The Department of Environmental Health and Safety oversees a comprehensive program of asbestos management to ensure the safety of all of our building occupants from asbestos-related hazards. This program is designed to do the following things:
- Identify all areas of asbestos materials on campus
- Ensure that all identified areas of asbestos are kept in sound condition with no fiber releases
- Properly coordinate asbestos abatement on an ongoing basis, both as building areas are renovated and as the condition of the asbestos material may warrant (i.e., damage or water leaks)
- Provide ongoing training to Carnegie Mellon and its contractors regarding the locations of asbestos-containing materials and procedures for performing work in these areas
- Maintain compliance with the various federal, state, and local asbestos regulations
Common asbestos-containing materials found on campus include:
- Floor tiles and linoleum (often hidden by carpeting)
- Some pipe and boiler insulation
- Fire doors
- Sprayed-on fireproofing plaster (although rarely)
- Ceiling tiles (although rarely)
- Lab fume hood walls and lab benchtops
If your work requires the disturbance of any of these materials, contactEnvironmental Health and Safety at 724-357-5705 prior to beginning the work.