Asbestos Standard for

the Construction Industry

OSHA 3096

2002 (Revised)
This informational booklet provides

a generic, non-exhaustive overview of a

particular topic related to OSHA standards.

It does not alter or determine compliance

responsibilities in OSHA standards or the

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

Because interpretations and enforcement

policy may change over time, you should

consult current administrative interpretations

and decisions by the Occupational Safety and

Health Review Commission and the Courts

for additional guidance on OSHA compliance

requirements.

This publication is in the public domain and

may be reproduced, fully or partially, without

permission. Source credit is requested but

not required.

This information is available to sensory

impaired individuals upon request.

Voice phone: (202) 693–1999;

Teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889–5627.
iii

Asbestos Standard

for the Construction

Industry

U.S. Department of Labor

Elaine L. Chao, Secretary

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

John L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary

OSHA 3096

2002 (Revised)
iv
v

Contents

Introduction

What is asbestos? ........................................................................... 1

What are the dangers of asbestos exposure? ................................... 1

What construction activities does this booklet cover? ...................... 1

Provisions of the OSHA Standard

What is work classification? ........................................................... 3

What is the permissible exposure limit for asbestos? ........................ 4

Which asbestos operations must employers

monitor and assess? ........................................................................ 4

What is the function of a competent person? ................................... 4

What is an initial exposure assessment? .......................................... 5

What is a negative exposure assessment? ....................................... 6

Are employers required to perform exposure monitoring? ............... 6

When must employers conduct periodic monitoring? ....................... 7

Is additional monitoring ever needed? ............................................. 8

Are employers required to establish medical

surveillance programs for employees? ............................................ 8

Do employers have to keep any employee records? ...................... 10

What is a regulated area? ............................................................. 12

Who is responsible for communicating

asbestos hazards at worksites? ..................................................... 14

Does the OSHA standard require the

posting of warning signs? ............................................................. 15

Must employers provide asbestos warning labels? ........................ 16

Do employers have to train employees

regarding asbestos exposure? ....................................................... 16
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Methods of Compliance

What methods must employers use to control

asbestos exposure levels?.............................................................. 19

What are the compliance requirements for Class I work? .............. 20

What are the compliance requirements for Class II work? ............. 23

What are the compliance requirements for Class III work? ........... 27

What are the compliance requirements for Class IV work? ........... 28

Does the competent person have duties that

apply to more than one work class? .............................................. 28

What does the OSHA standard require

concerning respirators? ................................................................ 29

Do employers have to provide protective

clothing for employees? ................................................................ 31

What are the hygiene-related requirements for employees

performing Class I asbestos work involving more than

25 linear feet or 10 square feet of thermal system insulation

or surfacing ACM or PACM? ...................................................... 32

What are the hygiene-related requirements for employees

performing other Class I asbestos work and Class II and III

asbestos work where exposures exceed a PEL or where a

negative exposure assessment has not been produced? .................. 34

What are the hygiene-related requirements

for employees performing Class IV work? .................................... 35

What are an employer’s housekeeping responsibilities? ................. 35

Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class............................... 37

OSHA Assistance

What are safety and health system

management guidelines? ............................................................... 43

What are state programs? ............................................................ 44

How do I obtain consultation services? ......................................... 44
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What are Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs)? ........................ 45

What is the Strategic Partnership Program? .................................. 46

Does OSHA offer training and education? ................................... 46

Does OSHA provide any information electronically? .................... 47

How do I learn more about related OSHA publications? .............. 48

How do I contact OSHA about emergencies, complaints,

or further assistance? ................................................................... 48

OSHA Office Directory

OSHA Regional Offices ............................................................... 49

OSHA Area Offices ..................................................................... 50

OSHA-Approved State Plans ....................................................... 53

OSHA Consultation Projects ........................................................ 56
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1

Introduction

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the generic term for a group of naturally

occurring, fibrous minerals with high tensile strength,

flexibility, and resistance to heat, chemicals, and electricity.

In the construction industry, asbestos is found in installed

products such as sprayed-on fireproofing, pipe insulation,

floor tiles, cement pipe and sheet, roofing felts and shingles,

ceiling tiles, fire-resistant drywall, drywall joint compounds,

and acoustical products. Because very few asbestoscontaining products are being installed today, most worker

exposures occur during the removal of asbestos and the

renovation and maintenance of buildings and structures

containing asbestos.

What are the dangers of

asbestos exposure?

Asbestos fibers enter the body when a person inhales

or ingests airborne particles that become embedded in the

tissues of the respiratory or digestive systems. Exposure

to asbestos can cause disabling or fatal diseases such as

asbestosis, an emphysema-like condition; lung cancer;

mesothelioma, a cancerous tumor that spreads rapidly in

the cells of membranes covering the lungs and body organs;

and gastrointestinal cancer. The symptoms of these diseases

generally do not appear for 20 or more years after initial

exposure.

What construction activities

does this booklet cover?

The asbestos standard for the construction industry

(29 CFR Part 1926.1101, see www.osha.gov) regulates

asbestos exposure for the following activities:

■ Demolishing or salvaging structures where asbestos is

present.
2

■ Removing or encapsulating asbestos-containing material

(ACM).

■ Constructing, altering, repairing, maintaining, or

renovating asbestos-containing structures or substrates.

■ Installing asbestos-containing products.

■ Cleaning up asbestos spills/emergencies.

■ Transporting, disposing, storing, containing, and

housekeeping involving asbestos or asbestos-containing

products on a construction site.

Note: The standard does not apply to asbestos-containing

asphalt roof coatings, cements, and mastics.
3

Provisions of

the OSHA Standard

OSHA has established strict exposure limits and

requirements for exposure assessment, medical surveillance,

recordkeeping, competent persons, regulated areas, and

hazard communication.

What is work classification?

The OSHA standard establishes a classification system

for asbestos construction work that spells out mandatory,

simple, technological work practices that employers must

follow to reduce worker exposures. Under this system, the

following four classes of construction work are matched

with increasingly stringent control requirements:

■ Class I asbestos work is the most potentially hazardous

class of asbestos jobs. This work involves the removal

of asbestos-containing thermal system insulation and

sprayed-on or troweled-on surfacing materials. Employers

must presume that thermal system insulation and surfacing

material found in pre-1981 construction is ACM. That

presumption, however, is rebuttable. If you believe that

the surfacing material or thermal system insulation is not

ACM, the OSHA standard specifies the means that you

must use to rebut that presumption. Thermal system

insulation includes ACM applied to pipes, boilers, tanks,

ducts, or other structural components to prevent heat loss

or gain. Surfacing materials include decorative plaster on

ceilings and walls; acoustical materials on decking, walls,

and ceilings; and fireproofing on structural members.

■ Class II work includes the removal of other types of ACM

that are not thermal system insulation such as resilient

flooring and roofing materials. Examples of Class II work

include removal of asbestos-containing floor or ceiling tiles,

siding, roofing, or transite panels.

■ Class III asbestos work includes repair and maintenance

operations where ACM or presumed ACM (PACM) are

disturbed.
4

■ Class IV work includes custodial activities where employees

clean up asbestos-containing waste and debris produced by

construction, maintenance, or repair activities. This work

involves cleaning dust-contaminated surfaces, vacuuming

contaminated carpets, mopping floors, and cleaning up

ACM or PACM from thermal system insulation or

surfacing material.

What is the permissible

exposure limit for asbestos?

Employers must ensure that no employee is exposed to an

airborne concentration of asbestos in excess of 0.1 f/cc as an

8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). In addition, employees

must not be exposed to an airborne concentration of asbestos

in excess of 1 f/cc as averaged over a sampling period of

30 minutes.

Which asbestos operations must

employers monitor and assess?

Employers must assess all asbestos operations for the

potential to generate airborne fibers, and use exposure

monitoring data to assess employee exposures. You must also

designate a competent person to help ensure the safety and

health of your workers.

What is the function of a

competent person?

On all construction sites with asbestos operations,

employers must designate a competent person—one who

can identify asbestos hazards in the workplace and has the

authority to correct them. This person must be qualified and

authorized to ensure worker safety and health as required

by Subpart C, General Safety and Health Provisions

for Construction (29 CFR Part 1926.20). Under these
5

requirements for safety and health prevention programs, the

competent person must frequently inspect job sites, materials,

and equipment.

The competent person must attend a comprehensive

training course for contractors and supervisors certified by

the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a stateapproved training provider, or a complete a course that is

equivalent in length and content.

For Class III and IV asbestos work, training must include

a course equivalent in length, stringency, and content to the

16-hour Operations and Maintenance course developed by

EPA for maintenance and custodial workers. For more

specific information, see 40 CFR Part 763.92(a)(2).

What is an initial exposure assessment?

To determine expected exposures, a competent person

must perform an initial exposure assessment to assess

exposures immediately before or as the operation begins.

This person must perform the assessment in time to comply

with all standard requirements triggered by exposure data

or the lack of a negative exposure assessment and to provide

the necessary information to ensure all control systems

are appropriate and work properly. A negative exposure

assessment demonstrates that employee exposure during

an operation is consistently below the permissible exposure

limit (PEL).

The initial exposure assessment must be based on the

following criteria:

■ Results of employee exposure monitoring, unless a negative

exposure assessment has been made; and

■ Observations, information, or calculations indicating

employee exposure to asbestos, including any previous

monitoring.
6

For Class I asbestos work, until employers document that

employees will not be exposed in excess of the 8-hour TWA

PEL and short-term exposure limit STEL, employers must

assume that employee exposures are above those limits.

What is a negative exposure assessment?

For any specific asbestos job that trained employees

perform, employers may show that exposures will be below

the PELs (i.e., negative exposure assessment) through the

following:

■ Objective data demonstrating that ACM, or activities

involving it, cannot release airborne fibers in excess of the

8-hour TWA PEL or STEL;

■ Exposure data obtained within the past 12 months from

prior monitoring of work operations closely resembling the

employer’s current work operations (the work operations

that were previously monitored must have been conducted

by employees whose training and experience were no more

extensive than that of current employees, and the data must

show a high degree of certainty that employee exposures

will not exceed the 8-hour TWA PEL or STEL under current

conditions); or

■ Current initial exposure monitoring that used breathing

zone air samples representing the 8-hour TWA and 30-

minute short-term exposures for each employee in those

operations most likely to result in exposures over the 8-hour

TWA PEL for the entire asbestos job.

Are employers required to perform

exposure monitoring?

Yes. Employers must determine employee exposure

measurements from breathing zone air samples representing

the 8-hour TWA and 30-minute short-term exposures for

each employee.
7

Employers must take one or more samples representing

full-shift exposure to determine the 8-hour TWA exposure

in each work area. To determine short-term employee

exposures, you must take one or more samples representing

30-minute exposures for the operations most likely to expose

employees above the excursion limit in each work area.

You must also allow affected employees and their

designated representatives to observe any employee exposure

monitoring. When observation requires entry into a regulated

area, you must provide and require the use of protective

clothing and equipment.

When must employers conduct

periodic monitoring?

For Class I and II jobs, employers must conduct

monitoring daily that is representative of each employee

working in a regulated area, unless you have produced a

negative exposure assessment for the entire operation and

nothing has changed. When all employees use supplied-air

respirators operated in positive-pressure mode, however, you

may discontinue daily monitoring. When employees perform

Class I work using control methods not recommended in the

standard, you must continue daily monitoring even when

employees use supplied-air respirators.

For operations other than Class I and II, employers must

monitor all work where exposures can possibly exceed the

PEL often enough to validate the exposure prediction.

If periodic monitoring shows that certain employee

exposures are below the 8-hour TWA PEL and the STEL,

you may discontinue monitoring these employees’ exposures.
8

Is additional monitoring ever needed?

Changes in processes, control equipment, personnel,

or work practices that could result in new or additional

exposures above the 8-hour TWA PEL or STEL require

additional monitoring regardless of a previous negative

exposure assessment for a specific job.

Are employers required to establish

medical surveillance programs for

employees?

It depends. Employers must provide a medical surveillance

program for all employees who do the following:

■ Engage in Class I, II, or III work or are exposed at or

above the PEL or STEL for a combined total of 30 or more

days per year; or

■ Wear negative-pressure respirators.

In addition, a licensed physician must perform or supervise

all medical exams and procedures that you provide at no cost

to your employees and at a reasonable time.

Employers must make medical exams and consultations

available to employees as follows:

■ Prior to employee assignment to an area where negativepressure respirators are worn;

■ Within 10 working days after the 30th day of combined

engagement in Class I, II, and III work and exposure at

or above a PEL, and at least annually thereafter; and

■ When an examining physician suggests them more

frequently.

If an employee was examined within the past 12 months

and that exam meets the criteria of the standard, however,

another medical exam is not required.
9

Medical exams must include the following:

■ Medical and work histories;

■ Completion of a standardized questionnaire with the initial

exam (see 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, Appendix D, Part 1)

and an abbreviated standardized questionnaire with annual

exams (see 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, Appendix D, Part 2);

■ Physical exam focusing on the pulmonary and

gastrointestinal systems; and

■ Any other exams or tests deemed necessary by the

examining physician.

Employers must provide the examining physician with

the following:

■ Copy of OSHA’s asbestos standard and its appendices D,

E, and I;

■ Description of the affected employee’s duties relating to

exposure;

■ Employee’s representative exposure level or anticipated

exposure level;

■ Description of any personal protective equipment and

respiratory equipment used; and

■ Information from previous medical exams not otherwise

available.

It is the employer’s responsibility to obtain the physician’s

written opinion containing results of the medical exam as well

as the following information:

■ Any medical conditions of the employee that increase health

risks from asbestos exposure.

■ Any recommended limitations on the employee or

protective equipment used.
10

■ A statement that the employee has been informed of the

results of the medical exam and any medical conditions

resulting from asbestos exposure.

■ A statement that the employee has been informed of the

increased risk of lung cancer from the combined effect of

smoking and asbestos exposure.

Note: A physician’s written opinion must not reveal

specific findings or diagnoses unrelated to occupational

exposure to asbestos. You must provide a copy of the

physician’s written opinion to the employee involved within

30 days after receipt.

Do employers have to keep

any employee records?

Yes. Employers must maintain employee records

concerning objective data, exposure monitoring, and medical

surveillance.

If using objective data to demonstrate that products

made from or containing asbestos cannot release fibers in

concentrations at or above the PEL or STEL, employers must

keep an accurate record for as long as it is relied on and

include the following information:

■ Exempt products.

■ Objective data source.

■ Testing protocol, test results, and analysis of the material

for release of asbestos.

■ Exempt operation and support data descriptions.

■ Relevant data for operations, materials, processes, or

employee exposures.
11

Employers must keep records of all employee exposure

monitoring for at least 30 years, including following

information:

■ Date of measurement.

■ Operation involving asbestos exposure that you monitored.

■ Methods of sampling and analysis that you used and

evidence of their accuracy.

■ Number, duration, and results of samples taken.

■ Type of protective devices worn.

■ Name, social security number, and exposures of the

employees involved.

Employers must also make exposure records available

when requested to affected employees, former employees,

their designated representatives, and/or OSHA’s Assistant

Secretary.

In addition to retaining a copy of the information provided

to the examining physician, employers must keep all medical

surveillance records for the duration of an employee’s

employment plus 30 years, including the following

information:

■ Employee’s name and social security number.

■ Employee’s medical exam results, including the medical

history, questionnaires, responses, test results, and

physician’s recommendations.

■ Physician’s written opinions.

■ Employee’s medical complaints related to asbestos

exposure.
12

Employers must also make employees’ medical

surveillance records available to them, as well as to anyone

having specific written consent of an employee, and to

OSHA’s Assistant Secretary.

Also, employers must maintain other records. Employers

must maintain all employee training records for 1 year

beyond the last date of employment.

If data demonstrate ACM does not contain asbestos,

building owners or employers must keep associated records

for as long as they rely on them. Building owners must

maintain written notifications on the identification, location,

and quantity of any ACM or PACM for the duration of

ownership, and transfer the records to successive owners.

When employers cease to do business without a successor

to keep their records, employers must notify the Director of

the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH) at least 90 days prior to their disposal and transmit

them as requested.

What is a regulated area?

A regulated area is a marked-off site where employees

work with asbestos, including any adjoining areas where

debris and waste from asbestos work accumulates or where

airborne concentrations of asbestos exceed, or can possibly

exceed, the PEL.

All Class I, II, and III asbestos work, or any other

operations where airborne asbestos exceeds the PEL, must

be performed within regulated areas. Only persons permitted

by an employer and required by work duties to be present in

regulated areas may enter a regulated area. The designated

competent person supervises all asbestos work performed in

this area.

Employers must mark off the regulated area in a manner

that minimizes the number of persons within the area and
13

protects persons outside the area from exposure to airborne

asbestos. You may use critical barriers (i.e., plastic sheeting

placed over all openings to the work area to prevent airborne

asbestos from migrating to an adjacent area) or negativepressure enclosures to mark off a regulated area.

Posted warning signs demarcating the area must be easily

readable and understandable. The signs must bear the

following information:

DANGER

ASBESTOS

CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD

AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

RESPIRATORY AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

ARE REQUIRED IN THIS AREA

Employers must supply a respirator to all persons entering

regulated areas. (See respiratory protection requirements

elsewhere in this booklet.) Employees must not eat, drink,

smoke, chew (tobacco or gum), or apply cosmetics in

regulated areas.

An employer performing work in a regulated area must

inform other employers onsite of the following:

■ Nature of the work,

■ Regulated area requirements, and

■ Measures taken to protect onsite employees.

The contractor creating or controlling the source

of asbestos contamination must abate the hazards.

All employers with employees working near regulated

areas, must daily assess the enclosure’s integrity or the

effectiveness of control methods to prevent airborne

asbestos from migrating.
14

General contractors on a construction project must

oversee all asbestos work, even though they may not be the

designated competent person. As supervisor of the entire

project, the general contractor determines whether asbestos

contractors comply with the standard and ensures that they

correct any problems.

Who is responsible for communicating

asbestos hazards at worksites?

The communication of asbestos hazards is vital to prevent

further overexposure. Most asbestos-related construction

involves previously installed building materials. Building/

facility owners often are the only or best source of

information concerning these materials.

Building/facility owners, as well as employers of workers

who may be exposed to asbestos hazards, have specific duties

under the standard.

Before work begins, building/facility owners must identify

all thermal system insulation at the worksite, sprayed or

troweled-on surfacing materials in buildings, and resilient

flooring material installed before 1981. They also must notify

the following persons of the presence, location, and quantity

of ACM or PACM:

■ Prospective employers applying or bidding for work in or

adjacent to areas containing asbestos.

■ Building owners’ employees who work in or adjacent to

these areas.

■ Other employers on multi-employer worksites with

employees working in or adjacent to these areas.

■ All tenants who will occupy the areas containing ACM.
15

Employers discovering ACM on a worksite must notify

the building/facility owner and other employers onsite

within 24 hours regarding its presence, location, and quantity.

You also must inform owners and employees working in

nearby areas of the precautions taken to confine airborne

asbestos. Within 10 days of project completion, you must

inform building/facility owners and other employers onsite

of the current locations and quantities of remaining ACM

and any final monitoring results.

At any time, employers or building and facility owners

may demonstrate that a PACM does not contain asbestos by

inspecting the material in accordance with the requirements

of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)

(40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E) or by performing tests of bulk

samples collected in the manner described in 40 CFR Part

763.86. (See 29 CFR Part 1926.1101 for specific testing

requirements.)

Employers do not have to inform employees of asbestosfree building materials present; however, you must retain the

information, data, and analysis supporting the determination.

(See recordkeeping requirements elsewhere in this publication

for more specific information.)

Does the OSHA standard require

the posting of warning signs?

Yes. At the entrance to mechanical rooms or areas with

ACM or PACM, the building/facility owner must post signs

identifying the material present, its specific location, and

appropriate work practices that ensure it is not disturbed.

Also, employers must post warning signs in regulated

areas to inform employees of the dangers and necessary

protective steps to take before entering. (See the regulated

area requirements elsewhere in this publication.)
16

Must employers provide asbestos

warning labels?

Employers must attach warning labels to all products and

containers of asbestos, including waste containers, and all

installed asbestos products, when possible. Labels must be

printed in large, bold letters on a contrasting background and

used in accordance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication

Standard (29 CFR Part1910.1200). All labels must contain

a warning statement against breathing asbestos fibers and

contain the following legend:

DANGER

CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBERS

AVOID CREATING DUST

CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD

Labels are not required if asbestos is present in

concentrations less than 1 percent by weight. They also are

not required if bonding agents, coatings, or binders have

altered asbestos fibers, prohibiting the release of airborne

asbestos over the PEL or STEL during reasonable use,

handling, storage, disposal, processing, or transportation.

When building owners or employers identify previously

installed asbestos or PACM, employers must attach or post

clearly noticeable and readable labels or signs to inform

employees which materials contain asbestos.

Do employers have to train employees

regarding asbestos exposure?

Yes. Employers must provide a free training program for

all employees who are likely to be exposed in excess of a PEL

and for all employees performing Class I through IV asbestos

operations. Employees must be trained prior to or at initial

assignment and at least annually thereafter. Training courses
17

must be easily understandable and include the following

information:

■ Ways to recognize asbestos.

■ Adverse health effects of asbestos exposure.

■ Relationship between smoking and asbestos in causing

lung cancer.

■ Operations that could result in asbestos exposure and the

importance of protective controls to minimize exposure.

■ Purpose, proper use, fitting instruction, and limitations of

respirators.

■ Appropriate work practices for performing asbestos jobs.

■ Medical surveillance program requirements.

■ Contents of the standard.

■ Names, addresses, and phone numbers of public health

organizations that provide information and materials or

conduct smoking cessation programs.

■ Sign and label requirements and the meaning of their

legends.

■ Written materials relating to employee training and selfhelp smoking cessation programs at no cost to employees.

Also, the following additional training requirements apply

depending on the work class involved:

■ For Class I operations and for Class II operations that

require the use of critical barriers (or equivalent isolation

methods) and/or negative pressure enclosures, training

must be equivalent in curriculum, method, and length to the

EPA Model Accreditation Plan (MAP) asbestos abatement

worker training (see 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E,

Appendix C).
18

■ For employees performing Class II operations involving one

generic category of building materials containing asbestos

(e.g., roofing, flooring, or siding materials or transite

panels), training may be covered in an 8-hour course that

includes hands-on experience.

■ For Class III operations, training must be equivalent in

curriculum and method to the 16-hour Operations and

Maintenance course developed by EPA for maintenance and

custodial workers whose work disturbs ACM (see 40 CFR

Part 763.92). The course must include hands-on training on

proper respirator use and work practices.

■ For Class IV operations, training must be equivalent in

curriculum and method to EPA awareness training (see 29

CFR Part1926.1101 for more information). Training must

focus on the locations of ACM or PACM and the ways to

recognize damage and deterioration and avoid exposure.

The course must be at least 2 hours in length.

Note: Employers must provide OSHA’s Assistant

Secretary and the Director of NIOSH all information and

training materials as requested.
19

Methods of Compliance

What methods must employers use to

control asbestos exposure levels?

For all covered work, employers must use the following

control methods to comply with the PEL and STEL:

■ Local exhaust ventilation equipped with HEPA-filter dust

collection systems (a high-efficiency particulate air [HEPA]

filter is capable of trapping and retaining at least 99.97

percent of all mono-dispersed particles of 0.3 micrometers

in diameter).

■ Enclosure or isolation of processes producing asbestos dust.

■ Ventilation of the regulated area to move contaminated air

away from the employees’ breathing zone and toward a

filtration or collection device equipped with a HEPA filter.

■ Feasible engineering and work practice controls to reduce

exposure to the lowest possible levels, supplemented by

respirators to reach the PEL or STEL or lower.

Employers must use the following engineering controls

and work practices for all operations regardless of exposure

levels:

■ Vacuum cleaners equipped with HEPA filters to collect all

asbestos-containing or presumed asbestos-containing debris

and dust.

■ Wet methods or wetting agents to control employee

exposures except when infeasible (e.g., due to the creation

of electrical hazards, equipment malfunction, and slipping

hazards).

■ Prompt cleanup and disposal in leak-tight containers of

asbestos-contaminated wastes and debris.
20

The following work practices and engineering controls are

prohibited for all asbestos-related work or work that disturbs

asbestos or PACM regardless of measured exposure levels or

the results of initial exposure assessments:

■ High-speed abrasive disc saws not equipped with a

point-of-cut ventilator or enclosure with HEPA-filtered

exhaust air.

■ Compressed air to remove asbestos or ACM unless the

compressed air is used with an enclosed ventilation system.

■ Dry sweeping, shoveling, or other dry cleanup of dust

and debris.

■ Employee rotation to reduce exposure.

In addition, OSHA’s asbestos standard has specific

requirements for each class of asbestos work in construction.

What are the compliance requirements

for Class I work?

A designated competent person must supervise all Class I

work, including installing and operating the control system.

The competent person must inspect onsite at least once during

each work shift and upon employee request.

Employers must place critical barriers over all openings to

regulated areas or use another barrier or isolation method to

prevent airborne asbestos from migrating for the following

jobs:

■ All Class I jobs removing more than 25 linear or 10 square

feet of thermal system insulation or surfacing material.

■ All other Class I jobs without a negative exposure

assessment.

■ All jobs where employees are working in areas adjacent to

a Class I regulated area.
21

If using other barriers or isolation methods instead of

critical barriers, employers must perform perimeter area

surveillance during each work shift. No asbestos dust should

be visible. Perimeter monitoring must show that clearance

levels are met (as contained in 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E

of the EPA Asbestos in Schools rule) or that perimeter area

levels are no greater than background levels.

Employers must ensure the following for all Class I jobs:

■ Isolating heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC)

systems in regulated areas by sealing with a double layer

of 6 mil plastic or the equivalent.

■ Placing impermeable drop cloths on surfaces beneath all

removal activity.

■ Covering and securing all objects within the regulated

area with impermeable drop cloths or plastic sheeting.

■ Ventilating the regulated area to move the contaminated

air away from the employee breathing zone and toward

a HEPA filtration or collection device for jobs without

a negative exposure assessment or where exposure

monitoring shows the PEL is exceeded.

In addition, employees performing Class I work must use

one or more of the following control methods:

■ Negative-pressure enclosure systems when the

configuration of the work area does not make it infeasible

to erect the enclosure.

■ Glove bag systems to remove ACM or PACM from piping.

■ Negative-pressure glove bag systems to remove asbestos or

PACM from piping.

■ Negative-pressure glove box systems to remove asbestos or

ACM from pipe runs.
22

■ Water spray process systems to remove asbestos or PACM

from cold-line piping if employees carrying out the process

have completed a 40-hour training course on its use in

addition to training required for all employees performing

Class I work.

■ Small walk-in enclosure that accommodates no more than

2 people (mini-enclosure) if the disturbance or removal can

be completely contained by the enclosure.

For the specifications, limitations, and recommended

work practices of these required control methods, refer to

Occupational Exposure to Asbestos, 29 CFR Part 1926.1101.

Employers may use different or modified engineering

and work practice controls if they adhere to the following

provisions:

■ Control method encloses, contains, or isolates the process

or source of airborne asbestos dust, or captures and

redirects the dust before it enters into the employees’

breathing zone.

■ Certified industrial hygienist or licensed professional

engineer qualified as a project designer evaluates the work

area, the projected work practices, and the engineering

controls and certifies, in writing, that based on evaluations

and data the planned control method adequately reduces

direct and indirect employee exposure to or below the PEL

under worst-case conditions. The planned control method

also must prevent asbestos contamination outside the

regulated area, as measured by sampling meeting the

requirements of the EPA Asbestos in Schools rule or

perimeter monitoring.

■ Employer sends a copy of the evaluation and certification

to the OSHA National Office, Office of Technical Support,

Room N3653, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington,

DC 20210, before using alternative methods to remove
23

more than 25 linear or 10 square feet of thermal system

insulation or surfacing material.

What are the compliance requirements

for Class II work?

In addition to all indoor Class II jobs without a negative

exposure assessment, employers must use critical barriers

over all openings to the regulated area or another barrier or

isolation method to prevent airborne asbestos from migrating

for the following:

■ When changing conditions indicate exposure above the

PEL, or

■ When ACM is not removed substantially intact.

If using other barriers or isolation methods instead of

critical barriers, employers must perform perimeter area

monitoring to verify that the barrier works properly. In

addition, impermeable drop cloths must cover all surfaces

beneath removal activities.

All Class II asbestos work can use the same work

practices and requirements as Class I asbestos jobs.

Alternatively, Class II work can be performed using work

practices set out in the standard for specific jobs.

For removing vinyl and asphalt flooring materials

containing asbestos or installed in buildings constructed

before 1981 and not verified as asbestos-free, employers must

ensure that workers observe the following:

■ Do not sand flooring or its backing,

■ Do not rip up resilient sheeting,

■ Do not dry sweep,

■ Perform mechanical chipping only in a negative-pressure

enclosure,
24

■ Use vacuums equipped with HEPA filters to clean floors,

■ Remove resilient sheeting by cutting with wetting of the

snip point and wetting during delamination,

■ Use wet methods to scrape residual adhesives and/or

backing,

■ Remove tiles intact, unless impossible (you may omit

wetting when tiles are heated and removed intact), and

■ Assume resilient flooring material—including associated

mastic and backing—is asbestos-containing unless an

industrial hygienist determines that it is asbestos-free.

To remove asbestos-containing roofing materials,

employers must ensure that workers do the following:

■ Remove them intact if feasible,

■ Use wet methods when intact removal is infeasible, and

■ Mist cutting machines continuously during use, unless the

competent person determines misting to be unsafe.

When removing built-up roofs using a power roof cutter

employers must ensure that workers observe the following

procedures:

■ Use power cutters equipped with HEPA dust collectors or

perform HEPA vacuuming along the cut line for roofs that

have asbestos-containing roofing felts and an aggregate

surface.

■ Use power cutters equipped with HEPA dust collectors,

or perform HEPA vacuuming along the cut line, or gently

sweep along the cut line and then carefully and completely

wipe up the still-wet dust and debris that was acquired for

roofs that have asbestos-containing roofing felts and a

smooth surface.
25

■ Do not drop or throw to the ground ACM that has been

removed from a roof.

■ Carry or pass the ACM to the ground by hand, or lower

the material to the ground via covered, dust-tight chute,

crane or hoist.

■ Lower both intact ACM and non-intact ACM to the

ground as soon as it is practicable, but no later than the

end of the work shift.

■ Keep material wet if it is not intact, or place it in

impermeable waste bags, or wrap it in plastic sheeting

while it remains on the roof.

■ Lower to the ground, as soon as possible or by the end

of the work shift, any unwrapped or unbagged roofing

material using a covered, dust-tight chute, crane, or hoist.

■ Place unwrapped materials in closed containers to prevent

scattering dust after the materials reach the ground.

■ Isolate roof level heating and ventilation air intake sources

or shut down the ventilation system.

When removing cement-like asbestos-containing siding or

shingles, or asbestos-containing transite panels on building

exteriors other than roofs, employers must ensure that

employees adhere to the following:

■ Do not cut, abrade, or break siding, shingles, or transite

panels unless methods less likely to result in asbestos fiber

release cannot be used;

■ Spray each panel or shingle with amended water before

removing (amended water is water to which a surfactant

[wetting agent] has been added to increase the ability of

the liquid to penetrate ACM);
26

■ Lower immediately to the ground any unwrapped or

unbagged panels or shingles using a covered dust-tight

chute, crane, or hoist, or place them in an impervious

waste bag or wrap them in plastic sheeting and lower them

to the ground no later than the end of the work shift; and

■ Cut nails with flat, sharp instruments.

When removing asbestos-containing gaskets, employers

must ensure that employees do the following:

■ Remove gaskets within glove bags if they are visibly

deteriorated and unlikely to be removed intact;

■ Wet the gaskets thoroughly with amended water prior to

removing;

■ Place the wet gaskets in a disposal container immediately;

and

■ Keep the residue wet if removed by scraping.

For removal of any other Class II ACM, employers must

ensure that employees observe the following:

■ Do not cut, abrade, or break the material unless infeasible;

■ Wet the material thoroughly with amended water before

and during removal;

■ Remove the material intact, if possible; and

■ Bag or wrap removed ACM immediately or keep it wet

until transferred to a closed receptacle no later than the end

of the work shift.

Employers may use different or modified engineering and

work practice controls under the following conditions:

■ If they can demonstrate that employee exposure will not

exceed the PEL under any anticipated circumstances; and
27

■ If a competent person evaluates the work area, the

projected work practices, and the engineering controls and

certifies, in writing, that these different or modified controls

will reduce all employee exposure to or below the PELs

under all expected conditions of use and that they meet

the requirements of the standard. This evaluation must

include, and be based on, data representing employee

exposure during use of the controls under conditions closely

resembling those of the current job. Also, the employees

participating in the evaluation must not have better training

and more experience than that of the employees who are to

perform the current job.

What are the compliance requirements

for Class III work?

Employers must use wet methods and local exhaust

ventilation, to the extent feasible, during Class III work.

When drilling, cutting, abrading, sanding, chipping, breaking,

or sawing of asbestos-containing thermal system insulation or

surfacing materials occurs, employers must use impermeable

drop cloths as well as mini-enclosures, glove bag systems, or

other effective isolation methods and ensure that workers

wear respirators. If the material is not thermal system

insulation or surfacing material and a negative exposure

assessment has not been produced or monitoring shows

the PEL is exceeded, employers must contain the area

with impermeable drop cloths and plastic barriers or

other isolation methods and ensure that employees wear

respirators. (See also respirator requirements elsewhere in

this publication.) In addition, the competent person must

inspect often enough to assess changing conditions and

upon employee request.
28

What are the compliance requirements

for Class IV work?

Employees conducting Class IV asbestos work must

have attended an asbestos awareness training program.

They must use wet methods and HEPA vacuums to promptly

clean asbestos-containing or presumed asbestos-containing

debris. When cleaning debris and waste in regulated areas,

employees must wear respirators. In areas where thermal

system insulation or surfacing material is present, workers

must assume that all waste and debris contain asbestos.

Does the competent person have duties

that apply to more than one work class?

Yes. For Class II, III, and IV jobs, the competent person

must inspect often enough to assess changing conditions and

upon employee request.

For Class I or II asbestos work, the competent person

must ensure the integrity of the enclosures or other

containments by onsite inspection and supervise the

following activities:

■ Setup of regulated areas, enclosures, or other containments.

■ Setup procedures to control entry to and exit from the

enclosure or area.

■ Employee exposure monitoring by ensuring it is properly

conducted.

■ Use of required protective clothing and equipment by

employees working within the enclosure or using glove

bags (a plastic bag-like enclosure affixed around ACM,

with glove-like appendages through which materials and

tools may be handled).

■ Setup, removal, and performance of engineering controls,

work practices, and personal protective equipment through

onsite inspection.
29

■ Use of hygiene facilities by employees.

■ Required decontamination procedures.

■ Notification requirements.

What does the OSHA standard require

concerning respirators?

Employees must use respirators during the following

activities:

■ Class I asbestos jobs.

■ Class II work where ACM is not removed substantially

intact.

■ Class II and III work not using wet methods.

■ Class II and III work without a negative exposure

assessment.

■ Class III jobs where thermal system insulation or surfacing

ACM or PACM is cut, abraded, or broken.

■ Class IV work within a regulated area where respirators

are required.

■ Work where employees are exposed above the TWA or

excursion limit.

■ Emergencies.

Employers must provide respirators at no cost to workers,

selecting the appropriate type from among those certified by

NIOSH.

Employers must provide employees performing Class I

work with full-facepiece supplied air respirators operated

in pressure-demand mode and equipped with an auxiliary

positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus when

exposure levels exceed 1 f/cc as an 8-hour TWA.
30

Employers must provide half-mask purifying respirators

—other than disposable respirators—equipped with highefficiency filters for Class II and III asbestos jobs where

work disturbs thermal system insulation or surfacing ACM

or PACM.

If a particular job is not Class I, II, or III and exposures

are above the PEL or STEL, the asbestos standard, 29 CFR

Part 1926.1101, contains a table specifying types of

respirators to use.

According to 29 CFR Part 1910.134, employers must

institute a respiratory program that includes the following:

■ Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the

workplace;

■ Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators;

■ Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and

reasonably foreseeable emergency situations;

■ Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting,

storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and maintaining

respirators;

■ Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and

flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators;

■ Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which

they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency

situations;

■ Training of employees in the proper use and maintenance

of respirators, including putting on and removing them,

and any limitations on their use; and

■ Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of

the program.

(See Respiratory Protection, 29 CFR Part 1910.134, for

complete program requirements.)
31

With regard to fit testing, employers must do the

following:

■ Ensure that employees are fit tested with the same make,

model, style, and size of respirator that they will be using;

■ Ensure that employees using a tight-fitting facepiece

respirator pass an appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT)

or quantitative fit test (QNFT);

■ Ensure that an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece

respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator,

whenever a different size, style, model or make of

respirator facepiece is used, and at least annually thereafter.

■ Conduct an additional fit test whenever an employee

reports (or the employer, physician or other licensed

health-care professional, supervisor, or program

administrator makes) visual observations of changes

in an employee’s physical condition that could affect

respirator fit. Such conditions include, but are not limited

to, facial scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or

an obvious change in body weight.

Employers must not assign any employee to tasks

requiring respirator use who, based on the most recent

physical exam and the examining physician’s recommendations,

would be unable to function normally. Employers must assign

such employees to other jobs or give them the opportunity to

transfer to different positions in the same geographical area

and with the same seniority, status, pay rate, and job benefits

as they had before transferring, if such positions are

available.

Do employers have to provide

protective clothing for employees?

Employers must provide and require the use of protective

clothing—such as coveralls or similar whole-body clothing,

head coverings, gloves, and foot coverings—for the following:
32

■ Employees exposed to airborne asbestos exceeding the PEL

or STEL;

■ Work without a negative exposure assessment; or

■ Employees performing Class I work involving the removal

of over 25 linear or 10 square feet of thermal system

insulation or surfacing ACM or PACM.

Employers must ensure that the laundering of

contaminated clothing does not release airborne asbestos

in excess of the PEL or STEL. Employers who give

contaminated clothing to other persons for laundering must

inform them of the requirement to follow procedures that do

not release airborne asbestos in excess of the PEL or STEL.

Employers must transport contaminated clothing in sealed,

impermeable bags or other closed impermeable containers

bearing appropriate labels. (See the hazard communication

section elsewhere in this publication for label requirements.)

The competent person must examine employee worksuits

at least once per work shift for rips or tears. Rips or tears

found while an employee is working must be mended or the

worksuit replaced immediately.

What are the hygiene-related requirements

for employees performing Class I asbestos

work involving more than 25 linear feet or

10 square feet of thermal system insulation

or surfacing ACM or PACM?

For this class of asbestos work, the requirements are as

follows:

■ Employers must create a decontamination area adjacent

to and connected with the regulated area.

■ Workers must enter and exit the regulated area through

the decontamination area.
33

The decontamination area must include an equipment

room, shower area, and clean room in series and comply

with the following:

■ Equipment room must have impermeable, labeled bags and

containers to store and dispose of contaminated protective

equipment.

■ Shower area must be adjacent to both the equipment and

clean rooms, unless work is performed outdoors or this

arrangement is not feasible (in either case, employers must

ensure that employees remove asbestos contamination

from their worksuits in the equipment room using a HEPA

vacuum before proceeding to a shower not adjacent to the

work area or remove their contaminated worksuits in the

equipment room, don clean worksuits, and proceed to a

shower not adjacent to the work area).

■ Clean room must have a locker or appropriate storage

container for each employee.

Note: When it is not feasible to provide a change area

adjacent to the work area, or when the work is performed

outdoors, employees may clean protective clothing with a

portable HEPA vacuum before leaving the regulated area.

Employees then must shower and change into “street

clothing” in a clean change area meeting the requirements

described above.

To enter the regulated area, employees must pass through

the equipment room. But before entering the regulated area,

employees must do the following:

■ Enter the decontamination area through the clean room.

■ Remove and deposit street clothing within a provided

locker.

■ Put on protective clothing and respiratory protection before

leaving the clean area.
34

Before exiting the regulated area, employees must do

the following:

■ Remove all gross contamination and debris.

■ Remove protective clothing in the equipment room

(depositing the clothing in labeled, impermeable bags or

containers).

■ Remove respirators in the shower and then shower before

entering the clean room to change into “street clothing.”

Note: When workers consume food or beverages at the

Class I worksite, employers must provide lunch areas with

airborne asbestos levels below the PEL and/or excursion limit.

What are the hygiene-related requirements

for employees performing other Class I

asbestos work and Class II and III asbestos

work where exposures exceed a PEL or

where a negative exposure assessment

has not been produced?

For this class of asbestos work, the requirements are as

follows:

■ Employers must establish an equipment room or area

adjacent to the regulated area for the decontamination of

employees and their equipment.

■ Workers must cover area with an impermeable drop cloth

on the floor or horizontal work surface and must be large

enough to accommodate equipment cleaning and personal

protective equipment removal without spreading

contamination beyond the area.

■ Workers must clean area with a HEPA vacuum before

removing work clothing.
35

■ Workers must clean all equipment and surfaces of

containers filled with ACM before removal.

■ Employers must ensure employees enter and exit the

regulated area through the equipment room or area.

What are the hygiene-related requirements

for employees performing Class IV work?

For this class of asbestos work, the requirements are

as follows:

■ Employers must ensure that workers cleaning up dust,

waste, and debris while a Class I, II, or III activity is still

in progress observe the hygiene practices required of the

workers performing that activity.

■ Workers cleaning up asbestos-containing surfacing material

or thermal system insulation debris from a Class I or III

activity after the activity is finished must be provided

decontamination facilities required for Class I work

involving less than 25 linear or 10 square feet of material,

or for Class III work where exposure exceeds a PEL or no

negative exposure assessment exists.

Note: For any class of asbestos work, employers must

ensure that workers do not smoke in any work area with

asbestos exposure.

What are an employer’s

housekeeping responsibilities?

Asbestos waste, scrap, debris, bags, containers,

equipment, and contaminated clothing consigned for

disposal must be collected and disposed of in sealed, labeled,

impermeable bags or other closed, labeled impermeable

containers. When vacuuming methods are selected, employees

must use and empty HEPA-filtered vacuuming equipment

carefully and in a way that will minimize asbestos reentry

into the workplace.
36

Unless the building/facility owner demonstrates that the

flooring does not contain asbestos, all vinyl and asphalt

flooring material must be maintained in accordance with

the following conditions:

■ Sanding flooring material is prohibited.

■ Employees stripping finishes must use wet methods and

low abrasion pads at speeds lower than 300 revolutions

per minute.

■ Burnishing or dry buffing may be done only on flooring

with enough finish that the pad cannot contact the flooring

material.

■ Employees must not dust, dry sweep, or vacuum without a

HEPA filter in an area containing thermal system insulation

or surfacing material or visibly deteriorated ACM.

■ Employees must promptly clean up the waste and debris

and accompanying dust, and dispose of it in leak-tight,

labeled containers.

For a quick reference to the OSHA standard’s provisions

by work class, please see the following table.
37

Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class*

Class I Class II Class III Class IV

Definition Removal of thermal system Removal of material other Maintenance and repair Housekeeping and custodial

insulation (TSI) and surfacing than TSI or SM containing operations disturbing material cleanup of dust, waste, and

material (SM) containing > 1% asbestos containing > 1% asbestos debris from Class I, II, or> 1% asbestos III activities

Regulated Required (warning signs Required (warning signs Required (warning signs Required (warning signsAreas mandatory) mandatory) mandatory) mandatory)Competent ■ Must be onsite ■ Must be onsite ■ Must be onsite ■ Must be onsite

Person ■ Must inspect each workshift ■ Must inspect often ■ Must inspect often ■ Must inspect often

■ Must attend supervisory ■ Must attend supervisory ■ Must attend operational ■ Must attend operational

training training and maintenance training and maintenance training

Air ■ Initial if no negative ■ Initial if no NEA ■ Initial if no NEA ■ Initial if no NEAMonitoring exposure assessment (NEA) ■ Daily unless positive pressure ■ Periodic to accurately ■ Periodic to accurately

■ Daily unless positive pressure mode respirator is used predict if > PELs predict if > PELs

mode respirator is used ■ Additional if conditions ■ Additional if conditions ■ Additional if conditions

■ Additional if conditions change change change change

Note: Terminate if < permissible Note: Terminate if < PELs Note: Terminate if < PELs Note: Terminate if < PELs

exposure limits (PELs)

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.
38Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class* (continued)

Class I Class II Class III Class IV

Medical Required if Required if Required if Required ifSurveillance ■ Wearing negative- ■ Wearing negative- ■ Wearing negative- ■ Wearing negativepressure respirator, or pressure respirator, or pressure respirator, or pressure respirator, or

■ > 30 days of work/year ■ > 30 days of work/year ■ > 30 days of work/year ■ > PEL for more than

30 days/year

Respirators Mandatory for all Class I jobs Mandatory if Mandatory if Mandatory

■ Non-intact removal, or ■ No NEA, or ■ In regulated area where■ No NEA, or ■ TSI or SM disturbed, or required, or■ > PEL, or ■ > PEL, or ■ If > PEL, or■ Dry removal (except for ■ Dry removal (except for ■ In emergencies

roofing), or roofing), or

■ In emergencies ■ In emergencies

Protective Required for all jobs if Required for all jobs if Required for all jobs if Required for all jobs ifClothing and ■ > 25 linear or 10 square ■ No NEA, or ■ No NEA, or ■ No NEA, or

Equipment feet of TSI or ■ > PEL ■ > PEL ■ > PEL

■ SM removal, or■ No NEA, or■ > PEL

Training Equivalent to EPA Model Equivalent to MAP course Equivalent to AHERA Equivalent to AHERA

Accreditation Plan (MAP) if critical barriers required; course for maintenance course for maintenance

asbestos abatement workers otherwise, train on specific and custodial staff and custodial staffcourse work practices and engineering

controls that must be used

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.
39

Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class* (continued)

Class I Class II Class III Class IV

Employee Required if > 25 linear or 10 If > PEL or no NEA If > PEL or no NEA If cleaning up asbestosand square feet TSI or SM removal ■ Equipment room/area ■ Equipment room/area containing surfacing material or

Equipment ■ Full decon unit required required thermal system insulation debris

Decontami- ■ Equipment room, shower, and ■ Impermeable dropcloths ■ Impermeable dropcloths from a Class I or III activity

nation clean room in series connected required required after the activity is finished

to the regulated area; other ■ Area must accommodate ■ Area must accommodate ■ Equipment room/area

decon facility arrangements are cleanup cleanup requiredacceptable if the specified series ■ Must clean work clothes ■ Must clean work clothes ■ Dropcloths requiredarrangement is not feasible with HEPA vacuum before with HEPA vacuum before ■ Area must accommodate(see 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, removal removal cleanup

Subpart Z) ■ Must Decontaminate all ■ Must Decontaminate all ■ Must clean work clothes ■ Lunch areas PPE PPE with HEPA vacuum before ■ Must enter regulated area ■ Must enter regulated area removal

through equipment room/ through equipment room/ ■ Must decontaminate all PPE

decon area decon area ■ Must enter regulated area ■ Must enter regulated area ■ Must enter regulated area through equipment room/

through equipment room/ through equipment room/ decon areadecon area decon area

No smoking in work area

No smoking in work area If NEA must vacuum

No smoking in work area

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

Note: If cleaning up dust,waste, and debris while aClass I, II, or III activity is stillin progress, the requirementsof that activity apply.

Note: Must follow detaileddecontamination procedures (see29 CFR Part 1926.1101(j)(1)(iii)If < 25 linear or 10 square feetTSI or SM removal■ Equipment room/area required ■ Impermeable dropcloths

required

■ Area must accommodate cleanup■ Must decontaminate all personal

protective equipment (PPE)

■ Must enter regulated area through

equipment room/decon area

No smoking in work area
40Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class*(continued)

Class I Class II Class III Class IV

Generally Required ■ Wet methods ■ Wet methods ■ Wet methods ■ Wet methods

Work Practices and ■ HEPA vacuum ■ HEPA vacuum ■ HEPA vacuum ■ HEPA vacuumEngineering Controls ■ Prompt cleanup/disposal ■ Prompt cleanup/disposal ■ Prompt cleanup/disposal ■ Prompt cleanup/disposalRequired Work ■ HEPA local exhaust ■ HEPA local exhaust ■ HEPA local exhaust ■ HEPA local exhaustPractices and ■ Enclosure or isolation ■ Enclosure ■ Enclosure ■ EnclosureEngineering Controls ■ Directed ventilation ■ Directed ventilation ■ Directed ventilation ■ Directed ventilationto Comply with ■ Other work practices ■ Other work practices ■ Other work practices ■ Other work practicesPELs ■ Respirators ■ Respirators ■ Respirators ■ RespiratorsProhibited Work ■ High-speed abrasive ■ High-speed abrasive disc ■ High-speed abrasive disc ■ High-speed abrasive discPractices and disc saws without HEPA saws without HEPA saws without HEPA saws without HEPA

Administrative ■ Compressed air without ■ Compressed air without ■ Compressed air without ■ Compressed air without

Controls capture device capture device capture device capture device

■ Dry sweeping/shoveling ■ Dry sweeping/shoveling ■ Dry sweeping/shoveling ■ Employee rotation

Controls and ■ Critical barriers/isolation For indoor work only ■ Critical barriers required See Generally Required

Work Practices methods required if ■ Critical barriers/isolation • If no NEA Work Practices and

• > 25 linear or 10 square methods required if • > Pel via monitoring Engineering Controls

feet of TSI or SM removal • no NEA ■ Impermeable dropcloths in this table

• < 25 linear or 10 square • likely > a PEL required

feet of TSI or SM removal • non-intact removal ■ Local HEPA exhaust

only if no NEA or there ■ Impermeable dropcloths required

are adjacent workers required

■ HVAC isolation required

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.
41

Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class* (continued)

Class I Class II Class III Class IV

Controls and ■ Impermeable dropcloths For removal of vinyl and Note: Enclosure or isolation

Work Practices required asphalt flooring materials of operation required if TSI

(continued) ■ Directed ventilation required ■ No sanding or SM is drilled, cut, abraded,

if no NEA or > a PEL ■ HEPA vacuum sanded, sawed, or chipped

■ Objects must be covered ■ Wet methods

■ No dry sweeping

One or more of the following ■ Any mechanical chipping must becontrols must be used: done in negative-pressure enclosure

■ Negative-pressure enclosure ■ Intact removal if possible■ Glove bag ■ Dry heat removal allowed■ Negative-pressure glove bag ■ Assume contains asbestos■ Negative pressure glove box without an analysis■ Water spray process■ Mini enclosure For removal of roofing materials

■ Intact removal if possible■ Wet methods if feasible■ Cutting machine misting■ HEPA-vacuum debris■ Lower to ground as soon as

possible but no later than day’s end

■ Control dust of unbagged material■ Prevent intake of airborne asbestos

through roof vent system

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.
42

*This is an overview of the standards’ requirements. You must consult the standard for the specifics of the requirements for each class.

Quick Reference of Provisions by Work Class*(continued)

Class I Class II Class III Class IV

Controls and For removal of cement-like siding,Work Practices shingles, or transite panels

(continued) ■ Intact removal if possible

■ Wet Methods■ Lower to ground via dust-tight

chute, crane, or hoist immediatelyor place in an impervious wastebag or wrap in plastic sheetingand lower to ground by day’s end

■ Cut nail heads

For removal of gaskets

■ Use glove bags if not intact■ Wet removal■ Prompt disposal■ Wet scraping

Additional requirements

■ Wet methods■ Intact removal if possible■ Cutting, abrading, or breaking

prohibited
43

OSHA Assistance

OSHA can provide extensive help through a variety of

programs, including technical assistance about effective

safety and health programs, state plans, workplace

consultations, voluntary protection programs, strategic

partnerships, and training and education, and more. An

overall commitment to workplace safety and health can add

value to your business, to your workplace, and to your life.

What are safety and health system

management guidelines?

Effective management of worker safety and health

protection is a decisive factor in reducing the extent and

severity of work-related injuries and illnesses and their

related costs. In fact, an effective safety and health program

forms the basis of good worker protection and can save time

and money—about $4 for every dollar spent—and increase

productivity and reduce worker injuries, illnesses, and related

worker compensation costs.

To assist employers and employees in developing effective

safety and health programs, OSHA published recommended

Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines

(Federal Register 54(16): 3904-3916, January 26, 1989).

These voluntary guidelines can be applied to all places of

employment covered by OSHA.

The guidelines identify four general elements critical

to the development of a successful safety and health

management system:

■ Management leadership and employee involvement,

■ Worksite analysis,

■ Hazard prevention and control, and

■ Safety and health training.
44

The guidelines recommend specific actions, under each of

these general elements, to achieve an effective safety and

health program. The Federal Register notice is available

online at www.osha.gov.

What are state programs?

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

(OSH Act) encourages states to develop and operate their

own job safety and health plans. OSHA approves and

monitors these plans. There are currently 26 state plans:

23 cover both private and public (state and local government)

employment; 3 states, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New

York, cover the public sector only. States and territories with

their own OSHA-approved occupational safety and health

plans must adopt standards identical to, or at least as

effective as, the federal standards.

How do I obtain consultation services?

Consultation assistance is available on request to

employers who want help in establishing and maintaining

a safe and healthful workplace. Largely funded by OSHA,

the service is provided at no cost to the employer. Primarily

developed for smaller employers with more hazardous

operations, the consultation service is delivered by state

governments employing professional safety and health

consultants. Comprehensive assistance includes an appraisal

of all mechanical systems, work practices, and occupational

safety and health hazards of the workplace and all aspects

of the employer’s present job safety and health program.

In addition, the service offers assistance to employers in

developing and implementing an effective safety and health

program. No penalties are proposed or citations issued

for hazards identified by the consultant. OSHA provides

consultation assistance to the employer with the assurance

that his or her name and firm and any information about the
45

workplace will not be routinely reported to OSHA

enforcement staff.

Under the consultation program, certain exemplary

employers may request participation in OSHA’s Safety

and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).

Eligibility for participation in SHARP includes receiving a

comprehensive consultation visit, demonstrating exemplary

achievements in workplace safety and health by abating all

identified hazards, and developing an excellent safety and

health program.

Employers accepted into SHARP may receive an

exemption from programmed inspections (not complaint

or accident investigation inspections) for a period of 1 year.

For more information concerning consultation assistance,

see the list of consultation projects listed at the end of this

publication.

What are Voluntary Protection

Programs (VPPs)?

Voluntary Protection Programs and onsite consultation

services, when coupled with an effective enforcement

program, expand worker protection to help meet the

goals of the OSH Act. The three VPPs—Star, Merit, and

Demonstration—are designed to recognize outstanding

achievements by companies that have successfully

incorporated comprehensive safety and health programs

into their total management system. The VPPs motivate

others to achieve excellent safety and health results in the

same outstanding way as they establish a cooperative

relationship between employers, employees, and OSHA.

For additional information on VPPs and how to apply,

contact the OSHA regional offices listed at the end of this

publication.
46

What is the Strategic Partnership Program?

OSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program, the newest

member of OSHA’s cooperative programs, helps encourage,

assist, and recognize the efforts of partners to eliminate

serious workplace hazards and achieve a high level of worker

safety and health. Whereas OSHA’s Consultation Program

and VPP entail one-on-one relationships between OSHA

and individual worksites, most strategic partnerships seek to

have a broader impact by building cooperative relationships

with groups of employers and employees. These partnerships

are voluntary, cooperative relationships between OSHA,

employers, employee representatives, and others (e.g., trade

unions, trade and professional associations, universities,

and other government agencies).

For more information on this program, contact your

nearest OSHA office, or visit OSHA’s website at

www.osha.gov.

Does OSHA offer training and education?

OSHA’s area offices offer a variety of information

services, such as compliance assistance, technical advice,

publications, audiovisual aids and speakers for special

engagements. OSHA’s Training Institute in Des Plaines, IL,

provides basic and advanced courses in safety and health

for federal and state compliance officers, state consultants,

federal agency personnel, and private sector employers,

employees, and their representatives.

The OSHA Training Institute also has established OSHA

Training Institute Education Centers to address the increased

demand for its courses from the private sector and from

other federal agencies. These centers are nonprofit colleges,

universities, and other organizations that have been selected

after a competition for participation in the program.
47

OSHA also provides funds to nonprofit organizations,

through grants, to conduct workplace training and education

in subjects where OSHA believes there is a lack of workplace

training. Grants are awarded annually. Grant recipients are

expected to contribute 20 percent of the total grant cost.

For more information on grants, training, and education,

contact the OSHA Training Institute, Office of Training

and Education, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, IL 60018,

(847) 297–4810. For further information on any OSHA

program, contact your nearest OSHA area or regional office

listed at the end of this publication.

Does OSHA provide any information

electronically?

OSHA has a variety of materials and tools available on

its website—www.osha.gov. These include e-Tools such as

Expert Advisors, Electronic Compliance Assistance Tools

(e-CATs), Technical Links; regulations, directives, publications;

videos, and other information for employers and employees.

OSHA’s software programs and compliance assistance tools

walk you through challenging safety and health issues and

common problems to find the best solutions for your

workplace.

OSHA’s CD-ROM includes standards, interpretations,

directives, and more and can be purchased on CD-ROM

from the U.S. Government Printing Office. To order, write

to the Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954,

Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954 or phone (202) 512–1800.
48

How do I learn more about related

OSHA publications?

OSHA has an extensive publications program.

For a listing of free or sales items, visit OSHA’s website

at www.osha.gov or contact the OSHA Publications Office,

U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

N-3101, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone (202) 693–1888

or fax to (202) 693–2498.

How do I contact OSHA about

emergencies, complaints, or further

assistance?

To report an emergency, file a complaint, or seek OSHA

advice, assistance, or products, call 1–800–321–OSHA or

contact your nearest OSHA regional or area office listed at

the end of this publication. The teletypewriter (TTY) number

is 1–877–889–5627.

You can also file a complaint online and obtain more

information on OSHA federal and state programs by visiting

OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

For more information on grants, training, and education,

contact the OSHA Training Institute, Office of Training

and Education, 1555 Times Drive, Des Plaines, Il 60018,

(847) 297–4810, or see Outreach on OSHA’s website at

www.osha.gov.
49

OSHA Office Directory

OSHA Regional Offices

Region I

(CT,* ME, MA, NH, RI, VT*)

JFK Federal Building, Room

E340

Boston, MA 02203

(617) 565–9860

Region II

(NJ,* NY,* PR,* VI*)

201 Varick Street, Room 670

New York, NY 10014

(212) 337–2378

Region III

(DE, DC, MD,* PA,* VA,* WV)

The Curtis Center

170 S. Independence Mall West

Suite 740 West

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309

(215) 861–4900

Region IV

(AL, FL, GA, KY,* MS,

NC,* SC,* TN*)

SNAF

61 Forsyth Street SW, Room 6T50

Atlanta, GA 30303

(404) 562–2300

Region V

(IL, IN,* MI,* MN,* OH, WI)

230 South Dearborn Street,

Room 3244

Chicago, IL 60604

(312) 353–2220

Region VI

(AR, LA, NM,* OK, TX)

525 Griffin Street, Room 602

Dallas, TX 75202

(214) 767–4731 or 4736 x224

Region VII

(IA,* KS, MO, NE)

City Center Square

1100 Main Street, Suite 800

Kansas City, MO 64105

(816) 426–5861

Region VIII

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT,* WY*)

1999 Broadway, Suite 1690

PO Box 46550

Denver, CO 80202-5716

(303) 844–1600

Region IX

(American Samoa, AZ,*

CA,* HI, NV,* Northern

Mariana Islands)

71 Stevenson Street, Room 420

San Francisco, CA 94105

(415) 975–4310

Region X

(AK,* ID, OR,* WA*)

1111 Third Avenue, Suite 715

Seattle, WA 98101-3212

(206) 553–5930

*These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved job safety

and health programs (Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York plans

cover public employees only). States with approved programs must have a

standard that is identical to, or at least as effective as, the federal standard.
50

OSHA Area Offices

Anchorage, AK

(907) 271–5152

Birmingham, AL

(205) 731–1534

Mobile, AL

(251) 441–6131

Little Rock, AR

(501) 324–6291(5818)

Phoenix, AZ

(602) 640–2348

Sacramento, CA

(916) 566–7471

San Diego, CA

(619) 557–5909

Denver, CO

(303) 844–5285

Greenwood Village, CO

(303) 843–4500

Bridgeport, CT

(203) 579–5581

Hartford, CT

(860) 240–3152

Wilmington, DE

(302) 573–6518

Fort Lauderdale, FL

(954) 424–0242

Jacksonville, FL

(904) 232–2895

Tampa, FL

(813) 626–1177

Savannah, GA

(912) 652–4393

Smyrna, GA

(770) 984–8700

Tucker, GA

(770) 493–6644/6742/8419

Des Moines, IA

(515) 284–4794

Boise, ID

(208) 321–2960

Calumet City, IL

(708) 891–3800

Des Plaines, IL

(847) 803–4800

Fairview Heights, IL

(618) 632–8612

North Aurora, IL

(630) 896–8700

Peoria, IL

(309) 671–7033

Indianapolis, IN

(317) 226–7290

Wichita, KS

(316) 269–6644

Frankfort, KY

(502) 227–7024

Baton Rouge, LA

(225) 389–0474 (0431)

Braintree, MA

(617) 565–6924
51

Methuen, MA

(617) 565–8110

Springfield, MA

(413) 785–0123

Linthicum, MD

(410) 865–2055/2056

Augusta, ME

(207) 622–8417

Bangor, ME

(207) 941–8177

Portland, ME

(207) 780–3178

Lansing, MI

(517) 327–0904

Minneapolis, MN

(612) 664– 5460

Kansas City, MO

(816) 483–9531

St. Louis, MO

(314) 425–4249

Jackson, MS

(601) 965–4606

Billings, MT

(406) 247–7494

Raleigh, NC

(919) 856–4770

Bismark, ND

(701) 250–4521

Omaha, NE

(402) 221–3182

Concord, NH

(603) 225–1629

Avenel, NJ

(732) 750–3270

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

(201) 288–1700

Marlton, NJ

(856) 757–5181

Parsippany, NJ

(973) 263–1003

Carson City, NV

(775) 885–6963

Albany, NY

(518) 464–4338

Bayside, NY

(718) 279–9060

Bowmansville, NY

(716) 684–3891

New York, NY

(212) 337–2636

North Syracuse, NY

(315) 451–0808

Tarrytown, NY

(914) 524–7510

Westbury, NY

(516) 334–3344

Cincinnati, OH

(513) 841–4132

Cleveland, OH

(216) 522–3818

Columbus, OH

(614) 469–5582

Toledo, OH

(419) 259–7542
52

Oklahoma City, OK

(405) 278–9560

Portland, OR

(503) 326–2251

Allentown, PA

(610) 776–0592

Erie, PA

(814) 833–5758

Harrisburg, PA

(717) 782–3902

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 597–4955

Pittsburgh, PA

(412) 395–4903

Wilkes–Barre, PA

(570) 826–6538

Guaynabo, PR

(787) 277–1560

Providence, RI

(401) 528–4669

Columbia, SC

(803) 765–5904

Nashville, TN

(615) 781–5423

Austin, TX

(512) 916–5783 (5788)

Corpus Christi, TX

(361) 888–3420

Dallas, TX

(214) 320–2400 (2558)

El Paso, TX

(915) 534–6251

Fort Worth, TX

(817) 428–2470 (485–7647)

Houston, TX

(281) 591–2438 (2787)

Houston, TX

(281) 286–0583/0584 (5922)

Lubbock, TX

(806) 472–7681 (7685)

Salt Lake City, UT

(801) 530–6901

Norfolk, VA

(757) 441–3820

Bellevue, WA

(206) 553–7520

Appleton, WI

(920) 734–4521

Eau Claire, WI

(715) 832–9019

Madison, WI

(608) 264–5388

Milwaukee, WI

(414) 297–3315

Charleston, WV

(304) 347-5937
53

OSHA-Approved State Plans

Commissioner

Indiana Department of Labor

State Office Building

402 West Washington Street

Room W195

Indianapolis, IN 46204

(317) 232–2378

Secretary

Kentucky Labor Cabinet

1047 U.S. Highway 127 South

Suite 4

Frankfort, KY 40601

(502) 564–3070

Commissioner

Maryland Division of Labor

and Industry

Department of Labor Licensing

and Regulation

MOSH

1100 N. Eutaw Street, Room 613

Baltimore, MD 21201-2206

(410) 767–2215

Director

Michigan Department of

Consumer and Industry Services

P.O. Box 30643

7150 Harris Drive

Lansing, MI 48909

(517) 373–7230

Commissioner

Minnesota Department of Labor

and Industry

443 Lafayette Road

St. Paul, MN 55155

(651) 284–5010

Commissioner

Alaska Department of Labor

1111 W. 8th Street, Room 308

P.O. Box 21149

Juneau, AK 99802-1149

(907) 465–2700

Director

Industrial Commission of Arizona

800 W. Washington

Phoenix, AZ 85007

(602) 542–5795

Director

California Department of

Industrial Relations

455 Golden Gate Avenue

10th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 703–5050

Commissioner

Connecticut Department of Labor

200 Folly Brook Boulevard

Wethersfield, CT 06109

(860) 263–6505

Director

Hawaii Department of Labor

and Industrial Relations

830 Punchbowl Street

Honolulu, HI 96831

(808) 586–8844

Commissioner

Iowa Division of Labor

1000 E. Grand Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50319

(515) 281–3447
54

Commissioner

North Carolina Department

of Labor

4 West Edenton Street

Raleigh, NC 27601-1092

(919) 807–2900

Commissioner

New Jersey Department of Labor

John Fitch Plaza — Labor Building

Market and Warren Streets

P.O. Box 110

Trenton, NJ 08625-0110

(609) 292–2975

Secretary

New Mexico Environment

Department

1190 St. Francis Drive

P.O. Box 26110

Santa Fe, NM 87502

(505) 827–2850

Commissioner

New York Department of Labor

W. Averell Harriman State Office

Building-12, Room 500

Albany, NY 12240

(518) 457–2741

Administrator

Nevada Division of

Industrial Relations

400 West King Street, Suite 400

Carson City, NV 89703

(775) 684–7260

Administrator

Oregon Department of

Consumer and Business Services

Occupational Safety and

Health Division (OR–OSHA)

350 Winter Street, N.E. Room 430

Salem, OR 97310-3882

(503) 378–3272

Secretary

Puerto Rico Department of

Labor and Human Resources

Prudencio Rivera Martinez

Building

505 Munoz Rivera Avenue

Hato Rey, PR 00918

(787) 754–2119

Director

South Carolina Department

of Labor

Licensing and Regulation

Koger Office Park

Kingstree Building

110 Centerview Drive

P.O. Box 11329

Columbia, SC 29211

(803) 896–4300

Commissioner

Tennessee Department of Labor

and Workforce Development

710 James Robertson Parkway

Andrew Johnson Tower

Nashville, TN 37243-0659

(615) 741–2582
55

Commissioner

Labor Commission of Utah

160 East 300 South Street

3rd Floor

P.O. Box 146650

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

(801) 530–6901

Commissioner

Virginia Department of Labor

and Industry

Powers–Taylor Building

13 South 13th Street

Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 786–2377

Commissioner

Virgin Islands Department

of Labor

2203 Church Street

Christiansted

St. Croix, VI 00820-4660

(340) 773–1990

Commissioner

Vermont Department of Labor

and Industry

National Life Building—

Drawer 20

120 State Street

Montpelier VT 05620-3401

(802) 828–2288

Director

Washington Department of

Labor and Industries

P.O. Box 44001

Olympia, WA 98504-4001

(360) 902–4200

(360) 902–5430

Administrator

Worker’s Safety and

Compensation Division (WSC)

Wyoming Department of

Employment

Herschler Building, 2nd Floor East

122 West 25th Street

Cheyenne, WY 82002

(307) 777–7786
56

OSHA Consultation Projects

Indianapolis, IN

(317) 232–2688

Topeka, KS

(785) 296–2251

Frankfort, KY

(502) 564–6895

Baton Rouge, LA

(225) 342–9601

West Newton, MA

(617) 727–3982

Laurel, MD

(410) 880–4970

Augusta, ME

(207) 624–6400

Lansing, MI

(517) 322–1809

Saint Paul, MN

(651) 284–5060

Jefferson City, MO

(573) 751–3403

Pearl, MS

(601) 939–2047

Helena, MT

(406) 444–6418

Raleigh, NC

(919) 807–2905

Bismarck, ND

(701) 328–5188

Lincoln, NE

(402) 471–4717

Concord, NH

(603) 271–2024

Anchorage, AK

(907) 269–4957

Tuscaloosa, AL

(205) 348–3033

Little Rock, AR

(501) 682–4522

Phoenix, AZ

(602) 542–1695

Sacramento, CA

(916) 263–2856

Fort Collins, CO

(970) 491–6151

Wethersfield, CT

(860) 566–4550

Washington, DC

(202) 541–3727

Wilmington, DE

(302) 761–8219

Tampa, FL

(813) 974–9962

Atlanta, GA

(404) 894–2643

Tiyam, GU

9–1–(671) 475–1101

Honolulu, HI

(808) 586–9100

Des Moines, IA

(515) 281–7629

Boise, ID

(208) 426–3283

Chicago, IL

(312) 814–2337
57

Trenton, NJ

(609) 292–3923

Santa Fe, NM

(505) 827–4230

Henderson, NV

(702) 486–9140

Albany, NY

(518) 457–2238

Columbus, OH

(614) 644–2631

Oklahoma City, OK

(405) 528–1500

Salem, OR

(503) 378–3272

Indiana, PA

(724) 357–2396

Hato Rey, PR

(787) 754–2171

Providence, RI

(401) 222–2438

Columbia, SC

(803) 734–9614

Brookings, SD

(605) 688–4101

Nashville, TN

(615) 741–7036

Austin, TX

(512) 804–4640

Salt Lake City, UT

(801) 530–6901

Richmond, VA

(804) 786–6359

Christiansted St. Croix, VI

(809) 772–1315

Montpelier, VT

(802) 828–2765

Olympia, WA

(360) 902–5638

Madison, WI

(608) 266–9383

Waukesha, WI

(262) 523–3044

Charleston, WV

(304) 558–7890

Cheyenne, WY

(307) 777–7786
58