Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 454 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STANDARDS › Title 454 CMR 28.00 - The Removal, Containment, Maintenance, or Encapsulation of Asbestos › Section 28.10 - Work Practices and Other Requirements for Asbestos Response Actions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Required Use of Certified
			 Asbestos Contractors
. Except as allowed by
			 454
			 CMR 28.10(1)(a), only
			 Asbestos Contractors certified pursuant to
			 454
			 CMR 28.03(2)  and
			 28.05 shall carry out
			 Asbestos Response Actions.
Exception to Certification Requirement for Entities Conducting
				Response Actions in their Own Facilities. Persons, firms, corporations or other
				entities who carry out Asbestos Response Actions at their own property or usual
				place of business or employment using their own regular employees or
				Responsible Persons need not be licensed as Asbestos Contractors, provided that
				the requirements of
				454
				CMR 28.10(2) and (3) are
				met, and the work is otherwise conducted in accordance with the applicable
				requirements of
				454 CMR
				28.00. Uncertified entities who conduct Response
				Actions in their own Facilities shall be responsible for complying with the
				notification requirements of
				454
				CMR 28.09.
(2)
Requirement for On-site
			 Supervisor
. The Responsible Persons of the certified Asbestos
			 Contractor or other entity carrying out an Asbestos Response Action must ensure
			 that a licensed Asbestos Supervisor who is an employee or Responsible Person of
			 said Asbestos Contractor or entity is present at the work site and in control
			 of the work at all times when work is in progress.
(3)
Requirement for Use of
			 Licensed Asbestos Workers
. The Responsible Persons of the
			 certified Asbestos Contractor or other entity carrying out an Asbestos Response
			 Action must ensure that all persons who perform the functions of Asbestos
			 Workers in the Work Area are employees or Responsible Persons of said Asbestos
			 Contractor or entity and that said persons are licensed pursuant to
			 454
			 CMR 28.03(3).
(4)
Required Work
			 Practices
. Asbestos Contractors, Asbestos Supervisors and others
			 carrying out, or having supervisory authority over, Asbestos Response Actions
			 must ensure that the work practice requirements of
			 454
			 CMR 28.10 are met.
(a)
Work Area
			 Preparation
.
1.
Exclusion of Persons from the Work Area
. All persons
			 not directly involved in the work operation must be excluded from the Work
			 Area.
2.
Sign In/Out
			 Log
. The Asbestos Contractor or other entity carrying out an
			 Asbestos Response Action must ensure that each person entering or leaving the
			 Work Area individually completes the appropriate entries in a sign-in/out log.
			 The sign in/out log must include: the location of the project; current date;
			 printed name; signed name; Massachusetts License number, where applicable; and
			 the time of each entry or exiting.
3.
Posting of Warning
			 Signs
. Warning signs meeting the specifications set forth in 29
			 CFR Part 1926.1101(k)(7) must be posted at all approaches to the Work Area.
			 Signs must be posted a sufficient distance from the Work Area to permit a
			 person to read the sign(s) and take precautionary measures to avoid exposure to
			 asbestos. Signs must be in place from Work Area preparation until final
			 clearance.
4.
Shutdown
			 of HVAC Systems
. The facility heating, ventilating and air
			 conditioning (HVAC) systems of the Work Area must be shut down, locked out and
			 isolated.
5.
Removal of
			 Moveable Objects
. All moveable objects must be removed from the
			 Work Area prior to an asbestos response action. Items to be reused which may
			 have been contaminated with asbestos must be decontaminated by HEPA vacuuming
			 or wet cleaning prior to their being removed from the Work Area.
6.
Non-movable
			 Objects
. All non-moveable or fixed objects remaining within the
			 Work Area that have not been contaminated with asbestos must be wrapped or
			 covered with six-mil thick (minimum) plastic sheeting. Plastic sheet coverings
			 must be completely sealed with duct tape or equivalent.
7.
Isolation of Work
			 Area
. The Work Area must be isolated by sealing all openings
			 including, but not limited to, windows, doors, ventilation openings, drains,
			 grilles, and grates with six-mil thick (minimum) plastic sheeting and duct tape
			 or the equivalent. For Asbestos Response Actions performed in Public
			 Facilities, large openings such as open doorways, elevator doors, and
			 passageways must be first sealed with solid construction, such as plywood over
			 studding, which must constitute the outermost boundary of the asbestos Work
			 Area. All cracks, seams and openings in such solid construction must be caulked
			 or otherwise sealed, so as to prevent the movement of asbestos fibers out of
			 the Work Area.
8.
Covering of Ceiling, Floor and Wall Surfaces
. Except
			 as allowed by
			 454
			 CMR 28.10(4)(a)8.a. through
			 c., ceiling, floor and wall surfaces must be covered with plastic sheeting. All
			 seams and joints must be sealed with duct tape or equivalent. Floor covering
			 must consist of at least two layers of six-mil plastic sheeting, with the edges
			 up-turned to cover at least the bottom 12 inches of the adjoining wall(s). Wall
			 and ceiling covering must consist of a minimum of two layers of four-mil
			 plastic sheeting. Wall covering must extend from ceiling to floor and overlap
			 the up-turned floor coverings without protruding onto the floor. Duct tape or
			 equivalent must be used to seal the seams in the plastic sheeting at the wall
			 to floor joints.
a.
Exception to
			 Covering Requirement Where Surfaces Are Impervious
. Compliance
			 with 454 CMR
			 28.10(4)(a)8. is optional
			 where these surfaces are covered by ceramic tile or other impervious materials
			 that are free from holes, drains, cracks, fissures or other openings and which
			 may be thoroughly decontaminated by washing at the conclusion of the work,
			 provided that such action does not result in the passage of asbestos fibers
			 from the Work Area.
b.
Exception to Covering Requirement for Abatement
			 Surfaces
. Compliance with
			 454
			 CMR 28.10(4)(a)8. is not
			 required for those floor and wall surfaces from which asbestos coverings are
			 removed.
c.
Exception
			 to Wall Surface Covering Requirement Where Glove Bags Are Used
.
			 Covering of wall and ceiling surfaces is optional for Asbestos Response Actions
			 where Glove bags are used as the sole means of removal or repair, provided that
			 the Work Area is isolated in accordance with
			 454
			 CMR 28.10(4)(a)7., that all
			 moveable objects in the Work Area are removed in accordance with
			 454
			 CMR 28.10(4)(a)5., that
			 immoveable objects remaining in the Work Area are covered in accordance with
			 454
			 CMR 28.10(4)(a)(6)  and that
			 all other relevant requirements of
			 454
			 CMR 28.10(4)(a)  are met.
			 Where Glove bags are used, the floor of the Work Area must be covered with a
			 minimum of one layer of six-mil thick plastic sheeting.
9.
GFCI Protection
.
			 All sources of electric power for the Work Area must be ground fault circuit
			 interrupter (GFCI) protected.