Asbestos cement pipe training is needed by water and sewer utility crews, contractors and public works employees who cut, tap, repair or remove AC pipe. Supervisors who plan these jobs should also be trained. Disturbing AC pipe can release asbestos fibers, so workers need to know safe methods before any field work begins.

OSHA's asbestos standard for construction, 29 CFR 1926.1101, covers cutting, tapping and removing asbestos cement pipe. This work is generally treated as Class II asbestos work, which calls for trained workers, wet methods and controls that limit fiber release. Public agency employees may be covered through a state OSHA plan.

Asbestos cement pipe is generally stable while intact, but it becomes dangerous when cut, broken, drilled or ground. Those actions can release asbestos fibers that, if inhaled, may cause asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma years later. AC water and sewer pipe can contain 20% asbestos or more as reinforcement.

Avoid dry cutting asbestos cement pipe with high-speed abrasive disc saws unless they have approved dust controls, because they release large amounts of fibers. Dry sweeping and blowing debris with compressed air are also prohibited practices. Snap cutters, wet methods and keeping pipe as intact as possible are safer choices.

Asbestos cement pipe waste should be kept wet, wrapped or bagged in leak-tight containers and labeled as asbestos waste. It should go to a landfill permitted to accept asbestos material, following federal, state and local rules. Crews should clean the work area with wet methods or HEPA vacuums, never by dry sweeping.