Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 216 - Department of health
Chapter 50 - Environmental health
Subchapter 15 - HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
Part 1 - Asbestos Control
Section 216-RICR-50-15-1.22 - Hazard Assessment Criteria .1 Inspection of Buildings

Universal Citation: 216 RI Code of Rules 50 15 1.22

Current through September 18, 2024

1.22.1 Inspection of Buildings

A. General Requirement. Inspections of buildings for making the following determinations shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements contained in § 1.22 of this Part: the asbestos content of materials; conducting information surveys for asbestos containing materials.

B. Establishing the Asbestos. Content of Materials Bulk sampling of materials suspected of containing asbestos shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures contained in § 1.23 of this Part. Analysis of bulk samples shall be performed by a laboratory certified in accordance with § 1.20 of this Part.

C. Conducting Information. Surveys for Asbestos Containing Materials Asbestos inspections for schools subject to the AHERA regulations shall be in accordance with 40 C.F.R. § 763.85 incorporated by reference at § 1.2(K) of this Part and 763.86 incorporated by reference at § 1.2(L) of this Part. In all other cases, information to be collected for the evaluation of asbestos hazards in buildings shall be conducted on forms required by the Department.

D. Determining the Degree of Hazard Posed by Asbestos Containing Materials. The degree of hazard posed by asbestos containing materials in school buildings subject to the AHERA regulations shall be evaluated in accordance with 40 C.F.R. § 763.88 incorporated by reference at § 1.2(M) of this Part. In all other cases, the degree of hazard posed by asbestos containing materials in buildings shall be evaluated using the following algorithm:
1. Range or Extent of Material Condition Deterioration/Damage.
a. None: Score 0

b. Moderate/Small Area: Score 2

c. Moderate/Large Area: Score 3

d. Severe/Small Area: Score 4

e. Severe/Large Area: Score 5

f. For the purposes of §§1.22.1(D)(1)(b) through (e) of this Part:
(1) Moderate means any uncovered pipe and/or delamination, crack, etc. in a surface that is basically intact.

(2) Severe means obvious deterioration or physical separation that is not easily repaired.

(3) Small Area means any area less than or equal to ten (10) liner feet for pipes or twenty-five (25) square feet for surfaces other than pipes.

(4) Large Area means any area greater than ten (10) liner feet for pipes or twenty-five (25) square feet for surfaces other than pipes.

2. Material Condition Rating.
a. Water Damage:
(1) None: Score 0

(2) Damage over Small Area or No Damage but with flat roof immediately overhead: Score 1

(3) Damage over Small Area with flat roof immediately overhead or Damage to Large area regardless of roof type: Score 2

b. Exposed Surface Area
(1) Not exposed (i.e. located above suspended ceiling and/or not visible without removing panels or ceiling sections: Score 0

(2) 10% or less of the material is exposed: Score 1

(3) 10%-100% of the material is exposed: Score 4

3. Accessibility.
a. Not accessible: Score 0

b. Low (access requires removal of temporary barrier such as drop-ceiling: Score 1

c. Low-Moderate (accessible only with devices or equipment not common to the area: Score 2

d. Moderate (accessible only with devices or equipment common to the area: Score 3

e. High (accessible with no additional devices or equipment: Score 4

4. Activity and Movement.
a. None or Low (sedentary activities only): Score 0

b. Moderate (ordinary movement, more walking than sitting): Score 1

c. High (elevated levels of physical activity such as running, jumping, or manual labor): Score 2

5. Air Plenum or Direct Air Stream.
a. None: Score 0

b. Present: Score 1

6. Friability.
a. Not Friable: Score .1

b. Potentially Friable (difficult but possible to damage by hand and/or material that has been properly encapsulated or enclosed): Score 1

c. Moderately Friable (easy to dislodge and crush): Score 2

d. Highly Friable (fluffy, spongy, or flaking and/or pieces hanging and/or falls apart when touched): Score 3

7. Asbestos Content.
a. Trace to <1%: Score 0

b. 1% to 50%: Score 2

c. 50% to 100%: Score 3

8. Occupancy and Use.
a. Low Priority Buildings: Score 0

b. Low Priority Areas: Score 0

c. Restricted Use Areas: Score 0

d. High Priority Areas of Intermediate Priority Buildings: Score 8

e. High Priority Areas of High Priority Buildings: Score 12

9. Total Degree of Hazard shall equal the sum of the scores for §§1.22.1(D) (1) through (5) of this Part, multiplied by the score for §1.22.1(D)(6) of this Part, multiplied by the score for §1.22.1(D)(7) of this Part, plus the score for §1.22.1(D)(8) of this Part.

10. Notwithstanding the requirements of §§1.22.1(C) and 1.22.1(D) of this Part, assessments of schools shall also be conducted in accordance with §1.22.1(D) of this Part for determining eligibility for funding in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-24.5-19 and regulations adopted thereunder.

1.22.2 Development of Asbestos Abatement Remedies

A. General Requirement
1. Areas of buildings receiving a score greater than zero from the hazard assessment conducted in accordance with §1.22.1(D) of this Part will require some type of asbestos abatement (management) plan. This asbestos abatement plan must be developed by the building owner in accordance with § 1.17 of this Part and submitted for Department review.

2. Decisions regarding the abatement remedies that may be proposed to the Department as part of an asbestos abatement plan are the responsibility of the building owner. These strategies may range from simple operations and maintenance plans to complete removal. The remedies proposed in the asbestos abatement plan will be governed by the nature and extent of the hazards that have been identified, as reflected by the numerical score determined in accordance with §1.22.1(D) of this Part. The acceptability of proposed abatement remedies will be reviewed by the Department during the plan approval process in accordance with § 1.17 of this Part.

1.22.3 Reinspection of Schools and School Buildings

General Requirement. All schools and school buildings, as defined by the AHERA regulations, must have all friable and nonfriable known or assumed ACM reinspected at least once every three (3) years in accordance with 40 C.F.R. § 763.85(b) incorporated by reference at § 1.2(K) of this Part.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Rhode Island may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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