WAC 296-62-07703   Definitions.  For the purpose of WAC 296-62-07701 through 296-62-07753:

     Accredited inspector means any person meeting the accreditation requirements of the Federal Toxic Substance Control Act, Section 206(a)(1) and (3). 15 U.S.C. 2646(a)(1) and (3).

     Aggressive method means removal or disturbance of building material by sanding, abrading, grinding or other method that breaks, crumbles, or disintegrates intact ACM.

     Amended water means water to which surfactant (wetting agent) has been added to increase the ability of the liquid to penetrate ACM.

     Asbestos includes chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, actinolite asbestos, and any of these minerals that have been chemically treated and/or altered.

     For purposes of this standard, "asbestos" includes PACM, as defined below.

     Asbestos abatement project means an asbestos project involving three square feet or three linear feet, or more, of asbestos-containing material.

     Asbestos-containing material (ACM) means any material containing more than 1% asbestos.

     Asbestos project includes the construction, demolition, repair, remodeling, maintenance or renovation of any public or private building or structure, mechanical piping equipment or system involving the demolition, removal, encapsulation, salvage, or disposal of material or outdoor activity releasing or likely to release asbestos fibers into the air.

     Authorized person means any person authorized by the employer and required by work duties to be present in regulated areas.

     Building/facility/vessel owner means any legal entity or person who owns any public or private building, vessel, structure, facility, or mechanical system or the remnants thereof, including the agent of such person, but does not include individuals who work on asbestos projects in their own single-family residences, no part of which is used for commercial purposes. Also included is any lessee, who exercises control over management and record keeping functions relating to a building, vessel, and/or facility in which activities covered by this standard takes place.

     Certified asbestos supervisor means an individual certified by the department under WAC 296-65-012.

     Certified asbestos worker means an individual certified by the department under WAC 296-65-010.

     Certified industrial hygienist (CIH) means one certified in the practice of industrial hygiene by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.

     Class I asbestos work means activities involving the removal of thermal system insulation or surfacing ACM/PACM.

     Class II asbestos work means activities involving the removal of ACM which is not thermal system insulation or surfacing material. This includes, but is not limited to, the removal of asbestos-containing wallboard, floor tile and sheeting, roofing and siding shingles, and construction mastics.

     Class III asbestos work means repair and maintenance operations where "ACM," including TSI and surfacing ACM and PACM, may be disturbed.

     Class IV asbestos work means maintenance and custodial activities during which employees contact but do not disturb ACM or PACM and activities to clean up dust, waste and debris resulting from Class I, II, and III activities.

     Clean room means an uncontaminated room having facilities for the storage of employees' street clothing and uncontaminated materials and equipment.

     Closely resemble means that the major workplace conditions which have contributed to the levels of historic asbestos exposure, are no more protective than conditions of the current workplace.

     Competent person means, in addition to the definition in WAC 296-62-07728, one who is capable of identifying existing asbestos, hazards in the workplace and selecting the appropriate control strategy for asbestos exposure, who has the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them as specified in WAC 296-62-07728. The competent person shall be certified as an asbestos supervisor in compliance with WAC 296-65-030(3) and 296-65-012 for Class I and Class II work, and for Class III and Class IV work involving 3 square feet or 3 linear feet or more of asbestos-containing material. For Class III and Class IV work, involving less than 3 square feet or 3 linear feet, the competent person shall be trained in an operations and maintenance (O&M) course which meets the criteria of EPA (40 CFR 763.92(a)(2)).

     Critical barrier means one or more layers of plastic sealed over all openings into a work area or any other similarly placed physical barrier sufficient to prevent airborne asbestos in a work area from migrating to an adjacent area.

     Decontamination area means an enclosed area adjacent and connected to the regulated area and consisting of an equipment room, shower area, and clean room, which is used for the decontamination of workers, materials, and equipment contaminated with asbestos.

     Demolition means the wrecking or taking out of any load-supporting structural member and any related razing, removing, or stripping of asbestos products. Where feasible, asbestos-containing materials shall be removed from all structures prior to the commencement of any demolition activity as per WAC 296-155-775(9).

     Department means the department of labor and industries.

     Director means the director of the department of labor and industries or his/her authorized representative.

     Director of NIOSH means the Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or designee.

     Disturb or disturbance refers to activities that disrupt the matrix of ACM or PACM, crumble or pulverize ACM or PACM, or generate visible debris from ACM or PACM. This term includes activities that disrupt the matrix of ACM or PACM, render ACM or PACM friable, or generate visible debris. Disturbance includes cutting away small amounts of ACM or PACM, no greater than the amount that can be contained in one standard size glove bag or waste bag in order to access a building or vessel component. In no event shall the amount of ACM or PACM so disturbed exceed that which can be contained in one glove bag or waste bag which shall not exceed 60 inches in length and width.

     Employee exposure means that exposure to airborne asbestos that would occur if the employee were not using respiratory protective equipment.

     Equipment room (change room) means a contaminated room located within the decontamination area that is supplied with impermeable bags or containers for the disposal of contaminated protective clothing and equipment.

     Fiber means a particulate form of asbestos, five micrometers or longer, with a length-to-diameter ratio of at least three to one.

     Glove bag means not more than a 60 x 60 inch impervious plastic bag-like enclosure affixed around an asbestos-containing material, with glove-like appendages through which material and tools may be handled.

     High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter means a filter capable of trapping and retaining at least 99.97 percent of all monodispersed particles of 0.3 micrometers mean aerodynamic diameter or larger.

     Homogeneous area means an area of surfacing material or thermal system insulation that is uniform in color and texture.

     Industrial hygienist means a professional qualified by education, training, and experience to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and develop controls for occupational health hazards.

     Intact means that the ACM has not crumbled, been pulverized, or otherwise deteriorated so that the asbestos is no longer likely to be bound with its matrix. Friable ACM that is disturbed, as defined in this part, is presumed to be no longer intact.

     Modification for the purpose of WAC 296-62-07712 means a changed or altered procedure, material or component of a control system, which replaces a procedure, material or component of a required system. Omitting a procedure or component, or reducing or diminishing the stringency or strength of a material or component of the control system is not a "modification" for the purposes of WAC 296-62-07712.

     Negative initial exposure assessment means a demonstration by the employer (which complies with the criteria in WAC 296-62-07709) that employee exposure during an operation is expected to be consistently below the PELs.

     PACM means "presumed asbestos-containing material."

     Presumed asbestos-containing material means thermal system insulation and surfacing material found in buildings, vessels, and vessel sections constructed no later than 1980. The designation of a material as "PACM" may be rebutted pursuant to WAC 296-62-07721.

     Project designer means a person who has successfully completed the training requirements for an abatement project designer established by 40 U.S.C. 763.90(g).

     Regulated area means an area established by the employer to demarcate areas where Class I, II, and III asbestos work is conducted, and any adjoining area where debris and waste from such asbestos work accumulate; and a work area within which airborne concentrations of asbestos, exceed or can reasonably be expected to exceed the permissible exposure limit. Requirements for regulated areas are set out in WAC 296-62-07711.

     Removal means all operations where ACM and/or PACM is taken out or stripped from structures or substrates, and includes demolition operations.

     Renovation means the modifying of any existing vessel, vessel section, structure, or portion thereof.

     Repair means overhauling, rebuilding, reconstructing, or reconditioning of vessels, vessel sections, structures or substrates, including encapsulation or other repair of ACM or PACM attached to vessels, vessel sections, structures or substrates.

     Surfacing material means material that is sprayed, troweled-on or otherwise applied to surfaces (such as acoustical plaster on ceilings and fireproofing materials on structural members, or other materials on surfaces for acoustical, fireproofing, and other purposes).

     Surfacing ACM means surfacing material which contains more than 1% asbestos.

     Thermal system insulation (TSI) means ACM applied to pipes, fittings, boilers, breaching, tanks, ducts, or other structural components to prevent heat loss or gain.

     Thermal system insulation ACM is thermal system insulation which contains more than 1% asbestos.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.26.040 and 49.26.130. 99-17-026, § 296-62-07703, filed 8/10/99, effective 11/10/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and[49.17.]060 . 97-01-079, § 296-62-07703, filed 12/17/96, effective 3/1/97. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 89-21-018 (Order 89-10), § 296-62-07703, filed 10/10/89, effective 11/24/89; 89-11-035 (Order 89-03), § 296-62-07703, filed 5/15/89, effective 6/30/89; 87-24-051 (Order 87-24), § 296-62-07703, filed 11/30/87. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.050(2) and 49.17.040. 87-10-008 (Order 87-06), § 296-62-07703, filed 4/27/87.]