If you are planning to renovate or demolish a building in Southern California, whether it is a commercial tenant improvement, a residential remodel, or a full demolition, the question of asbestos is one you need to answer before the first wall is opened or the first floor tile is disturbed.
In California, asbestos surveys are not optional for most renovation and demolition work on buildings constructed before a certain point. They are a regulatory requirement, and the consequences of skipping them range from significant fines to work stoppages to personal liability for the property owner, contractor, and anyone else in the decision chain.
At Health Science Associates, we conduct asbestos surveys and provide industrial hygiene consulting for building owners, contractors, and developers throughout Southern California.
Here is what you need to understand about when a survey is required, what it involves, and what happens when asbestos-containing materials are found.
When an Asbestos Survey Is Required
California and federal regulations establish clear triggers for asbestos surveys.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. It requires an asbestos survey before any demolition of structures built before 1989, and before renovation that will disturb more than 100 square feet of material in structures of any age where asbestos-containing materials may be present.
The federal National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for asbestos, known as the Asbestos NESHAP standard, which is enforced by the EPA, establishes similar requirements for regulated demolitions and renovations.
Cal/OSHA’s asbestos construction standard requires contractors to determine whether asbestos-containing materials are present before any renovation work begins that could disturb those materials, a requirement that applies to structures of essentially any age.
According to the California Air Resources Board, asbestos remains one of the most significant toxic air contaminants regulated under California law, and the state’s requirements are among the most stringent in the country.
What Buildings Are at Risk
The use of asbestos in building materials was most widespread from roughly the 1920s through the late 1970s, when federal regulations began phasing out many applications. However, some asbestos-containing products remained in use through the late 1980s, which is why surveys are triggered for buildings constructed before 1989 under SCAQMD rules rather than the more commonly cited 1978 date.
Buildings in this vintage that have not been previously surveyed and remediated should be assumed to contain asbestos-containing materials until a qualified survey demonstrates otherwise.
The most common asbestos-containing materials found in Southern California commercial and residential buildings include floor tiles and mastic adhesive, particularly 9×9-inch vinyl floor tiles; ceiling tiles and spray-applied fireproofing on structural steel; pipe insulation and duct wrap; drywall joint compound applied before the late 1970s; roofing materials including built-up roofing felts and mastic; and textured ceiling and wall coatings applied as decorative finishes.
The presence of any of these materials in a building slated for renovation or demolition triggers the survey requirement.
What an Asbestos Survey Involves
A compliant asbestos survey for renovation or demolition must be conducted by a Cal/OSHA-certified asbestos consultant or a Cal/DPH-certified asbestos inspector, depending on the building type and the specific regulatory framework that applies.
The surveyor conducts a visual inspection of all accessible areas and collects bulk samples of materials suspected of containing asbestos. Each sample is collected, labeled, and submitted to an accredited laboratory for analysis by polarized light microscopy.
Materials that contain more than one percent asbestos by composition are classified as asbestos-containing materials and are subject to the abatement and disposal requirements that apply to the planned scope of work.
The survey report documents the location, condition, and asbestos content of all sampled materials and provides the information contractors need to comply with their regulatory obligations before beginning work.
What Happens When Asbestos Is Found
Finding asbestos-containing materials does not necessarily stop a project. It means those materials must be managed in accordance with applicable regulations, which depend on whether the materials are friable, their condition, and whether the planned work will disturb them.
In many cases, asbestos-containing materials that will not be disturbed by the planned scope of work can be left in place with appropriate documentation. Materials that will be disturbed must be abated by a licensed asbestos contractor before other work proceeds.
Our industrial hygiene services at Health Science Associates include asbestos surveys, project monitoring, and compliance consulting for renovation and demolition projects throughout Southern California.
Contact Health Science Associates today to schedule a survey before your project begins.