Section 860. Project monitor training

A. Asbestos abatement project monitors shall complete a five-day (40 hours) training program as outlined below. All training programs shall be approved by the board. The accredited asbestos training program shall include lectures, demonstrations, training program review, examination, and at least six hours of hands-on training which allows project monitors the experience of performing actual tasks associated with asbestos project monitoring. Those applicants who hold current supervisor or project designer accreditation need not complete the entire 40-hour accredited asbestos training program, but may complete the 16-hour portion of the training program described in subdivision B 1 of this section and take the examination. The comprehensive 40-hour accredited asbestos project monitor training program shall address the following topics:

1. The physical characteristics of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials.

a. Identification of asbestos.

b. Typical uses and locations in buildings, physical appearance.

c. A review of hazard assessment control options.

d. A summary of abatement control options.

2. Potential health effects related to asbestos exposure.

a. The nature of asbestos-related diseases.

b. Routes of exposure, dose-response relationships and the lack of a safe exposure level.

c. Synergism between cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure.

d. Latency period for disease; a discussion of the relationship between asbestos exposure and asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and cancer of the other organs.

3. Employee personal protective equipment.

a. Classes and characteristics of respirator types.

b. Limitations of respirators and their proper selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance and storage procedures.

c. Methods for field testing of the facepiece-to-face seal (positive and negative pressure fitting tests).

d. Qualitative and quantitative fit testing procedures.

e. Variability between field and laboratory protection factors.

f. Factors that alter respirator fit (e.g., facial hair, dental work, weight loss or gain).

g. The components of a proper respiratory protection program.

h. Selection and uses of personal protective clothing; use, storage, and handling of nondisposable clothing.

i. Regulations covering personal protection equipment.

4. State of the art work practices.

a. Work practices for asbestos abatement activities including description of proper construction and maintenance barriers and decontamination enclosure systems.

b. Positioning of warning signs.

c. Electrical and ventilation system lock-out.

d. Working techniques for minimizing fiber release, use of wet methods, use of negative pressure ventilation equipment, use of high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums. Entry and exit procedures for work area.

e. Clean-up and disposal procedures.

f. Work practices for removal, encapsulation, enclosure and repair. Use of glove bags and a demonstration of glove bag use.

g. Emergency procedures for sudden release.

h. Potential exposure situations.

i. Transport and disposal procedures.

j. Recommended and prohibited work practices.

k. Discussion of new abatement related techniques and methodologies.

5. Personal hygiene.

a. Entry and exit procedures for the work area; use of showers; avoidance of eating, drinking, smoking, and chewing (gum or tobacco) in the work area.

b. Potential exposures, such as family exposure, shall also be included.

6. Additional safety hazards as covered in OSHA CFR Parts 1926 and 1910 to include:

a. Hazards encountered during the abatement activities and how to deal with them, including electrical hazards, heat stress, air contaminants other than asbestos, fire, and explosion hazards;

b. Scaffold and ladder hazards;

c. Slips, trips and falls; and

d. Confined spaces.

7. Medical monitoring. OSHA requirements for a pulmonary function test, chest x-rays and a medical history for each employee.

8. Respiratory protection programs and medical surveillance programs.

9. Insurance and liability issues:

a. Contractor issues, workers' compensation coverage, and exclusions.

b. Third-party liabilities and defenses.

c. Insurance coverage and exclusions.

10. Relevant federal, state and local regulatory requirements, procedures and standards including:

a. Requirements of TSCA Title II;

b. 40 CFR Part 61 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, Subparts A (General Provisions) and M (National Emission Standards for Asbestos);

c. OSHA Standards for respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134);

d. OSHA Asbestos Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101);

e. OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1926.59);

f. EPA Worker Protection Rule, 40 CFR Part 763;

g. Requirements of Asbestos-Containing Waste Materials, 9VAC20-80-640;

h. DOT 49 CFR Parts 171 and 172 Subpart H; and

i. Virginia asbestos licensing regulations.

B. The material outlined below encompasses the 16-hour accredited asbestos project monitor training program. Those applicants who are currently accredited as supervisors or project designers need only complete the 16-hour project monitor training program and examination. The comprehensive 40-hour project monitor training program includes the preceding topics and continues below.

1. Air monitoring.

a. NIOSH Asbestos Monitoring Procedure. Procedures to determine airborne concentration of asbestos fibers, including a description of aggressive sampling, sampling equipment and methods.

(1) Explanation of analytical methods, measures of precision, control of errors, collecting samples, fiber counts, sampling and calibration equipment, statistics, quality control techniques in sampling.

(2) Review of OSHA Asbestos Regulations 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart F, 1-6.

b. Sampling strategy.

(1) Why samples are taken.

(2) Sampling inside and outside of containment area.

(3) Placement of pumps.

c. Reasons for air monitoring.

d. Types of samples and interpretation of results, specifically from analysis performed by polarized light, phase-contrast, and electron microscopy analyses.

e. Final clearance.

2. Overview of supervisory techniques for asbestos abatement activities to include the information covered in the accredited asbestos supervisor training program. A review of the required work practices and safety considerations.

3. Field trip.

a. Visit a proposed abatement site or other suitable building site, including on-site discussions of abatement design.

b. Building walk-through inspection and discussion following the walk through.

4. Fiber aerodynamics and control.

a. Aerodynamic characteristics of asbestos fibers.

b. Importance of proper containment barriers.

c. Settling time for asbestos fibers.

d. Wet methods in abatement.

e. Aggressive air monitoring following abatement.

f. Aggressive air movement and negative pressure exhaust ventilation as a clean-up method.

5. Project specifications. Discussion of key elements that are included in contract specifications.

a. Means and methods specifications versus performance specifications.

b. Considerations for design of abatement in occupied buildings.

c. Worker and building occupant health/medical considerations.

d. Replacement of ACM with nonasbestos substitutes.

e. Clearance of work area after abatement.

f. Use of as-built drawings.

g. Use of inspection photographs and on-site reports.

h. Particular problems in abatement drawings.

6. Conducting inspections.

a. Inspection prior to containment to assure condition of items and proper precleaning.

b. Inspection of containment prior to commencement of abatement to assure that containment is complete and proper.

c. Daily work and containment inspections.

d. Final visual inspection and a discussion of the ASTM E1368 method.

7. Recordkeeping and documentation.

a. Project logs.

b. Inspection reports.

c. Waste shipment record requirements (WSR).

d. Recordkeeping required by federal, state or local regulations.

e. Recordkeeping required for insurance purposes.

8. Role of project monitor in relation to:

a. Building owner;

b. Building occupants;

c. Abatement contractor; and

d. Other consultants.

9. Occupied buildings.

a. Special procedures recommended in occupied buildings.

b. Extra monitoring recommendations.

10. A review of NESHAP Guidance Documents.

11. A review of key aspects of the accredited asbestos training program.

12. Examination.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR137-01-02 § 16.17, eff. September 1, 1994; amended, Volume 18, Issue 06, eff. January 2, 2002.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.