It has been more than 12 years since the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) updated its standards for occupational
exposure to asbestos. Shortly after it did so, OSHA entered into a
formal settlement agreement with NRCA, revising the standards as they
relate to roofing work. Although these revised standards remain in
place, a brief review of the scope and application of the rules is
appropriate because you still may encounter jobs where
asbestos-containing material is present.
Asbestos in roofing material may be found in select built-up
roofing felts, bituminous flashings, asbestos-cement shingles,
transite panels, asphalt shingles, coatings, cements and mastics.
The definitive way to tell whether roofing material contains
asbestos is to have a sample analyzed by a testing facility.
Roofing material is subject to OSHA and Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) regulations if it contains more than 1 percent
asbestos.
Asbestos is referred to as either friable (nonintact), meaning
it can be crumbled and become airborne, or nonfriable (intact),
indicating the fibers may be encapsulated by some type of binding
agent—such as cement or asphalt—that significantly
limits the likelihood of fiber release and inhalation. Most roofing
material that contains asbestos is considered...
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