Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Program

The University has an asbestos operations and maintenance program. The principal objective of the operations and maintenance program is to minimize exposure of all building occupants to asbestos fibers. To accomplish this objective, the operations and maintenance program includes the following:

• Proper asbestos awareness training for custodial and maintenance staff who may come in contact with asbestos containing materials. The training includes; information as to the locations of asbestos containing materials or presumed asbestos containing materials in University buildings, the definition of asbestos, health hazards and risks of exposure to asbestos, procedures on how to report any evidence of disturbance or damage of asbestos containing materials, how to properly care for asbestos vinyl floor tiles, proper work practices to avoid or minimize fiber release during activities affecting asbestos containing materials.

• Asbestos surveys of University buildings have been completed to determine locations of asbestos containing materials or presumed asbestos containing materials.

• University employees and off-campus contractors and their workers must be informed of the presence of asbestos containing materials in buildings or areas of buildings where disturbance of asbestos containing materials may occur. Renovations or projects will not commence until asbestos survey reports or the area is evaluated or tested for asbestos containing materials. If disturbance of asbestos containing materials could occur, the asbestos will be removed, encapsulated or enclosed to prevent the release of asbestos fibers.