Sec. 18.31.020. - Duties of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. - Alaska Statutes

In order to abate asbestos health hazards from public schools and from the University of Alaska, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall

(1) in a school district or regional educational attendance area that has not complied with Environmental Protection Agency asbestos regulations (40 C.F.R. Part 763), inspect school buildings to determine the presence of asbestos, take samples as needed, answer inquiries on the subject, ensure quality control of asbestos sampling, or enter into contracts for these purposes;

(2) distribute, retrieve, and store training materials concerning inspection and sampling for asbestos;

(3) establish guidelines, in conformity with Environmental Protection Agency asbestos regulations (40 C.F.R. Part 763), for abating asbestos health hazards, for inspecting and collecting samples of suspected asbestos, and for analyzing the samples;

(4) evaluate analysis results and distribute the results to affected schools;

(5) coordinate efforts by state departments and agencies and by school officials to identify and abate asbestos health hazards;

(6) cooperate with the Department of Education and Early Development to administer state money appropriated for the asbestos health hazard abatement program;

(7) establish classifications of asbestos health hazards according to the severity of the hazard and determine on the basis of those classifications the order in which abatement projects should proceed;

(8) review and approve all asbestos health hazard abatement projects relating to respirator use and employee training, including training materials;

(9) oversee an employee certification program;

(10) establish guidelines and procedures to prevent damage to asbestos products in daily operations;

(11) whenever the department is informed of scheduled work to abate an asbestos health hazard, inform the contractors and other concerned persons of the health hazards of asbestos;

(12) assist the University of Alaska in its efforts to abate asbestos health hazards; and

(13) adopt regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.