SGM-SF_2017with 12/20 Revisions

Health and Safety 39 ANSI/AARST SGM-SF 2017 (with 1220 revisions) Soil Gas Mitigation Standards for Existing Homes 11.2 Both Workers and Occupants (General Precautions) 11.2.1 Job site hazards Informative advisor —The contractor should take precautions to protect from jobsite hazards. Where appropriate, the contractor should post or provide notices, restrict access to job site areas or cease work until safe conditions can be secured. Where appropriate, the contractor should ventilate areas to reduce exposure to elevated radon concentrations, sealant vapors or other airborne hazards. 11.2.1.1 Informative advisory —A review of existing documents and action plans regarding hazardous conditions should be conducted prior to diagnostics or initiation of an installation. 11.2.1.2 Note—Jobsite hazards encountered during the design and mitigation process and appropriate actions can include: a) Care to discharge soil gas to outside air during pressure field extension (PFE) diagnostics. b) Prior to diagnostics or during installation, it is sometimes appropriate that utility line locations be identified in the immediate areas where drilling through slabs will occur. Care should be taken to recognize that design drawings do not always represent actual installations or retrofit installations. Care is important for protecting the integrity of building systems and worker health when drilling through concrete slabs. Careful evaluations should be made for radiant heat systems within or under slabs and for steel tendons within post-tension slabs that, if ruptured, can result in serious bodily harm; b) When health or safety concerns arise for contaminants prior to or during installations such as for chemical or waste pollutants in soil, the contractor should request confirmation testing or removal of such contaminants; and c) When confined areas such as a crawlspace are determined to be hazardous working environments, the contractor should seek safe alternatives. Such alternatives could include altering system(s) design or creating safe means of egress to the confined area. 11.2.2 Flue gas spillage Altering pressure in the building, directly or indirectly, may cause flue gas spillage from combustion appliances. Clients and impacted residents shall be advised of any significant flue gas spillage that is observed. If flue gas spillage is observed to result from the mitigation system operation, the system shall be deactivated until the condition has been evaluated and corrected. In such event, the client or impacted resident shall be advised to contact an HVAC contractor or other qualified person to evaluate and correct any significant flue gas spillage condition as well as to verify proper appliance installation and performance. Note—In addition, the client should be directed to sources of additional information such as those found at: • www . cpsc .g ov/ cpscpub/ pubs /466.h tml • www . epa . gov /i aq /h omes / hip - combustion .h tml • Appendix D of the International Fuel and Gas Code (as published by the International Code Council). 11.2.3 Asbestos Note—Deteriorating, damaged or disturbed products containing asbestos can pose a serious health threat to occupants and workers. Asbestos-containing materials can include materials for insulation, fireproofing, acoustical materials and floor tiles. Asbestos inspection reports, if even in existence, do not always specify the location of asbestos and previously hidden asbestos-containing materials which can be exposed during construction or renovations. 11.2.3.1 In any planned work area where it is suspected that asbestos may exist and be disturbed, work shall not be conducted until an accredited asbestos inspector that is licensed by the state or local jurisdiction, where applicable, determines that such work will be undertaken in a manner that complies with applicable asbestos regulations. Informative advisory —The client should be notified that proper assessment and abatement procedures are to be followed as regulated by NESHAP, OSHA, the LSHR and state and local regulations for the protection of the health and safety of occupants, and contractors . For more information, see www.epa.gov/asbestos