Employee Information - Remaining Asbestos at UAF
As many of you know, the last few years have seen a number of construction and code corrections projects on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. One question that has been asked during these projects concerns asbestos; do we have any in our buildings and how dangerous is it?
First of all, asbestos in-place and undisturbed is not a hazard, nor does it pose a threat to employees. Asbestos fibers must become airborne before they become a hazard. That is one reason you see various types of plastic enclosures and protective clothing used when asbestos is being removed from a building. These types of enclosures protect the workers removing the asbestos, as well as the occupants of the building. The type of asbestos that is most easily disturbed and released is the soft fluffy type found sprayed on high ceilings and steel beams (see picture #2). This type of insulation was used as a fire proofing material up until the early to mid 1970's. After that time asbestos could no longer be used. Any building built on campus after 1980 does not contain asbestos.
Asbestos containing insulation was replaced by a similar fluffy sprayed on cellulose insulation which provides the same type of protection without the concerns associated with asbestos. All surfaces on campus covered with a fluffy sprayed on insulation do not contain asbestos. Remember even the fluffy asbestos insulation is not a hazard unless it is knocked off and fibers are released.
Other more commonly installed asbestos containing products are floor and ceiling tiles (see picture #1), pipe made of cement, lab counter tops, roofing tiles, etc. None of these materials are a threat unless they are cut with a grinder, saw or sander, which creates a dust and could release asbestos fibers.
Asbestos has been removed from many campus buildings and continues to be removed as it is identified. If you, as an employee, notice any activity that disturbs the soft fluffy type of spray-on insulation, notify Facility Services at x7000, or Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management (EHS&RM) at x5413. The insulation may be cellulose, but we would rather no one touch anything until we can verify that.
If you have any questions with regards to asbestos on campus, please contact EHS&RM at 474-5413.
Brooks Building
Asbestos ceiling tiles
(picture #1)
Elvey Building
Room 121
(picture #2)