ASBESTOS CONTRACTOR EXAM REVIEW
GUIDE 2026 COMPLETE PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
●● What type of asbestos is the fibrous serpentine. Answer: Chrysotile
(white asbestos)- Most common type found in schools
●● Two categories of asbestos minerals and their characteristics.
Answer: 1. Serpentine- curly, wavy, sheet-like
2. Amphibole- rod-like, straight, chain-like
●● Name the 5 amphiboles. Answer: Amosite
Tremolite
Actinolite
Crocidolite
Anthopyllite
●● Asbestos Applications. 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. Answer: -Surfacing Materials
-Thermal System Insulation
-Miscellaneous Materials
●● Asbestosis. Answer: "white lung" a disease that causes scars on the
lungs. Not a cancer. Marker disease. Only caused by asbestos.
●● Friable ACM. 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. 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. 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. Answer: Asbestos Containing Building Material
●● ASHARA. 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). Answer:
1. Determining whether ACBM is present in a building
2. Assessing the physical characteristics of the ACBM within the
building.
●● A building inspection involves:. Answer: 1. Investigation of records
for the identification of ACBM
2. A physical and visual inspection of the building for suspect materials
3. Sampling and analyzing suspect materials to test for asbestos
4. Assessing the condition and location of the ACBM and other
characteristics of the building
GUIDE 2026 COMPLETE PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
●● What type of asbestos is the fibrous serpentine. Answer: Chrysotile
(white asbestos)- Most common type found in schools
●● Two categories of asbestos minerals and their characteristics.
Answer: 1. Serpentine- curly, wavy, sheet-like
2. Amphibole- rod-like, straight, chain-like
●● Name the 5 amphiboles. Answer: Amosite
Tremolite
Actinolite
Crocidolite
Anthopyllite
●● Asbestos Applications. 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. Answer: -Surfacing Materials
-Thermal System Insulation
-Miscellaneous Materials
●● Asbestosis. Answer: "white lung" a disease that causes scars on the
lungs. Not a cancer. Marker disease. Only caused by asbestos.
●● Friable ACM. 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. 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. 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. Answer: Asbestos Containing Building Material
●● ASHARA. 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). Answer:
1. Determining whether ACBM is present in a building
2. Assessing the physical characteristics of the ACBM within the
building.
●● A building inspection involves:. Answer: 1. Investigation of records
for the identification of ACBM
2. A physical and visual inspection of the building for suspect materials
3. Sampling and analyzing suspect materials to test for asbestos
4. Assessing the condition and location of the ACBM and other
characteristics of the building
