Industrial Hygiene Asbestos - DeLisle Associates

ASBESTOS SERVICES

Asbestos is the single most regulated substance in the United States of America. It is a mineral, mined from the earth like any other common ore. Yet it is relatively harmless until man extracts it from it virgin state and makes it friable (reduced to a powder by hand pressure) and places it in building materials which have or would be installed in buildings, schools, businesses and virtually every type of industry throughout the world.
Asbestos is regulated by the EPA and OSHA. Waste disposal and worker exposure are the main focuses of the agencies respectively.
The question arises then, “How do I deal with the material, when do I need to do something with the material and who should be able to deal with the material?” This is where DeLisle Associates LTD comes into play.

The EPA NESHAPs regulation for asbestos in demolition or renovation makes provisions for building owners to inspect for the presence of asbestos containing building materials (ACBMs) prior to the start of demolition or renovation activities.

The OSHA General Industry Standard 29 CFR 1910.1001requires building owners to identify asbestos containing material in their buildings and inform building occupants of their locations.

School Districts (public and parochial) are expected to comply with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986-87 as amended. Within this regulation, each school is required to have inspected all buildings owned by the district that are used for school processes. They are required to have periodic surveillance and tri-annual reinspections by an unaffiliated third- party inspector.

All the aforementioned environments should be inspected by asbestos inspectors accredited by an EPA approved course for building inspectors.

An inspection will identify all suspect asbestos containing materials within a building. DeLisle Associates uses EPA approved protocols for inspection including homogeneous area descriptions and thorough analysis. Through bulk sampling and analysis for asbestos content, DA can provide an accurate account of the ACM problems (or lack thereof) in a facility. DeLisle Associates can generate asbestos management plans or operations and maintenance programs to best deal with the existing material in place or can provide project design services or air monitoring and project supervision during the abatement of problem areas. Call DeLisle Associates today for consultation on the presence of ACM in your building or in building products*.

*DELISLE ASSOCIATES HAS CONDUCTED A NEW ASBESTOS PRODUCT SURVEY. CONTACT US AND SEE WHAT IS NEW!

PROJECT DESIGN

Asbestos abatement projects are required, especially for school projects exceeding 260 lineal feet or 160 square feet of material to have the abatement process designed by accredited project designers.

Project design is the process of assessing the client's needs, identifying the scope of removal work, generating asbestos abatement specifications, securing abatement contractors through a bid process and assisting the client in selecting an approved contractor. This all should be done keeping the Federal, State, Local and Municipal (not to mention client) requirements in compliance.

It's a daunting task. One that DA has routinely handled. Let us help you wade through project pitfalls, helping keep the project on schedule, reduce liability, under budget and in compliance. Call DA for asbestos project design today!

MANAGEMENT PLANS
Operations and Maintenance Programs

These documents are required under the AHERA (40 CFR 763) Regulations as well as the OSHA asbestos regulations. DA has accredited management planners on staff ready to assist you in designing an ASBESTOS CONTROL PROGRAM, An AHERA MANAGEMENT PLAN or a Industrial Facility Operations and Maintenance Program. DA is also able to provide the necessary training that is also required by regulation (see the TRAINING Department aspect of this Web Site).

PROJECT AIR MONITORING
PROJECT SUPERVISION

Liability for occupant and employee protection under OSHA regulations can be reduced by having an unbiased agency provide air fiber monitoring to assure that no individuals are exposed during asbestos abatement of a major fiber release episode. DeLisle Associates has a full staff of NIOSH 582 Equivalency Trained hygienists ready to perform monitoring in compliance with the NIOSH 7400 method for asbestos monitoring in air.

DeLisle Associates also participates in the AAR Program and the round-robin bulk sample analysis programs as administered by the AIHA.

Project Supervision is a portion of the project designed to keep all parties involved, the contractor, consultant and building owners in compliance with the asbestos regulations and any other regulation (OSHA, EPA, DOT) that apply. This aspect is typically provided to air monitoring projects unless stipulated by contractual arrangement.

Air monitoring, because of the latent effects of asbestos exposure is a necessary part of employee protection and should be performed during all asbestos removal projects.

Call DeLisle Associates with your asbestos questions at (269) 373-4500 or e-mail now!!