ASBESTOS REMOVAL CERTIFICATION

Training requirements for asbestos control professionals are established by the EPA

October 28, 2010 – Two U.S. government agencies enforce asbestos regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulate the handling and removal of asbestos-containing materials, and established certification requirements for licensing professional asbestos removal contractors.

Asbestos is no longer mined in the United States, but it is still imported and used in the construction and automobile industries. Contributing to the nation’s asbestos dangers are large quantities of asbestos-based construction products that still remain in public and residential buildings erected before Congress passed worksite asbestos safety laws in the 1980s.

The abundant presence of asbestos-containing materials in public buildings, including public school buildings, is not cause for alarm unless the materials are in poor condition or slated to be removed, in which case the EPA suggests a consultation with a licensed asbestos removal company. Asbestos removal contractors are trained to perform abatement projects safely and thoroughly, and according to the strict guidelines of the EPA and OSHA.

Asbestos control professionals, as they are called, are empowered by law to perform any projects involving asbestos abatement. They are trained and receive certification to test materials for asbestos content, evaluate the condition of the material, and determine the need for asbestos removal services or any other corrective action, which can include encapsulation of the material.

Five jobs identified for asbestos removal certification

Federal asbestos laws require aspiring abatement contractors to receive training for asbestos removal certification. In addition to this initial training, contractors must also take annual refresher training courses to maintain their certification status. States offer training courses that meet EPA guidelines.

The EPA has what it calls its “Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan” (MAP), which established five required training disciplines for asbestos removal certification: worker, contractor/supervisor, inspector, management planner, and project designer; and one discipline still under consideration, that of project monitor.

EPA's Asbestos MAP provides guidance to states on training requirements for asbestos removal certification. The EPA no longer directly approves training courses, so applicants seeking detailed information are advised to read EPA's Memorandum to the States.

Weitz & Luxenberg – Law firm for the American worker

Weitz & Luxenberg is a national legal force in the asbestos litigation field and recognized by news organizations and the legal community for obtaining record-setting verdicts and settlements for asbestos-injured workers.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis and seek mesothelioma legal support or a free consultation on your eligibility to receive a financial award for lost wages, medical bills and suffering, please contact Weitz & Luxenberg today through the communication form presented here.