Regulated Area

A regulated area is a marked-off site where employees work with asbestos, including any adjoining areas where debris and waste from asbestos work accumulates or where airborne concentrations of asbestos exceed, or can possibly exceed, the PEL.

All Class I, II, and III asbestos work, or any other operations where airborne asbestos exceeds the PEL, must be performed within regulated areas. Only persons permitted by an employer and required by work duties to be present in regulated areas may enter a regulated area. The designated competent person supervises all asbestos work performed in this area.

Employers must mark off the regulated area in a manner that minimizes the number of persons within the area and protects persons outside the area from exposure to airborne asbestos. Critical barriers (i.e., plastic sheeting placed over all openings to the work area to prevent airborne asbestos from migrating to an adjacent area) or negative pressure enclosures may be used to mark off a regulated area.

Posted warning signs demarcating the area must be easily readable and understandable. The signs must bear the following statement: "DANGER" "ASBESTOS CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD" "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY" and "RESPIRATORY AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING ARE REQUIRED IN THIS AREA."

Employers must supply a respirator to all persons entering regulated areas. Employees must not eat, drink, smoke, chew (tobacco or gum), or apply cosmetics in regulated areas.

An employer performing work in a regulated area must inform other employers onsite of the following:

• Nature of the work,
• Regulated area requirements, and
• Measures taken to protect onsite employees.

The contractor creating or controlling the source of asbestos contamination must abate the hazards. All employers with employees working near regulated areas, must daily assess the enclosure's integrity or the effectiveness of control methods to prevent airborne asbestos from migrating.

General contractors on a construction project must oversee all asbestos work, even though they may not be the designated competent person. As supervisor of the entire project, the general contractor determines whether asbestos contractors comply with the standard and ensures that they correct any problems.

To learn more about Construction Asbestos Safety visit our Construction Asbestos Safety Online Training web page.