ASBESTOS REMOVAL TRAINING

The government requires licensed asbestos removal contractors to participate in ongoing training courses after initial accreditation

Most states offer asbestos removal training courses that meet U.S. government guidelines. To find training providers and approved training courses that are available in your area, consult the website of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

October 19, 2010 – Federal law requires asbestos control professionals to receive training on asbestos abatement procedures and how to contain it.

Asbestos removal training is required under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 (AHERA). Congress enacted AHERA that year to protect workers in all trades from occupational asbestos exposure.

The EPA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulate the use of asbestos-containing materials and enforce the laws governing the handling of this extremely toxic material. OSHA and EPA asbestos regulations are essentially intertwined.

What is asbestos removal training?

Asbestos removal training is designed to educate aspiring contractors on the details of EPA and OSHA asbestos abatement regulations. In addition to the initial training program, asbestos removal professionals are required to take annual refresher courses in order to maintain their accreditation status.

Training also is required to educate asbestos removal contractors on how to develop asbestos management plans for schools, and to manage and design asbestos abatement projects in general.

Why is asbestos dangerous?

Asbestos is a mineral-based material whose intrinsic properties make it resistant to heat and corrosion; that’s why it was widely used in the building industry for decades before AHERA was enacted.

Asbestos products may release airborne fibers too small to see with the naked eye but toxic enough to cause fatal diseases that include mesothelioma, asbestosis and asbestos-linked lung cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, asbestos kills 10,000 individuals in the United States and 90,000 people worldwide every year.

Due to its extreme toxicity and the large quantities of asbestos still embedded in public buildings, legislation was enacted that requires contractors to develop their asbestos removal training even further.

The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act of 1990 (ASHARA) amended AHERA to increase the amount of training hours contractors are required to take.

Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. – The Workers’ Champion

Many workers exposed to asbestos decades ago are being diagnosed today, in their retirement years, with life-threatening diseases that include: mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. That’s because asbestos-related diseases typically take 20 to 50 years to develop before recognizable symptoms appear.

If you worked professionally with asbestos-based products and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestosis, you may be eligible to receive significant financial compensation. For a free review of your case, please use the communication form on this page and a representative from our firm will respond quickly.