Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/code.cfm?chap=16&art=32.&section=2
Timestamp: 2017-07-22 15:03:42
Document Index: 110640776

Matched Legal Cases: ['§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16', '§16']

Chapter 16 | Article 16 - 32.
16 - 32 - 1 16 - 32 - 2 16 - 32 - 3 16 - 32 - 4 16 - 32 - 5 16 - 32 - 6 16 - 32 - 7 16 - 32 - 8 16 - 32 - 9 16 - 32 - 9 A 16 - 32 - 9 B 16 - 32 - 9 C 16 - 32 - 10 16 - 32 - 11 16 - 32 - 12 16 - 32 - 13 16 - 32 - 14 16 - 32 - 15 16 - 32 - 16 33 - BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER PR
WVC 16 - 32 - ARTICLE 32. ASBESTOS ABATEMENT.
WVC 16 - 32 - 1 §16-32-1. Legislative findings.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that asbestos is a
dangerous toxic substance and harmful to the citizens of this
state. Therefore to ensure the protection of the citizens of this
state, persons who come into contact with asbestos through
abatement, removal, enclosure or encapsulation, should be trained
and licensed professionals who know how to deal with asbestos.
It is the intent of the Legislature that this article shall be
in addition to all other statutes, rules, and regulations
concerning asbestos.
WVC 16-32-2
§16-32-2. Definitions. (a) “Asbestos” means the asbestiform varieties of chrysolite (serpentine), crocidolite (riebeckite), amosite (cummintonite-grunerite), anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite. (b) “Asbestos analytical laboratory” means a facility or place which analyzes asbestos bulk samples or asbestos air samples. (c) “Asbestos abatement project designer” means a person who specifies engineering controls, methods and work practices to be used during asbestos abatement projects. (d) “Asbestos abatement supervisor” means a person responsible for direction of asbestos abatement projects. (e) “Asbestos clearance air monitor” means a person who performs air monitoring to confirm clearance levels to establish that an area is safe for reoccupancy after an asbestos abatement project. (f) “Asbestos-containing material” means any material or product which contains more than one percent asbestos by weight. (g) “Asbestos contractor” means a person who enters into contract for an asbestos abatement project. (h) “Asbestos inspector” means a person employed to inspect for the presence of asbestos-containing materials, evaluate the condition of such materials and collect samples for asbestos content confirmation. (i) “Asbestos management planner” means a person employed to interpret survey results, make hazard assessment, evaluation and selection of control options or develop an operation and maintenance plan. (j) “Asbestos abatement project” means an activity involving the repair, removal, enclosure or encapsulation of asbestos-containing material. “Asbestos abatement project” does not include removal, repair and maintenance of intact oil and gas pipeline asphaltic wrap which contains asbestos fibers encapsulated or coated by bituminous or resinous compounds as described in subsection (d), section eleven of this article. (k) “Asbestos worker” means a person who works on an asbestos abatement project. (l) “Bureau” means the Bureau for Public Health of the Department of Health and Human Resources. (m) “Commissioner” means Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health or his or her designee. (n) “Competent person” means one who is capable of identifying existing asbestos hazards in the workplace and selecting the appropriate control strategy for asbestos exposure and who has the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them. (o) “Contained work area” means designated rooms, spaces or other areas where asbestos abatement activities are being performed, including decontamination structures. The contained work area shall be separated from the uncontaminated environment by polyethylene sheeting or other materials used in conjunction with the existing floors, ceilings and walls of the structure. (p) “Encapsulate” means the application of any material onto any asbestos-containing material to bridge or penetrate the material to prevent fiber release. (q) “Enclosure” means the permanent confinement of friable asbestos-containing materials with an airtight barrier in an area not used or designed as an air plenum. (r) “Friable” means material which is capable of being crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder by hand pressure of which under normal use or maintenance emits or can be expected to emit asbestos fibers into the air. (s) “Good faith report” means a report of conduct defined in this article as wrongdoing or waste which is made without malice or consideration of personal benefit and which the person making the report has reasonable cause to believe is true. (t) “Intact” means that the asbestos-containing material has not crumbled, been pulverized or otherwise deteriorated so that the asbestos is no longer likely to be bound with its matrix. (u) “License” means a document authorizing a person to perform certain specific asbestos-related work activities. (v) “Person” means a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association or any individual or entity. (w) “Resilient floor covering” means floor tile, sheet vinyl and associated adhesives which contain more than one percent asbestos by weight. (x) “Resilient floor covering worker” means a person who is employed to remove resilient floor covering in single-family dwellings. (y) “Waste” means an employer’s conduct or omissions which result in substantial abuse, misuse, destruction or loss of funds or resources belonging to or derived from federal, state or political subdivision sources. (z) “Wrongdoing” means a violation which is not of a merely technical or minimal nature of a federal or state statute or regulation, of a political subdivision ordinance or regulation or of a code of conduct or ethics designed to protect the interest of the public or the employer. WVC 16 - 32 - 3 §16-32-3. Powers and duties of the director of health.
The director of health shall administer and enforce this
article. The director has the following powers and duties:
(a) To issue licenses and assess fees pursuant to this article
and the rules promulgated thereunder.
(b) To promulgate rules necessary to carry out the
requirements of this article in accordance with the provisions of
chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, to include, but not be limited
to, the required training, the prescription of fees and procedures
for the issuance and renewal of licenses.
(c) To approve the training courses administered to licensure
WVC 16 - 32 - 4 §16-32-4. Asbestos management planner's license required.
(a) It is unlawful for an individual who does not possess a
valid asbestos management planner's license to design a building's
or facility's asbestos management plan.
(b) To qualify for an asbestos management planner's license,
(1) Satisfactorily complete a United States environmental
protection agency approved training course for asbestos management
(3) Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director that the
applicant is familiar with and capable of complying fully with all
applicable requirements, procedures and standards of the United
States environmental protection agency, the United States
occupational safety and health administration and the state
departments of health and human resources and commerce, labor and
environmental resources covering any part of an asbestos abatement
(c) Applicants for an asbestos management planner's license
shall submit an application and a certificate that shows
satisfactory completion of the United States environmental
protection agency training course for asbestos management planners
to the division and shall pay the applicable fee to the division. The director may deny a license if there has been a failure to
comply with the application procedures or if the applicant fails to
satisfy the application criteria. Written notice of such denialand an opportunity for reapplication shall be afforded to all
WVC 16 - 32 - 5 §16-32-5. Asbestos abatement project designer's license required.
(a) It is unlawful for any person who does not possess a valid
asbestos abatement project designer's license to specify
engineering controls, methods and work practices under an asbestos
abatement project contract to another person.
(b) To qualify for an asbestos abatement project designer's
license, an applicant shall:
protection agency approved training course for abatement project
(2) Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director that the
(c) Applicants for an asbestos abatement project designer's
license shall submit an application and a certificate that shows
protection agency training course for asbestos abatement project
designers to the division on the required form and shall pay the
applicable fee to the division. The director may deny a license if
there has been a failure to comply with the application procedure
or if the applicant fails to satisfy the application criteria. Written notice of denial and an opportunity for reapplication shall
be afforded to all applicants.
WVC 16 - 32 - 6 §16-32-6. Asbestos contractor's license required.
asbestos contractor's license to contract with another person for
an asbestos abatement project.
(b) To qualify for an asbestos contractor's license, an
protection agency approved training course for asbestos
applicant and the applicant's employees or agents are familiar with
and are capable of complying fully with all applicable
requirements, procedures and standards of the United States
environmental protection agency, the United States occupational
safety and health administration and the state departments of
health and human resources and commerce, labor and environmental
resources covering any part of an asbestos abatement project; and
(c) Applicants for an asbestos contractor's license shall
submit an application and a certificate that shows satisfactory
completion of the United States environmental protection agency
asbestos training course for supervisors to the division on the
required form and shall pay the applicable fee to the division. The director may deny a license if there has been a failure to
comply with the application procedure or if the applicant fails to
satisfy the application criteria. Written notice of denial and an
opportunity for reapplication shall be afforded to all applicants.
(d) Licensed asbestos contractors shall carry out the
(1) Ensure that each of the contractor's employees or agents
who will come into contact with asbestos or who will be responsible
for an asbestos abatement project is licensed as required by this
(2) Ensure that each asbestos project is supervised by a
licensed asbestos abatement supervisor;
(3) Keep a record of each asbestos abatement project and make
the record available to the state departments of health and human
resources and commerce, labor and environmental resources upon
request. Records required by this section shall be kept for at
least thirty years. The records shall include:
(A) The name, address and license number of the individual who
supervised the asbestos abatement project and each employee or
agent who worked on the project;
(B) The location and design of the project and the amount of
asbestos-containing material that was removed;
(C) The starting and completion dates of each project and a
summary of the procedures that were used to comply with all federal
and state standards;
(D) The name and address of each asbestos disposal site where
waste containing asbestos was deposited and the disposal site
(E) Ensure that each contained work area of an asbestos
abatement project meets minimum clearance standards established by
the director before allowing reoccupancy.
(e) The following situations and relationships involving
asbestos abatement contractors are prohibited:
(1) A financial or proprietary interest of the contractor in
a laboratory utilized by the contractor to perform asbestos sample
analysis related to asbestos abatement projects performed or
contracted for by the contractor;
(2) An employer-employee relationship between the contractor
and an asbestos clearance air monitor for an asbestos abatement
project performed or contracted for by the contractor; and
(3) A financial or proprietary interest of the contractor in
the firm which performs asbestos clearance air monitoring for an
asbestos abatement project performed or contracted for by the
(f) Persons who contract to remove resilient floor covering
materials in single-family dwellings are not required to be
licensed as asbestos contractors: Provided, That the individuals
engaged in removal shall meet the requirements of this article and
any rules promulgated hereunder relating to resilient floor
covering removal.
WVC 16 - 32 - 7 §16-32-7. Asbestos abatement supervisor's license required.
valid asbestos abatement supervisor's license to direct an asbestos
abatement project.
(b) To qualify for an asbestos abatement supervisor's license,
protection agency approved training course for asbestos abatement
States environmental protection agency, United States occupational
(c) Applicants for an asbestos abatement supervisor's license
protection agency training course for asbestos abatement
supervisors to the division and shall pay the applicable fee to the
division. The director may deny a license if there has been a
failure to comply with the application procedures or if the
applicant fails to satisfy the application criteria. Written
notice of such denial and an opportunity for reapplication shall be
afforded to all applicants.
WVC 16 - 32 - 8 §16-32-8. Asbestos inspector's license required.
valid asbestos inspector's license to work as an asbestos inspector
on an asbestos abatement project.
(b) To qualify for an asbestos inspector's license, an
protection agency approved training course for asbestos inspectors;
(c) Applicants for an asbestos inspector's license shall
training course for asbestos inspectors to the division and shall
pay the applicable fee to the division. The director may deny a
license if there has been a failure to comply with the application
procedures or if the applicant fails to satisfy the application
criteria. Written notice of such denial and an opportunity for
reapplication shall be afforded to all applicants.
WVC 16 - 32 - 9 §16-32-9. Asbestos worker's license required.
valid asbestos worker's license to work as an asbestos worker on an
(b) To qualify for an asbestos worker's license an individual
protection agency approved training course for asbestos workers;
applicant is familiar with and is capable of complying fully with
all applicable requirements, procedures and standards of the United
(c) Applicants for an asbestos worker's license shall submit
an application and a certificate that shows satisfactory completion
of the United States environmental protection agency training
course for asbestos workers to the division and shall pay the
there has been a failure to comply with the application procedures
or if the applicant fails to satisfy the application criteria. Written notice of such denial and an opportunity for reapplication
shall be afforded to all applicants.
WVC 16 - 32 - 9 A
(a) After the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred
ninety-four, it shall be unlawful for any laboratory that does not
possess a valid asbestos analytical laboratory license to analyze
asbestos bulk samples or asbestos air monitoring samples.
(b) To qualify for an asbestos analytical laboratory license,
(1) Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director that the
environmental resources covering analysis of asbestos bulk samples
or air monitoring samples; and
(c) Applicants for an asbestos analytical laboratory license
shall submit an application to the division and shall pay the
WVC 16 - 32 - 9 B
ninety-four, it shall be unlawful for any individual who does not
possess a valid asbestos clearance air monitor license to sample
asbestos abatement project areas for clearance.
(b) To qualify for an asbestos clearance air monitor license,
(1) Satisfactorily complete a course approved by the director
for asbestos clearance air monitors;
environmental resources covering final air clearances for asbestos
abatement projects; and
(c) Applicants shall submit an application and a certificate
that shows satisfactory completion of a course approved by the
director for asbestos air clearance monitors to the division and
shall pay the applicable fee to the division. The director may
deny a license if there has been a failure to comply with the
application procedure or if the applicant fails to satisfy the
application criteria. Written notice of such denial and an
WVC 16 - 32 - 9 C
ninety-four, it shall be unlawful for an individual who does not
possess a valid resilient floor covering worker's license to be
employed as a resilient floor covering worker.
(b) To qualify for a resilient floor covering worker's license
(1) Satisfactorily complete a training course approved by the
director for resilient floor covering workers;
States occupational safety and health administration and the state
environmental resources covering resilient floor covering removal;
(c) Applicants for a resilient floor covering worker's license
satisfactory completion of a training course approved by the
director for resilient floor covering workers to the division and
application procedures or if the applicant fails to satisfy the
application criteria. Written notice of denial and an opportunity
for reapplication shall be afforded to all applicants.
WVC 16 - 32 - 10 §16-32-10. Special revenue account.
Fees and fines collected under this article and any rules
promulgated hereunder shall be deposited in a special revenue
account in the state treasury to be used by the director for
purposes related to the implementation of this article.
WVC 16-32-11
§16-32-11. Notification; waivers; exemptions. (a) Each owner or other person responsible for the operation of a building or facility where an asbestos abatement project is to occur shall notify the commissioner at least ten working days prior to commencement of each asbestos abatement project and shall comply with other applicable state and federal legal and regulatory notification requirements for asbestos abatement projects. (b) In an emergency that results from a sudden unexpected event that is not a planned renovation or demolition, the commissioner may waive the requirement of ten working days prior notification, but in all cases notification shall be made to the bureau after the emergency within the specified time required by the commissioner. (c) Asbestos abatement projects involving less than one hundred sixty square feet or two hundred sixty linear feet of asbestos containing material are exempt from the prior notification requirement, unless the project takes place in a school for any of grades kindergarten through twelve. A summary of the projects shall be submitted to the bureau within a specified time as required by the commissioner. (d) Removal, repair and maintenance of oil and gas pipeline asphaltic wrap which contains asbestos fibers encapsulated or coated by bituminous or resinous compounds is not subject to the requirements of this article if: (1) The pipeline asphaltic wrap which contains asbestos fibers encapsulated or coated by bituminous or resinous compounds is not friable prior to disturbance along the length of the pipeline being removed, repaired or maintained; (2) The area disturbed in preparing the pipeline for cutting does not exceed two hundred sixty linear feet of removed friable asbestos; (3) Before work begins and as needed during the job, a competent person conducts an inspection of the worksite and determines that the material is intact and will likely remain intact; (4) All employees performing work covered by this subsection are trained in accordance with OSHA standards, 29 CFR 1926.1101(g)(11)(ii), and all other workers shall remain at a safe distance from the site; (5) The material is not sanded, abraded or ground. Manual methods which do not render the material nonintact must be used; (6)All removal or disturbance of pipeline asphaltic wrap is performed using wet methods; and (7) All pipeline and asbestos-containing material removed from the pipeline is disposed of in a lawful manner. (e) Persons who remove resilient floor covering materials in single-family dwellings are exempt from notification requirements. WVC 16 - 32 - 12 §16-32-12. Approval of asbestos abatement courses.
A person or organization may apply for department and United
States environmental protection agency approval of a course on the
health and safety aspects of asbestos abatement, removal, enclosure
and encapsulation by submitting a full description of the
curriculum and a written application on forms prescribed by the
WVC 16 - 32 - 13 §16-32-13. Reciprocity.
The director may set standards for accepting licenses issued
by other states. The director may grant licenses to individuals
from other states if that other state has as stringent licensing
requirements as West Virginia.
WVC 16 - 32 - 14 §16-32-14. Prohibiting employer discrimination; notice to
(a) No employer may discharge, threaten or otherwise
discriminate or retaliate against an employee by changing the
employee's compensation, terms, conditions, location or privileges
of employment because the employee, acting on his own volition, or
a person acting on behalf of or under the direction of the
employee, makes a good faith report or is about to report, verbally
or in writing, to the employer or appropriate authority an instance
of wrongdoing or waste; or because the employee is requested or
subpoenaed by an appropriate authority to participate in an
investigation, hearing or inquiry held by an appropriate authority
or in a court action.
(b) An employer shall post notices and use other appropriate
means to notify employees and keep them informed of protections and
obligations set forth in the provisions of this section.
WVC 16 - 32 - 15 §16-32-15. Reprimands; suspension or revocation of license;
violations; orders; hearings.
(a) The director may reprimand, suspend or revoke the license
of an asbestos analytical laboratory, clearance air monitor,
contractor, inspector, management planner or worker, or of an
asbestos abatement project designer or supervisor, or of a
resilient floor covering worker, if the licensee:
a license or knowingly aids another in such fraud or deception;
(2) Fails at any time to meet the qualifications for a license
or to comply with the requirements of this article or any
applicable rules or regulations adopted by the director;
(3) Fails to meet applicable federal or state standards for
asbestos abatement projects; or
(4) Employs or permits an individual not licensed as required
by this article to work on an asbestos abatement project.
(b) The director may investigate all suspected violations of
this article or any rules promulgated hereunder. Upon the finding
of a violation in connection with any asbestos abatement project,
the director shall issue a cease and desist order directing that
all work on the project be halted forthwith. Posting of the cease
and desist order on the project site shall constitute notice of its
contents to the property owner and all persons working on the
asbestos abatement project. Where practicable, however, the
director shall deliver a copy of such order by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to the property owner and to the
(c) Hearings regarding violations of this article and any
rules promulgated hereunder shall be conducted in accordance with
the administrative procedures act of chapter twenty-nine-a of this
WVC 16 - 32 - 16 §16-32-16. Penalties.
The director may impose a civil penalty of not less than two
hundred fifty dollars and not more than five thousand dollars for
each separate violation of this article or any rules promulgated
Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, any person
who violates any provision of this article or any rule or
regulation related hereto shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
In any case where a person fails to halt work following the
issuance of a cease and desist order by the director, the violation
shall be presumed to be willful and shall be assessed a civil
penalty by the director of not less than ten thousand dollars nor
more than twenty-five thousand dollars for an initial violation and
not less than twenty-five thousand dollars nor more than fifty
thousand dollars for each subsequent violation.