All Courses Training Packages Enterprise Request a Quote
Industries
Construction Manufacturing Municipal & Utilities Oil & Gas Transportation Healthcare Office & Corporate
Course Categories
Safety Training Construction Safety HR Compliance HAZMAT & HAZWOPER Driver & Fleet Safety Workplace Culture & Soft Skills Healthcare & Patient Safety Environmental Compliance
Sign In
Create Your Employer Account

Asbestos Exposure: Hazards and Prevention

29 minutesEN / ES / MLCCHazardous Materials & HAZWOPER29 CFR 1926.1101 (Construction), 29 CFR 1910.1001 (General Industry)
Quick Answer

Asbestos Exposure: Hazards and Prevention is a 29-minute online course that covers the health hazards of asbestos exposure, OSHA regulatory requirements under 29 CFR 1926.1101 and 29 CFR 1910.1001, exposure control methods, and personal protective equipment requirements. It is designed for employees in construction, maintenance, manufacturing, and other industries where asbestos-containing materials may be encountered, and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

Despite being recognized as a known human carcinogen, asbestos remains present in millions of buildings, industrial facilities, and infrastructure systems across the United States. Workers in construction, demolition, renovation, maintenance, and public utilities continue to encounter asbestos-containing materials on a regular basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer, cause approximately 40,000 deaths in the United States each year. OSHA's asbestos standards for both general industry and construction rank among the most detailed and heavily enforced regulations in the agency's catalog.

This course provides your employees with a comprehensive understanding of asbestos hazards and the controls required to prevent exposure. Your team will learn where asbestos-containing materials are commonly found, how exposure occurs, the acute and long-term health effects of asbestos inhalation, and the engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment required by OSHA to minimize risk. The course also covers employer responsibilities for exposure monitoring, medical surveillance, and hazard communication.

What You'll Learn

  • Types of asbestos and where asbestos-containing materials are commonly found
  • Health effects of asbestos exposure: mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other diseases
  • OSHA permissible exposure limits and excursion limits for asbestos
  • Engineering controls and work practices for minimizing asbestos exposure
  • Personal protective equipment requirements, including respirator selection
  • OSHA work classification system (Class I through Class IV) and corresponding requirements
  • Employer obligations for exposure monitoring, medical surveillance, and recordkeeping
  • Hazard communication requirements and employee notification obligations

Who Needs This Training

  • Construction, demolition, and renovation workers who may disturb asbestos-containing materials
  • Maintenance and custodial staff in buildings constructed before 1980
  • HVAC technicians who work with thermal system insulation
  • Industrial workers in manufacturing facilities with legacy asbestos products
  • Public utility workers who encounter asbestos cement pipe and insulation
  • Facility managers and building owners responsible for asbestos management programs

Regulatory Background

OSHA regulates asbestos exposure through two comprehensive standards: 29 CFR 1910.1001 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.1101 for construction. The permissible exposure limit is 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter as an 8-hour time-weighted average, with an excursion limit of 1.0 f/cc over any 30-minute period. The construction standard classifies asbestos work into four classes based on the type and risk of the operation, each with specific training, work practice, and PPE requirements. Training must be provided before initial assignment and repeated at least annually. Serious violations carry penalties up to $16,550 per violation, and willful violations can reach $165,514. OSHA's asbestos standards also require employer-provided medical surveillance for employees exposed above the PEL or excursion limit, with records retained for the duration of employment plus 30 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) for asbestos is 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average. The excursion limit is 1.0 fibers per cubic centimeter averaged over any 30-minute period. These limits apply to both the general industry standard (29 CFR 1910.1001) and the construction standard (29 CFR 1926.1101). There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure.
Class I involves removal of thermal system insulation and sprayed-on surfacing materials, the highest risk operations. Class II covers removal of other asbestos-containing materials such as floor tiles, roofing, and siding. Class III includes repair and maintenance operations where asbestos-containing materials are likely to be disturbed. Class IV covers custodial and housekeeping activities in areas where asbestos-containing materials are present. Each class has specific training, work practice, and respiratory protection requirements.
Under both 29 CFR 1910.1001 and 29 CFR 1926.1101, employers must provide asbestos training before an employee's initial assignment to work involving asbestos exposure and at least annually thereafter. The training content and minimum duration vary by the class of work performed, with Class IV awareness training requiring a minimum of 2 hours under the construction standard.
Under OSHA's construction standard, thermal system insulation and surfacing material found in buildings constructed before 1981 are classified as presumed asbestos-containing material (PACM) unless testing demonstrates otherwise. Building and facility owners are required to determine the presence, location, and quantity of asbestos-containing materials before any construction work that might disturb them and to communicate this information to employers and employees working in the building.
OSHA requires medical surveillance for employees who are or will be exposed to asbestos at or above the PEL or excursion limit for 30 or more days per year, and for employees who perform Class I, II, or III work for 30 or more days per year. The surveillance includes a physical examination, medical and work history, pulmonary function testing, and chest X-rays. Examinations must be provided at the time of initial assignment and at least annually thereafter. Medical records must be maintained for the duration of employment plus 30 years.
$29.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$29.95
10 - 24$23.95
25 - 49$21.55
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $29.95
Language

This course is available in English, Spanish, and Multi-Language CC at no additional charge.

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

$29.95
per person