TDSHS Asbestos Inspector UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Per AHERA, management plan includes: - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔complete record of
inspection, including construction plans, exact locales of ACBM, assessment of physical
condition of ACBM
moderate disturbance classification of disturbance factors - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔ACBM which shows any one of the following characteristics:
accessible, subject to vibration, or subject to air erosion; ACBM on corridor walls, a ceiling
underneath a gym, or in an elevator shaft
elements of asbestos hazard - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔conditions of asbestos; potential for
disturbance (occupant activity, air movement); number of people exposed; duration of
exposure
PCM is for air - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔phase contrast microscopy
3 types of building materials defined by the USEPA under AHERA - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔1. Surfacing Materials - material in a school bldg that is sprayed-on, troweled-on, or
otherwise applied to materials
2. Thermal System Insulation - material in a school bldg, applied to pipes, fittings, boilers,
breeching, tanks, ducts, etc...
3. Miscellaneous ACM - interior bldg material on structural components, structural
members/fixtures, such as floor & ceiling tiles, & does not include surfacing material or
thermal insulation
advantages & disadvantages of enclosure - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Adv: reduces
exposure in the area outside the enclosure, initial costs may be lower than removal, material
replacement not necessary
Disadv: Asbestos source remains, fiber release continues behind enclosure, access to
enclosure must be controlled, periodic re-inspection required, maintenance of enclosure
necessary, long-term costs could be higher than removal
,Physical properties of asbestos - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔chemical resistance (particularly
to acids); bacterial resistance; in-combustibility; thermal insulating ability; electrical
insulating ability; mechanical strength; flexibility; good friction & wear characteristics
definition of a hazard assessment - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔application of systematic
method to rank hazards & determine appropriate corrective actions, as judged by mgmt
planner
characteristics of homogeneous sampling area - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔friable material,
apparently identical, applied/installed at same time
elements of sample area diagram of a bldg - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ID#; description of
sample area; dimensions & drawing scale; name & address of bldg; inspectors name; date of
inspection; preparers name, date of drawings, purpose of sample quality assurance;
standardizes collection & handling method; specifies analytical instrumentation
define inspector - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔an EPA accredited person with training as per
AHERA (40 CFR 763) & appropriate experience
define competent person - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔OSHA - a person who is capable of
identifying existing asbestos hazards in the workplace & who has the authority to take
corrective action
define PEL - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔OSHA - permissible exposure limit; means a level
of airborne asbestos above which no employee shall be exposed. the PEL is 0.1 f/cc of air as
an 8 hr TWA
Inspector faces 3 areas of potential liability - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔contractual
(insufficient # of samples specified); tort (legal wrong); governmental (non-compliance
w/federal or state regulations)
Subpart E Inspection - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔intended to satisfy requirements of Part III
of 40 CFR Part 763 subpart E: ACM in schools
, minimum # of samples surfacing materials (K-12 schools) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔<1000 sq ft - 3; >1000 but <5000 sq ft - 5; >5000 sq ft - 7
in a commercial bldg, you do NOT Have to be licensed to collect material samples, per State
of Texas - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔TDSHS - license requirements commercial bldgs;
EPA/OSHA - worker protection; AHERA - school requirements
Define serpentine types of asbestos - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Chrysotile
define amphibole types of asbestos - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔amosite, crocidolite,
anthophyllite, tremolite, actinolite
describe hazard assessment - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔involves analysis of the factors
contributing to the actual or potential exposure of building occupants to a hazardous
substance.
describe prioritization - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔refers to the ordering or ranking of items
in a list, in this case, determining appropriate response actions based on the results of the
hazard assessment
All ACM must be disposed of at an approved landfill in accordance with the following
provisions: - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔no visible emissions can be discharged to the
outside air during collection, packaging, transportation, or deposition of ACM
ACM must be wet or mixed with water & sealed in a leak tight container while wet
containers must be labeled per OSHA-specified labels
4 areas of federal regulations designed to control asbestos in bldgs - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔AHERA (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act); NESHAPS (National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants); OSHA Asbestos Standard; EPA Worker Protection
Rule
3 ways to inform building occupants of ACM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔distributing
notices, posting signs, holding awareness/info sessions
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Per AHERA, management plan includes: - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔complete record of
inspection, including construction plans, exact locales of ACBM, assessment of physical
condition of ACBM
moderate disturbance classification of disturbance factors - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔ACBM which shows any one of the following characteristics:
accessible, subject to vibration, or subject to air erosion; ACBM on corridor walls, a ceiling
underneath a gym, or in an elevator shaft
elements of asbestos hazard - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔conditions of asbestos; potential for
disturbance (occupant activity, air movement); number of people exposed; duration of
exposure
PCM is for air - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔phase contrast microscopy
3 types of building materials defined by the USEPA under AHERA - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔1. Surfacing Materials - material in a school bldg that is sprayed-on, troweled-on, or
otherwise applied to materials
2. Thermal System Insulation - material in a school bldg, applied to pipes, fittings, boilers,
breeching, tanks, ducts, etc...
3. Miscellaneous ACM - interior bldg material on structural components, structural
members/fixtures, such as floor & ceiling tiles, & does not include surfacing material or
thermal insulation
advantages & disadvantages of enclosure - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Adv: reduces
exposure in the area outside the enclosure, initial costs may be lower than removal, material
replacement not necessary
Disadv: Asbestos source remains, fiber release continues behind enclosure, access to
enclosure must be controlled, periodic re-inspection required, maintenance of enclosure
necessary, long-term costs could be higher than removal
,Physical properties of asbestos - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔chemical resistance (particularly
to acids); bacterial resistance; in-combustibility; thermal insulating ability; electrical
insulating ability; mechanical strength; flexibility; good friction & wear characteristics
definition of a hazard assessment - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔application of systematic
method to rank hazards & determine appropriate corrective actions, as judged by mgmt
planner
characteristics of homogeneous sampling area - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔friable material,
apparently identical, applied/installed at same time
elements of sample area diagram of a bldg - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔ID#; description of
sample area; dimensions & drawing scale; name & address of bldg; inspectors name; date of
inspection; preparers name, date of drawings, purpose of sample quality assurance;
standardizes collection & handling method; specifies analytical instrumentation
define inspector - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔an EPA accredited person with training as per
AHERA (40 CFR 763) & appropriate experience
define competent person - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔OSHA - a person who is capable of
identifying existing asbestos hazards in the workplace & who has the authority to take
corrective action
define PEL - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔OSHA - permissible exposure limit; means a level
of airborne asbestos above which no employee shall be exposed. the PEL is 0.1 f/cc of air as
an 8 hr TWA
Inspector faces 3 areas of potential liability - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔contractual
(insufficient # of samples specified); tort (legal wrong); governmental (non-compliance
w/federal or state regulations)
Subpart E Inspection - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔intended to satisfy requirements of Part III
of 40 CFR Part 763 subpart E: ACM in schools
, minimum # of samples surfacing materials (K-12 schools) - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔<1000 sq ft - 3; >1000 but <5000 sq ft - 5; >5000 sq ft - 7
in a commercial bldg, you do NOT Have to be licensed to collect material samples, per State
of Texas - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔TDSHS - license requirements commercial bldgs;
EPA/OSHA - worker protection; AHERA - school requirements
Define serpentine types of asbestos - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔Chrysotile
define amphibole types of asbestos - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔amosite, crocidolite,
anthophyllite, tremolite, actinolite
describe hazard assessment - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔involves analysis of the factors
contributing to the actual or potential exposure of building occupants to a hazardous
substance.
describe prioritization - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔refers to the ordering or ranking of items
in a list, in this case, determining appropriate response actions based on the results of the
hazard assessment
All ACM must be disposed of at an approved landfill in accordance with the following
provisions: - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔no visible emissions can be discharged to the
outside air during collection, packaging, transportation, or deposition of ACM
ACM must be wet or mixed with water & sealed in a leak tight container while wet
containers must be labeled per OSHA-specified labels
4 areas of federal regulations designed to control asbestos in bldgs - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔AHERA (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act); NESHAPS (National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants); OSHA Asbestos Standard; EPA Worker Protection
Rule
3 ways to inform building occupants of ACM - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔distributing
notices, posting signs, holding awareness/info sessions
