South Dakota (SD) Asbestos Removal & Abatement Resources:

In South Dakota, the department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) plays a part in the responsibility of the application and enforcement of asbestos regulations and restrictions. South Dakota has adopted the emission standards for Federal National Emissions Standards Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) in regard to all public and commercial buildings. Residential buildings with four or fewer dwellings are excluded from the requirements.

The State of South Dakota draws a distinction between friable and non-friable asbestos. Friable asbestos refers to material that can be destroyed, crushed, or reduced to powder with simple hand pressure resulting in a release of asbestos fibers into the environment. Non-friable asbestos materials are those that cannot be easily crumbled, such as asphalt roofing and floor tiles. These materials are less likely to release dangerous fibers through normal handling.

Asbestos Abatement Guidelines

Before beginning any demolition or renovation, a state licensed, qualified inspector must visit the site and check it for asbestos containing materials. The types and quantities of the materials should be identified at this time so that proper notification can be made to the DENR. Amounts of asbestos containing materials of at least 260 linear feet, 160 square feet or 35 cubic feet, require advance submission of a notification form to the DENR. Notification must be postmarked at least 10 working days prior to the start of any asbestos abatement activities.

In advance of any demolition activities that will potentially break up, disturb or dislodge asbestos containing material, the materials must be removed and disposed of according to regulations set forth by the DENR, OSHA and the Department of Transportation.

Non-friable asbestos materials can be handled and disposed of by individuals who are not certified asbestos workers, provided that the material remains non-friable. In order to be considered non-friable, materials must be in good condition and should not be abraded through sanding, cutting or grinding. The EPA has determined that the use of power tools such as pneumatic chippers or power saws will cause these materials to become friable. If they are in poor condition or become friable through handling, the materials will become subject to state and federal asbestos regulations. All friable asbestos materials of more than 160 square feet are subject to rules and regulations.

Even non-friable asbestos materials that are in good condition and are not subjected to state and federal regulations for removal may be subject to local landfill requirements regarding disposal. Individual landfills have the final say in whether the asbestos material, friable or non-friable, will be approved for disposal. In addition to South Dakota’s regulations, OSHA and the EPA have additional rules regarding asbestos projects and asbestos in schools.

Asbestos Training and Certification

In the State of South Dakota, all workers dealing with asbestos, whether in a management, inspector, supervisor or handler roles, must become certified with the state for asbestos abatement. Inspectors must complete a three-day training course. Management planners must complete the inspector training in addition to a two-day management planner training course. Abatement project designers must complete a three-day abatement project designer training course. Asbestos abatement contractors or supervisors must complete a five-day training course, and asbestos abatement workers must complete at least a four-day training course.

Asbestos abatement worker training courses must meet certain requirements to be accredited. The asbestos abatement worker training course must be at least four days long and must include lectures, demonstrations, at least fourteen hours of hands-on training, individual respirator fit testing, course review, and an examination. Within the training program, several topics must be covered to comply with state regulations.

Workers must be trained in recognizing the physical characteristic of asbestos, including identification of asbestos through physical appearance, typical uses, aerodynamic characteristics and a summary of abatement control options. Potential health effects related to asbestos exposure, including the nature of asbestos-related diseases, routes of exposure, dose-response relationships, latency period for asbestos-related diseases, the correlation between smoking and increased risk of asbestos related diseases, must also be covered during the training.

All certified asbestos contractors must receive employee personal protective equipment training, including: classes and characteristics of respirators, limitations of respirators, methods of field testing including positive and negative seal tests, selection, inspection, donning, use, maintenance and storage procedures for respirators. Qualitative and quantitative fit testing procedures and factors that alter respirator fit such as facial hair should be provided. Selection and use of personal protective clothing, use storage and handling of non-disposable clothing are also covered.

Individuals involved in asbestos abatement will utilize state-of-the-art work practices including descriptions of construction and maintenance of barriers and decontamination enclosure systems, the positioning or warning signs, electrical and ventilation system lockout, working techniques for minimizing fiber release, use of wet methods, use of negative pressure ventilation equipment, use of high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums, clean up and disposal procedures, work practices for removal, encapsulation, enclosure, and repair. In addition, workers should learn personal safety and emergency procedures such as those related to sudden release, potential exposure situations, transport and disposal procedures, recommended and prohibited work practices, discussion of new abatement techniques and methodologies, personal hygiene, entry and exit procedures for the work area, use of showers, avoiding ingestion of food, liquid, gum or tobacco in the work area, potential exposure and family exposure.

Asbestos professionals must be made aware of additional safety hazards, including those encountered during abatement activities such as electrical hazards, air contaminants other than asbestos, heat stress, fire and explosion hazards, slips, trips, and falls and confined spaces. Medical monitoring and OSHA requirements regarding pulmonary function test, chest X rays, and medical history for each employee should be followed.

Asbestos certification training programs must include air monitoring procedures to determine concentrations of asbestos fibers with a focus on how personal air sampling is performed and the reason for it. Also, trainees will undergo a regulatory review of procedures and standards, including national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants, OSHA standards for permissible exposure to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers and respiratory protection, OSHA asbestos construction standards, establishment of respiratory protection programs and EPA worker protection rule.

Other aspects of a professional asbestos contractor training program are to include hands-on training that gives actual experience performing tasks associated with asbestos abatement, such as working with asbestos-substitute materials, fitting and using respirators, use of glove bags, donning protective clothing and constructing a decontamination unit. A course review of key aspects of the training course is necessary before obtaining certification (1).

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