Asbestos is the single most regulated substance in the United States of America. It is a mineral, mined from the earth like any other common ore. It is relatively harmless until it is extracted from its core rock matrix and made friable (reduced to a powder by hand pressure).  This manipulated form of the mineral was placed in building materials and was used in buildings, schools, businesses, homes and industrial buildings throughout the world.

DeLisle is contracted to perform building material inspections for asbestos, project design activities prior to asbestos material abatement under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) regulations, generate AHERA management plans for schools and other clients, and routinely perform project supervision including air monitoring during all asbestos abatement activities.

	DELISLE ASSOCIATES HAS CONDUCTED AN ASBESTOS PRODUCT SURVEY. CONTACT US AND SEE WHAT IS NEW!

BUILDING INSPECTIONS

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emissions Standards for Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) regulation for demolition or renovation as it pertains to asbestos stipulates that building owners must inspect for the presence of asbestos containing building materials (ACBMs) prior to the start of demolition or renovation activities that would cause these materials to be made friable.

The OSHA General Industry Standard 29 CFR 1910.1001 requires building owners to identify asbestos containing- material (ACM) in their buildings and inform building occupants of their locations and hazards.

School Districts (public and parochial kindergarten through twelfth grade) are expected to comply with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986-87, as amended. Within this regulation, each school is required to have inspected all buildings owned by the district that are used for school processes. They are required to have periodic surveillance and tri-annual re-inspections by an unaffiliated third- party inspector.

All inspections should be made by asbestos inspectors accredited by an EPA approved course for building inspectors.

An inspection will identify all suspect asbestos containing materials within a building. DeLisle uses EPA approved protocols for inspection including homogeneous area descriptions and thorough analysis. Through bulk sampling and analysis for asbestos content, DeLisle can provide an accurate account of the ACM problems (or lack thereof) in a facility. DeLisle Associates can generate asbestos management plans or operations and maintenance programs to best deal with the existing material in place or can provide project design services or air monitoring and project supervision during the abatement of problem areas. Call DeLisle Associates today for consultation on the presence of ACM in your building or in building materials.

PROJECT DESIGN

Asbestos abatement project design services are required, for k-12 schools, commucial and public buidling projects exceeding 260 linear feet or 160 square feet of material.  These projects must be designed by accredited project designer.

Project design is the process of assessing the client's needs, identifying the scope of removal work, generating asbestos abatement specifications, securing abatement contractors through a bid process and assisting the client in selecting an approved contractor. This all should be done keeping the Federal, State, Local and Municipal (not to mention client) requirements in compliance.

It is a daunting task. One that DeLisle has routinely handled. Let us help you wade through project pitfalls, helping keep the project on schedule, reduce liability, remain under budget and in compliance.

MANAGEMENT PLANS / OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS

Management Plans are required by the AHERA (40 CFR 763) Regulations.  OSHA regulations also require building owners to account for the asbestos hazard in their buildings.  DeLisle has accredited management planners on staff ready to assist you in designing an asbestos control program, an AHERA management plan or a industrial facility operations and maintenance program. DeLisle is also able to provide the required 16 hour Operations & Maintenance training.

PROJECT AIR MONITORING & SUPERVISION

Liability for occupant and employee protection under OSHA regulations can be reduced by having an unbiased consulting firm provide air fiber monitoring and project supervision.  This is conducted to assure that no individuals are exposed during asbestos abatement above regulatory limits. DeLisle Associates has a full staff of NIOSH 582 equivalency trained hygienists, ready to perform monitoring in compliance with the NIOSH 7400 method for asbestos monitoring in air.  DeLisle Associates also participates in the AAR Program and the round-robin bulk sample analysis programs as administered by the AIHA.

Project Supervision is a vital aspect of any project.  Its goal would be to keep all parties involved in compliance with all applicable asbestos regulations.  This aspect is typically provided to air monitoring projects unless stipulated by contractual arrangement.  Air monitoring, because of the latent effects of asbestos exposure is a necessary part of employee protection and should be performed during all asbestos removal projects.