ASTM E2356

1.1 This practice describes procedures for conducting comprehensive surveys of buildings and facilities for the purpose of locating, identifying, quantifying and assessing asbestos-containing materials.

1.2 The results of a Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey are intended to be used for ongoing management of asbestos-containing materials, including Operations Maintenance, removal and other response actions. This includes response actions associated with renovations. A Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey is also intended to provide information required for removal of asbestos-containing materials prior to demolition of a building or facility.

1.3 This standard practice discusses two types of surveys: Baseline Surveys and Project Design Surveys.

1.4 This standard practice discusses the following activities for each of the above types of surveys:

1.4.1 Planning the survey to meet defined objectives;

1.4.2 Obtaining and reviewing information on the building or facility including previous surveys and response actions;

1.4.3 Conducting the physical activities of inspecting the premises and collecting bulk samples of suspect materials;

1.4.4 Analyzing the bulk samples for asbestos type and content;

1.4.5 Assessing the Current Condition and Potential for Disturbance of asbestos-containing materials; and

1.4.6 Preparing a report that includes a narrative discussion of the findings, tabulations of inspection, sampling and analysis results, graphical depiction of the areas inspected, and the results of the assessment.

1.5 A Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey provides sufficient information about the asbestos-containing materials in a building or facility for purposes of a real property transaction. In situations where the amount of information required by a party to the transaction is minimal, a Limited Asbestos Screen may suffice in place of the Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey.

1.6 This standard practice does not include air sampling or surface (dust) sampling for purposes of evaluating a potential exposure hazard from airborne asbestos fibers.

1.7 Warning-Asbestos fibers are acknowledged carcinogens. Breathing asbestos fibers can result in disease of the lungs including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Precautions in this standard practice should be taken to avoid creating and breathing airborne asbestos particles from materials known or suspected to contain asbestos. See for regulatory requirements addressing asbestos.

This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Referenced Documents

E1368 Practice for Visual Inspection of Asbestos Abatement Projects
E1494 Practice for Encapsulants for Spray-or-Trowel- Applied Friable Asbestos-Containing Building Materials
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
E736 Test Method for Cohesion/Adhesion of Sprayed Fire- Resistive Materials Applied to Structural Members
MNL-23 Manual on Asbestos Control: Surveys, Removal, and Management, 2005
29 CFR 1910.1001 Occupational Exposure to Asbestos (OSHA General Industry Standard)
29 CFR 1915.1001 Occupational Exposure to Asbestos (OSHA Shipyard Standard)
29 CFR 1926.1101 Occupational Exposure to Asbestos (OSHA Construction Standard)
40 CFR Part 61 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Subpart M-Asbestos
40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools (EPA AHERA Regulations)
40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E, Appendix C (EPA Model Accreditation Plan)
Asbestos Abatement and Management in Buildings: Model Guide Specification
EPA 20T-2003 Managing Asbestos in Place: A Building Owners Guide to Operations and Maintenance Programs for Asbestos-Containing Materials. ("Green Book") July, 1990
EPA 560/5-85-024 Guidance for Controlling Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings. ("Purple Book") 1985
EPA 560/5-85-030A Asbestos in Buildings: Simplified Sampling Scheme for Surfacing Materials.("Pink Book") 1985
EPA-600/R-93/116 Method for the Determination of Asbestos in Bulk Building Materials. June, 1993
Guidance Manual: Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Work Practices
State of New York Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) Certification Manual, Item No. 198.1 Polarized Light Microscopy Method for identifying and Quantifying Asbestos in Non-Friable Organically Bound Bulk Samples, May 15, 2000
State of New York Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) Certification Manual, Item No. 198.4 Transmission Electron Microscopy Method for identifying and Quantifying Asbestos in Non-Friable Organically Bound Bulk Samples, March 1, 1997

Index Terms

ICS Number Code 91.100.40 (Products in fibre-reinforced cement)

Citing ASTM Standards

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