EPISD Asbestos Management Program

The EPISD asbestos management program operates under strict adherence to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), 40 CFR 763 Final Rule and Notice, and the Texas Asbestos Health Protection Rules promulgated by the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

• The renovation and construction projects funded by the 2016 Bond will be designed and completed with the close support of the district’s Asbestos Management Team.
• All of the district’s facilities constructed prior to 1988 have been inspected and surveyed as mandated by the EPA’s AHERA regulations with the management plan updated as specified in the regulation.
• The asbestos reports for the campuses under the 2016 Bond funded construction program have been provided to the Jacob’s Project Management Team for implementation into each project design.
• Prior to the commencement of any renovation, demolition, or construction project campuses with identified and/or anticipated impacts to asbestos containing building material will undergo thorough asbestos abatement in accordance with state and federal regulations.
• All asbestos abatement projects utilize environmental controls, licensed abatement contractors, and licensed third party environmental consultants to ensure that the health and safety of our staff and students is not compromised.

• Prior to the construction of the asbestos abatement containment work area ‘baseline’ air samples are taken to establish the ambient pre-abatement fiber concentration in order to compare with air samples taken once abatement begins and at the completion of the project.
• When the abatement containment is fully constructed it will undergo an inspection by the district’s consultant for integrity and compliance and to ensure that proper ‘negative air pressure’ can be maintained for the duration of the project.
• All asbestos containing materials will then be removed utilizing wet methods and will be double bagged, sealed, and prepared for disposal.
• Air samples are taken inside and outside of the containment during the abatement project and analyzed using certified/licensed microscopists to ensure that proper removal practices are being implemented.
• In the event that elevated fiber concentrations are detected in the air samples work practices are immediately adjusted to reduce the airborne fiber levels back to the pre-established industry standard.

• Once the abatement procedure is determined to be complete the substrate and containment will undergo a thorough wet cleaning and inspection before receiving a coating of a lock down encapsulant.
• Final air samples will then be taken by the asbestos consultant of the containment interior work space to determine the airborne fiber concentrations. If the fiber levels are above the EPA standard for ‘clean air’ the entire clean up and lock down process is repeated.
• Once ‘clean air’ is established and confirmed through air sampling the abatement contractor is allowed to dismantle the containment and the work area can now be returned to the building owner. 

For any questions related to to removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials please contact the EPISD Environmental Project Manager at 915.230.2285 or by email at mrfernan@episd.org.