Contractor-Client Communications Checklist: Guide to Professionally Installing High-Pressure, Two-Component Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation This checklist provides professional contractors and clients, including homeowners and other building occupants, a set of topics to discuss so that the client understands what to expect when a professional contractor installs high-pressure, two-component spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation. This checklist was prepared as a voluntary aid to protect against potential risks from SPF; it is not a regulatory compliance tool. However, some of the best practices included in the checklist may be required under local, state or federal worker protection or other regulations. Name of Firm: Date: Brief description of work, locations where SPF will be installed, and SPF insulation products to be used. Include manufacturer, product names, system numbers, seasonal blends, and lot numbers: Worker name(s) and job title(s) on site i.e., project manager, installers, and assistants: Accreditation, training, and certification credentials: Prepare for your discussion with the client by reviewing the following health and safety, training, and hazard communication practices, check all that apply: Before Application ~ Work being performed, including application and post-application activities, potential health and safety hazards, and exposure reduction-strategies utilized for this work location. Discuss with the client why workers wear protective clothing and respiratory protection, why workers isolate the jobsite, and what to expect from cleanup procedures. ~ Training and certification credentials of the project manager, installers, and assistants. For example, contractors certified by the Spray Polyurethane Foam Association (SPFA) Professional Certification Program carry wallet-sized cards to verify that they have passed testing and certification requirements. SPF training is also provided by the Center for Polyurethanes Industry (CPI), Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA), Building Performance Institute (BPI), and individual SPF producers. ~ Potential health and safety hazards of all chemicals and processes that are part of the SPF installation. Workers and clients should review labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), technical bulletins, and manufacturer recommendations and installation instructions. ~ Plans to restrict access to the work zone for bystanders, residents, and other building occupants and communicating safe re-occupancy times. ~ Ventilation strategies to be used during application and curing, consider the following guidance at http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/spf/spf-ventilation.pdf. United States Environmental Protection Agency U.S. EPA Working Draft 01-22-2015. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/spf/spray_polyurethane_foam.html ------- ~ Long-term ventilation/air exchange considerations that can impact indoor air quality. Weatherization activities that improve air tightness can restrict the availability of fresh air needed to control odors associated with indoor sources. Supplemental air exchange may need to be provided in combustion appliance zones to assure combustion gases do not build up. This should be discussed with an HVAC design professional. ~ Environmental conditions needed for foam installation, such as air and surface temperature, relative humidity, and surface moisture. Indoor environmental conditions and/or work schedules may need to be adjusted to ensure that conditions are appropriate for installing SPF. A different seasonal product formulation may be needed to match the ambient and environmental conditions. ~ Discussion and selection of locations for changing stations near the entrance to the work zone (or near the rig) for workers to put on and remove protective clothing. Contaminated clothing and equipment should be properly stored and removed from the jobsite. ~ Client permission for access to hand-washing and/or other hygiene facilities, (e.g., sink, eyewash, or a garden hose) in or near the work area, if available. The contractor should provide a portable eyewash and consider providing a portable foot-pedal-style hand-washing sink or disposable cleaning wipes if tap water is not accessible at the jobsite. During and After Application ~ Clients should expect to vacate the work zone prior to application and not return until a period of time after application. Specific and specialized personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing, including respiratory protection, will be worn by workers, and ventilation systems designed for application areas will be in use. To prevent exposures, clients should not be present during application and cleanup, and for a period of time afterward while the SPF insulation continues to cure. ~ Other construction or trade workers not wearing PPE should not re-enter the restricted work zone until the SPF product has finished curing and the site has been ventilated and cleaned of dust and debris. ~ Residents, building occupants, and other construction or trade workers not wearing PPE should not re-occupy the restricted work zone until the SPF product has finished curing and the site has been ventilated and cleaned of dust and debris. The SPF project manager or installer should exercise caution and follow manufacturer recommendations when determining a safe re-occupancy time for clients. ~ Some manufacturers recommend 24 hours after application for worker re-entry without the use of PPE and for re-occupancy by residents and other building occupants, but the recommended time may vary. Contact your manufacturer or supplier for specific guidance on ventilation time, re-entry time, and re-occupancy time for your specific product and scenario. Get more information on ongoing research on re-occupancy times, product emissions, and ventilation rates through ASTM International Subcommittee D 22.05 on Indoor Air Quality: http://www.astm.org/Standards/D78s9.htm. U.S. EPA Working Draft 01-22-2015. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/spf/spray_polyurethane_foam.html United States Environmental Protection Agency ------- |