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Sunday, July 21, 1996

Recent remodeling accompanied by asbestos removalBy John Digrado

Summer Bruin Senior Staff

When students return to the Kerckhoff Coffeehouse today after a two-week renovation, they can expect to see a number of changes and improvements to the popular java joint, ranging from new carpeting to the freshly sanded and refinished wood tables.

But what may be some of the most important changes are those beyond what's visible to the naked eye. While the closure was part of the overall Kerckhoff Hall renovation plan, construction crews also removed an amount of asbestos from the coffee shop, a group of minerals linked by the state of California to lung cancer.

"We'll be adding some new chairs, replacing the carpeting and giving it a paint job" during the closure, said Kert Evans, food services director for the students' association. "Asbestos removal is part of the project."

The coffee shop was closed earlier this year to update the service area. The rest of the remodeling was left until summer, affecting fewer students and giving construction crews a better opportunity to complete the job, said Mike Otavka, facilities development director for the students' association.

Summer's decrease in traffic also allowed for a safer removal of the hazardous material, since fewer people would be nearby when risk of exposure to the airborne particles was at its highest, said Campus Architect Duke Oakley.

While public risk of exposure to the hazardous material up to this point has been minimal, officials decided to follow standard procedures to safely eliminate the asbestos that crews discovered during renovation.

"Whenever we encounter asbestos, we remove it using a standard procedure," Otavka said. "We get a qualified removal contractor, and we have a licensed company that monitors the whole removal process. We also coordinate with the university and the Department of Health and Safety. No one was in any danger, students nor anyone else," he added.

Building materials, such as flooring and insulation containing asbestos kept in good condition often pose no risk to the public, since the only danger comes from a prolonged exposure to airborne particles, officials said.

Ironically enough, the chances of public exposure to dust containing asbestos is higher during the actual removal. Disturbing old building materials, such as insulation and floor tiles containing the substance, often kicks up more asbestos contaminated dust than if the material were left in place, Oakley said.

To avoid any unnecessary public exposure to the material, special crews performed the removal and cleanup at night, when risk of public exposure was at an absolute minimum, Oakley said.

"In all old buildings, when we go in (for renovation), one of the things that we always look for is those kind of building materials that were used ignorantly, and we use the latest techniques to remove the asbestos," Oakley said. "It's not unusual to find these asbestos containing materials" in such old buildings.

PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin

After removing traces of asbestos, workers installed new flooring in the Kerckhoff Coffeehouse.