15 U.S.C. § 2655: Worker protection

Summary

Local educational agencies must not let workers do renovations or remove building materials that might contain asbestos at a school until the agency has sent a management plan and the State Governor has not rejected it at the end of the review and revision period under section 2645. The agency may only do such work if the school is using a grant under section 4014 of title 20, or if an inspection under the rules in section 2643 has been done and the agency follows the listed EPA asbestos rules (40 CFR 763.90(g),(h),(i); Appendix D to subpart E of part 763; 40 CFR 763.91 and its Appendix B; and 40 CFR 763.92(a)(2)). Any school worker asked to do emergency asbestos repairs or operations and maintenance must get proper training, the right equipment, and be allowed to use safe work practices to avoid asbestos exposure. An "emergency repair" means an unplanned fix after a sudden event that threatens people’s health or safety or the building’s structure.

Title 15, §2655

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Prohibition on certain activities

Until the local educational agency with authority over a school has submitted a management plan (for the school) which the State Governor has not disapproved as of the end of the period for review and revision of the plan under section 2645 of this title, the local educational agency may not do either of the following in the school:

(1)Perform, or direct an employee to perform, renovations or removal of building materials, except emergency repairs, in the school, unless—

(A)the school is carrying out work under a grant awarded under section 4014 of title 20; or

(B)an inspection that complies with the requirements of regulations promulgated under section 2643 of this title has been carried out in the school and the agency complies with the following sections of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

(i)Paragraphs (g), (h), and (i) of section 763.90 (response actions).

(ii)Appendix D to subpart E of part 763 (transport and disposal of asbestos waste).

(2)Perform, or direct an employee to perform, operations and maintenance activities in the school, unless the agency complies with the following sections of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

(A)section 763.91 (operations and maintenance), including appendix B to subpart E of part 763.

(B)Paragraph (a)(2) of section 763.92 (training and periodic surveillance).

(b)Employee training and equipment

Any school employee who is directed to conduct emergency repairs involving any building material containing asbestos or suspected of containing asbestos, or to conduct operations and maintenance activities, in a school—

(1)shall be provided the proper training to safely conduct such work in order to prevent potential exposure to asbestos; and

(2)shall be provided the proper equipment and allowed to follow work practices that are necessary to safely conduct such work in order to prevent potential exposure to asbestos.

(c)“Emergency repair” defined

For purposes of this section, the term “emergency repair” means a repair in a school building that was not planned and was in response to a sudden, unexpected event that threatens either—

(1)the health or safety of building occupants; or

(2)the structural integrity of the building.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 100–368, § 4(c),

July 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 833, provided that: “section 215 of the Toxic Substances Control Act [this section], as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on

October 12, 1988.”

§2655 Worker Protection

Summary

Title 15, §2655

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata