§ 1-106 Tent Procedures.
RCNY § 1-106
All sections of these rules must be followed in conjunction with this section except 15 RCNY § 1-112(a) - (h). Tent Procedures must be conducted as follows: (a) Tent procedures must be limited to the removal of less than 260 linear feet and 160 square feet of ACM on any individual floor and must not result in disturbance of ACM during tent erection. Tent procedures may be used as part of a large asbestos project only as provided for in 15 RCNY § 1-81(f) or in conjunction with the glovebag procedure set forth in 15 RCNY § 1-105. Multiple tent enclosures may be used as part of a large asbestos project on an individual floor only in conjunction with the use of the glovebag procedure set forth in 15 RCNY § 1-105. Multiple tent enclosures without the use of the glovebag procedure on a large asbestos project require a variance for the use of modified tent procedures and a remote worker decontamination enclosure. Air monitoring shall be conducted in accordance with 15 RCNY §§ 1-31 through § 1-45.
(b)Tent procedures must be conducted in a constructed or commercially available fire retardant plastic tent, plasticizing and sealing all surfaces and fixed objects not being abated within the tent periphery forming an enclosure. The tent must be of fire retardant 6-mil plastic at a minimum, with seams heat-sealed, or double-folded, stapled and taped airtight and then taped flush with the adjacent tent wall. This is a single use barrier that must not be reused once dismantled or collapsed.
(c)There shall be an airlock at the entrance to the tent, unless there is an attached worker or waste decontamination system.
(d)Asbestos handlers involved in the tent procedure must wear personal protective equipment as specified in 15 RCNY § 1-51(c), plus a second disposable suit. All street clothes must be removed and stored in a clean room within the work site. The personal protective equipment with two disposable suits must be used for installation of the tent and throughout the procedure if a decontamination unit with a shower is not physically connected to the tent. If a decontamination unit (with shower and clean room at a minimum) is physically connected to the tent, only one disposable suit shall be required; in this case, prior to exiting the tent, the worker must HEPA vacuum and wet clean the disposable suit.
(e)The tent shall be attached to the surface to produce an airtight seal except for an appropriate section to allow for make-up air into the tent.
(f)Negative pressure ventilation equipment shall be used to continuously exhaust the enclosed area as specified under 15 RCNY § 1-91, Engineering Controls.
(g)Removal of ACM shall be by wet methods in accordance with 15 RCNY § 1-102.
(h)ACM removed shall be placed in a leak-tight container without dropping it.
(i)Upon completion of abatement, and prior to tent collapse, the enclosed surfaces shall: (1) be wet cleaned using rags, mops or sponges; and (2) be permitted sufficient time to dry, prior to HEPA vacuuming all substrates; and (3) be encapsulated to lockdown residual asbestos.
(j)Upon barrier disturbance, loss of engineering controls, or termination of tent usage, the tent and the enclosed surfaces shall be treated according to subdivision (i) above.
(k)The bagged waste shall be wet cleaned or HEPA vacuumed and then transferred outside the tent, double bagged, and appropriately handled prior to disposal.
(l)The outer disposable suit (if 2 suits are worn) shall be HEPA vacuumed in the tent prior to exiting. The outer disposable suit shall be removed in the airlock and a clean suit shall be worn over the inner suit. The workers shall immediately proceed to a shower at the work site. The inner disposable suit and respirator shall be removed in the shower after appropriate wetting. The disposable clothing shall be disposed of as asbestos-containing waste material. The workers shall then fully and vigorously shower with supplied liquid bath soap, shampoo, and clean dry towels.
(m)The negative pressure ventilation equipment shall be used to filter a minimum of 4 volume changes through the tent after completion of abatement but prior to collapse of the tent/barrier. All required air monitoring must be successfully completed before the tent/barrier is collapsed.
(n)The tent shall be collapsed inward, enclosing the contaminated clothing. This contaminated material shall be disposed of in another plastic bag. The HEPA vacuum shall be decontaminated and sealed.
(o)Glovebag procedures for removal of material within the tent for any sized project shall follow the rules set forth in 15 RCNY § 1-105.
(p)A visual clearance inspection must be conducted by the asbestos handler supervisor and project monitor after the work area dries, to ensure the absence of ACM residue or debris in the work area. The clearance inspection must be documented in the abatement contractor's log and the project air sampling log. (Amended City Record 12/7/2018, eff. 1/6/2019; amended City Record 4/28/2022, eff. 5/28/2022; amended City Record 1/15/2025, eff. 2/14/2025)
