Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-65 - Asbestos removal and encapsulation › Section 296-65-005 - Asbestos worker training course content

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
An approved asbestos worker training course must consist of
				four days of training with a minimum of thirty-two hours. This initial training
				course must provide, at a minimum, information on the following topics:
(1) The physical characteristics of asbestos
			 including types, fiber size, aerodynamic characteristics and physical
			 appearance.
(2) Examples of
			 different types of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials. Real asbestos
			 can only be used for observation by trainees and must be enclosed in sealed
			 unbreakable containers.
(3) The
			 health hazards of asbestos including the nature of asbestos related diseases,
			 routes of exposure, dose-response relationships, synergism between cigarette
			 smoking and asbestos exposure, latency period of diseases, hazards to immediate
			 family, and the health basis for asbestos standards.
(4) Employee personal protective equipment to
			 include:
* Classes and characteristics of respirator types;
* Limitations of respirators;
* Proper selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance and
				storage procedures;
* Methods for field checking of the facepiece-to-face
				seal;
* Variability between field and laboratory protection
				factors;
* Factors that alter respirator fit (e.g., eye glasses and
				facial hair);
* Components of a proper respiratory protection program;
* Respirator program administrator;
* Qualitative or quantitative respirator fit testing
				procedures, which must be performed on at least one student for demonstration
				purposes and in accordance with WAC
				296-62-07715
				and
				296-842-15005.
(5) Use, storage and handling of
			 launderable clothing, nonslip footwear, gloves, eye protection and hard
			 hats.
(6) Medical monitoring
			 procedures and requirements, including the provisions of chapter 296-842 WAC,
			 any additional recommended procedures and tests, benefits of medical monitoring
			 and employee access to records.
(7)
			 Air monitoring procedures and requirements specified in WAC
			 296-62-07709,
			 including:
* A description of equipment;
* Sampling methods and strategies;
* Reasons for air monitoring;
* Types of samples, including area, personal and clearance
				samples;
* Current standards with proposed changes if any;
* Employee observation and notification;
* Recordkeeping and employee access to records;
* Interpretation of air monitoring results; and
* Analytical methods for bulk and air samples.
(8) State-of-the-art work
			 practices for asbestos removal and encapsulation activities including:
* Purpose, proper construction and maintenance of barriers and
				decontamination enclosure systems;
* Posting of warning signs;
* Electrical and ventilation system lock-out;
* Proper working techniques and tools with vacuum attachments
				for minimizing fiber release;
* Use of wet methods and surfactants;
* Use of negative-pressure ventilation equipment for minimizing
				employee exposure to asbestos fibers and contamination prevention;
* Scoring and breaking techniques for rigid asbestos
				products;
* Glove bag techniques;
* Recommended and prohibited work practices;
* Potential exposure situations;
* Emergency procedures for sudden releases;
* Use of HEPA vacuums and proper clean-up and disposal
				procedures;
* Appropriate work practices for both indoor and outdoor
				asbestos projects; and
* Individually discuss work practice requirements for removal,
				encapsulation, enclosure, repair, and waste transportation.
(9) Personal hygiene including entry and exit
			 procedures for the work area, use of showers and prohibition of eating,
			 drinking, smoking and chewing (gum or tobacco) in the work area. Potential
			 exposures, such as family exposure must also be included.
(10) Additional safety hazards that may be
			 encountered during asbestos removal and encapsulation activities and hazard
			 abatement, including:
* Air contaminants, other than asbestos, such as silica and
				carbon monoxide;
* Electrical hazards;
* Scaffold and ladder hazards;
* Slips, trips and falls;
* Fire and explosion hazards;
* Confined spaces;
* Noise; and
* Heat stress.
(11) The requirements, procedures and
			 standards established by:
(a) The
			 Environmental Protection Agency, 40 C.F.R. Part 61, Subparts A and M, and 40
			 C.F.R. Part 763.
(b) Washington
			 state department of ecology.
(c)
			 Local air pollution control agencies.
(d) Washington state department of labor and
			 industries, division of occupational safety and health, chapter 49.17 RCW
			 (Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act), chapter 49.26 RCW (Health and
			 safety-Asbestos), and ensuing regulations.