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Environmental Hazards Programs

Environmental Hazards Programs

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)

AHERA Compliance

AHERA Requirements

The Local Education Agency (LEA) is responsible for AHERA compliance. LEAs include:

  • K-12 public schools
  • owners of any private, non-profit elementary or secondary school
  • schools operated under the Defense Department's education system

To comply with AHERA regulations, LEAs need to:

  • Conduct an initial inspection to determine whether asbestos-containing building materials are present 
  • Perform a reinspection every three (3) years 
  • Ensure that accredited professionals perform inspections, response actions, and operation and maintenance
  • Create, develop, and maintain an asbestos management plan
  • Appoint a designated person to ensure the responsibilities of the LEA are properly implemented
  • Inspect known or suspected asbestos-containing building material every six (6) months 
  • Provide an annual notification to all workers and building occupants about the school’s asbestos management plan and any asbestos-related activity in the school
  • Provide custodial and maintenance staff with asbestos-awareness training
  • Attach warning labels near any asbestos-containing building material in routine maintenance areas 

Asbestos Management Plans

  • Each school in the LEA must have an asbestos management plan
  • Management plans are living documents. Update them regularly. 

AHERA management plans include the following: 

  • Name and address of each school building and whether the building has asbestos-containing building material, and the type of asbestos-containing material
  • Date of the original school inspection
  • Reinspection plans
  • Blueprint that identifies the location of asbestos-containing building materials that remain in the school
  • Description of any actions taken to reduce asbestos exposure
  • Copy of the analysis of any building, and the name and address of any laboratory that sampled the material
  • Contact information of the designated person
  • Description of steps taken to notify parents, teachers, and students or their guardians about asbestos management plan and asbestos-activities annually
  • Training records for custodial and maintenance staff

Recordkeeping

  • The LEA must keep a copy of the asbestos management plan in each school
  • The LEA must also keep a copy of every asbestos management plan at their central repository
  • The asbestos management plan should be available upon request without restriction within 5 working days

DSHS Resources: 

EPA Resources: