Asbestos

Asbestos has been widely used in many products because of its strength and insulating qualities.

However, asbestos is extremely dangerous to workers handling it and to others nearby when it gets into the air and is breathed in. Asbestos can cause fatal diseases such as:

  • Lung cancer
  • Mesothelioma (a cancer that forms in the thin tissue that lines many of your internal organs, including your lungs and abdomen)
  • Asbestosis (scarring in the lungs which causes breathing to become harder).

When a material contains more than 1% asbestos, it is considered an asbestos-containing material. Asbestos has not been banned and can still be found in new building products and materials. Even buildings built recently can have asbestos-containing materials.

Whether you're a home owner doing your own work or a contractor, you must identify asbestos before starting any renovation, remodeling, repair, maintenance, or demolition project. Prior to any construction, renovation, remodeling, maintenance, repair, or demolition project, homeowners, building owners, and contractors must have a good faith inspection for asbestos on the materials that could be disturbed by the project to determine if they contain asbestos.

L&I’s safety and health consultants can help you understand how the asbestos rules apply to you and how to implement them.

Overview

Getting Started

SH - Topics - Asbestos - Building Demolition Citation Photo

Asbestos can be found in many types of building materials and other products, including:

  • Pipe insulation
  • Wall and ceiling texture, including popcorn ceiling
  • Adhesives, caulking, and joint compound
  • Vinyl floor tiles, including backing and adhesives
  • Roofing materials and siding shingles
  • Walls and floors around stoves and fireplaces.

Since there is still not a complete ban on asbestos containing products, even new building materials can contain asbestos.

When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed without following proper procedures, asbestos fibers can be released into the air. These fibers may enter the breathing zones of workers and others nearby, posing serious health risks. They can also spread to surrounding areas, contaminating the space and leading to costly cleanups.

In an attempt to prevent this, L&I requires property owners, their agents, and contractors to identify any asbestos-containing products or building materials before beginning any construction activity. This process is usually started by having an accredited Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) Building Inspector perform a good faith inspection. It is impossible to tell if a material contains asbestos without having an AHERA Building Inspector sample the material, and have it tested by an accredited laboratory. See the "Good Faith Inspection" section for more information.

In addition to creating a health hazard to workers, cleaning up improperly handled asbestos can dramatically increase the cost of a construction project. Contractors and workers must be trained and certified to work with asbestos. Find certified asbestos abatement contractors, and learn more about asbestos abatement certifications on our asbestos certifications page.

Requirements & Policies

Rules

DOSH Directives (DD)

These policies provide guidelines for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) compliance and consultation staff when assessing occupational hazards related to asbestos.

Good Faith Inspection

A good faith inspection is a thorough effort to identify whether any of the materials that will be disturbed by a construction project contain asbestos before the work begins. These inspections must be conducted by an accredited inspector, such as an AHERA Building Inspector.

AHERA Building Inspectors are trained to identify suspect asbestos-containing materials, and safely take samples of these materials that could be disturbed by the project. Most certified asbestos abatement contractors have an AHERA-certified building inspector on staff. You can also search the web for “AHERA certified building inspector” to find one in your area.

{Note: This text was previously on the first tab. Here's how it was translated: Los inspectores de edificios de AHERA están capacitados para identificar materiales sospechosos que contienen asbesto y tomar muestras de manera segura que podrían ser perturbadas por el proyecto. La mayoría de los contratistas certificados en reducción de asbesto tienen un inspector de edificios certificado por AHERA en el personal, y también puede hacer una búsqueda en la web para un “inspector de edificios certificado por AHERA” en su área.}

The accredited AHERA building inspector conducting a good faith inspection knows how to choose the right materials, locations, and number of samples to collect to make sure they identify any asbestos. They will provide a report identifying any asbestos and where it was found.

Alternatively, the property owner (or their agent) may choose to treat suspect building materials as though they contain asbestos and fully follow the L&I's asbestos safety regulations when handling them.

You can be fined $600 a day for work performed without having an AHERA Building Inspector test for asbestos, or for not sharing the results of the inspection with any contractors and workers that could be exposed. This fine can be applied to both contractors and building owners. Fines go up if workers are exposed to airborne asbestos.

Homeowners and Asbestos

Prior to conducting any construction, renovation, remodeling, maintenance, repair, or demolition projects, verify that the building materials that will be impacted do not contain asbestos. As a homeowner, building owner, or a property manager acting as the owner’s agent you are responsible for conducting a good faith inspection and providing the information to your contractor. The cost of a good faith inspection is significantly lower than the thousands of dollars and stress of cleanup without one!

This process can be broken down into five steps:

Step 1: Understand the hazards

  • Asbestos is a carcinogen linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma.
  • When intact, it likely does not pose a hazard. However, when improperly disturbed, asbestos fibers can be released, exposing people or contaminating living areas, leading to costly cleanups.

Step 2: Determine if your property requires a good faith inspection

  • Review the scope of the project and identify which materials will be impacted. If any of these materials are suspected of containing asbestos, ensure a good faith inspection is conducted.
  • Be cautious with the following materials, which may contain asbestos:
    • Insulation on steam pipes, boilers, and furnace ducts;
    • Vinyl, asphalt, and rubber floor tiles and adhesives;
    • Cement sheets, millboard, and paper insulation;
    • Sprayed soundproofing or decorative coatings, such as popcorn ceilings;
    • Patching/joint compounds and textured paints;
    • Asbestos cement roofing, shingles, and siding;
  • If you are unsure, contact an AHERA Building Inspector to review the materials of concern. Most certified asbestos abatement contractors have an AHERA-certified building inspector on staff, and you can also do a web search for an “AHERA certified building inspector” in your area.
  • If you are conducting work in your own residence, which is not used for commercial purposes, you are exempt from general survey requirements. However, you must still provide relevant information to contractors and other workers you bring in.

Step 3: Conduct a good faith inspection

  • Hire an accredited AHERA Building Inspector to assess suspected asbestos-containing materials in your property.
  • Alternatively, you may:
    • Assume the material contains asbestos and handle it accordingly.
    • Use reliable manufacturer or construction records that prove no asbestos was present.
    • Document that no suspect building material will be impacted as part of the project scope.

Step 4: Document and share inspection results

  • Have the AHERA Building Inspector prepare a written report of the inspection findings.
  • Share the report with:
    • Contractors working in the property
    • Employees and other employers on site
    • Warn them about any hazardous materials identified.

Step 5: Take appropriate action

Work should not start until the copy of the inspection results has been provided. If a good faith inspection is not provided prior to the work starting, both the contractor and the property owner may be cited.

  • If asbestos-containing materials are discovered on-site and will be impacted as part of the scope, contact a certified asbestos contractor.
  • Ensure that your contractor does not disturb or impact asbestos-containing material.
  • Avoid disturbing materials until proper precautions are in place.

If an asbestos abatement contractor is working at your property to remove asbestos-containing materials, they will use some, or all of the following precautions:

  • Trained and certified workers and supervisors.
  • Notifying L&I and local clean air agencies of the work to be done.
  • Creating a regulated area to keep unauthorized people out of the area.
  • Building a containment, and decontamination area, including a shower.
  • Testing for asbestos in the air during the work.
  • Use of wet methods, HEPA filtered vacuums, or other controls to keep asbestos out of the air.
  • Personal protective equipment including respirators, suits, goggles, and gloves.
  • Medical surveillance of asbestos workers to ensure they are being kept safe.
  • Testing the air after the work is done to make sure the area is safe to re-enter.

Failure to follow all asbestos regulations can pose a serious health threat to the workers, people in the building, or the public, and lead to financial penalties or even decertification. If you see improper work done with potential asbestos materials, you can report a safety & health hazard to L&I.

Homeowner information and resources

From the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

From the Southwest Washington Clean Air Agency

Contact your nearest Washington state clean air agency for more local information and resources.

From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

    Alternatively, the property owner (or their agent) may choose to treat suspect building materials as though they contain asbestos and fully follow L&I's asbestos safety regulations when handling them.

    Training & Resources

    Asbestos Awareness

    Asbestos can be found in many materials and these resources can help you identify suspect asbestos containing materials before doing work that could accidentally disturb it. Anyone who works in or around structures that could contain asbestos will need asbestos awareness training.

    Employee Training

    Read more about how to become a Certified Asbestos Worker, Certified Asbestos Supervisor, and a Certified Asbestos Contractor on the Asbestos Certification page.

    Industry-Specific Asbestos Hazard Information

    Other agencies regulating asbestos

      Related Safety Topics

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