2023 Ohio Revised Code › Title 37 | Health-Safety-Morals › Chapter 3710 | Asbestos Abatement › Section 3710.02 | Director of Health to Adopt Rules for Asbestos Hazard Abatement - Powers and Duties of Director.

Effective:
January 1, 2018
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly
(A) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the director of environmental protection shall, as the director determines necessary, adopt rules to carry out this chapter. The rules shall include all of the following:
(1) Criteria and procedures for the certification of asbestos hazard abatement specialists, asbestos hazard evaluation specialists, asbestos hazard abatement workers, asbestos hazard abatement project designers, and asbestos hazard abatement air-monitoring technicians by the director;
(2) Criteria and procedures for the director to examine the records of licensees, certificate holders, and asbestos hazard abatement training schools;
(3) Procedures and criteria in addition to those provided in this chapter for the approval of courses for asbestos hazard training;
(4) Fees for licenses, certifications, and course approvals in excess of the levels set in section 3710.05 of the Revised Code and fees for the certification of asbestos hazard abatement air-monitoring technicians;
(5) Levels of asbestos exposure or other circumstances constituting an environmental health emergency that authorize the director to issue an emergency order under division (B) of section 3710.13 of the Revised Code;
(6) Employee training standards, work practices that reduce the risk of contamination and recontamination of the environment, record-keeping requirements, action levels, project clearance levels, and other requirements that asbestos hazard abatement contractors, asbestos hazard abatement specialists, asbestos hazard evaluation specialists, asbestos hazard abatement project designers, asbestos hazard abatement air-monitoring technicians, asbestos hazard abatement workers, and other persons involved with asbestos hazard abatement activities must follow for the prevention of hazard to the public;
(7) Worker protection equipment and practices and other health and safety standards for employees and agents of public entities coming in contact with asbestos through asbestos hazard abatement activity;
(8) Standards of acceptable conduct for licensees and certificate holders engaged in asbestos hazard abatement or evaluation activities and acts and omissions that constitute grounds for the suspension or revocation of a license or certificate, or the denial of an application or renewal of a license or certificate in addition to those otherwise provided in this chapter;
(9) Training requirements for asbestos hazard abatement project designers and asbestos hazard abatement air-monitoring technicians;
(10)(a) Subject to the condition specified in division (A)(10)(b) of this section, a standard requiring that the amount of asbestos contained in the air in areas accessible to the public in buildings that are owned, operated, or leased by a public entity be not more than ten thousand asbestos fibers longer than five microns per cubic meter of air calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average, which is measured during periods of normal building occupancy, and a requirement that measurement of airborne asbestos be made by either or both of the following methods, provided that results derived by use of the method described in division (A)(10)(a)(i) of this section supersede results derived by use of the method described in division (A)(10)(a)(ii) of this section if both methods are used and the methods yield conflicting results concerning the presence of fibers in the tested air that may not be asbestos:
(i) Transmission electron microscopy in the manner described in the measurement protocol established by the United States environmental protection agency as set forth in 40 C.F.R. 763;
(ii) Optical phase contrast microscopy in the manner described in the measurement protocol established by the United States occupational safety and health administration as set forth in 29 C.F.R. 1910.
(b) The director periodically shall review the standard required by division (A)(10)(a) of this section and determine whether and how it should be amended and how it shall be used in conjunction with visual and physical assessment of asbestos-containing materials located in buildings that are owned, operated, or leased by a public entity to determine appropriate and cost-effective response actions to such asbestos-containing materials and shall amend the standard if it determines that such action is necessary.
(11) Other rules that the director determines necessary for the implementation of this chapter and to protect the public health from the hazards associated with exposure to asbestos.
(B) The director shall do all of the following:
(1) Administer and enforce this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant thereto;
(2) Develop comprehensive programs and policies for the control and prevention of nonoccupational exposure of the public to friable asbestos-containing materials;
(3) Ensure that persons are trained and licensed or certified, where appropriate, in accordance with this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant thereto;
(4) Examine those records of licensed asbestos hazard abatement contractors, certified asbestos hazard abatement specialists, asbestos hazard evaluation specialists, asbestos hazard abatement project designers, asbestos hazard abatement air-monitoring technicians, and asbestos hazard training courses in accordance with rules adopted by the director as the director determines necessary to determine compliance with this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant thereto;
(5) Prohibit and prevent improper asbestos hazard abatement procedures and require the modification or alteration of asbestos abatement procedures as they relate to this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant thereto;
(6) Collect and disseminate health education information relating to safe management of asbestos hazards;
(7) Accept and administer grants from the federal government and other sources, both public and private, for carrying out any of the director's functions;
(8) As the director determines appropriate, conduct on-site inspections at any location where an asbestos hazard abatement activity is planned, in progress, or has been completed, at any location where an environmental health emergency involving asbestos may occur, is occurring, or has occurred, or to evaluate the performance or compliance of any person subject to this chapter;
(9) Conduct an on-site audit of each asbestos hazard training provider approved pursuant to this chapter, at least once biennially, during an actual course conducted by the provider within the state;
(10) Cooperate and assist in investigations, as such relate to this chapter, conducted by local law enforcement agencies, , the United States occupational safety and health administration, and other local, state, and federal agencies.