 154, Personnel and Administration Building, Phone 29108. They in turn will notify the Industrial Hygiene Department. Pipe Insulation * Most pipe insulation installed prior to 19`60 contains asbestos. Generally, maintenance and/or replacement of insulated pipe requires the removal of the asbestos covering. To minimize the release of asbestos fibers into the air and decrease potential employe exposure, the following work practices must be followed: SAFETY IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS 8004 1144 SCF-FORD-3058 2- - . All employes removing asbestos pipe insulation must year approved respirators and special clothing if there is a potential for clothing contamination. There is available in the Safety Coordinator' e Office, Industrial Relations Bulletin Number 15 vhich lists all approved respiratory devices. Mr. J. Ryan, Supervisor, Salvage and Hazardous Vaste Disposal, Phone 75259 has a supply of disposable coveralls for use when working with asbestos or other hazardous material . Isolate the work area to keep other employes as far as possible from the repair operation. The- surface to be repaired should be wetted down where possible or treated with commercially available dust suppressive to control dispersion of asbestos fibers . Place plastic sheeting on the floor beneath the repair site so that all pieces of insulation, however small, oan be collected when finished. Pedestrian and vehicular traffio can redisburse asbestos into the air if pieces are left on the floor . If it i3 necessary to sweep the asbestos, the floor should be wetted down to keep the fibers from becoming airborne. Approved vacuum cleaners should be used to clean the floor of any remaining dried asbestos dust and small pieces of material. . All vaste, scrap, and debris, as well as asbestos-contaminated clothing, should be placed in sealed, impermeable bags or containers for proper disposal. No asbestos containing insulation should ever be placed in open trash containers or dumpsters. All vaste material containing asbestos or containers into which they are placed for disposal must be labeled in accordance with OSHA standards. Contact Mr. J. Ryan, Supervisor, Salvage and Hazardous Vaste Disposal, Phone 75259 to assure proper disposal of impermeable containers . Because asbestos fiber can be dispersed throughout adjacent areas by ventilation systems, air supply fana in the vicinity of asbestos removal projects should be turned off; exhaust fans should be left on (unless these fans are part of an air recirculation system) to keep the area under negative pressure Vhen repair operations are complete, if the pipe must be reinsulated, asbestos containing products are not to be used for two reasons: (1) cutting and fitting of asbestos containing insulation generates significant amounts of airborne asbestos fiber even though it cannot be seen, and (2) eventually asbestos will be banned from use completely except where suitable substitutes are not available. You. are reminded that it is the supervisor's responsibility that all regulations regarding the use of asbestos are adhered to explicitly. J. V. Woodward, Safety Coordinator Engineering and Facilities 3004 1145