MN Asbestos Abatement flashcards
MN Asbestos Abatement · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Minnesota abatement contractor license
- A state-issued credential required for any firm that contracts to perform asbestos abatement in Minnesota; work cannot begin without it.
- Worker certification course hours
- Minnesota requires an approved initial worker course of 32 hours, including hands-on training, followed by a passing exam before certification.
- Supervisor initial course
- The initial supervisor/contractor course is 40 hours and covers regulations, work practices, supervision, and hands-on removal techniques.
- Annual refresher requirement
- Certified individuals must complete an approved refresher course each year before the certificate expires to keep the certification active.
- Project designer course
- A 24-hour approved course preparing individuals to write abatement specifications, select response actions, and design containment and clearance procedures.
- Notification submission
- Contractors must notify MDH in writing before starting most abatement projects, providing site, schedule, contractor, and material information.
- Certificate on site
- A copy of each worker's and supervisor's current certification must be available at the work site during abatement for inspection.
- Unlicensed abatement penalty
- Performing abatement without the required license can lead to stop-work orders, civil penalties, license denial, and criminal charges under state law.
- Negative pressure requirement
- Containment must be kept under negative pressure, typically about -0.02 inches of water column, with at least 4 air changes per hour.
- Wet removal method
- Asbestos material is saturated with amended water before and during removal and kept wet through bagging to prevent fiber release.
- Glove bag use
- A sealed bag attached around pipe or duct for small removals; tools stay inside and waste is goosenecked into a labeled disposal bag.
- Waste packaging
- Removed ACM is double-bagged in 6-mil leak-tight bags or wrapped in 6-mil poly, labeled with the asbestos warning, and handled as regulated waste.
- Decontamination sequence
- Workers pass from the work area through an equipment room and shower into a clean room, showering before leaving containment.
- Final visual inspection
- Before clearance sampling, the containment is inspected for dust and residue; any visible debris requires re-cleaning and re-inspection.
- Clearance air sampling
- Aggressive air sampling after cleaning confirms fiber levels are at or below the clearance limit before the area is released for occupancy.
- HEPA filtration
- High-efficiency particulate air filters capture asbestos fibers; HEPA vacuums and negative air machines are required for cleanup and pressure control.
- Critical barriers
- Plastic sheeting sealing openings, vents, and surfaces in the work area to prevent fiber migration outside the containment.
- Friable definition
- Material that can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry; friable ACM poses the greatest fiber-release risk.
- Category I non-friable
- Non-friable materials such as asphalt roofing, flooring, and gaskets that generally do not release fibers unless sanded or damaged.
- Category II non-friable
- Cementitious products such as transite, cement pipe, and shingles that can become friable when cut, broken, or demolished.
- Six regulated minerals
- Chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite are the regulated asbestos minerals; chrysotile is the serpentine form.
- PACM definition
- Presumed asbestos-containing material: thermal system insulation and surfacing materials in older buildings assumed to contain asbestos until sampling proves otherwise.
- Thermal system insulation
- Insulation on pipes, boilers, tanks, and ducts; a common ACM category and a presumed ACM in pre-cutoff buildings.
- Surfacing material
- Spray-applied or troweled material on ceilings, walls, and structural members for fireproofing or acoustics; often friable ACM.
- Bulk sampling protocol
- An accredited inspector collects the required number of samples per homogeneous area, and an accredited lab analyzes them by PLM or TEM.
- AHERA scope
- The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act requires all public and private K-12 schools to inspect for asbestos and prepare management plans.
- Designated person
- The school official responsible for ensuring AHERA compliance, including inspections, management plan updates, notifications, and recordkeeping.
- Management plan contents
- A written plan describing inspection results, response actions, O&M procedures, and schedules, kept at the school and the local education agency.
- Triennial reinspection
- Schools must re-inspect all known and assumed asbestos-containing material every three years using an accredited inspector and update the plan.
- Annual notification
- Schools must notify parents, teachers, and employee organizations each year about the management plan and any planned or ongoing abatement.
- School clearance limit
- After abatement in a school, air sampling must show fiber levels at or below 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter by PCM before reoccupancy.
- Response action types
- AHERA response actions include repair, encapsulation, enclosure, removal, and operations and maintenance, selected based on material condition and disturbance potential.