Asbestos and Lead Safety

The Asbestos Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Program is a set of practices and procedures applied to building cleaning, maintenance, construction, renovation, and general operation in order to maintain campus buildings. EHS goals at UT are to:

1. Manage the asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in UT buildings to ensure that exposures to personnel and the environment are minimized and are below the permissible exposure limit;
2. Ensure that all removal and disposal of ACM complies with all local, state, and federal regulations; and
3. Maintain records of surveys, monitoring activities, maintenance activities involving ACM, and waste disposal, and personnel exposure.

O&M Asbestos SOP for UEM & ARL

PDC Abatement Shop O&M Asbestos Notification Form

Here are some commonly found suspect asbestos-containing materials (PDF)

Download and read Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Program (PDF) for more information.

UT Austin has established a set of standards and procedures third-party consulting companies must follow when conducting asbestos and lead investigations at its facilities. These procedures assume an investigation of areas for pre-renovation planning purposes.

Download and read the Asbestos Requirements for Contractors Conducting Work at the University of Texas at Austin (PDF) and the Lead Requirements for Contractors Conducting Work at the University of Texas at Austin (PDF) for more information.

For information on how to complete, submit, and ensure fee payment for the Asbestos/Demolition Notification Form to the State of Texas Department of State

Health Services (DSHS), please see the DSHS Asbestos Notification Work Instruction SOP (PDF). This form must be completed and submitted for all demolition projects.

OH503 Asbestos General Information is focused in providing only general information towards students, faculty, and staff that do not actively work with or are exposed to asbestos containing building material (ACBM).

OH 515 Asbestos Training for Project Managers is designed to support Project Managers in complying with all applicable asbestos regulations, to ensure that all asbestos containing materials are inspected, and discusses worker and occupant safety.

Staff who actively work with or are exposed to ACBM are required to complete annual in-person Asbestos Awareness training. Contact EHS at (512) 471-3511 to request in-person training.

Asbestos and lead being removed from the University is considered regulated waste and must be contained and disposed of in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.

All third-party asbestos consultants or the asbestos abatement contractor will be required to sign asbestos manifests on all projects at UT Austin facilities and must have all appropriate and current training for specific Class 9 asbestos waste and security training as regulated by the U.S Department of Transportation.

Download and read Asbestos Waste Manifests (PDF) for more information.

Asbestos & Lead Assessment Request

Directions

• Please complete all requested information.
• Provide a detailed description of work activities that will occur at the site and could potentially disturb asbestos-containing building materials.
• Incomplete or inaccurate requests, will be returned to the requestor for additional information and / or clarification.
• For those areas requiring ceiling sampling, provide height to deck.
• After submitting a request send an 8 1/2″ × 11″ site sketch or floor plan. Scanned floor plans can be sent to Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) via email. Plans or sketch must have area of work clearly delineated.
• It is the responsibility of the project manager to facilitate access to all work areas. In addition, notify EHS of any scheduling constraints when the work area will be in use and unavailable for sampling. If access is prevented for asbestos inspection, the results will be delayed until the project manager can arrange access for EHS. EHS can obtain keys for many locations.

Sampling and Analysis

EHS does not accept samples for analysis when collected by individuals not properly licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

A minimum of three (3) samples of each homogeneous material application are collected by the licensed asbestos inspector based upon the description of work provided and site sketch or floor plan. Asbestos samples are submitted to a third party laboratory for analysis. The analytical fees are charged directly to the project via IDT. Reporting is uploaded into UT Box. Requestor will be sent an invitation to UT Box to review documents.

Turnaround times:

*When results will be provided to the project manager

**Emergency: Affecting public health or safety that results from a sudden, unexpected event that is not a planned renovation or demolition by the department. All emergency requests will be determined by EHS.

NOTE: All requests for ‘Priority’ turnaround time must have their manager submit a written approval to ehs-asbestos-lead-program@austin.utexas.edu to have the asbestos & lead assessment request elevated from normal to priority.

Submit form here

• Texas Department of State Health Services
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - NIOSH