Training: Asbestos
Asbestos Courses Accredited by: EPA, NYS-DOH
In 1986, the U.S. Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). The act mandated specific training and accreditation for people doing asbestos inspections and work in schools. On April 4, 1994, AHERA accreditation became mandatory for all asbestos inspection, project design, project supervision, and project work done in all public and commercial buildings. New OSHA regulations match this EPA requirement. With only minor exceptions, you must be an AHERA-accredited inspector to take even one sample of a product. You must be an AHERA-accredited supervisor or worker whenever you create more debris than will fit in one standard waste bag or glovebag.
What Asbestos Course(s) Do You Need to Take?
Do you want to collect samples to determine if a product contains
asbestos, or do you want to inspect a building for asbestos?
If so, you must obtain EPA Building Inspector Accreditation. The EPA
and OSHA require you to take at least the three-day course BUILDING
INSPECTION FOR ASBESTOS.(We recommend to follow it up with MANAGEMENT
PLANNING FOR ASBESTOS.)
Do you want to determine if the asbestos in your building is
hazardous?
Do you want to review possible response options for controlling asbestos?
If so, you must obtain EPA Management Planner Accreditation. The EPA
requires you to take the five-day course BUILDING INSPECTION AND MANAGEMENT
PLANNING FOR ASBESTOS. This accreditation is mandatory for work in schools
and for New York State and New York City Certification.
Do you want to learn how to conduct asbestos abatement or how
to supervise an asbestos abatement project?
If so, you must obtain EPA Contractor/Supervisor Accreditation by taking
the five-day course CONTRACTOR SUPERVISOR. This accreditation is mandatory
for anyone supervising asbestos removal work where the debris will require
more than one waste bag or glovebag, and for New York State and New
York City certification. You may also act as a worker, not just a supervisor,
with this accreditation.
Do you want to design a project? That is, do you want to develop
the plans, specifications, cost estimates, and contract documents for
an abatement project?
If so, you must obtain EPA Project Designer Accreditation. The EPA requires
you to take the three-day DESIGNING ASBESTOS ABATEMENT PROJECTS course.
This accreditation is mandatory for New York State certification. Note:
this course has a prerequisite of extensive asbestos work experience
or completion of the contractor/supervisor course.
Do you want to disturb more asbestos than will fit in one glovebag
or waste container?
If so, you must obtain EPA Worker Accreditation. The EPA requires you
to take a four-day worker course. You may satisfy the requirement with
our CONTRACTOR SUPERVISOR course (but first please note the warning
on reading skills required for all our courses).
Do you need to update your training?
The EPA requires you to take a one-day refresher course each year to
maintain each of your AHERA course accreditations.