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Asbestos Awareness Program

San José State University maintains an Asbestos Management Plan (PDF). The plan has procedures for asbestos work and employee protection. These procedures comply with California's asbestos regulations. All asbestos-related activities shall adhere to procedures described in this plan.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, asbestos is defined as,

"... a widely used, mineral-based material that is resistant to heat and corrosive chemicals. Typically, asbestos appears as a whitish, fibrous material which may release fibers that range in texture from coarse to silky; however, airborne fibers that can cause health damage may be too small to see with the naked eye."

The Asbestos Notification Act (Health and Safety Code, Section 25915) requires that the owner of any building constructed prior to 1979 to notify employees in writing of the existence of asbestos in those buildings.

San José State University has an Asbestos Management Plan to provide the procedures for asbestos work and employee protection. This plan complies with requirements of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), and all asbestos-related activities shall adhere to procedures described in this plan: Title 8, Section 1529 Construction Safety Order and Section 5208 General Industry Safety Orders.

Campus-wide surveys have been conducted to provide comprehensive information on the location of and types of asbestos located on campus. This information is available from Risk & Compliance. For additional information on building asbestos removal contact Facilities Development and Operations. The majority of SJSU buildings contain asbestos in some area. As buildings are renovated, the asbestos in affected areas is removed. However, asbestos still exists in most buildings. At SJSU, asbestos is most likely to be found in ceiling tiles in buildings built prior to 1981, insulation around pipes and boilers, joint compound, ceiling insulation, sprayed on fire proofing and insulation, and most 9 inch floor tiles.

Asbestos is most hazardous when it is friable. The term friable means that the asbestos is easily crumbled by hand, releasing fibers into the air. Asbestos-containing ceiling tiles, floor tiles, undamaged laboratory cabinet tops, shingles, fire doors, etc. will not release asbestos fibers unless they are disturbed or damaged in some way. For example, if an asbestos ceiling tile is drilled or broken it may release fibers into the air. If it is left alone and not disturbed, it will not.

If there is uncertainty as to whether or not a material contains asbestos, assume it does until it is verified otherwise. It is important to remember to never drill, hammer, cut, saw, break, damage, move or disturb any Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) or suspected materials.

SJSU is committed to a policy of safety and effectively managing asbestos on campus. The university maintains a staff of certified professionals at FD&O who conduct building material surveys, coordinate and supervise asbestos construction activities, perform air monitoring and provide training. Asbestos survey results listing specific locations where ACM may be encountered within your building, detailed procedures for working with asbestos and bulk air monitoring sample analysis results are available to any SJSU employee.

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