ASTM E1368-11

Standard Practice for Visual Inspection of Asbestos Abatement Projects

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
This practice applies to response actions for all types of asbestos-containing materials, including surfacing materials, thermal systems insulation, and miscellaneous materials, whether friable or not, regardless of the quantities involved and the reason for conducting the response action.  
Abatement for the purpose of removing asbestos-containing materials or encapsulating or enclosing them, regardless of the engineering controls and work practices used, requires performance of visual inspections as described in this practice.
Operations and maintenance (O&M) activities, such as removal, encapsulation, or enclosure of asbestos-containing materials incidental to repair or replacement of a component, clean-up of debris from a fiber release episode, or other preventive measures, require the performance of visual inspections as described in this practice. See Managing Asbestos in Place and Guidance Manual.
This practice applies to response actions performed under a contract from the building owner, as well as to work performed by the building owner's staff.
The specific objectives of the visual inspection process before, during, and at the conclusion of an asbestos abatement project are: to review the extent of asbestos-containing material (ACM) within the scope of work, to monitor performance of the work, and to verify if visible residue, dust or debris, or unremoved material are absent at the completion of removal and clean-up activities.
The visual inspection process is used to evaluate all four aspects of an asbestos abatement project as follows:
Extent of ACM within Scope of Work—The building survey which is intended to locate and quantify asbestos-containing materials is not properly called a “visual inspection” within the context of this practice. To define the extent of ACM involved, a building survey is a necessary prelude to the first step of the visual inspection process. The building survey, which may use other building records, is intended to l...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers procedures for performing visual inspections of asbestos response actions to:
1.1.1 Establish the extent of the required work before it begins;
1.1.2 Determine the progress and quality of the work and evaluate the completeness of the response action; and
1.1.3 Evaluate the cleanliness of the work area prior to final air testing for clearance (if performed), and subsequent to dismantling of critical barriers.
1.2 This practice can be used on an abatement project, or for operations and maintenance (O&M) work, performed by the building owner's staff. It can also be used in conjunction with contract documents between the building owner and other parties involved in an abatement project.  
Note 1—Standard contract documents (such as AIA and EJCDC documents) define contractual relationships and responsibilities for projects within the construction industry. Asbestos abatement projects differ from traditional construction projects in the manner of their design and execution, as well as in the type and level of oversight required to substantiate their successful completion. Non-traditional responsibilities are given to the building owner, project designer, and abatement contractor by this practice. Furthermore, responsibilities related to project oversight, inspections, and approvals are placed upon an additional non-traditional representative of the building owner; the project monitor, as defined by this practice. All parties are cautioned that the subject authorities and corresponding responsibilities be understood, mutually agreed upon, and correspondingly addressed with appropriate modifications, if necessary, to the contract documents for a specific project.
1.3 This practice provides the following information:
1.3.1 The objectives of the visual inspection process;
1.3.2 The responsibilities and qualifications of the individuals involved in the visual inspections;
1.3.3 The schedul...

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2011
• ICS: 13.030.30 - Special wastes
• Technical Committee: D22 - Air Quality
• Drafting Committee: D22.07 - Sampling, Analysis, Management of Asbestos, and Other Microscopic Particles

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E1368-05e1 - Standard Practice for Visual Inspection of Asbestos Abatement Projects
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2011
• Referred By: ASTM E1513/E1513M-93(2023) - Standard Practice for Application of Sprayed Fire-Resistive Materials (SFRMs)
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2011
• Referred By: ASTM E2394-11(2020)e1 - Standard Practice for Maintenance, Renovation, and Repair of Installed Asbestos Cement Products
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2011
• Referred By: ASTM E2356-18 - Standard Practice for Comprehensive Building Asbestos Surveys
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D7886-14(2019)e1 - Standard Practice for Asbestos Exposure Assessments for Repetitive Maintenance and Installation Tasks
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2011
• Referred By: ASTM E1494-18 - Standard Practice for Testing Physical Properties of Friable Surfacing Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2011

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E1368 − 11
StandardPractice for
1
Visual Inspection of Asbestos Abatement Projects
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1368; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.3.5 The criteria for certifying work as complete on the
basis of the visual inspections.
1.1 This practice covers procedures for performing visual
inspections of asbestos response actions to: 1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
1.1.1 Establish the extent of the required work before it as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
begins; conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
1.1.2 Determine the progress and quality of the work and and are not considered standard.
evaluate the completeness of the response action; and
1.5 Warning—Asbestos fibers are acknowledged carcino-
1.1.3 Evaluate the cleanliness of the work area prior to final
gens. Breathing asbestos fibers can result in disease of the
air testing for clearance (if performed), and subsequent to
lungs including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
dismantling of critical barriers.
Precautions in this standard practice should be taken to avoid
1.2 Thispracticecanbeusedonanabatementproject,orfor creating and breathing airborne asbestos particles from mate-
operations and maintenance (O&M) work, performed by the rials known or suspected to contain asbestos. See 2.2 for
building owner’s staff. It can also be used in conjunction with regulatory requirements addressing asbestos.
contract documents between the building owner and other
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
parties involved in an abatement project.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
NOTE 1—Standard contract documents (such as AIA and EJCDC
documents) define contractual relationships and responsibilities for proj- priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
ects within the construction industry. Asbestos abatement projects differ
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific safety
from traditional construction projects in the manner of their design and
statements, see 12.2.
execution, as well as in the type and level of oversight required to
substantiate their successful completion. Non-traditional responsibilities
2. Referenced Documents
are given to the building owner, project designer, and abatement contrac-
2
tor by this practice. Furthermore, responsibilities related to project
2.1 ASTM Standards:
oversight, inspections, and approvals are placed upon an additional
E631Terminology of Building Constructions
non-traditional representative of the building owner; the project monitor,
E736Test Method for Cohesion/Adhesion of Sprayed Fire-
as defined by this practice. All parties are cautioned that the subject
authorities and corresponding responsibilities be understood, mutually Resistive Materials Applied to Structural Members
agreed upon, and correspondingly addressed with appropriate
E1494 Practice for Encapsulation Testing of Friable
modifications, if necessary, to the contract documents for a specific
Asbestos-Containing Surfacing Materials
project.
E2356Practice for Comprehensive Building Asbestos Sur-
1.3 This practice provides the following information:
veys
1.3.1 The objectives of the visual inspection process;
E2394Practice for Maintenance, Renovation, and Repair of
1.3.2 The responsibilities and qualifications of the individu-
Installed Asbestos Cement Products
als involved in the visual inspections;
F141Terminology Relating to Resilient Floor Coverings
1.3.3 The schedule of visual inspection activities during an
2.2 Other Documents:
abatement project and O&M work;
29 CFR 1910.1001Occupational Exposure to Asbestos
1.3.4 The inspection procedures for the various types of
3
(OSHA General Industry Standard)
abatement work and O&M tasks; and
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
1
ThispracticeisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD22onAirQuality contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D22.07 on Sampling andAnalysis Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
of Asbestos. the ASTM website.
3
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2011. Published November 2011. Originally AvailablefromU.S.GovernmentPrintingOfficeSuperintendentofDocuments,
ε1
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2005 as E1368–05 . DOI: 732 N. Capitol
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
´1
Designation:E1368–05 Designation: E1368 – 11
Standard Practice for
1
Visual Inspection of Asbestos Abatement Projects
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1368; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
´ NOTE—Asbestos warning editorially added in June 2006.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice covers procedures for performing visual inspections of asbestos response actions to:
1.1.1 Establish the extent of the required work before it begins;
1.1.2 Determine the progress and quality of the work and evaluate the completeness of the response action; and
1.1.3 Evaluate the cleanliness of the work area prior to final air testing for clearance (if performed), and subsequent to
dismantling of critical barriers.
1.2 This practice can be used on an abatement project, or for operations and maintenance (O&M) work, performed by the
building owner’s staff. It can also be used in conjunction with contract documents between the building owner and other parties
involved in an abatement project.
NOTE 1—Standard contract documents (such as AIA and EJCDC documents) define contractual relationships and responsibilities for projects within
the construction industry. Asbestos abatement projects differ from traditional construction projects in the manner of their design and execution, as well
as in the type and level of oversight required to substantiate their successful completion. Non-traditional responsibilities are given to the building owner,
projectdesigner,andabatementcontractorbythispractice.Furthermore,responsibilitiesrelatedtoprojectoversight,inspections,andapprovalsareplaced
upon an additional non-traditional representative of the building owner; the project monitor, as defined by this practice.All parties are cautioned that the
subject authorities and corresponding responsibilities be understood, mutually agreed upon, and correspondingly addressed with appropriate
modifications, if necessary, to the contract documents for a specific project.
1.3 This practice provides the following information:
1.3.1 The objectives of the visual inspection process;
1.3.2 The responsibilities and qualifications of the individuals involved in the visual inspections;
1.3.3 The schedule of visual inspection activities during an abatement project and O&M work;
1.3.4 The inspection procedures for the various types of abatement work and O&M tasks; and
1.3.5 The criteria for certifying work as complete on the basis of the visual inspections.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.5 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 2.2 for regulatory requirements
addressing asbestos.
1.6 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. For specific safety statements, see 12.2.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
E736 Test Method for Cohesion/Adhesion of Sprayed Fire-Resistive Materials Applied to Structural Members
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Performance of Building ConstructionsBuildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
E06.24 on Building Preservation and Rehabilitation Technology.
Current edition approved May 1, 2005. Published May 2005. Originally approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2003 as E1368–03. DOI:
10.1520/E1368-05E01.
´1
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2011. Published November 2011. Originally approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2005 as E1368 – 05 . DOI:
10.1520/E1368-11.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of
...