WAC 296-65-005   Asbestos worker training course content.  An approved asbestos worker training course shall consist of four days of training with a minimum of thirty-two hours. This initial training course shall provide, at a minimum, information on the following topics:

     (1) The physical characteristics of asbestos including types, fiber size, aerodynamic characteristics and physical appearance.

     (2) Examples of different types of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials. Real asbestos shall be used only for observation by trainees and shall be enclosed in sealed unbreakable containers.

     (3) The health hazards of asbestos including the nature of asbestos related diseases, routes of exposure, dose-response relationships, synergism between cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure, latency period of diseases, hazards to immediate family, and the health basis for asbestos standards.

     (4) Employee personal protective equipment including the classes and characteristics of respirator types, limitations of respirators, proper selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance and storage procedure, methods for field checking of the facepiece-to-face seal (positive and negative-pressure checks), qualitative and quantitative fit testing procedures, variability between field and laboratory protection factors, factors that alter respirator fit (e.g., eye glasses and facial hair), the components of a proper respiratory protection program, respirator program administrator, requirements on oil lubricated reciprocating piston compressors for breathing air, and selection and use of personal protective clothing. Qualitative or quantitative fit testing shall be performed on at least one student for demonstration purposes and in accordance with WAC 296-62-07715 and 296-62-07739.

     (5) Use, storage and handling of launderable clothing, nonslip footwear, gloves, eye protection and hard hats.

     (6) Medical monitoring procedures and requirements, including the provisions of chapter 296-842 WAC, any additional recommended procedures and tests, benefits of medical monitoring and employee access to records.

     (7) Air monitoring procedures and requirements specified in WAC 296-62-07709, including a description of equipment, sampling methods and strategies, reasons for air monitoring, types of samples, including area, personal and clearance samples, current standards with proposed changes if any, employee observation and notification, recordkeeping and employee access to records, interpretation of air monitoring results, and analytical methods for bulk and air samples.

     (8) State-of-the-art work practices for asbestos removal and encapsulation activities including purpose, proper construction and maintenance of barriers and decontamination enclosure systems, posting of warning signs, electrical and ventilation system lock-out, proper working techniques and tools with vacuum attachments for minimizing fiber release, use of wet methods and surfactants, use of negative-pressure ventilation equipment for minimizing employee exposure to asbestos fibers and contamination prevention, scoring and breaking techniques for rigid asbestos products, glove bag techniques, recommended and prohibited work practices, potential exposure situations, emergency procedures for sudden releases, use of HEPA vacuums and proper clean-up and disposal procedures. Work practice requirements for removal, encapsulation, enclosure, repair, and waste transportation shall be discussed individually. Appropriate work practices for both indoor and outdoor asbestos projects shall be included.

     (9) Personal hygiene including entry and exit procedures for the work area, use of showers and prohibition of eating, drinking, smoking and chewing (gum or tobacco) in the work area. Potential exposures, such as family exposure shall also be included.

     (10) Additional safety hazards that may be encountered during asbestos removal and encapsulation activities and hazard abatement, including electrical hazards, scaffold and ladder hazards, slips, trips and falls, confined spaces, noise, and heat stress.

     (11) The requirements, procedures and standards established by:

     (a) The Environmental Protection Agency, 40 CFR Part 61, Subparts A and M, and 40 CFR Part 763.

     (b) Washington state department of ecology.

     (c) Local air pollution control agencies.

     (d) Washington state department of labor and industries, division of industrial safety and health, chapter 49.17 RCW (Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act), chapter 49.26 RCW (Health and safety -- Asbestos), and ensuing regulations.

     (12) Actual worksite considerations.

     (13) The instruction required by this section shall include, at a minimum fourteen hours of hands-on training for the following:

     (a) Glove bag techniques;

     (b) The opportunity to don respirators including half facepiece and full facepiece air purifying respirators, powered air purifying respirators (PAPR), and Type-C supplied-air respirators;

     (c) Removal of sprayed-on or troweled-on material, and pipe lagging;

     (d) Basic construction of a decontamination unit, and proper entry and exit;

     (e) Suit-up in protective clothing consisting of coveralls, foot coverings and head coverings.

     (14) Course review, a review of the key aspects of the training course.

     (15) Asbestos-containing materials shall not be used for hands-on training.

     (16) In recognition that asbestos abatement is an evolving industry, the department reserves the right to require additional subjects to be taught and to specify the amount of time which shall be allotted to adequately cover required subjects. To assure adequate coverage of required material, each sponsor shall be provided and required to incorporate into the training course, a detailed outline of subject matter developed by the department.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 07-03-163, § 296-65-005, filed 1/24/07, effective 4/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and[49.17.]060 . 96-05-056, § 296-65-005, filed 2/16/96, effective 4/1/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 89-21-018 (Order 89-10), § 296-65-005, filed 10/10/89, effective 11/24/89; 87-24-051 (Order 87-24), § 296-65-005, filed 11/30/87. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.050(2) and49.17.040 . 87-10-008 (Order 87-06), § 296-65-005, filed 4/27/87. Statutory Authority: SSB 4209, 1985 c 387. 85-21-080 (Order 85-30), § 296-65-005, filed 10/22/85.]