Regulations For Employer And Employee Responsibilities And Rights,

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

Problems which led to this act.

• Asbestos was turning up in schools all over the country.

• This posed a serious health risks to our nation’s greatest resource, the children.

• There was a lack of guidance from the EPA concerning asbestos disposal and regulation of it at the time.

Cont…..

• Asbestos is quite costly to remove, and with the educational system in our country being severely under-funded many corners are cut, and many stones are left unturned.

• It kills people.

What is asbestos?

• Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber found in metamorphic rocks.

• It has great fire, heat, and chemical resistant properties.

• With its relative low cost and good physical strength, asbestos was commonly used textile, friction, cement, paper, and insulation, along with many other products.

• Many of these products can be found in almost any building built in America.

Potential Health Risks

• Asbestosis—a long-term, chronic and debilitating lung disease caused by long- term, uncontrolled exposures to asbestos.

• Mesothelioma—a rare cancer of the chest and abdominal lining.

• Also, cancers of the lung, esophagus, stomach and colon have been attributed to asbestos.

Just the facts…

• Asbestos containing building materials (ACBMs) only pose a health risk when damaged, releasing their deadly fibers into the breathable zone.

• The fed. Gov. estimates that more than 40,000 school building and 700,000 public schools contain ACBMs.

• Also, millions of American’s homes contain these deadly materials.

The Purpose of this Act

• To provide a well-drawn map for weeding out potential asbestos infected schools.

• To establish Federal regulations which require the inspection of asbestos containing materials.

• And if such asbestos exists, to implement steps of removing the ACBMs, provided that it is done in a safe and healthful manner.

• Require the Administrator to study the effects of asbestos and to find the extent of danger that it poses to the American public.

Who’s in charge?

• The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

• It is the Administrator’s responsibility to insure the safety of our nation’s children.

• To assist in the motivation of our schools a civil penalty of 5,000 will be assessed.

Regulations • Sec .203. “15 USC 2643” EPA Regulations • (c) Circumstances Requiring Response actions.

– (1) The administrator shall promulgate regulations which define the appropriate response action in a school building under the authority of a local educational agency in at least the following circumstances:

(A) Damage – Circumstances in which friable ….. (B) Significant Damage – ….ACM or its covering… (C) Potential Damage — …(i) friable ACM is in an

area regularly used by building occupants….

To Sum it Up…

• Asbestos is a poison that has been known to be deadly since the 30’s. It’s a sad fact that we are still finding such a deadly chemical in many aspects of our lives; where we work, where we live, and most importantly where are kids go to better themselves. This Act has and will continue to provide the nation’s most precious resource, the children, a safe and healthful learning environment.