Asbestos Awareness in Theater Buildings: Identification, Hazards, and Proper Response
Many performing arts facilities were constructed during the era when asbestos was a standard building material: roughly 1900 to 1980. Asbestos in its original, undisturbed form in a well-maintained building may pose minimal risk. But asbestos that has been disturbed during renovation, maintenance, or routine operations becomes airborne and can cause diseases that develop 20 to 40 years after the exposure. Theater technicians who work in older facilities must know what asbestos is, where it is found, and what to do if they encounter it.
What Asbestos Is and Why It Is Dangerous
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals: chrysotile (white asbestos), amosite (brown asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos), and several others. When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, the fibers become airborne. The microscopic fibers are inhaled and accumulate in the lungs and surrounding tissue because they cannot be expelled by the body’s normal clearance mechanisms.
The diseases caused by asbestos exposure include:
- Asbestosis: progressive scarring of the lung tissue. Causes increasing disability and shortness of breath. No cure.
- Mesothelioma: a cancer of the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) or abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). Caused almost exclusively by asbestos exposure. Median survival after diagnosis is 12 to 18 months.
- Lung cancer: asbestos exposure is an independent cause of lung cancer and multiplies the risk from smoking dramatically.
The latency period for asbestos-related disease is 20 to 40 years. A theater technician exposed to asbestos dust today may not develop disease until 2045 to 2065. This long latency is one reason asbestos is often underestimated as a current risk.
The OSHA Asbestos Standards
OSHA has two asbestos standards that may apply to theater operations:
- 29 CFR 1910.1001: Asbestos in general industry. Applies to operations that involve asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in manufacturing, installation, or repair of products containing asbestos, and to custodial work that disturbs ACM.
- 29 CFR 1926.1101: Asbestos in construction. Applies to any construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, or demolition that disturbs ACM. This standard applies to the vast majority of maintenance and renovation activities in a theater building.
The permissible exposure limit (PEL) under both standards is 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter (f/cc) as an 8-hour TWA. The action level is 0.1 f/cc. There is no exposure below which zero risk has been demonstrated: any fiber inhalation represents some level of risk, and the PEL represents the level at which OSHA believes feasible controls can keep risk to an acceptable level.
Where Asbestos Is Found in Theater Buildings
Asbestos was used in theater buildings in the following locations:
- Pipe and duct insulation: a consistent gray or tan fibrous insulation on steam pipes, hot water pipes, and HVAC ducts. This is often the most dangerous form because it is friable (can be crumbled by hand) and can release fibers during normal maintenance.
- Boiler insulation: asbestos blanket insulation on boilers and associated piping.
- Floor tiles and mastic adhesive: 9×9 inch vinyl floor tiles from before 1980 often contain asbestos chrysotile fibers. The mastic adhesive under them may also contain asbestos.
- Ceiling tiles: acoustic ceiling tiles from before 1980 may contain asbestos.
- Fireproofing spray: spray-applied fireproofing on structural steel beams and columns. This is among the most hazardous forms because it is highly friable.
- Fire curtain: historical fire curtains were literally made of asbestos fabric. Modern fire curtains use fiberglass or other materials, but some older facilities may still have the original asbestos curtain in place.
- Plaster and textured coatings: some pre-1980 plasters and spray textures contain asbestos.
- Roofing materials: asbestos-containing roofing shingles and felt were widely used. Generally not a risk unless roofing work is performed.
The Theater Technician’s Role
The theater technician is not an asbestos abatement professional. The role of a theater technician in asbestos management is to:
- Know where asbestos-containing material has been identified in the facility and know how to access the asbestos management plan.
- Recognize materials that may contain asbestos: fibrous pipe insulation, 9×9 floor tiles, spray-applied fireproofing on steel, deteriorating ceiling tiles.
- Not disturb any material that may contain asbestos: no drilling, cutting, sanding, or any other mechanical action that creates dust near suspected ACM.
- Report any damaged, deteriorating, or disturbed material that may contain asbestos to building management immediately.
- Not attempt to collect samples for testing: sampling must be performed by a licensed asbestos inspector using OSHA-compliant procedures.
Asbestos Management Plans
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), codified at 40 CFR Part 763, requires that elementary and secondary schools develop and maintain an asbestos management plan documenting the location, condition, and management approach for all ACM in the building. While AHERA specifically covers K-12 schools, best practice for any theater building with known or suspected ACM is to maintain a similar plan.
An asbestos management plan should document: the location of all identified or suspected ACM, the condition of each ACM item (good, damaged, or severely damaged), the management approach for each item (in-place management, repair, or abatement), and any abatement actions taken. This plan should be available to all workers in the building.
Renovation and Demolition Requirements
Before any renovation or demolition activity that will disturb ACM above threshold quantities, the EPA National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) standard for asbestos (40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M) requires: notification to the state environmental agency (or EPA, depending on the state), a thorough inspection of the area by a licensed asbestos inspector, abatement of all friable ACM by a licensed abatement contractor before demolition begins, and proper disposal of asbestos waste.
Key Takeaways
- Asbestos causes mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer, with a latency of 20-40 years. Any current exposure represents real future risk.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 applies to maintenance and renovation activities in buildings with ACM. The PEL is 0.1 f/cc.
- Theater technicians must know where ACM has been identified in their building and how to access the asbestos management plan.
- Do not disturb suspected ACM. Do not drill, cut, or sand near suspected ACM.
- Report damaged or disturbed suspected ACM to building management immediately.
- EPA NESHAP requires notification and licensed abatement before renovation or demolition that disturbs ACM.
References
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Asbestos in general industry. 29 CFR 1910.1001. U.S. Department of Labor.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Asbestos in construction. 29 CFR 1926.1101. U.S. Department of Labor.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). National emission standards for hazardous air pollutants: Asbestos (Subpart M). 40 CFR Part 61. https://www.epa.gov/asbestos
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). 40 CFR Part 763. https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/asbestos-laws-and-regulations
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2011). Asbestos fibers and other elongate mineral particles: State of the science and roadmap for research. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2011-159.