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2024 WISCONSIN ASBESTOS CONFERENCE
The 2024 Wisconsin Asbestos Conference is scheduled for December 6, 2024, at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. This conference is for anyone whose work involves asbestos containing materials, such as asbestos remediation firms, construction contractors who may find it on buildings they are remodeling, environmental consultants, or those involved in building management (including a school’s designated asbestos person). The cost is $70 per person.
The conference is hosted by the Environmental Information Association (EIA). EIA states that it’s multidisciplinary membership will collect, generate and disseminate information concerning environmental and occupational health hazards in the built environment to property owners and operators, interested professionals and the public.
Look under the Events menu on the EIA web site to find conference information.
KPH ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS ON 20TH ANNUAL WISCONSIN ASBESTOS CONFERENCE
SA Herbst takes pride in the quality of its work, and the annual EIA Wisconsin Asbestos Conference is a large part of that continued success.
Back on December 2nd, the KPH Environmental team returned to the Wisconsin Dells for the 20th year to attend the Environmental Information Association’s (EIA) annual Wisconsin Asbestos Conference.
Kert Harenda, Vice President of KPH Environmental, has been involved on the event’s board for several years in planning for the conference. While some years, KPH Environmental has given presentations on asbestos inspection and abatement, this past edition was a chance to connect with the industry and old friends.
The EIA Wisconsin Asbestos Conference has always provided KPH Environmental with knowledge about current events, updates on regulatory and policy changes from the state and federal asbestos agencies, and opportunities to connect and catch up with others in the asbestos inspection and abatement industry.
Some highlights of the 2022 Conference include EPA’s new Asbestos Center of Excellence efforts to eliminate school asbestos hazards, the Marshfield Clinic’s new information on asbestos exposure and disease, and EIA’s national asbestos initiatives and potential legal changes in the coming years.
KPH Environmental takes pride in the quality of its work, and the annual EIA Wisconsin Asbestos Conference is a large part of that continued success. Whether it’s sharing new finds or being enlightened on new industry updates, December at the Wisconsin Dells Kalahari Resort can’t come soon enough each year.
FEDERAL AND WISCONSIN LAWS REQUIRE ASBESTOS SAFETY FOR SCHOOLS AND ON CONSTRUCTION JOBS
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) will be proposing changes to their lead public health regulation DHS 163.
All of these laws have been in effect for over 20 years. SA Herbst provides the training required by these laws, and can also assist companies with compliance issues.
Federally, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations are in place to protect the public and workers from asbestos exposure.
The EPA Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) has been in effect since 1987. It requires public and private, kindergarten through 12th grade schools to be safe from asbestos hazards. Schools must have regular asbestos inspections and an asbestos management program. In addition, maintenance and custodial staff must have at least 2 hour asbestos awareness training.
OSHA laws are designed to protect workers on the job from asbestos exposure. These laws require training for people removing or cleaning up asbestos, use of asbestos safe work practices. and for employers to provide appropriate personal protective equipment.
In Wisconsin, the Department of Health Services (DHS) asbestos law (DHS 159) requires training and certification for people doing asbestos work. This law also states that companies must assume that all building materials, except wood, glass, metal, and fiberglass, contain asbestos unless proven otherwise by laboratory testing.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asbestos law (NR 447) requires an inspection before renovation or demolition in most buildings, and the use of proper abatement methods to prevent asbestos air pollution.
U.S. EPA ISSUES PARTIAL ASBESTOS BAN
The U.S. EPA announced in November 2018 that asbestos cleanup had been completed on residential and commercial properties in Libby, Montana.
In March 2024 the U.S. EPA finalized a new rule than bans the use and import of chrysotile asbestos. The rule also bans six products that they are aware of that contain asbestos and have been imported into the United States recently. According to the EPA, chrysotile is the only form of asbestos currently used in or imported into the United States.
Smaller quantities of chrysotile have been imported into the United States in recent years in amounts varying from 41 tons to 305 tons per year, according to information on the U.S. Geological Survey web site. Chrysotile asbestos was imported into the U.S. as recently as 2022 for use by the chlor-alkali industry, which makes asbestos diaphragms to make sodium hydroxide and chlorine, used to disinfect drinking water and wastewater. This industry will have 5 years to phase out the use of asbestos diaphragms.
The new rule also prohibits manufacture (including import), processing, distribution in commerce, and commercial use of chrysotile asbestos for six categories of chrysotile asbestos-containing products: asbestos diaphragms, sheet gaskets, oilfield brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings, other vehicle friction products, and other gaskets. The ban on asbestos diaphragms and sheet gaskets takes effect 2 years after the rule was finalized. The ban on oilfield brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings, other vehicle friction products, and other gaskets for commercial use takes effect 180 days after the rule was finalized.
The EPA press release can be seen here:
Other forms of asbestos, including amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite, are not banned. Other types of potential asbestos containing products, such as vinyl flooring, adhesives, caulk, and cement products, are also not banned.
Previous EPA and Consumer Product safety Commission rules have banned some paper products, wet applied and pre-formed pipe & block insulations, general use garments (except clothing that prevents thermal injuries), artificial fireplace ash and embers, and consumer patching compounds.
WI. LAW REQUIRES CONTRACTORS TO HAVE LEAD SAFE RENOVATION TRAINING
Renovation contractors working on housing and child-occupied facilities that were built before 1978 must have lead-safe renovation training, with a few exceptions.
The lead safe renovator training is only 1 day, and we train people on how to avoid these lead hazards, follow safe work practices, and properly clean up the lead when they are done. See our training schedule to sign up.
Renovation contractors working on housing and child-occupied facilities that were built before 1978 must have lead safe renovation training, with a few exceptions. The training requirement applies to workers doing remodeling work in these buildings, including things such as removing old paint or surface coatings, replacing old siding, replacing windows and doors, or removing or cutting out sections of walls, ceilings, or floors that are painted or finished. The Wisconsin law, DHS 163, has been in effect since 2009 and also requires most contractors to get state certification for themselves and their company through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. A link to the DHS web page is below: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/lead/training-certification.htm
The purpose of the law is to protect children, especially those under 6, from lead poisoning. But it also protects their families and renovation workers. Removing old paint or building components with old paint, stain, or varnish can generate large amounts of lead dust. People who live and work in these buildings, especially children, can be poisoned by inhaling or swallowing this dust. Workers can also bring the poison home with them on their dusty clothes, contaminating their own vehicles and houses. Lead poisoning can lead to long term and permanent health issues, such as learning problems, behavior problems, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, infertility, and memory loss.
The only exceptions to the law are where the paint or surface coating has been tested and found not to be lead based, or where a homeowner is working in their own home. However, whenever any amount of lead is present, SA Herbst believes that people should be trained and should follow lead safe work practices to protect themselves and others. We encourage all contractors that work in older buildings, and even do-it-yourselfers, to get the lead safe renovator training.
The lead safe renovator training is only 1 day, and we train people on how to avoid these lead hazards, follow safe work practices, and properly clean up the lead when they are done. See our training schedule to sign up.Renovation contractors working on housing and child occupied facilities that were built before 1978 must have lead safe renovation training, with a few exceptions. The training requirement applies to workers doing remodeling work in these buildings, including things such as removing old paint or surface coatings, replacing old siding, replacing windows and doors, or removing or cutting out sections of walls, ceilings, or floors that are painted or finished. The Wisconsin law, DHS 163, has been in effect since 2009 and also requires most contractors to get state certification for themselves and their company through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. A link to the DHS web page is below: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/lead/training-certification.htm
The purpose of the law is to protect children, especially those under 6, from lead poisoning. But it also protects their families and renovation workers. Removing old paint or building components with old paint, stain, or varnish can generate large amounts of lead dust. People who live and work in these buildings, especially children, can be poisoned by inhaling or swallowing this dust. Workers can also bring the poison home with them on their dusty clothes, contaminating their own vehicles and houses. Lead poisoning can lead to long-term and permanent health issues, such as learning problems, behavior problems, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, infertility, and memory loss.
The only exceptions to the law are where the paint or surface coating has been tested and found not to be lead-based, or where a homeowner is working in their own home. However, whenever any amount of lead is present, SA Herbst believes that people should be trained and should follow lead-safe work practices to protect themselves and others. We encourage all contractors that work in older buildings, and even do-it-yourselfers, to get the lead safe renovator training.