Asbestos Removal

About Asbestos
Building Owners
Construction
Contractors
Abatement
Certification

Asbestos Removal Requirements

Asbestos is a name for several fibrous minerals used in many industrial and building products. Some common uses are:

Insulation on boilers, piping and other mechanical systems.
Fireproofing material in buildings.
Decorative and insulating surfacing materials in buildings.
Acoustical materials and surface treatments.
Automotive and machinery brakes.

Gasket materials.
Roofing felts and tars.
Flooring felts and tiles.
Insulation boards and papers.
Cement shingles, panels, pipes, and ducts.
Electrical insulation boards and wire insulation.

For more information on asbestos and asbestos products, see the EPA asbestos home page.

The US EPA has banned many asbestos products. Asbestos products still found on the market include brakes and other friction products, gasket materials, and roofing materials.

Asbestos hazards

Asbestos has been widely used in many building products because of its tensile strength and chemical and thermal resistance.

However, asbestos is extremely hazardous to workers handling it and to others in the area when it gets into the air and is inhaled. Asbestos is a carcinogen that causes lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Because of this hazard, laws have been enacted to prevent asbestos exposures. They include these requirements:

Fines

State law specifies a minimum $250 per day fine for failure to obtain an asbestos report. This fine can be applied to both the contractor and building owner. Additional fines may be applied if workers are exposed to airborne asbestos.

Building owners must have their buildings inspected for asbestos before construction, renovation and demolition activities. Find out more …
Construction contractors - Disturbing asbestos materials during construction is a serious hazard. Before bidding or starting any construction work, they must obtain a written asbestos report from the building owner or owner's agent. Find out more ...
Asbestos abatement (removal) contractors — anyone handling or removing asbestos in Washington.
- Must be certified. Find out more ...
- Must also notify L&I of any asbestos abatement projects they are going to work on 10 days prior to starting. Notify L&I of your asbestos projects.

Note to Homeowners:

If you are working on your own residence and it is not used for commercial purposes, then you are exempt from these requirements. However, you must provide information to contractors and other workers you bring in to work on your house. If you need asbestos assistance, call 360-902-5435.

Laws, Regulation & Policy

Asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite, Chapter 296-62 WAC, Part I-1.
Asbestos, Chapter 296-65 WAC.
Occupational Exposure To Asbestos, WRD 23.10 (2,780 KB PDF / 8 min).
Asbestos Project Notification, WRD 23.25 (187 KB PDF).
Asbestos-Containing Joint Compound In Wallboard Systems, WRD 23.30 (146 KB PDF).
Demolition Of Buildings With Asbestos-Containing Materials, WRD 23.35 (168 KB PDF).
Mechanical Removal Of Asbestos-Containing Floor Tile, WIIM #97-7-G (97 KB PDF).
Asbestos Course Provider Audit Policy, WRD 23.50 (128 KB PDF).
Asbestos Project Inspection Targeting, WRD 2.60 (133 KB PDF).
Decertification Of Asbestos Abatement Contractors And Supervisors, WIIM #99-1-B (117 KB PDF).

Resources

L&I Safety and Health Video Library.
- Includes a variety of asbestos-related titles.
Ambient-air Pumps and Special Air-Flow Requirements for Asbestos DOSH Hazard Alert (707 .

Sample Procedure: How to Check Air Flow Rates Provided by Ambient-Air Pumps Used for Asbestos Work (259 KB PDF).

Asbestos and Carpet: What Is the Connection? DOSH Hazard Alert (232 KB PDF).
Asbestos Safety for Real Estate Professionals DOSH Hazard Alert (219 KB PDF)
"Working Safely with Asbestos in Brake and Clutch Linings". (922 KB PDF / 2.6 min)
- Pamphlet produced by the SHARP program.
- For a paper copy of this pamphlet, send an email to clav235@lni.wa.gov
Contractor-Building Owner Asbestos Info 2006 (54 KB PDF).

Contact L&I

Contact the Asbestos program at 360-902-5514
Contact an L&I Safety & Health or Risk Management Professional near you.
File a Workplace Safety & Health complaint.
Call 1-800-423-7233

Get Help Downloading Files (files open in a new window).

Building Owners' Responsibilities

Asbestos Inspections

Certain building materials are presumed to contain asbestos until an inspection is conducted. These materials are surfacing materials (trowel or spray applied surface treatments), thermal system insulation (on pipes, tanks and boilers), and flooring materials. This applies to materials in buildings constructed before to 1981.

An accredited AHERA Building Inspector must conduct any assessment of presumed asbestos materials or any other suspected asbestos materials before they may be handled as non-asbestos materials. An assessment is not needed if a material is assumSed to contain asbestos and handled as asbestos. Manufacturer or construction records may be used if the lack of asbestos content was documented when the material was installed. Previous surveys and abatement records may also be used, if they cover the current work area.

Inspections must cover any material you expect to be contacted or disturbed during work. Materials in other areas of the building or those that will remain inaccessible during work do not need to be assessed.

You must provide a written report of the inspection findings to any contractor working in your building. You must also give your employees and other employers working in the building access to the report and warn them of any materials that may be a hazard.