AHERA Inspector case studies
AHERA Inspector · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The AHERA Inspector credential is a state-administered accreditation for individuals who inspect school buildings for asbestos-containing building material and assess its condition. It exists because the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), enacted as Title II of the Toxic Substances Control Act, required EPA to issue regulations - the Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools Rule at 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E - obliging local education agencies to inspect their schools, prepare asbestos management plans, and carry out response actions to prevent or reduce asbestos hazards. The AHERA Inspector case studies are 5 cases and about 2,313 words.
1The Three-Year Re-inspection That Slipped
A public school district in a state with an OSHA-approved plan operates 14 buildings. The LEA's original AHERA inspection was completed in March 2019, and management plans were distributed that June.
509 words, about 3 min2The Custodian Who 'Cleaned Up' a Damaged Pipe Wrap
During a six-month periodic surveillance walk of a 1968 middle school, the inspector notes friable corrugated pipe insulation in a mechanical room. The material was assessed in 2020 as ACBM in damaged condition with a response action of 'Operations and Maintenance.' The custodian mentions that two weeks ago a pipe leaked, soaking the wrap; he tore off the wet section with gloved hands, bagged it in a single 6-mil bag, and put it in the dumpster.
477 words, about 2 min3The Contractor Who Showed Up With the Wrong Credentials
A K-12 district solicits bids to remove 400 linear feet of friable boiler insulation and 1,200 square feet of vinyl asbestos floor tile from a 1955 high school. The low bidder submits: a state contractor license, a supervisor certificate for the supervisor, and a letter saying its four workers 'have been doing this for years.' The district's business manager asks the AHERA inspector whether the bid can be awarded.
493 words, about 2 min4The Management Plan Nobody Could Find
A parent requests the asbestos management plan for her child's elementary school. The principal says the plan is 'at the district office somewhere.' The district office produces a binder, but it contains: the 2018 inspection report, a 2019 re-inspection summary, and a 2021 O&M note.
404 words, about 2 min5The Renovation That Ate the Inspection Schedule
A district plans a major renovation of a 1972 junior high: replacing ceilings, rerouting corridors, and demolishing two interior walls. The existing management plan, based on a 2017 inspection, assumed the ceiling tiles were non-ACBM based on a bulk sample of one tile from one room.
430 words, about 2 min