asbestos  control  program  consists  of  the  following elements: l l l l l l Identify  asbestos  hazards. Control asbestos in the workplace. Follow  prescribed  work  practices. Properly  dispose  of  waste  materials  containing asbestos. Use the Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program (AMP). Train personnel to recognize asbestos hazards and  use  precautions. IDENTIFYING ASBESTOS HAZARDS An industrial hygienist is required to survey all workplaces at least once every 18 months to identify asbestos hazards and recommend ways to eliminate or minimize  them. Each time you plan to remove or repair thermal insulation,  you  should  try  to  determine  whether  it contains asbestos. Ships such as tenders usually have laboratory  facilities  to  identify  asbestos,  and  the  only acceptable  identification  is  that  done  with  polarizing light.  You  cannot  identify  asbestos  only  by  visual inspection,  and  you  should  never  depend  on  any manufacturer’s marking that identifies insulation as having  no  asbestos.  If  you  cannot  have  the  insulation tested properly, always assume it contains asbestos, especially on ships that were built before 1976. CONTROL OF ASBESTOS IN THE WORKPLACE There  are  five  basic  means  to  control  asbestos hazards  in  the  workplace:  (1)  substitute  less-hazardous materials, (2) use engineering controls such as isolation or  ventilation,  (3)  use  administrative  controls,  (4)  use personal  protective  equipment,  and  (5)  rotate  personnel in  hazardous  spaces  to  keep  their  exposure  below  the permissible  exposure  limit  (PEL).  The  ship  should prepare  asbestos  control  procedures  that  set  forth  its engineering and work practice controls and have them ready  for  review. Whenever  possible,  an  IMA  or  shore  facility  should repair  or  remove  asbestos  insulation,  using  personnel who are part of an ongoing AMP. When this work must be done at sea, the CO should authorize it and assign an officer or petty officer trained in asbestos removal to supervise the work. Each ship that has asbestos thermal insulation on board must have a three-person team trained to remove the asbestos and to use protective equipment needed for the work. The team should be made up of a supervisor, a cutter, and a cleaner. The cutter moistens, cuts, and removes insulation. The cleaner vacuums continuously near the repair to minimize the spread of dust and helps moisten  the  cut  surfaces.  The  ship’s  allowance  list (AEL) includes the necessary protective equipment. General  Workplace  Control  Practices Each ship should implement the following general practices to protect personnel from asbestos hazards: l l l l l l Use substitute materials approved by NAVSEA in place of asbestos-containing materials. Set a high priority on the replacement of material containing  friable  asbestos. Always try to wet asbestos before you work with it to prevent airborne fibers from exceeding the PEL. Do not eat, drink, smoke, chew tobacco or gum, or apply cosmetics in the area where asbestos work is underway. Develop   procedures   to   minimize   the accumulation of asbestos-laden waste dust and scrap materials. These should include wetting the material  and  using  high-efficiency  particulate  air (HEPA) vacuum cleaning. Collect and dispose of asbestos waste, scrap, debris, containers, equipment, and asbestos-contaminated disposable clothing in sealed impermeable bags or other impermeable containers.  Be  sure  these  containers  are  colored distinctively for easy recognition. Double-bag asbestos waste before you dispose of it. While at sea, try to limit asbestos work to small scale,  short  duration  repair  or  maintenance activities  such  as  those  in  the  following paragraphs: Make minor repairs of insulation on pipes. A minor repair means you may remove and reinstall  less  than  3  linear  feet  of  pipe insulation  or  less  than  3  square  feet  of insulation on surfaces other than pipe. Replace  asbestos-containing  gaskets. 10-2