Asbestos Inspection Report for 91 Telfair Ave.pdf

Asbestos Inspection Report

INSPECTION DATE

February 26, 2025

PREPARED FOR

Telfair County Board of Commissioners

91 Telfair Avenue McRae-Helena, GA 31055

PREPARED BY

Branch Environmental, Inc.

72 ½ N. Main Street Watkinsville, GA 30677

(706) 310-0097 info@branchenvironmental.com

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Asbestos-Containing Material Field Inspection Report

91 Telfair Avenue

McRae-Helena, GA 31055

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

On February 26, 2025, a NESHAP compliance pre-renovation asbestos-containing material (ACM) field survey was conducted at 91 Telfair Avenue in McRae-Helena. This inspection was performed based on project details as provided by the client at time of inspection.

The inspection was managed and performed by Steve Sanders of Branch Environmental, Inc.

A summary of asbestos-containing materials is provided in the following table. However, this report should be read in its entirety, including detailed information that is contained in other sections and appendices.

A total of (14) sample(s) were collected from (7) suspect homogenous material(s).

ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIALS

A homogeneous area of a building material is considered to be asbestos-containing material (ACM) if laboratory analysis shows the material to contain more than 1.0 % asbestos by weight.

Identified (and any assumed) ACM within the subject areas include

Ceiling Texture

Joint Compound

Resilient Floor Covering

Coating

Caulk

Window Glazing

Materials containing more than 1.0% asbestos are regulated by OSHA, EPA, and the State of Georgia. As required by EPA and Georgia this material should be removed by a licensed and qualified asbestos abatement contractor prior to the start of any renovation or demolition activities.

SITE DESCRIPTION

This inspection was performed on a 12,804 square foot commercial building built in 1971.

Areas and materials not listed in Appendix A were not inspected; therefore, this inspection is valid only for the areas defined in this report. Until other areas are inspected, they cannot be considered as non-asbestos containing materials.

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INSPECTION PROCEDURE

Samples of suspect materials were collected by an AHERA accredited inspector. The inspection was limited to the materials that we were informed will be disturbed within the scope of the proposed project. Inspection consisted of:

An initial visual inspection to identify building materials that are suspected to contain asbestos.

Collection of representative samples of these materials.

Summary Table of Asbestos-Containing Materials

Material Material Description Regulatory Result

Ceiling Texture White Greater than 1% Asbestos by Lab (ACM)

Joint Compound White Greater than 1% Asbestos by Lab (ACM)

Resilient Floor Covering Gold Greater than 1% Asbestos by Lab (ACM)

Coating Black Greater than 1% Asbestos by Lab (ACM)

Caulk White Greater than 1% Asbestos by Lab (ACM)

Window Glazing Grey Greater than 1% Asbestos by Lab (ACM)

It is important to note that Federal and State regulations require a ten-business day notification period for all friable materials prior to performing any asbestos abatement activity.

All activities related to asbestos-containing materials must be performed in accordance with current Federal, State of Georgia, and local guidelines.

Submission of samples to a National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) laboratory for analysis using PLM analysis in accordance with the EPA method.

REGULATIONS

If the mitigation or repair process requires wallpaper to be removed, the asbestos containing joint compound will be disturbed, which will require the drywall to be removed from the floor to the ceiling in the affected areas.

In accordance with NESHAP, materials determined to contain 1% or less asbestos content, by polarized light microscopy (PLM), can be treated as an asbestos-containing material (> 1%) or point counted for confirmation the material does not contain greater than one percent (>1%) asbestos content. Materials containing 1% or less asbestos content, confirmed by point counting, do not fall under NESHAP notification, disturbance, and disposal requirements but do fall under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and EPA worker protection requirements.

Building materials containing more than 1.0% asbestos are regulated by OSHA, EPA, and the state of Georgia.

As required by the EPA and Georgia EPD this material should be removed by a licensed and qualified asbestos abatement contractor prior to the start of any renovation or demolition activities.

Suspect materials in inaccessible or concealed locations may not have been conclusively characterized by this survey. Should materials be encountered that are not identified in this survey, they must be treated as ACM unless proven to be otherwise. Access to these locations (e.g., sealed air ducts, wall/ceiling spaces, mechanical equipment) may require the destruction of floors, walls, ceilings, ducts, mechanical equipment, etc.

The ACM survey was limited in nature.

OSHA WORK ACTIVITIES

In compliance with 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

(NESHAP) requirements, materials determined to contain one (1) % or less asbestos content by polarized light microscopy (PLM) can be treated as asbestos-containing (> 1 %) or point counted for confirmation the material

91 Telfair Avenue, McRae-Helena, GA 31055 | Page 4 of 21 contains one (1) % or less asbestos content. Materials containing one (1) % or less asbestos content confirmed by point counting do not fall under NESHAP notification, disturbance, and disposal requirements but do fall under certain specified OSHA worker protection requirements.

However, OSHA continues to regulate worker exposure to asbestos until a Negative Initial Exposure Assessment

(NEA) by the employer demonstrates that employee’s exposure during an operation is expected to be consistently below the permissible exposure limits (PEL’s).

The OSHA standard contains numerous work practice requirements and prohibitions which apply, regardless of the exposure levels. However, only two of the requirements and three of the prohibitions must be observed in the case of work activities involving installed construction materials that do not contain >1% asbestos. Those work practice requirements and prohibitions that must be observed regardless of the exposure levels and of the percentage of asbestos in the installed construction materials are

∙ wet methods, or wetting agents, to control employee exposures during asbestos handling, mixing, removal, cutting, application, and cleanup, except where employers demonstrate that the use of wet methods is infeasible

∙ prompt clean-up and disposal of wastes and debris contaminated with asbestos in leak-tight containers except in roofing operations

∙ prohibits high-speed abrasive disc saws that are not equipped with point-of-cut ventilator or enclosures with HEPA filtered exhaust air

∙ prohibits compressed air used to remove asbestos, or materials containing asbestos, unless the compressed air is used in conjunction with an enclosed ventilation system designed to capture the dust cloud created by the compressed air

∙ prohibits employee rotation as a means of reducing employee exposure to asbestos.

There are also some other provisions that apply to work activities involving installed construction materials even where the material does not contain >1% asbestos. However, if neither asbestos PEL is exceeded, only the following few provisions apply:

∙ provision for establishing that neither asbestos PEL is exceeded: The assessment must be completed in time to comply with requirements which are triggered by exposure data or the lack of a "negative exposure assessment”

∙ provision covering the observation of monitoring: The employer shall provide affected employees and their designated representatives an opportunity to observe any monitoring of employee exposure to asbestos conducted in accordance with this section

∙ provision covering employee notification of monitoring results: The employer shall notify affected employees of the monitoring results that represent that employee's exposure as soon as possible following receipt of monitoring results

∙ provisions covering recordkeeping for measurements of exposures to airborne asbestos

There are numerous additional provisions of the standard that apply to work activities involving installed construction materials even where the material does not contain >1% asbestos if at least one of the asbestos

PELs is exceeded.

Summary According to EPA, materials containing 1% or less asbestos, confirmed by point counting, are no longer an asbestos-containing material which means you can dispose of it in a C&D landfill. However, according to OSHA you will still need to assess, by air monitoring, workers that disturb this material, to eliminate most of the requirements when disturbing greater than 1% asbestos.

Reference OSHA clarification letter dated November 24, 2003.

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PROJECT LIMITATIONS

This project was performed using, as a minimum, practices consistent with standards acceptable within the industry at this time, and a level of diligence typically exercised by environmental consultants performing similar services.

Because the findings of this report were derived from the scope, costs, time, and other limitations, the conclusions should not be construed as a guarantee that all environmental or occupational hazards have been identified and fully evaluated. Where sample collection and testing have been performed, Branch Environmental, Inc.'s professional opinions are based in part on the interpretation of data from discrete sampling locations that may not represent conditions at non-sampled locations. Branch Environmental, Inc.

assumes no responsibility for omissions or errors resulting from inaccurate information, or data, provided by sources outside of Branch Environmental, Inc. or from omissions or errors in public records.

Any quantities presented in this survey report are estimations and should not be used for bidding purposes. It is the responsibility of the contractor to field verify quantity and condition of all materials.

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APPENDIX A

TABLE OF BULK SAMPLE RESULTS

Sample

ID

Material Material Descripti on Location % Asbestos

1A Ceiling Texture White Conference Room Ceiling Front 2% Chrysotile

1B Ceiling Texture White Conference Room Ceiling

Middle 2% Chrysotile

1C Ceiling Texture White Conference Room Ceiling Back 2% Chrysotile

2A Joint Compound White Conference Room from Wall 2% Chrysotile

2B Joint Compound White Conference Room Back Wall 2% Chrysotile

3A Cove Base Tan Conference Room from Wall None Detected

3B Cove Base Tan Back Entrance None Detected

4A Resilient Floor Covering Gold Vending Machine Area 40% Chrysotile

4B Resilient Floor Covering Gold Kitchen 40% Chrysotile

5A Coating Black Conference Room from Wall 5% Chrysotile

6A Caulk White Back Entrance Exterior 5% Chrysotile

6B Caulk White Back Side Window 5% Chrysotile

7A Window Glazing Grey Front Door 2% Chrysotile

7B Window Glazing Grey Front Door 2% Chrysotile

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Positive Sample(s)

1A, Ceiling Texture, Conference Room Ceiling Front

1B, Ceiling Texture, Conference Room Ceiling

Middle

1C, Ceiling Texture, Conference Room Ceiling Back

2A, Joint Compound, Conference Room from Wall

2B, Joint Compound, Conference Room Back Wall

4A, Resilient Floor Covering, Vending Machine Area

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4B, Resilient Floor Covering, Kitchen

5A, Coating, Conference Room from Wall

6A, Caulk, Back Entrance Exterior

6B, Caulk, Back Side Window

7A, Window Glazing, Front Door

7B, Window Glazing, Front Door

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Negative Sample(s)

3A, Cove Base, Conference Room from Wall

3B, Cove Base, Back Entrance

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APPENDIX B

LABORATORY ANALYTICAL REPORTS

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APPENDIX C

Inspector Certificate