Transcript Asbestos Awareness - Fire Training Tracker

Asbestos Awareness
Updated:
December 2007
Asbestos Awareness
Purpose of training:
• Provide all employees with basic information
about asbestos and its hazards and proper
protection measures,
• Identify typical asbestos-containing materials
(ACM’s) within employee work areas,
• Reinforce importance of KFD Policy 339 & 314
• This training does not qualify employees to
work with asbestos-containing materials
Asbestos
What is Asbestos?
• Naturally occurring fibrous mineral
• Six different forms of asbestos
Chrysotile - most common type in US (95%)
Amosite - 2nd most common (2-3%)
Crocidolite - 3rd most common (1-2%)
Actinolite
Anthophyllite
Tremolite
Asbestos Source
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral.
• It is mined from the ground
• Canada, Russia, Africa, and formerly in the
Unites States
Asbestos Awareness
What makes asbestos desirable?
• Abundant
• Cheap
What makes it unique?
• Fibers breakdown into microscopic fibers
rather than dust particles.
Asbestos Value
Why is asbestos so commonly used?
• It is a good insulator
• It holds up well to heat, - fireproof under
normal fire situations
• When added to other materials, it
strengthens them
• It doesn’t rot and is impervious to most
chemicals
Two Application Examples
Asbestos strengthens concrete• Concrete water mains and concrete board in the form of 4 x 8
sheets and shingle siding, owe their strength to asbestos fibers.
Asbestos has excellent insulating properties• Boilers and steam pipes were insulated with asbestos containing
material.
• These materials often contain almost 100% asbestos with only enough
binder material to keep it in place
Hazardous Characteristics
What makes asbestos dangerous?
.
•Extremely
small fibers are very aerodynamic.
•Remains airborne for very long periods.
•Asbestos is a fiber that can be continually broken donw and still
remain a fiber while typical materials breakdown to particles.
•Asbestos will divide into microscopic fibers that are 1200 times
smaller than a human hair (see photo).
Human hair
Asbestos fibers
Historical Perspective
During the 1930s, it was found that it
improved almost any material that it was
added to. It was sold as, and truly was, the
“Miracle Fiber”
As was discovered later, it is not a healthy
thing to expose people to asbestos fiber.
Fire Scene Caution
The lack of awareness or knowledge of the
health dangers caused an uncontrolled and
unregulated use of asbestos.
IT COULD BE ANYWHERE!
Historical Perspective
Asbestos use continued long after there was
an indication that it created health problems
in exposed people, but finally in the mid
1970s the government begin to curtail the
use of asbestos.
Friability
Friable vs. Non-friable
• Friable - easily crumbled to powder using hand
pressure (high likelihood of airborne exposure)
– Spray fireproofing
– Pipe insulation
• Nonfriable - not easily crumbled by hand but can
be crumbled by mechanical means (possibility of
airborne exposure)
– Floor tile
– Roofing products
– Siding materials
Non Friable Asbestos Warning
When non-friable asbestos containing
material (ACM) is subjected to intense
heat, weather or mechanical forces, such
as those encountered during structural
fires, demolition or renovation, it can be
crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to
powder, and thereby release asbestos
fibers.
Asbestos Presence
How is asbestos presence determined?
• Laboratory analysis with microscope
• Puget Sound Clean Air Agency requires certified inspection of
all demolition projects in King County.
• Certified contractors are required for removal of asbestos
prior to demolition.
Asbestos Containing Materials
Pipe Insulation
Siding Materials
Floor Tiles
Roll Roofing
Asbestos Containing Materials
Old Wire Insulation
Fire Door Core
Roofing Mastic
Ceiling Tile
Asbestos Containing Materials
Spray-on Ceilings
Ceiling/Wall Coverings
ACM Summary
Common asbestos-containing materials
Pipe, boiler and duct insulation
Sprayed or troweled plaster
Spray fire proofing
Cement pipes and panels
Mechanical gaskets and packing
Ceiling tiles
Popcorn ceiling
Floor tile and adhesive
Linoleum backing
Asbestos in the Fire Building
• Almost any material subjected to intense
heat will burn away - except for asbestos
• To the firefighter working in a structure fire
with ACM’s present, this means that you are
working in a friable asbestos atmosphere.
Asbestos in the Fire Building
• The hazardous and toxic atmosphere
created by the fire often dissipates
relatively quickly.
• The hazardous atmosphere created by
the release of asbestos fiber does not.
Asbestos in the Fire Building
• The fibers that have the greatest potential
for respiratory damage can’t be seen.
• These fibers can remain airborne for
hours and in the area indefinitely.
• The SCBA worn by the firefighter will
protect from this exposure.
Asbestos in the Fire Building
• Most filter masks, dust masks, won’t
filter these small fibers.
• The HEPA filter half-mask (magenta
cartridge) may stop some of the asbestos.
• Filter masks are not appropriate for
asbestos exposure.
Asbestos in the Fire Building
Protect your respiratory system by wearing SCBA
during the fire and during salvage and overhaul.
KFD Policy & Guideline #339 (paragraph 2 bullet f.)
• “SCBA shall be used by all personnel who enter into hazardous atmospheres
during structural firefighting activities or other IDLH or potential IDLH
atmospheres, including;
…f. Where invisible contaminants are present or suspected. This includes the
overhaul stage of the fire.”
KFD Policy & Guideline #314 (All Members bullet 1.)
• “All members will be decontaminated, when practical and when it will not
delay essential operations, after exiting a fire area and prior to removal of their
SCBA face piece.”
Post Fire Operations
• Respiratory protection- SCBA’s- must be used during
the fire investigation period if the damaged area is
suspected to have asbestos contamination.
• Once you suspect that an area is contaminated, it is
not easy to change that suspicion.
• There is no acceptable reason to allow an unmasked
person, Fire Investigator, Fire Marshal or Chief, into
a suspected contaminated area.
Response to Asbestos Abatement Sites
A Fire Call to a building where asbestos is being
removed adds a new dimension.
• Exits can be compromised by the
“containment”.
• The negative air machines are drawing air
towards the containment.
• The containment area is contaminated with
asbestos fiber.
Response to Asbestos Abatement Sites
(Non-Fire)
An EMS call for a worker in “containment” must be
handled as a HazMat call by the medics.
• Entry into the containment requires full
protective gear.
• The victim and all medics and equipment must
be decontaminated prior to loading and
transport.
Health Issues
Health hazards of asbestos exposure
• Asbestosis - fribrotic scaring of the lungs
–
–
–
–
10-20 year latency period
Associated with high dose exposure
Smoking creates synergistic effect
Increased chance of other asbestos diseases
*Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry
crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling
Health Issues
Health hazards of asbestos exposure
• Mesothelioma - cancer of the chest cavity
– 20-40 year latency period
– Not necessarily associated with high dose
exposure
– Rare
– Almost always fatal
Health Issues
Health hazards of asbestos exposure
• Lung cancer
–
–
–
–
–
20-30 year latency period
Many other causes of lung cancer
Most frequent form of asbestos disease today
Smoking synergistic effect (50-90 times)
Associated with high doses
Regulation
Asbestos is extensively regulated!
Regulated by:
• State and federal OSHA
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Regulation
OSHA Regulations
• Requires employee training (i.e. This training)
• Exposure monitoring when working with
asbestos
• Establishes “permissible exposure level” for
employees = 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter
(cc) of air (1 cc is approximately a sugar cube)
• Identifies work practices
• Identifies personal protection requirements
• Identifies work practice prohibitions
Regulation
EPA Regulations
• Requires building survey prior to construction
work
• Removal of asbestos containing materials
before renovation or demolition
• Establishes notification requirements
• Defines proper transport and disposal
requirements
• EPA regulates asbestos in schools
KFD Policy
Kent Fire Department Policy 314
‘Fire Incident Decontamination’:
• Mandates gross decontamination of firefighters
prior to removal of SCBA face piece after
operating in suspected hazardous areas.
• Mandates proper decontamination and controls of
suspected contaminated protective clothing.
• Protects firefighters health and well being.
Personal Responsibility
Your responsibilities:
• Do not damage or disturb any asbestoscontaining materials
• Immediately report the presence of damaged
asbestos-containing or suspect asbestoscontaining material to your supervisor.
• Follow KFD Policy 339 and 314.
Increased Knowledge=Increased Safety
Kent Fire Department Policy #339 and #314
protects firefighters from exposure to
asbestos and other contaminants.
•
Review them now for full understanding and...
Make them emergency scene habit!
All this so we can
Enjoy aRetirement
Enjoy
Long Retirement