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Training Requirements
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Federal law requires asbestos control professionals to take training on how to properly inspect for the presence of asbestos and to repair and remove it. Training also is required to develop asbestos management plans for schools and to manage and design asbestos abatement projects. States offer these training courses, which must meet EPA guidelines. Find courses offered by each state.
In addition to this initial training, asbestos control professionals must take annual refresher training in order to maintain their accreditation status.
Background
Training for asbestos abatement professionals is required under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 (AHERA), which is the authority under which EPA issued the EPA Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan (MAP) (40 CFR Part 763, Appendix C to Subpart E). The MAP established five required training disciplines (worker, contractor/supervisor, inspector, management planner, and project designer) and one recommended discipline (project monitor).
The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act of 1990 (ASHARA) amended AHERA to increase the amount of training hours required in the various MAP course disciplines. EPA's Asbestos MAP provides guidance to states on the training requirements for asbestos control professionals. The state training programs must be at least as stringent as the MAP.
EPA recently determined that, according to the MAP, annual refresher training requirements can also be satisfied through online training in addition to in-person training because the MAP does not require that the annual refresher training be hands-on or in-person. EPA provided states with guidelines (PDF) (3 pp, 28K) for evaluating online annual refresher training courses. EPA no longer directly approves training courses and will, therefore, not approve online refresher training courses. Accrediting states must approve online courses. For more information, read EPA's Memorandum to the States (PDF) (2 pp, 22K).