Maintenance and Custodial Class IV Asbestos Training

Location of Asbestos-containing Material (ACM)

ACM is located in nearly all buildings, workplaces and areas of the university. The types of materials may include but are not necessarily limited to the following: acoustical plasters, sprayed-on insulation, brake pads and clutch disks, regular pipe insulation, electrical wire insulation, soundproofing, ceiling tile, floor tile and mastic, thermal system insulation, mudded fittings and joints, transite wallboard, sprayed-on fireproofing, and roofing materials.

OSHA Housekeeping Requirements

  • All surfaces shall be maintained as free as practicable of accumulations of dusts and waste containing asbestos.
  • Do not disturb or clean up any spill and sudden release of asbestos containing materials, call 277-0895 (SRS) for assistance.
  • Surfaces contaminated with asbestos shall not be cleaned with compressed air, or dry sweeping. HEPA vacuuming or wet methods must be used.
  • Sanding of floors is prohibited, and buffing of floors is allowed only where there is sufficient finish so the pad cannot contact the floor tile.
  • Wax can be stripped from floors only with low-abrasion pads using wet methods at less than 300 RPM.
  • Debris must be assumed to contain ACM, particularly if it is one of the materials listed above, until proven otherwise. Call 277-0895 for an inspection to determine whether the debris contains asbestos fibers.
Signs that the ACM is damaged or deteriorated include the following:
  • Insulation's wrapping is broken, delaminated, deteriorated or damaged;
  • Crushed and/or broken floor tile, wallboard, transite, ceiling tile, etc.; and/or
  • Dust or chunks of gray/white friable debris below or near damage.

Proper Response to Fiber Release Episode

A fiber release episode is "any uncontrolled or unintentional disturbance of asbestos-containing material (ACM), resulting in a visible emission" that "involves the falling or dislodging of friable ACM". Make the immediate area of the spill "off limits" with barrier tape and keep unauthorized individuals away from the spilled or disturbed potential ACM. Call Dr. White at 277-0895 for an inspection, so as to assure that all applicable regulations will be complied with during subsequent actions.

Training Required For Personnell Handling ACM

  • 40-Hour EPA certification is required for any removal or clean up of a major release in excess of 3 square or linear feet or in an amount in excess of one bag.
  • 16-Hour EPA-approved training is required for any removal of asbestos-containing material (ACM) in an amount up to three square or linear feet.
  • 8-Hour EPA-approved training is required before handling ACM roofing, floor tiles, siding, ceiling tiles or transite panels.
  • 2-Hour SHEA-approved training is required for maintenance and custodial personnel to clean up minor amounts of ACM debris (i.e., less than 2/3rds of one 4' by 4' bag). Contact Dr. White at 277-0895 to schedule this training.
Unless you have had at least 2 hours of this SRS approved training, do not attempt to clean up asbestos-containing material (ACM) from where it has fallen. Do not attempt to remove ACM from a pipe, flue, boiler, etc., unless you have appropriate EPA-approved training. Contact your supervisor, who will arrange for certified asbestos removal by contacting Dr. White, certified asbestos project designer, inspector and contractor/supervisor, at 277-0895. The University of New Mexico currently has several asbestos abatement contractors retained; who will encapsulate or remove all damaged ACM.

NOTE: Self-help smoking-cessation materials are available through the Employee Health Promotion Program in the Johnson Center Building.