What Happens When Asbestos is Found on an HVAC Job Site?

Asbestos was a common component in construction for roughly 50 years until the early 1980s when its use was banned. Because asbestos is an affordable, flexible, fibrous mineral that resists heat, water, chemicals, and electricity, it was in wide use by manufacturers and contractors. Asbestos was used throughout construction projects to insulate, fireproof, and waterproof buildings and systems inside them. Today, both OSHA and the EPA apply restrictive regulations on asbestos use.

Regulation is necessary because when asbestos is disturbed, it releases airborne fibers that can cause life-threatening diseases, including mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer. Asbestos is a proven cause of cancer, with a rate of about 3,000 new cases every year.

You can see the pervasive use of asbestos when you learn it is in these and more construction products: 

• HVAC duct and pipe insulation
• Roofing tiles and shingles 
• Cement pipes and sheet
• Fire-resistant drywall
• Acoustical products
• Floor and ceiling pavers and tiles
• Sealants, adhesives, and glues
• Gaskets and wires

Any HVAC job site that involves working on commercial or residential structures built before the mid-1980s is a potential risk for asbestos contamination. 

Options When Asbestos is Found on an HVAC Job Site

Each situation is unique when asbestos is on a job site. In some circumstances, the best choice is if the asbestos material is in good condition and in a place where it will not be disturbed is to do nothing and leave it as is. 

When leaving alone is not a safe solution, abatement is necessary. Those options include: 

• Repair the affected surface by sealing or covering the exposed asbestos material with a treatment that encapsulates it with a binding sealant or applying a coating to the asbestos material to keep fibers from being released. Boilers, furnaces, ductwork, and pipe repairs often use these processes. A covering repair is usually less expensive than removing the affected material. However, it can be more costly later if removal is needed. 
• Removal of asbestos materials is the most expensive option. It is usually only done when all other options are not safe or available. Depending on conditions, state or local regulations may require removal as the only remedy allowed.  

Asbestos removal is a highly specialized field of work. Its removal calls for a certified contractor to remove or repair carcinogenic asbestos materials from an HVAC job site. That means the job site will be shut down to usual HVAC work until the abatement process is complete. 

Asbestos Exposure and Treatment Regulations

Because of the severe health effects that asbestos exposure can cause, the handling of asbestos-containing materials is highly regulated in New Jersey. Various NJ state agencies regulate asbestos. See the New Jersey Department of Health Workplace Health and Safety website for details. 

There are four classes of asbestos abatement regulated. Each requires a designated “competent person” to assess exposures immediately before or as the operation begins to determine expected exposures. The assessment must be done in time to comply with all standard requirements triggered by exposure data or the lack of a negative exposure assessment and to provide the necessary information to ensure all control systems are appropriate and work properly.

A “competent person” is required on all construction sites with asbestos operations. According to New Jersey health regulations and requirements, the “competent person” has the training to act as a qualified and authorized person whose job is to ensure worker safety and health. The “competent person” makes frequent inspections of job sites, materials, and equipment designed to ensure that safety and health prevention programs are maintained.

Recordkeeping Requirements

The following are the types of recordkeeping required of contractors who are working on job sites with known asbestos issues:

• Objective Data Records 
• Monitoring Records
• Medical Surveillance Records
• Other Recordkeeping Requirements

Because of the grave risks asbestos places on workers’ health, the regulations and recordkeeping requirements are stringent. There are high standards for contractors who work with HVAC job sites with these exposures. Those standards require proper equipment installation and design consultations to identify potential problems beyond their work scope. The result gives HVAC contractors increased professional liability risks and environment claims exposures. 

The Dickstein Associates agency is a leading NJ HVAC insurance provider. Its High-Efficiency, Full-Load Coverage for HVAC Contractors program is the best in class. Our HVAC insurance specialists have the knowledge and expertise to put the most appropriate insurance program in place that will address your professional liability and all other areas of risks critical to your HVAC business. 

About Dickstein Associates Agency

Dickstein Associates Agency has distinguished itself as a leading provider of personal and business insurance in the tri-state area for over 55 years. We pride ourselves on being advocates for our clients and providing them with quality and affordable coverages. As an independent insurance agency, we partner with various carriers, allowing for flexible and unbiased coverage for each client’s unique circumstances. For more information on how you can leverage all of your insurance to work best for you, and how we can secure the best insurance in the marketplace based on your specific needs, contact us today at (800) 862-6662.