ASBESTOS
Baer Environmental Consultants provides multiple asbestos services including, asbestos inspections, asbestos surveys, asbestos assessment for real estate transfer, monitoring/oversight, asbestos operations and management plans.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials. It has mostly been in use from the early 1900s through the 1970s, although its use in some materials continued through the 1980s and even through to today. It is estimated that asbestos has been used in over 3000 products. Some of the materials that have not been banned under current U.S. regulations include pipeline wrap, vinyl floor tiles, cement pipes, roof coatings, non-roof coatings, and roofing felts.
Where is Asbestos Commonly Found?
The most common applications of asbestos found in residential buildings are identified below:
- Sprayed-on acoustical ceiling texture (popcorn ceiling)
- Vinyl floor tile
- Mastic adhesive
- Linoleum
- Pipe insulation and elbow packing
- HVAC duct insulation
- Cement products such as siding, roof shingles, and vent pipes
- Window putty (glazing compound)
- Stucco
- Plaster
- Drywall and Joint Compound
- Flooring Felt
- Textured Paints
- Insulation
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Health Effects
How Can Asbestos Be Harmful and Dangerous?
In general, asbestos is dangerous when it becomes airborne. Asbestos becomes airborne when an asbestos product is disturbed. Repairs, renovation or demolition activities, are obvious situations where asbestos products are likely to be disturbed. However, other less obvious scenarios such as an earthquake, strong air current, sanding, water damage, and abrasive foot traffic can release asbestos fibers into the air.
Microscopic asbestos fibers enter the body when a person inhales or ingests airborne particles that become embedded in the tissues of the respiratory or digestive systems. The most dangerous asbestos fibers are too small to be visible. Exposure to asbestos can cause disabling or fatal diseases such as asbestosis, an emphysema-like condition; lung cancer; mesothelioma, a cancerous tumor that spreads rapidly in the cells of membranes covering the lungs and body organs; and gastrointestinal cancer.
Inspection & Testing
Baer Environmental Consultants has established itself as an industry leader in the field of asbestos testing, management and consulting. Our staff of asbestos consultants are state certified, licensed and have extensive experience. To ensure quality, our certified professionals perform all field work in accordance with OSHA, EPA and AHERA protocols.
These services are provided for all types of buildings such as single and multi-family residences, schools, commercial buildings and industrial facilities:
- SCAQMD Rule 1403 facility survey for renovation or demolition
- NESHAP Survey
- Risk Assessments
- On-Site Project Management
- OSHA Compliance Monitoring
- Procedure P5 Plans & Inspections
- Final Clearances
- Air Sampling
- On-Site PCM Air Sampling and Analysis by NIOSH Certified Analysts
- TEM Final Clearance Air Sampling
- Operations and Maintenance Programs
- Asbestos Abatement scopes of work
Both air and surfaces can be tested to determine if asbestos is present. If you suspect asbestos to be present in either your air or building materials, testing is recommended to determine if a health hazard exists.
Baer Environmental Consultants can also help property owners and/or managers meet their regulatory requirements to test suspect materials for asbestos prior to renovation or construction activities.
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Regulations & Resources
Baer Environmental Consultants can help building owners and managers meet their regulatory requirements to test suspect materials for asbestos prior to renovation or construction activities. To ensure quality, our certified professionals perform all field work in accordance with OSHA, EPA and AHERA protocols.
Learn More About Abestos
An asbestos survey is required prior to the start of any renovation or demolition project in order to determine the presence of asbestos-containing materials – Rule 1403: Demolition and Renovation Activities
The SCAQMD is the governmental agency in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties, that enforces United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) asbestos regulations.
The owner or operator of any demolition or renovation activity shall comply with the following SCAQMD Rule 1403 requirements:
(A) Facility Survey
(i) The affected facility or facility components shall be thoroughly surveyed for the presence of asbestos prior to any demolition or renovation activity. The survey shall include the inspection, identification, and quantification of all friable, and Class I and Class II non-friable asbestos containing material, and any physical sampling of materials.
SCAQMD Rule 1403 establishes notification and work practice requirements to limit asbestos emissions from building demolition and renovation activities. California law requires that a copy of the asbestos demolition/renovation notification form be provided to your local city permitting department prior to the issuance of a demolition/renovation permit. Local governments are responsible for the asbestos notification process.
SCAQMD DEMOLITION REQUIREMENTS:
AQMD Asbestos Demolition & Removal
AQMD Frequently Asked Questions
CSLB SAYS:
CSLB Asbestos Guide for Consumers
CAL/OSHA SAYS:
CAL/OSHA Asbestos Information
EPA SAYS:
EPA Asbestos Do’s & Don’ts
Asbestos Quick Facts
AQMD Rule 1403 and OSHA regulations requires owners to know the condition of asbestos in their buildings prior to the start of any demolition or renovation activities. It’s important to note that NESHAP and SCAQMD mandate testing for all facilities, regardless of the age of the building.
In California only Cal/OSHA Certified Asbestos Consultants are allowed to perform building asbestos building surveys and Asbestos Survey Reports. A certified asbestos consultant is a trained certified professional without a conflict of interest in the demolition(s) or renovation project(s). See the Business and Professions Code 7180. Asbestos survey checklist requirements
Asbestos Survey Report should include the following information:
- Scope of the survey
- Who requested the survey
- Provides a description of the facility, building or site being surveyed
- The date and time of the inspection(s)
- The person’s name and qualifications performing the inspection and sampling
- The inspection(s) results
- The assessment results, and
- The CAC’s findings and response action recommendations
If you are concerned with possible asbestos-related hazards as a result of a renovation, remodeling, asbestos removal or demolition activity of a building or structure, you can file a complaint using SCAQMD’s online Complaints system or by contacting SCAQMD at: 800-CUT-SMOG (288-7664)