NM Asbestos Abatement cheat sheet

Asbestos Abatement Licensing and Certification (New Mexico)

• New Mexico regulates asbestos abatement under the Occupational Health and Safety Bureau of the NM Environment Department; the governing rule is 20.11.31 NMAC (Occupational Health and Safety – Asbestos).

• The NM Asbestos Control Program issues individual certifications by discipline: abatement worker, supervisor/contractor, inspector, management planner, project designer, and air-monitoring technician.

• A certified abatement contractor must hold a current NM abatement contractor license; individual worker or supervisor certification alone does not authorize a company to contract for abatement work.

• Initial certification requires completing an EPA/AHERA-accredited or state-approved training course for the discipline, then passing the NM certification examination; course completion alone does not confer certification.

• Refresher training is required annually for abatement workers and supervisors, and for air-monitoring technicians; refresher completion must precede certification renewal.

• Notification of abatement activity must be submitted to the NM Asbestos Control Program before work begins; the notification identifies the site, scope, square footage, scheduled dates, and the certified contractor and supervisor.

• A certified supervisor must be present on site during abatement activity; the supervisor directs work practices, worker protection, and compliance with the abatement plan.

• Certification is discipline-specific and non-transferable: a worker may not perform supervisor duties, and an inspector may not design or supervise abatement.

• Records of training certificates, medical surveillance, and certification must be retained and made available to the program on request; lapsed certification prohibits abatement work.