NV Asbestos Abatement study materials
NV Asbestos Abatement study resources

NV Asbestos Abatement key terms

NV Asbestos Abatement · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.

Asbestos Abatement Contractor (Classification A-23)

A Nevada contractor license subclass covering removal, encapsulation, enclosure, and disposal of asbestos-containing material. It authorizes work on friable and non-friable asbestos and requires the specific classification rather than a general building license.

Related: Classification C-22, Nevada State Contractors Board
Classification C-22

A Nevada specialty contractor classification for asbestos abatement and related removal work, distinct from the A-23 general abatement classification. Candidates should confirm which classification the scope of a given project requires before bidding.

Related: Asbestos Abatement Contractor (Classification A-23)
Friable Asbestos-Containing Material

Material that can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry, releasing fibers readily. Friable material drives stricter removal, containment, and disposal requirements than non-friable material.

Related: Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material, Negative Pressure Enclosure
Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material (RACM)

A regulatory category covering friable asbestos material and non-friable material that will be crumbled or pulverized during handling. RACM triggers specific notification, handling, packaging, and disposal obligations for abatement work.

Related: Friable Asbestos-Containing Material, Waste Shipment Record
Negative Pressure Enclosure

A sealed work area kept under negative air pressure with HEPA-filtered exhaust so airborne fibers are drawn inward and filtered rather than escaping. Workers monitor differential pressure and smoke-test the enclosure before and during removal.

Related: HEPA Vacuum, Decontamination Unit, Critical Barrier
Decontamination Unit

A staged series of connected chambers-clean room, shower, and equipment room-that workers pass through when entering and leaving a regulated work area. It prevents fibers from being carried out on clothing, skin, or equipment.

Related: Negative Pressure Enclosure, Personal Protective Equipment
Critical Barrier

A physical separation such as plastic sheeting, sealed doors, or taped seams that keeps asbestos fibers inside the regulated area. Damaged or incomplete barriers must be repaired before removal continues.

Related: Negative Pressure Enclosure
HEPA Vacuum

A vacuum equipped with a high-efficiency particulate air filter capable of capturing very fine fibers. It is used for cleaning surfaces and equipment in abatement work rather than ordinary shop vacuums, which can redistribute fibers.

Related: Negative Pressure Enclosure, Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Protective gear worn by abatement workers, including respirators, disposable coveralls, gloves, and eye protection. Selection depends on exposure assessment and must be used with proper fit testing and training.

Related: Respirator Fit Test, Decontamination Unit
Respirator Fit Test

A documented procedure confirming that a tight-fitting respirator seals against the wearer's face. It must be repeated periodically and whenever facial conditions or respirator models change, and records must be retained.

Related: Personal Protective Equipment
Wet Removal Method

A removal technique in which material is saturated with amended water before and during disturbance to suppress fiber release. Workers keep material wet through removal, bagging, and cleanup to limit airborne concentrations.

Related: Amended Water, Friable Asbestos-Containing Material
Amended Water

Water mixed with a surfactant that improves penetration into asbestos-containing material so fibers stay damp and clump together. It is applied during wet removal and cleanup to reduce airborne fiber generation.

Related: Wet Removal Method
Glove Bag

A sealed, flexible bag with built-in sleeves and gloves that encloses small sections of pipe or fittings during removal. It lets a worker break and remove material without opening the work area to the surrounding space.

Related: Wet Removal Method, Negative Pressure Enclosure
Waste Shipment Record

A tracking document that follows asbestos waste from the generation site to the disposal facility, with signed custody at each transfer. It creates an auditable chain showing the waste reached an approved landfill.

Related: Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material (RACM), Approved Disposal Site
Approved Disposal Site

A landfill or facility legally permitted to accept asbestos-containing waste, with specific handling and cover requirements. Contractors must confirm acceptance before removal so waste is not left improperly stored on site.

Related: Waste Shipment Record
Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB)

The state agency that licenses contractors, reviews qualifications, investigates complaints, and enforces contractor law under NRS Chapter 624. It issues classifications, administers examinations, and can discipline or revoke licenses.

Related: Contractor License, Classification C-22
Contractor License

The credential issued by the Nevada State Contractors Board authorizing a business to bid and perform construction work within specific classifications and monetary limits. Working without one can expose a contractor to penalties and bar recovery of compensation.

Related: Monetary Limit, Qualified Employee
Qualified Employee

An individual who passes the required examinations and is designated to exercise direct supervision and control over the licensee's construction work. The license is held by the business, but the qualified employee supplies the technical qualification.

Related: Contractor License, Construction Management Experience
Construction Management Experience

Documented supervisory experience in construction that an applicant must show to qualify for a license. The required years vary by classification and must be verifiable through employment records or project documentation.

Related: Qualified Employee, License Application
License Application

The package submitted to the Nevada State Contractors Board containing the application form, experience documentation, financial statements, fees, and fingerprint background checks. Incomplete packages delay review and examination scheduling.

Related: Construction Management Experience, Financial Statement Requirement
Monetary Limit

The maximum contract value a licensee may undertake, set by the Board based on the contractor's financial capacity and classification. Bidding or contracting above the limit is a violation even if the work itself is within scope.

Related: Financial Statement Requirement, Contractor License
Financial Statement Requirement

The obligation to submit a financial statement, often reviewed by an accountant, showing sufficient working capital and net worth for the requested monetary limit. It is a core part of licensing and renewal review.

Related: Monetary Limit, Working Capital
Working Capital

The difference between current assets and current liabilities, used by the Board to gauge whether a contractor can fund ongoing operations. Weak working capital can reduce the monetary limit or block a license.

Related: Financial Statement Requirement
Contractor's License Bond

A surety bond filed with the Board as a condition of licensing, available to claimants harmed by license law violations. It is not liability insurance and does not cover the contractor's own losses or ordinary construction defects.

Related: Surety Bond, Recovery Fund
Surety Bond

A three-party instrument in which a surety guarantees a contractor's performance or compliance obligations to an obligee. Claims are paid by the surety, which then seeks reimbursement from the bonded contractor.

Related: Contractor's License Bond, Performance Bond
Performance Bond

A bond securing a contractor's completion of a project according to contract terms, typically required on public or large private work. If the contractor defaults, the surety may arrange completion or pay the obligee up to the bond amount.

Related: Surety Bond, Payment Bond
Payment Bond

A bond protecting subcontractors and suppliers by guaranteeing payment for labor and materials on a bonded project. Claimants pursue the surety when the prime contractor fails to pay them for covered work.

Related: Performance Bond, Surety Bond
Recovery Fund

A Board-administered fund that may compensate owners who obtain a judgment against a licensee for certain acts and cannot collect. Claim limits and eligibility rules apply, and the licensee may face repayment obligations.

Related: Contractor's License Bond
NRS Chapter 624

The Nevada statutes governing licensing and regulation of contractors, including application requirements, disciplinary grounds, and enforcement authority. It supplies the legal framework that the Board implements through regulations.

Related: NAC Chapter 624, Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB)
NAC Chapter 624

The Nevada Administrative Code regulations that implement NRS Chapter 624, detailing licensing procedures, examination requirements, classification definitions, and disciplinary procedures. Regulations fill in operational detail that statutes address only in outline.

Related: NRS Chapter 624
Disciplinary Action

Enforcement measures the Board may impose for violations, ranging from letters of reprimand and fines to suspension or revocation of a license. Grounds include unlicensed contracting, abandonment, and failure to comply with orders.

Related: Citation, Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB)
Citation

A formal notice of violation issued by the Board, often for minor or first-time infractions, that carries a fine and can be contested. Failure to respond can escalate to more serious disciplinary proceedings.

Related: Disciplinary Action
Unlicensed Contracting

Bidding or performing work that requires a license without holding one, or working outside the scope of the license held. It can result in administrative fines, criminal exposure, and loss of the right to sue for compensation.

Related: Contractor License, Monetary Limit
Notice of Intent to Award

A written communication showing that a bidder has been selected for a project, used by the Board to verify that a contractor's monetary limit covers the proposed contract. It must be submitted before work begins.

Related: Monetary Limit, Contractor License
Change Order

A written modification to contract scope, price, or schedule signed by the parties. In licensing terms, cumulative changes can push a project above the contractor's monetary limit and must be tracked accordingly.

Related: Monetary Limit, Notice of Intent to Award
Abandonment of Project

Leaving work without justification or failing to return after notice, a ground for Board discipline. It can also trigger bond or recovery fund claims by the owner for costs of completing the work.

Related: Disciplinary Action, Contractor's License Bond
Written Contract Requirement

The rule that certain residential and other contracts must be in writing and include specified terms such as scope, price, and payment schedule. Missing required terms can support a complaint even if the work was performed.

Related: Change Order, Disciplinary Action