§ 1-82 Worker Decontamination Enclosure System.
RCNY § 1-82
The following procedures shall be followed during the conduct of abatement activities on asbestos projects: (a) Worker decontamination enclosure systems must be located outside the work area and attached to all locations where workers will enter or exit the work area. One system at a single location for each contained work area is required. These systems may consist of existing rooms outside of the work area, that offer direct access to the work area and general egress from the work place. When this situation does not exist, enclosure systems may be constructed or may consist of prefabricated or trailer units. Adequate heat and light shall be safely provided.
(b)The worker decontamination enclosure system shall consist of a clean room, a shower room, and an equipment room, in series, separated from each other by airlocks and from the work area and non-work place by curtained doors (see Illustration I).
(c)Worker decontamination enclosure systems shall be fully lined utilizing two layers of fire retardant 6-mil opaque plastic sheeting at a minimum, or the equivalent.
(d)When the decontamination enclosure is constructed outdoors or in areas with public access it shall be fully framed and fire retardant plywood sheathed or equivalent to prevent unauthorized entry. When located outdoors, it shall be waterproof and windproof.
(e)Prefabricated or trailer decontamination units: (1) shall at a minimum, have functionality and security equivalent to constructed decontamination enclosure facilities, and (2) shall be completely decontaminated prior to removal from the work site.
(f)The clean room: (1) shall contain secure crew lockers or shelves, and clean sealable plastic bags for storage of street clothes, and (2) shall contain shelves or appropriate facilities for storage of respirators, and (3) shall contain clean disposable clothing, replacement filters for respirators, towels and other necessary personal protective equipment, and (4) shall not be used for storage of tools, equipment or materials, other than personal protective equipment, nor used as office space, and (5) shall be equipped with a lockable door to secure the work place during off-shift hours.
(g)The shower room: (1) shall contain a minimum of one (1) shower per 6 workers calculated on the basis of the largest shift, and (2) shall have shower heads supplied with hot and cold water adjustable at the shower, and (3) shall be constructed to ensure against water leakage, and shall contain a rigid catch basin at least six (6) inches deep, and (4) shall contain liquid bath soap, shampoo, and clean dry towels in sufficient quantity for each worker for each showering.
(h)Shower water shall be continuously drained, collected and filtered through a system with a least 5.0 micron particle size collection capability. A system containing a series of several filters with progressively smaller pore sizes shall be used to avoid rapid clogging of the filtration system by large particles. Pumps shall be installed, maintained and utilized in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations.
(1)Filtered wastewater shall be discharged either to a sewer or drummed and then properly disposed.
(2)Used filters shall be disposed of as asbestos-containing waste material.
(i)The equipment room: (1) shall be used for storage of equipment and tools used on the job that have been cleaned previously in the work area, and (2) may contain a limited supply of replacement filters (in sealed containers until used) for HEPA vacuums and pressure ventilation equipment, extra tools, containers of surfactant and other materials and equipment that may be required during the abatement activity, and (3) shall contain labeled 6-mil plastic bags for collection of disposable clothing, and (4) shall be used to store contaminated footwear (e.g. rubber boots and other reusable footwear) and contaminated clothing for reuse for the duration of the abatement activity or until disposed. (Amended City Record 1/15/2025, eff. 2/14/2025)
