Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

The federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) was signed into law in 1986. It requires public schools to inspect all buildings that are leased, owned, or otherwise used as school buildings for the presence of asbestos-containing building materials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published regulations and enforces AHERA. These requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Perform an original inspection and periodic re-inspections every three years for asbestos containing material.

• Develop, maintain, and update an asbestos management plan. A copy must be kept in the school building, as well as in the district’s administrative office.

• Provide an annual written notification to parent, teacher, and employee organizations regarding the availability of the school's asbestos management plan for review and any asbestos abatement actions taken or planned in the school.

• Designate a contact person (also known as the asbestos designee) to ensure the responsibilities of the local education agency are properly implemented. 

• Perform a periodic visual surveillance every six months of all known or suspected asbestos containing building material.

• Provide custodial staff with asbestos awareness training.

The presence of asbestos does not mean that it must be removed. The asbestos management plan must include response actions to manage the asbestos. These include establishing an operations and maintenance plan; encapsulation; enclosure, repair; or removal. Work on asbestos (including an asbestos inspection and the development of an asbestos management plan) must be performed in accordance with NYS Department of Labor Code Rule 56 and only by persons licensed in an appropriate asbestos discipline.
 
Any questions regarding asbestos removal projects or any asbestos related issues should be addressed to Webster CSD Asbestos LEA Designee Blaine Cunningham, manager of buildings and grounds, at (585) 265-6585.

AHERA Notification 2021-2022 School Year

The U.S. EPA AHERA requires that each year, Webster CSD workers and building occupants receive notification of asbestos removal or abatement activities such as a response action or inspection (EPA 40 CFR § 763 Subpart E). This communication serves to inform all parents, legal guardians, teachers, administrators, and all other employees that the six-month periodic surveillance of asbestos at all buildings as required by AHERA was performed in July 2021. The three-year reinspection, also required by law, was performed in January 2022 by a fully accredited Asbestos Inspector from the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Health, Safety, Risk Management Office. All asbestos-containing materials that remain are in good condition and are located primarily in inaccessible areas. The next three-year reinspection will be due in July of 2025. Updated asbestos management plans for each school building are available for review in the buildings and grounds office and the main office of each building.

Each building will continue to have a six-month periodic surveillance and a three-year reinspect as required by AHERA. All abatement projects have been and will continue to be performed by New York State approved asbestos abatement contractors.  

The following asbestos abatement projects have been completed for the 2021-2022 school year:

Dewitt Elementary
July 2021 - floor tile and mastic, main entrance and room 108
August 2021 - floor tile and mastic, room K2

Plank South Elementary
August 2021 - floor tile and mastic, rooms 70C, 80A, 60C, 60B, 50A

Plank North Elementary
August 2021 - ceiling tile, main entrance

State Road Elementary
January 2022 - window caulk, library
November-December 2021 - floor tile and mastic, library

Webster Schroeder High School
February 2022 - pipe insulation, vermiculite, ceramic wall tile mortar/grout, restrooms T16, T17,  T25, T26, T27
December 2021 - pipe insulation, faculty bathroom
November-December 2021 - vermiculite, in walls associated with library renovation
October 2021 - roof drain insulation, library
August 2021 - vermiculite from walls, Entrance 4, E31 and E233.
July-October 2021 -  floor tile and mastic, main office, N12 library work area, N13, N14, N15, N16, food service office suite E235, W3, E3, E4, E29, E32, E35, E36, faculty restroom T13, faculty restroom T28. Caulking compound, restrooms T4, T13, T14, T15, T28, T29, T30. Vermiculite from walls, T5, T6, T19, T20, W3, E27 and E31. Window glazing, library and main office. Thermal system insulation, main office.

Webster Thomas High School
July 2021 - pipe insulation, technology classrooms and hallway, main entrance, courtyard hall near 413, hallway intersection near 417, courtyard exit near 147, west cafe, above ceilings of hallways throughout school. Floor tile and mastic, technology classrooms and hallway, hallway near library.

Any questions regarding asbestos removal projects or any asbestos related issues should be addressed to Webster CSD Asbestos LEA Designee Blaine Cunningham, manager of buildings and grounds, at (585) 265-6585.

Contractor Work Request Form

All outside workers or contractors entering Webster CSD buildings must complete and sign the Work Clearance Request Form, acknowledging the presence of asbestos containing building materials in this building. They are required to review the AHERA Management Plan for this building and the diagrams indicating where known or assumed ACBM is located. No work will be allowed in any area in which asbestos containing materials are present without prior approval of the LEA designated person, Mr. Blaine Cunningham, manager of buildings and grounds.
 
If at any time while working in the school building the contractor disturbs any asbestos containing material or assumed asbestos containing building materials, all work must be stopped and the building custodian and LEA designated person must be notified as soon as possible.

Project managers for contractors with multiple employees working in the school building may sign in on their behalf signifying that he or she is aware of the above requirements and that this information is conveyed to his or her employees. The signed form must be returned to Blaine Cunningham, manager of buildings and grounds, blaine_cunningham@webstercsd.org, (585) 265-6585.