Asbestos Best Practices 

Even when not required by environmental regulations, the following best practices are recommended.

• A full inventory of asbestos-containing material (ACM) in the facility should be conducted. The inventory should identify materials, locations and condition. Materials may include insulation, floor tiles, roofing material, valve gaskets and other common building materials.
• Periodically inspect asbestos-containing materials to assess changes in condition.
• All known ACM should be labeled to prevent inadvertent disturbance.
• When planned maintenance, repair and modification work has the potential to disturb ACM, consider removing the asbestos that will be disturbed and replacing it with non-asbestos material.
• All personnel in the facility should have asbestos awareness training to understand where asbestos is in the facility and what to do if it is disturbed.
• The facility emergency plan should include a scenario for response to an unplanned release of ACM. The response should include:
  - Shutting down ventilation systems in the affected area.
  - Evacuation of personnel from the area.
  - Placing barricades and signs to prevent personnel from entering the area.
  - A means such as an on call contract for an asbestos abatement firm to clean up the release and sample and confirm clean up.
• All asbestos-related work, including inventory, inspection, abatement work and abatement planning should be performed by qualified and trained personnel that meet the training requirements outlined in the regulations for their areas of responsibilities. In many states specific licenses are required to perform many asbestos-related services, including inspections, sampling, analysis, as well as abatement. Check with your EH&S office or your local regulatory agencies to determine licensing requirements in your state.
• Remove all ACM from a facility being demolished or renovated before any disruptive activity begins.
• Keep ACM adequately wet before, during and after removal operations. To “adequately wet” asbestos-containing material means to sufficiently mix or penetrate the material with liquid to prevent the release of particulates or fibers. If visible emissions are observed coming from the material, then it has not been adequately wetted.
• After it is wetted, bulk asbestos waste must be containerized before it is transported. Seal the waste material in leak-tight containers while it is wet and label the containers appropriately. If the waste will not fit into containers, place it in leak-tight wrapping.