Asbestos Building Inspector UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Characteristics of asbestos mineral - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Naturally occurring
-Thermal properties (heat stability, thermal, electrical and acoustic insulation)
-Resistance to chemical, thermal and biological degradation
-Absorption capacity
- Tensile strength
What type of asbestos is the fibrous serpentine - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Chrysotile
(white asbestos)- Most common type found in schools
Two categories of asbestos minerals and their characteristics - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1.
Serpentine- curly, wavy, sheet-like
2. Amphibole- rod-like, straight, chain-like
Name the 5 amphiboles - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Amosite
Tremolite
Actinolite
Crocidolite
Anthopyllite
Asbestos Applications - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Roofing
-Thermal and electrical insulation
-Cement pipe and sheets
-Flooring
-Gaskets
-Friction materials (brake pads/shoes)
-Coatings and compounds
- Plastics, textiles, mastics, thread, fibre jointing and millboard
, Categories of ACBM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Surfacing Materials
-Thermal System Insulation
-Miscellaneous Materials
Asbestosis - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔"white lung" a disease that causes scars on the lungs.
Not a cancer. Marker disease. Only caused by asbestos.
Friable ACM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ACM that can be crumbled, pulverized, or
reduced to powder by hand pressure. Example: sprayed-on ceiling insulation. Friable ACM
cannot be made non-friable
Non-friable ACM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ACM that cannot be pulverized under hand
pressure. (If sawed, drilled, stripped, or sanded the material may become friable.) Example:
vinyl-asbestos floor tile.
- Category I: non-friable includes roofing, flooring, packings, and gaskets.
- Category II: non-friable includes all other non-friable asbestos materials
AHERA - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. 40
CFR Part 763, Subpart E. Promulgated in 1986, requires that all schools, grades K-12 (non-
profit), be inspected for the presence of ACBM (asbestos-containing building material).
ACBM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Asbestos Containing Building Material
ASHARA - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement
Reauthorization Act. Promulgated in 1990, effective Nov. 1992, requires that any asbestos
inspection conducted in a public or commercial building be performed by an accredited
Building Inspector. Extended the accreditation requirements to cover asbestos workers,
supervisors, and inspectors in public and commercial buildings. Increased minimum number
or training hours for workers and supervisors.
Building Inspector Responsibilities (AHERA & ASHARA) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1.
Determining whether ACBM is present in a building
2. Assessing the physical characteristics of the ACBM within the building.
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Characteristics of asbestos mineral - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Naturally occurring
-Thermal properties (heat stability, thermal, electrical and acoustic insulation)
-Resistance to chemical, thermal and biological degradation
-Absorption capacity
- Tensile strength
What type of asbestos is the fibrous serpentine - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Chrysotile
(white asbestos)- Most common type found in schools
Two categories of asbestos minerals and their characteristics - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1.
Serpentine- curly, wavy, sheet-like
2. Amphibole- rod-like, straight, chain-like
Name the 5 amphiboles - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Amosite
Tremolite
Actinolite
Crocidolite
Anthopyllite
Asbestos Applications - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Roofing
-Thermal and electrical insulation
-Cement pipe and sheets
-Flooring
-Gaskets
-Friction materials (brake pads/shoes)
-Coatings and compounds
- Plastics, textiles, mastics, thread, fibre jointing and millboard
, Categories of ACBM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔-Surfacing Materials
-Thermal System Insulation
-Miscellaneous Materials
Asbestosis - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔"white lung" a disease that causes scars on the lungs.
Not a cancer. Marker disease. Only caused by asbestos.
Friable ACM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ACM that can be crumbled, pulverized, or
reduced to powder by hand pressure. Example: sprayed-on ceiling insulation. Friable ACM
cannot be made non-friable
Non-friable ACM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ACM that cannot be pulverized under hand
pressure. (If sawed, drilled, stripped, or sanded the material may become friable.) Example:
vinyl-asbestos floor tile.
- Category I: non-friable includes roofing, flooring, packings, and gaskets.
- Category II: non-friable includes all other non-friable asbestos materials
AHERA - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. 40
CFR Part 763, Subpart E. Promulgated in 1986, requires that all schools, grades K-12 (non-
profit), be inspected for the presence of ACBM (asbestos-containing building material).
ACBM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Asbestos Containing Building Material
ASHARA - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement
Reauthorization Act. Promulgated in 1990, effective Nov. 1992, requires that any asbestos
inspection conducted in a public or commercial building be performed by an accredited
Building Inspector. Extended the accreditation requirements to cover asbestos workers,
supervisors, and inspectors in public and commercial buildings. Increased minimum number
or training hours for workers and supervisors.
Building Inspector Responsibilities (AHERA & ASHARA) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔1.
Determining whether ACBM is present in a building
2. Assessing the physical characteristics of the ACBM within the building.
