Asbestos Building Inspector Initial
Exam Questions With 100% Pass
/. AHERA - Answer-✅The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. 40 CFR Part
763, Subpart E. Started 1986 and requires that all schools, grades K-12 (non-profit), be
inspected for the presence of ACBM (asbestos-containing building material).
/.ACBM - Answer-✅Asbestos Containing Building Material
/.ASHARA - Answer-✅The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act.
Started 1990, effective Nov. 1992, requires that an accredited Building Inspector
perform any asbestos inspection conducted in a public or commercial building.
Extended the training requirement to cover asbestos workers, supervisors, and
inspectors in public and commercial buildings. ("Under the ASHARA revisions AHERA's
training requirements now apply to all persons working with asbestos in public and
commercial buildings...")
Increased number of hours required for asbestos worker and supervisor training to 32
and 40 hrs respectively.
/.Building Inspector Responsibilities (AHERA & ASHARA) - Answer-✅1. Determining
whether ACBM is present in a building
2. Assessing the physical characteristics of the ACBM within the building.
/.A building inspection involves: - Answer-✅1. Investigation of records for the
identification of ACBM
2. A physical and visual inspection of the building for suspect materials
3. Sampling and analyzing suspect materials to test for asbestos
4. Assessing the condition and location of the ACBM and other characteristics of the
building
/.Management Planner Role - Answer-✅Uses info from the building inspection to
estimate the degree of current or potential hazard posed by the ACM and develop a
plan for managing the ACM. After ACM is confirmed, create O&M plan, stays in effect
until ACM is removed.
/.OSHA - Answer-✅Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Protects workers
/.How AHERA affects your work/changed things: - Answer-✅1. Defines ACM as being
more than 1%.
, 2. Lays out 5 control methods: operations and maintenance, enclosure, encapsulation,
repair, and removal.
3. Describes clearance air sampling at end of job with aggressive air sampling and a
TEM.
4. Regulates training classes like this one and requires this training for all workers
working with asbestos (excludes single-family homes)
/.What are the 5 control methods for asbestos, and what laid them out? - Answer-
✅O&M, enclosure, encapsulation, repair, and removal. AHERA created.
/.TEM - Answer-✅Transmission Electron Microscope/Microscopy. May be used to
detect smaller fibers of asbestos.
/.ASHAA - Answer-✅Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act. 1984, Directed EPA to
help schools carry out their asbestos hazard responsibilities.
/.MAP - Answer-✅Model Accreditation Plan. From EPA, said now everyone doing
things with asbestos must adhere, not just schools.
/.Public and commercial buildings: - Answer-✅All buildings other than school buildings
and apartment buildings with greater than 10 units.
/.NESHAP - Answer-✅National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants. 40
CFR Part 61, Subpart M
/.How NESHAP affects your work/changes things: - Answer-✅1. Defines any job at
least 160 sqft (100 in SoCal under SCAQMD), 260 lf, or 35 cf as a large job
2. Asbestos must be wet before taken down and sealed in airtight container
3. Employer must notify EPA of the job 10 working days before begins (notify even if no
asbestos for a demo)
4. Waste bags must be labeled with the location of the job and name of waste
generator, be 6 mil thick, say "Danger
contains asbestos fibers
avoid creating dust
cancer and lung disease hazard"
4. Buildings musts be inspected for asbestos prior to demo or reno.
5. Requires there be no visible emissions to the outside air during removal
/.Buildings covered under NESHAP (and exclusions) - Answer-✅Excluded: private
homes and apartment buildings with 4 or less units (Except these are covered still in
SoCal under SCAQMD)
Included: Institutional Buildings (hospitals, schools), commercial buildings (offices,
apartment buildings), industrial buildings (warehouses, factories).
Exam Questions With 100% Pass
/. AHERA - Answer-✅The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. 40 CFR Part
763, Subpart E. Started 1986 and requires that all schools, grades K-12 (non-profit), be
inspected for the presence of ACBM (asbestos-containing building material).
/.ACBM - Answer-✅Asbestos Containing Building Material
/.ASHARA - Answer-✅The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act.
Started 1990, effective Nov. 1992, requires that an accredited Building Inspector
perform any asbestos inspection conducted in a public or commercial building.
Extended the training requirement to cover asbestos workers, supervisors, and
inspectors in public and commercial buildings. ("Under the ASHARA revisions AHERA's
training requirements now apply to all persons working with asbestos in public and
commercial buildings...")
Increased number of hours required for asbestos worker and supervisor training to 32
and 40 hrs respectively.
/.Building Inspector Responsibilities (AHERA & ASHARA) - Answer-✅1. Determining
whether ACBM is present in a building
2. Assessing the physical characteristics of the ACBM within the building.
/.A building inspection involves: - Answer-✅1. Investigation of records for the
identification of ACBM
2. A physical and visual inspection of the building for suspect materials
3. Sampling and analyzing suspect materials to test for asbestos
4. Assessing the condition and location of the ACBM and other characteristics of the
building
/.Management Planner Role - Answer-✅Uses info from the building inspection to
estimate the degree of current or potential hazard posed by the ACM and develop a
plan for managing the ACM. After ACM is confirmed, create O&M plan, stays in effect
until ACM is removed.
/.OSHA - Answer-✅Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Protects workers
/.How AHERA affects your work/changed things: - Answer-✅1. Defines ACM as being
more than 1%.
, 2. Lays out 5 control methods: operations and maintenance, enclosure, encapsulation,
repair, and removal.
3. Describes clearance air sampling at end of job with aggressive air sampling and a
TEM.
4. Regulates training classes like this one and requires this training for all workers
working with asbestos (excludes single-family homes)
/.What are the 5 control methods for asbestos, and what laid them out? - Answer-
✅O&M, enclosure, encapsulation, repair, and removal. AHERA created.
/.TEM - Answer-✅Transmission Electron Microscope/Microscopy. May be used to
detect smaller fibers of asbestos.
/.ASHAA - Answer-✅Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act. 1984, Directed EPA to
help schools carry out their asbestos hazard responsibilities.
/.MAP - Answer-✅Model Accreditation Plan. From EPA, said now everyone doing
things with asbestos must adhere, not just schools.
/.Public and commercial buildings: - Answer-✅All buildings other than school buildings
and apartment buildings with greater than 10 units.
/.NESHAP - Answer-✅National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants. 40
CFR Part 61, Subpart M
/.How NESHAP affects your work/changes things: - Answer-✅1. Defines any job at
least 160 sqft (100 in SoCal under SCAQMD), 260 lf, or 35 cf as a large job
2. Asbestos must be wet before taken down and sealed in airtight container
3. Employer must notify EPA of the job 10 working days before begins (notify even if no
asbestos for a demo)
4. Waste bags must be labeled with the location of the job and name of waste
generator, be 6 mil thick, say "Danger
contains asbestos fibers
avoid creating dust
cancer and lung disease hazard"
4. Buildings musts be inspected for asbestos prior to demo or reno.
5. Requires there be no visible emissions to the outside air during removal
/.Buildings covered under NESHAP (and exclusions) - Answer-✅Excluded: private
homes and apartment buildings with 4 or less units (Except these are covered still in
SoCal under SCAQMD)
Included: Institutional Buildings (hospitals, schools), commercial buildings (offices,
apartment buildings), industrial buildings (warehouses, factories).
