The University of Kentucky is committed to providing work, study, research, and residential environments that are free from recognized hazards. To fulfill this commitment as well as uphold applicable laws and regulations, UK notifies affected persons of the presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in campus buildings. Contact the UK Environmental Management Department (EMD) office at 859-323-6280 for more information about ACM in specific campus buildings.
Asbestos is a common name given to a group of mineral fibers that occur naturally and have been incorporated into a variety of construction products such as wall and ceiling plasters, floor tile, pipe insulation and asphalt roofing. These materials pose no risk to health unless they are disturbed in such a way that asbestos fibers become airborne, are inhaled and deposited within the lungs. Increased incidence of several illnesses including asbestosis (a debilitating lung disease), lung cancer, and mesothelioma (a rare cancer of the pleura or visceral cavity lining) have been observed in individuals who were persistently exposed to high levels of airborne asbestos in work environments such as mining, milling, shipbuilding, construction and manufacturing.
UK EMD conducts on-going building surveys to identify and safely manage previously installed asbestos-containing products. Furthermore, all renovation of campus buildings must be reviewed in advance by EMD to ensure that no ACMs are disturbed without proper safeguards. Work that requires removal or repair of ACM is restricted to trained and qualified persons only.
Use the following measures to protect you and others from exposure to airborne asbestos:
- Presume all building materials from pre-1981 buildings contain asbestos until determined otherwise by EMD or the UK Health & Safety (UKHS) office.
- Do not remove, cut, drill, sand, grind or otherwise disturb any material that may contain asbestos.
- Do not go above ceilings, behind walls or into building spaces such as attics and crawlspaces unless these areas have been inspected and cleared by EMD and/or UKHS.
- Do not pull cable or wiring through above-ceiling spaces with asbestos.
- Do not install screws, pins, nails or hangers into asbestos ceiling or wall plasters.
- Be careful not to damage walls, ceilings or floors when moving furniture or equipment.
- Do not brush, sweep or vacuum textured asbestos ceiling plaster or plaster debris.
- Immediately report any observed damage or deterioration of suspect building materials to your supervisor, building operator, EMD, or UKHS.
The University of Kentucky is committed to a policy of safely and effectively managing asbestos on campus. The University maintains a staff of certified professionals 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 and air monitoring sample analysis results are available for review and photocopying to any UK employee.