Asbestos Services

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Let us help you with your asbestos survey or testing project.  Here in Texas, asbestos is a regulated substance.  Asbestos is regulated by the State of Texas, the US EPA, and OSHA. Since asbestos presents a significant risk to human health as a result of air emissions, it is considered a “hazardous air pollutant.”

The Texas Asbestos Health Protection Rules (25 TAC § 295.31 -.73) require that an asbestos survey be performed by Department of State Health Services licensed persons prior to the commencement of renovation or demolition activities that could disturb asbestos-containing materials within a public building. NOTICE - This rule does NOT allow any exemptions for the age of the building, meaning that the rules apply to 50 year old buildings, 10 year old buildings, and brand new buildings alike. Even if a building is 1 week old, the laws require an asbestos survey before any renovations. If any of the building materials scheduled be disturbed during mold remediation, renovations, or demolition contain asbestos, State and Federal regulations require abatement of the material by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor.

The Texas Asbestos Health Protection Rules supersede the Texas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules. This means that any asbestos containing building materials must be abated before mold remediation. Once the asbestos is abated, the mold remediation can commence. These are very similar processes but have different rules and regulations that must be maintained.

Asbestos Abatement Project Management and Consulting

Our services include: consulting, on-site project management, air monitoring, PCM Lab analysis, and a final executive summary clearance report. There are multiple variables that impact your costs for this part of the project, such as the length of each shift the abatement crews work, i.e. 8, 10, or 12 hour shifts and the number of shifts. Our proposal will be an estimate based on knowledge and experience. Our onsite services include: abatement air monitor, project manager, PCM Lab analysis, PCM cassettes, chemicals, microscope slides, PCM microscopes, sample warmer, and sampling pumps – high and low volume, fans, and blower, documentation, compilation, and photographs.

Additional information about asbestos and related topics can be found at
https://www.asbestos.com/abatement-guide/

Relative Asbestos Rules, Regulations, and Laws

NESHAP - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) defines an “asbestos containing material” as any material containing more than one percent (1%) asbestos as determined using the method specified in Appendix A, Subpart F, 40 CFR Part 763, Section 1, Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM). Read More - US EPA Asbestos Laws and Regulations

The asbestos NESHAP regulations specify work practices for asbestos to be followed during demolitions and renovations of all structures, installations, and buildings (excluding residential buildings that have four or fewer dwelling units). The regulations require the owner of the building or the operator to notify the appropriate state agency before any demolition, or before any renovations of buildings that could contain a certain threshold amount of asbestos or asbestos-containing material.

AHERA - Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) (Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Title II) is a federal law requiring the US EPA to promulgate regulations (e.g., the Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools Rule) requiring local educational agencies to inspect their school buildings for asbestos-containing building material, prepare asbestos management plans and perform asbestos response actions to prevent or reduce asbestos hazards. AHERA also tasked EPA with developing a model plan for states for accrediting persons conducting asbestos inspection and corrective-action activities at schools. Read More - Renovation and Demolition -Requirements, NESHAP Regulations or Schools, Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) or Schools, Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act (ASHARA)

The EPA defines "Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material" (RACM) as (a) friable asbestos material, (b) Category I non-friable ACM that has become friable, (c) Category I non-friable ACM that will be or has been subjected to sanding, grinding, cutting or abrading, or (d) Category II non-friable ACM that has a high probability of becoming or has become crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by the forces expected to act on the material in the course of demolition or renovation operations.

TSCA – The Toxic Substances Control Act

The TSCA defines asbestos as the asbestiform varieties of: chrysotile (serpentine); crocidolite (riebeckite); amosite (cummingtonite/grunerite); anthophyllite; tremolite; and actinolite.  Read More - Building Owners and Managers, EPA Asbestos Regulations

EPA Asbestos Worker Protection Rule

Through the authority of Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) the EPA extended worker protection requirements to state and local government employees involved in asbestos work who were not previously covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) asbestos regulations.  Read More - Building Operations and Maintenance EPA Asbestos Regulations, AHERA 

 OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Association

OSHA states that each employer shall protect the employment and places of employment of each of his employees by complying with the appropriate standards. The rules and regulations protect workers from exposure to asbestos. These regulations set rules for exposure limits, exposure monitoring, containment and regulated areas, worker protection equipment, respirator protection, and worker notification among others.  Read More - OSHA Asbestos Standard 29CFR1910.1001 and Construction Work: OSHA Standard 29CFR1910.12