Asbestos emission control and work practices are methods and procedures that prevent asbestos fibers from being released to the environment during demolition and renovation operations at facilities.
Requirements
Asbestos emission control and work practices are necessary during all activities to remove asbestos (asbestos abatement), demolish facilities, and renovate facilities where the combined amount of regulated asbestos-containing materials (RACMs) is:
- At least three (3) linear feet on or off pipes,
- At least three (3) square feet on or off other facility components,
- A total of at least seventy-five hundredths (0.75) cubic foot on or off all facility components, or
- Unknown because conditions at a structurally unsound building or a building that is in danger of imminent collapse necessitate an emergency demolition and prevent having an Indiana-licensed asbestos inspector assess the facility prior to demolition activities. In these situations, owners and operators must assume all wreckage is contaminated and remove all materials according to emission control procedures for RACMs.
Owners and operators of renovation and/or demolition operations where asbestos must be abated must ensure that:
- At least one Indiana-licensed asbestos project supervisor is present in the work area during asbestos removal.
- The Indiana-licensed asbestos project supervisor present at the work area has received all required training and refresher training from an Indiana-approved asbestos project supervisor course.
- All asbestos removal personnel have their licenses on site and available for inspection.
- All stripped and removed RACM is adequately wetted.
- Components and sections located above ground floor are carefully transported (lowered) to ground level without further disturbance or damage from dropping, throwing, or sliding the materials.
- Stripped asbestos-containing waste, or RACM, from a facility component is wrapped in leak-tight packaging and adequately wetted at all times.
- Large facility components such as reactor vessels, large tanks, and steam generators (but not beams) are carefully encased in labeled, leak-tight wrapping for transport, storage, disposal, or reuse without disturbing or damaging the RACM.
- Stripped (removed) RACM is stored in leak-tight wrapping according to all applicable regulations.
- Facilities undergoing demolitions ordered by a state or local government agency have adequate wetting of the portions of the facility that contain RACM or are suspected to contain RACM during wrecking, cleanup, disposal, and all related handling operations, which must be conducted by an Indiana-licensed asbestos abatement contractor.
- Visible asbestos contamination is collected following stripping and removal activities by vacuuming all surfaces with equipment with HEPA-filters, wet wiping, or wet mopping all surfaces, and removing standing water.
- An Indiana-licensed asbestos supervisor visually inspects the work area for suspect RACM debris; any additional contamination is collected according to required procedures; and the Indiana-licensed asbestos supervisor certifies that the area is clean before removing warning signs or other work site demarcations.
- Any stripped, disturbed, or removed friable asbestos materials left at the facility or elsewhere prior to disposal are secured in a locked and labeled storage area (such as a room, truck or trailer) to prevent exposure due to vandalism or accidental access.
- Asbestos-containing materials are never open burned or open dumped.
Find an Indiana-licensed Asbestos Professional
You can find and verify the license status of Indiana-licensed asbestos professionals, including inspectors, contractors and training course providers, in the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency’s free Search and Verify database.
About RACM Removal at Demolition Operations
Rules allow for demolition operations to proceed without the prior removal of certain RACMs. An Indiana-licensed asbestos inspector must inspect the facility for RACM before any removal, preparation, or demolition activities begin to determine whether exceptions apply. Examples include Category I and II RACMs that are nonfriable, unlikely to become friable, or encased in concrete or some other hard material and kept adequately wet when exposed.
The Intentional Burning of Structures
Owners and operators who intend to open burn a structure must remove all asbestos, ensure that IDEM has granted written approval before beginning any open burning activities, and comply with all requirements in Indiana’s open burning regulations. Federal and state regulations strictly prohibit the open burning of asbestos.