ASBESTOS PROJECT DESIGNER PRACTICE
EXAMINATION | CALIFORNIA AHERA COMPLIANCE
REVIEW & PROFESSIONAL LICENSING PREP | 2026–
2027 CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDE MOST RECENT
EDITION |A+ GRADED.
1. The primary role of an accredited Asbestos Project Designer is to:
a) Perform air monitoring during abatement
b) Develop written specifications and drawings for the safe conduct of an
asbestos abatement project
c) Remove asbestos-containing materials
d) Analyze bulk samples in a laboratory
b) Develop written specifications and drawings for the safe conduct of an
asbestos abatement project
Rationale: The project designer translates the management plan or owner's
requirements into detailed work specifications, engineering controls, and
safety procedures for the abatement contractor to follow.
2. Under AHERA, any asbestos response action in a school must be designed
by:
a) The school principal
b) An accredited asbestos project designer
c) The building owner
d) A licensed architect only
b) An accredited asbestos project designer
Rationale: AHERA requires that response actions (removal, encapsulation,
enclosure) be designed by an accredited project designer unless the project
is a small-scale, short-duration activity.
,3. A project design must include specifications for all of the following EXCEPT:
a) Work area containment
b) Decontamination facilities
c) The contractor's profit margin
d) Waste disposal procedures
c) The contractor's profit margin
Rationale: The project design addresses technical and safety requirements;
the contractor's profit margin is a business decision and is not part of the
design specifications.
4. The EPA Model Accreditation Plan requires that an asbestos project
designer complete initial training of at least:
a) 16 hours (2 days)
b) 24 hours (3 days)
c) 32 hours (4 days)
d) 40 hours (5 days)
b) 24 hours (3 days)
Rationale: The initial project designer training is a 3-day (24-hour) course,
though some states may require additional training or experience.
5. When designing a containment for a Class I asbestos abatement project, the
critical barriers must be constructed of:
a) Single-layer 2-mil polyethylene sheeting
b) Double-layer 6-mil fire-retardant polyethylene sheeting
c) Canvas tarps
d) Standard plastic drop cloths
b) Double-layer 6-mil fire-retardant polyethylene sheeting
Rationale: The containment must be durable and fire-resistant; two layers of
6-mil polyethylene are standard, with all seams and penetrations sealed
with tape.
6. The required minimum differential pressure for a negative pressure
containment is:
a) -0.01 inches of water
, b) -0.02 inches of water
c) -0.10 inches of water
d) -0.50 inches of water
b) -0.02 inches of water
Rationale: The containment must maintain at least -0.02 inches of water
relative to the outside to ensure airflow is inward through any leaks.
7. The design for a decontamination unit for Class I work must include a series
of chambers in which order from the work area to the clean area?
a) Equipment room, shower room, clean room
b) Clean room, shower room, equipment room
c) Shower room, equipment room, clean room
d) Clean room, equipment room, shower room
a) Equipment room, shower room, clean room
Rationale: The proper sequence is: work area → equipment room (dirty) →
shower room → clean room (street clothes). Workers exit through the
shower to remove contamination.
8. The project designer must specify a minimum number of air changes per
hour in the work area. The typical requirement is at least:
a) 2
b) 4
c) 10
d) 12
b) 4
Rationale: A minimum of 4 air changes per hour is required to maintain
negative pressure and control airborne fiber concentrations; higher rates
may be specified for dusty conditions.
9. Negative air machines used in an abatement project must exhaust HEPA-
filtered air:
a) Back into the work area
b) To the outside of the building, away from occupied areas and air intakes
c) Into the building's HVAC system
, d) Into an adjacent room
b) To the outside of the building, away from occupied areas and air
intakes
Rationale: Exhaust must be ducted directly outdoors to prevent any fiber-
laden air from entering occupied spaces. The exhaust is filtered through a
HEPA filter.
10.The project designer's specification for wet methods during removal of
friable ACM requires that the material be:
a) Lightly misted after removal
b) Thoroughly saturated with amended water before and during removal
c) Removed dry to avoid electrical hazards
d) Wetted only if visible dust appears
b) Thoroughly saturated with amended water before and during removal
Rationale: Amended water (water with a surfactant) must be applied to
reduce fiber release during disturbance; the material must remain wet
throughout the removal process.
11.The project design must include a detail for the "load-out" or waste transfer
procedure, which typically involves:
a) Placing waste in open containers for transport
b) Double-bagging waste in 6-mil labeled bags, placing in leak-tight
containers, and decontaminating the exterior before removal from the work
area
c) Carrying waste out in open bags
d) Disposing of waste in the building's regular trash
b) Double-bagging waste in 6-mil labeled bags, placing in leak-tight
containers, and decontaminating the exterior before removal from the
work area
Rationale: All asbestos waste must be containerized in the work area, the
outside of the containers cleaned, and transported to an approved landfill
with a manifest.
EXAMINATION | CALIFORNIA AHERA COMPLIANCE
REVIEW & PROFESSIONAL LICENSING PREP | 2026–
2027 CERTIFICATION STUDY GUIDE MOST RECENT
EDITION |A+ GRADED.
1. The primary role of an accredited Asbestos Project Designer is to:
a) Perform air monitoring during abatement
b) Develop written specifications and drawings for the safe conduct of an
asbestos abatement project
c) Remove asbestos-containing materials
d) Analyze bulk samples in a laboratory
b) Develop written specifications and drawings for the safe conduct of an
asbestos abatement project
Rationale: The project designer translates the management plan or owner's
requirements into detailed work specifications, engineering controls, and
safety procedures for the abatement contractor to follow.
2. Under AHERA, any asbestos response action in a school must be designed
by:
a) The school principal
b) An accredited asbestos project designer
c) The building owner
d) A licensed architect only
b) An accredited asbestos project designer
Rationale: AHERA requires that response actions (removal, encapsulation,
enclosure) be designed by an accredited project designer unless the project
is a small-scale, short-duration activity.
,3. A project design must include specifications for all of the following EXCEPT:
a) Work area containment
b) Decontamination facilities
c) The contractor's profit margin
d) Waste disposal procedures
c) The contractor's profit margin
Rationale: The project design addresses technical and safety requirements;
the contractor's profit margin is a business decision and is not part of the
design specifications.
4. The EPA Model Accreditation Plan requires that an asbestos project
designer complete initial training of at least:
a) 16 hours (2 days)
b) 24 hours (3 days)
c) 32 hours (4 days)
d) 40 hours (5 days)
b) 24 hours (3 days)
Rationale: The initial project designer training is a 3-day (24-hour) course,
though some states may require additional training or experience.
5. When designing a containment for a Class I asbestos abatement project, the
critical barriers must be constructed of:
a) Single-layer 2-mil polyethylene sheeting
b) Double-layer 6-mil fire-retardant polyethylene sheeting
c) Canvas tarps
d) Standard plastic drop cloths
b) Double-layer 6-mil fire-retardant polyethylene sheeting
Rationale: The containment must be durable and fire-resistant; two layers of
6-mil polyethylene are standard, with all seams and penetrations sealed
with tape.
6. The required minimum differential pressure for a negative pressure
containment is:
a) -0.01 inches of water
, b) -0.02 inches of water
c) -0.10 inches of water
d) -0.50 inches of water
b) -0.02 inches of water
Rationale: The containment must maintain at least -0.02 inches of water
relative to the outside to ensure airflow is inward through any leaks.
7. The design for a decontamination unit for Class I work must include a series
of chambers in which order from the work area to the clean area?
a) Equipment room, shower room, clean room
b) Clean room, shower room, equipment room
c) Shower room, equipment room, clean room
d) Clean room, equipment room, shower room
a) Equipment room, shower room, clean room
Rationale: The proper sequence is: work area → equipment room (dirty) →
shower room → clean room (street clothes). Workers exit through the
shower to remove contamination.
8. The project designer must specify a minimum number of air changes per
hour in the work area. The typical requirement is at least:
a) 2
b) 4
c) 10
d) 12
b) 4
Rationale: A minimum of 4 air changes per hour is required to maintain
negative pressure and control airborne fiber concentrations; higher rates
may be specified for dusty conditions.
9. Negative air machines used in an abatement project must exhaust HEPA-
filtered air:
a) Back into the work area
b) To the outside of the building, away from occupied areas and air intakes
c) Into the building's HVAC system
, d) Into an adjacent room
b) To the outside of the building, away from occupied areas and air
intakes
Rationale: Exhaust must be ducted directly outdoors to prevent any fiber-
laden air from entering occupied spaces. The exhaust is filtered through a
HEPA filter.
10.The project designer's specification for wet methods during removal of
friable ACM requires that the material be:
a) Lightly misted after removal
b) Thoroughly saturated with amended water before and during removal
c) Removed dry to avoid electrical hazards
d) Wetted only if visible dust appears
b) Thoroughly saturated with amended water before and during removal
Rationale: Amended water (water with a surfactant) must be applied to
reduce fiber release during disturbance; the material must remain wet
throughout the removal process.
11.The project design must include a detail for the "load-out" or waste transfer
procedure, which typically involves:
a) Placing waste in open containers for transport
b) Double-bagging waste in 6-mil labeled bags, placing in leak-tight
containers, and decontaminating the exterior before removal from the work
area
c) Carrying waste out in open bags
d) Disposing of waste in the building's regular trash
b) Double-bagging waste in 6-mil labeled bags, placing in leak-tight
containers, and decontaminating the exterior before removal from the
work area
Rationale: All asbestos waste must be containerized in the work area, the
outside of the containers cleaned, and transported to an approved landfill
with a manifest.
