Sprayed Mineral Fiber Manufacturers Association, Recommended Code of Practices for Application of Sprayed Fireproofing Materials (c. 1971)

A 12-page booklet of the Sprayed Mineral Fiber Manufacturers Association of Westfield, New Jersey, prepared by its Technical Committee: an "updated" code of practices for applying sprayed fireproofing in building construction. Its introduction says that "sprayed fireproofing materials generally contain some asbestos," that the dusts they release "may constitute a health hazard to the applicator and workmen in the immediate vicinity of the spraying operation," and that their emission from the job site "may cause undesirable air pollution." It sets out rules for reducing dust, overspray and fall-out, enclosing the work area with tarpaulins, cleaning up asbestos waste, dividing responsibility between the general contractor and the fireproofing subcontractor, and respirators and coveralls.

What it shows

A boxed summary, "Be Smart!", tells workers to "always wear approved U.S. Bureau of Mines respirators in the work area" and to leave their coveralls on the job at the end of the day. The booklet says the wearing of respirators "should be mandatory for all persons involved in the spraying operation" and that signs must warn people entering spraying areas. It recognizes that other trades worked "in the immediate vicinity" of spraying, and that spray could escape into the air around the building. On sprayed fireproofing generally, see Spray-Applied Fireproofing.