Inspector
The Inspector domain tests identification and assessment of asbestos-containing materials before renovation, demolition, or management planning. Illinois inspectors must be licensed, and their reports drive later design and planning decisions.
Core rules
- Perform a thorough inspection of accessible and concealed spaces, including above ceilings, in chases, on pipes, boilers, ducts, flooring, and structural materials.
- Group similar materials into homogeneous areas and collect representative samples using proper sampling techniques to avoid cross-contamination.
- Assess friability, condition, accessibility, water damage, and potential for disturbance. Document locations and quantities.
- Prepare a clear report with sample locations, laboratory results, material descriptions, and photographs or diagrams where allowed.
- Do not confuse inspection with management planning; the inspector identifies and characterizes, while the management planner selects response actions.
Worked example
An inspector finds identical pipe elbows throughout a mechanical room. They may be one homogeneous area if material and installation are the same, but the inspector still needs representative sampling and documentation. Sampling only one damaged elbow while ignoring identical accessible elbows is inadequate because the report must support the full project scope.
Traps that cost marks
- Sampling only visible or damaged material and missing concealed spaces.
- Taking one sample and calling it representative without a homogeneous-area basis.
- Failing to document quantities or access limitations.
- Cross-contaminating samples or using improper containers.
- Writing a management plan instead of an inspection report.