At the September 2010 regular monthly meeting of the Denver PDCA, attendees learned that concerns regarding asbestos hazards had not gone away. Painting contractors and all others in the construction industry need to remain on guard for the liabilities that State and Federal regulations place at their company's doorstep.  Lauren York, the Director of Operations and one of the owners of Weecycle Environmental Consulting, spoke to meeting attendees about Abestos, Lead, Mold and Methamphetamine exposures in renovation projects.  Lauren shared that all renovation projects should have an asbestos inspection to determine if there is indeed asbestos present that would then need to be abated.  

For the article title I decided to use the word uptick because it identifies an increase or upturn (uptick usually refers to stock transactions on the rise).  According to Mr. Jeff Adams, a Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE)  Asbestos Inspector, the occurrence of asbestos in new construction materials has actually been on the rise in the past several years due to NAFTA and imported materials. I contacted the CDPHE after listening to Lauren York's presentation and reviewing some of the material on the CDPHE website having to do with Asbestos.  I was connected to Mr. Adams who patiently answered my questions regarding Asbestos inspections of both residential and commercial properties and what the Colorado regulations state about substrate disturbance, what triggers abatement and other procedures contractors are mandated to follow.  Mr. Adams suggested it would be best if all renovation type projects be inspected for asbestos. His reasoning was based on the liabilities a renovating firm faces - both State and Federal.   Mr. Adams stated that no inspection for Asbsetos is necessary if less than the 'trigger level' amounts are to be disturbed, i.e., repaired, patched, cut, etc.  Simple repainting projects with no or very small amounts of repair type 'disturbance' (which can include sanding) do not require inspection.  

Trigger levels means amounts of material as follows:
With regard to single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 50 linear feet on pipes, 32 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.  With regard to all areas other than single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 260 linear feet on pipes, 160 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.

Trigger levels means amounts of material as follows:
???? With regard to single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 50 linear feet on pipes, 32 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.
???? With regard to all areas other than single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 260 linear feet on pipes, 160 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.Trigger levels means amounts of material as follows:
???? With regard to single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 50 linear feet on pipes, 32 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.
???? With regard to all areas other than single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 260 linear feet on pipes, 160 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.Trigger levels means amounts of material as follows:???? With regard to single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 50 linear feet on pipes, 32 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.???? With regard to all areas other than single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 260 linear feet on pipes, 160 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.For residential projects the surface number is 32 square feet.  For commercial projects the surface footage is