Asbestos-Containing Materials and Building Assessment
Domain focus
The exam tests how to identify asbestos-containing material (ACM), design a building inspection, and judge condition and disturbance potential.
Core rules
- ACM is material containing more than 1% asbestos by weight under OSHA and EPA definitions. Friable ACM can be crumbled by hand pressure; non-friable ACM can become friable when cut, ground, or sanded.
- An accredited inspector divides the building into homogeneous areas and collects representative bulk samples. Samples must be taken full-depth, wet, and without cross-contamination; PLM with dispersion staining is common, and point counting or TEM may be needed for low concentrations.
- AHERA-style inspections presume material is ACM until sampled. Assessment records location, quantity, friability, damage, accessibility, and potential for disturbance.
- Common ACM includes pipe insulation, spray-on fireproofing, ceiling tiles, floor tile and mastic, joint compound, and transite.
Worked example
A lab reports 15% amosite in pipe insulation and 2% chrysotile in floor tile. Both are ACM because both exceed 1%. The pipe insulation is friable and damaged, so it is a high-priority disturbance concern. The tile is non-friable, but removal by grinding could release fibers. The inspector should document condition, quantity, and access, not just the percentage.
Traps
The 1% threshold is by weight, not volume. Do not call a material non-asbestos because it is non-friable. Do not sample only damaged areas; homogeneous areas need representative samples. Do not confuse inspection with clearance testing.