There are over millions of square feet of asbestos-containing materials in American buildings today. Unsuspecting people are exposed to asbestos every day. Asbestos exposures result in Americans dying from asbestos related diseases. AHERA (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act) was America's first organized response to tackling the asbestos problem. AHERA requires approved training, systematic inspection for asbestos, plans of management which include periodic surveillance and re-inspection of the intact ACM (Asbestos Containing Material). AHERA initially applied to K-12 public and private schools. In 1994 only the training requirements of AHERA were extended to all public and commercial buildings. America still has much asbestos in our public and commercial buildings as well as our residential dwellings. The problem is both tragic and overwhelming.

Today's Federal regulations mandate extensive Federal and/or State approved training for persons performing any asbestos response actions in public and commercial buildings. In some cases, employers occupying buildings prior to 1980 are required to either have suspected asbestos containing materials (ACM) sampled and analyzed by accredited AHERA building inspectors or all suspected materials are to be presumed as asbestos containing. It is the guilty till innocent theory. If the latter is chosen, additional requirements are mandatory. Employers must institute various levels of employee training, label the presume asbestos containing materials (PACM), and employees perform specific work practices with and around the PACM.
 
 Through continuing public awareness and government initiatives, our country may create the regulatory structure, the technology and the work force to combat and hopefully eliminate this tragic problem.

Asbestos is a mineral - mined from the earth like coal. It is basically a rock. There are three common forms: Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, all of which have great tensile strength and heat resistant properties. Because of these qualities, asbestos has been used extensively in construction as an insulator and fireproofing agent, as well as acoustical and decorative purposes. Asbestos is particularly hazardous because it is brittle. When these brittle materials are disturbed, broken or crumbled, the asbestos itself tends to shatter into fibers. These fibers can continue to break down until they are microscopic in size. OSHA uses the term "intact" to describe asbestos containing materials (ACM) that have not been pulverized, or otherwise deteriorated so that it is no longer likely to be bound within its matrix. Likewise, "non-intact" is defined as the opposite. ACM that has been pulverized, or otherwise is deteriorated so that it is no longer likely to be bound within its matrix.