URI building renovated after asbestos outbreak

11/03/09 - Last week, the University of Rhode Island removed the carpet and floor tiles of the second floor of the Sherman building due to an asbestos outbreak.According to the Director of University Facilities Services Jerry B. Sidio, asbestos was one of the most common materials that was extensively used during the 1970s. It is often found in ceiling and flooring tiles and was originally used because it was both extremely durable and flexible.

Sidio said asbestos is dangerous because when a tile breaks it releases asbestos fibers into the air.

He also said in the 1970s, the U.S. Department of Health and Wellness condemned the use of asbestos because of the dangers it posed, so it was no longer used in construction materials.

According to the Web site cancer.gov, long-term exposure to and inhalation of asbestos fibers may cause asbestosis, a condition of severe inflammation of the respiratory track and the lungs, which may lead to a cancer known as mesothelioma.

Sidio said that at least 50 percent of URI's buildings were built with, and still contain, asbestos-based tiles.

Sidio said Facility Services began an asbestos removal project on the second floor of the Sherman building last Monday. He said the carpet and tiles were removed by Wednesday of last week and new flooring is scheduled to be installed by this Wednesday.

Sidio said only the second floor of the Sherman building was closed, and the first floor remained safe to access.

Although the carpet replacement is a routine procedure URI's older buildings are required to undergo inspections that test for asbestos, Sidio said.

"We've been trying to do it for several years and just decided to get it launched this year," Sidio said. "We don't necessarily know right now, in every building, what's there. What we know is that when we go into a building and do a renovation, we do a test to see if it's there."

Sidio said while in a controlled state the asbestos is not harmful. According to Sidio, an asbestos floor covered by a carpet is not health-threatening.

"It doesn't become a problem until the floor would start to become brittle," Sidio said.

He said in a situation in which a tile were to break, a licensed contractor would be required to remove the tiles.

Sidio sends the asbestos-infected materials to another company, which disposes of it in a designated landfill.

Sidio said that URI Facility Services informs the students of asbestos removal depending on the location. He said that Facility Services blocks off the contaminated area and creates a removal plan, required and approved by the state.

Sidio and his staff were aware of the presence of asbestos tiles in the Sherman building. He said the asbestos would not have been a problem had they not replaced the carpet.

"If it doesn't break, the asbestos remains in the tile and is not a problem," Sidio said.

In addition to the tile on the floors, Sidio said asbestos also exists in the walls of older buildings as pipe insulation. He said the pipe covering does not need to be replaced as long as it remains solid and undisturbed.

Pipe insulators are only checked anytime a repair is necessary, Sidio said.

"We check for asbestos in any construction material if we're going to do something to disturb that material," Sidio said. Sidio and his staff have received formal training regarding the materials asbestos is commonly found in.

He said the two most common materials that contain asbestos are floor tiles and pipe insulation. Pipes are not as much of an issue as floor tile because they exist between walls and are unexposed to staff and students, he added.

Before regulations were put in place, nine-by-nine-inch tiles used in construction, commonly contained asbestos, Sidio said. Today, tiles with twelve-by-twelve-inch dimensions are commonly used and are less likely to contain asbestos but are not necessarily 100 percent asbestos free.

Sidio said the buildings built after the 1970s are free of asbestos. He added before renovations, his staff tests buildings constructed during the 1970s to reassure that they're safe.

Sidio said there has been one asbestos removal this academic year discovered by the building housekeeper. He said there are 66 housekeepers throughout the campus who advise on the safety of the buildings.

"We're always alert and aware of [asbestos] in the buildings," Sidio said. "It's something that, whenever we do either maintenance work or renovations we have to take into consideration. It's another aspect and another cost that we have to add into the plan because it's a considerable cost to remove asbestos."

Sidio said the replacement of the floor was standard procedure and nothing unusual.

He also added URI's Biological Science Center, will need an asbestos removal of the floor before the demolition. The building is said to be demolished this academic year.

"The largest jobs we do are in old buildings that we're tearing down or fully renovating," Sidio said.

URI's Tucker House will also face an asbestos inspection in the near future due to a broken asbestos-based tile. He added the rest of the building will remain in operation.