Quick Guide Asbestos Building Material Regulations
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OSHA Asbestos regulations
Definition of PACM presumed asbestos containing materials
Definition of ACM assumed asbestos containing materials
How to recognize asbestos materials in buildings
Photo guide to asbestos-containing building products
Photographs of asbestos containing roofing materials (ACRM)
Questions & answers about asbestos building material regulations, standards, & codes

Building asbestos regulations: here we provide a summary of OSHA regulations for asbestos containing building materials, including assumed asbestos containing building materials (roofing, flooring, insulation, drywall, etc), suspected asbestos containing materials, and assumed asbestos containing materials.

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We address the handling of asbestos containing building materials, including the permissible exposure limits for asbestos particles or fibers in buildings (Asbestos PELs), ACM (asbestos containing materials), PACM (presumed asbestos containing materials), SACM (suspect asbestos containing materials), and ACRM (asbestos containing roofing materials).

Also see ASBESTOS REGULATION Update where we include more recent asbestos regulations for the U.S. and other countries. That article clarifies just what products are currently permitted or not permitted to contain asbestos.

Also see ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS.

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What is the Permissible Exposure Limit (PELs) for Asbestos in or at Buildings?

Beginning in 1986 OSHA set a permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.2 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) of air over an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure period. OSHA also set an action level of 0.1 f/cc of asbestos for an 8-hour TWA average, and (the highest permitted short term asbestos fiber exposure) 1.0 f/cc "excursion limit" for a 30-minute time period.

Thanks to reader Thomas Sukeforth for pointing out a 1994 summary of changes made to the OSHA Asbestos Construction standard and for suggesting a discussion of PACM (below).

The time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure limit has been reduced to 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter. The Excursion Limit remains at 1.0 fibers per cubic centimeter averaged over 30 minutes. Both of these values are considered PELs. (permissible exposure limits).

There is no established action level in the new asbestos exposure standard because the sampling and analytical method is not reliable below the time-weighted average limit of 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter.

Definition of & Handling Rules for Presumed Asbestos Containing Material (PACM)

Presumed Asbestos Containing Material (PACM) as OSHA defines it refers to thermal insulation and surfacing materials prior to 1980 but within the regulation they also mention that flooring (tile & sheet) and roofing materials shall also be deemed as asbestos containing unless sampled and shown otherwise.

For presumed asbestos-containing materials, there are two courses of action (under OSHA's standards):

Rebut or disprove the Presumed Asbestos Containing Material (PACM )designation for a particular material or environment being addressed
Treat the PACM as Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) and follow the OSHA requirements for protecting worker and building occupant safety and health

According to CIH Kindley,

In both the OSHA Construction Asbestos Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101) and the General Industry Asbestos Standard (29 CFR 1910.1001) PACM is defined as thermal system insulation (TSI) and surfacing material found in a building constructed no later than 1980.

TSI is the material applied to pipes, fittings (joints, "Ts", elbows, valves, etc.), boilers, breechings, tanks, ducts or other structural components, generally to prevent heat loss or gain. Surfacing material refers to materials sprayed, troweled-on or otherwise applied to surfaces generally for acoustical, fireproofing, or other purposes.

Examples of surfacing materials include decorative finishes on ceilings and walls, fireproofing on structural members, and acoustical plasters. OSHA requires that building owners identify PACM in their buildings and treat the PACM as asbestos-containing materials (ACM) until the materials are proven not to contain asbestos.

Definition of & Handling Rules for Suspect Asbestos Containing Materials SACM

The term "suspect ACM" does not appear in either of the OSHA standards. The term, however, has long been used by the asbestos industry to refer to any building material that is suspected of being asbestos-containing (based on appearance, usage, age of building, etc.), but has not been proven conclusively to be ACM (based on sampling and analysis, documentation, building records, etc).

For OSHA’s purposes, suspect material would include any material (including TSI, surfacing, and flooring) that a building owner suspects of containing asbestos and is found in a building constructed after 1980, or any material (excepting TSI, surfacing, and flooring) found in a building constructed prior to 1981.

Other typical suspect building materials would include ceiling tiles, asbestos-cement products (Transite®), and joint compound. The exercise of due diligence (as noted in the OSHA asbestos standards) requires that, where a building owner knows or should have known that materials other than PACM are asbestos-containing, these materials must be treated as ACM until proven otherwise.

This makes sense especially for building products for which a non-asbestos-containing-form was not ever produced, or was not produced during certain years. It is on this basis that we assert that it is possible to identify some asbestos-containing materials with confidence, even before any asbestos lab tests. For PACM examples, see:

CEILING TILES - Asbestos-Containing
Fireproofing containing Asbestos

TRANSITE PIPE AIR DUCTS
Transite Pipe Chimneys & Flues
Transite Pipe Water Supply Piping

A building constructed prior to 1981, therefore, could contain both PACM and suspect ACM. Newer buildings (constructed after 1980) would contain only suspect ACM.

Asbestos regulations for Ontario are published under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and are in Ontario Regulation 278/05 and provide a clearly-written and comprehensive guide to cleaning up and disposing of asbestos containing materials in or on buildings.

Occurrence of Asbestos in Common Building Materials

For our complete guide to recognizing asbestos-containing materials in buildings see the individual asbestos-containing products described at ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS. Two other articles provide longer lists of asbestos-containing products used on or in buildings and in other products as well:

ASBESTOS LIST of PRODUCTS
ASBESTOS PHOTO GUIDE to Materials

Following are references to some common asbestos-containing building materials discussed in that article series.

Asbestos in Flooring Materials

Although not defined strictly as "PACM", both OSHA standards also require asphalt and vinyl flooring material installed no later than 1980 be "considered" and "treated" as asbestos-containing, until the building owner proves the flooring is not ACM.

This includes not only the flooring material, but associated mastics and backings.

See ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION for details about vinyl-asbestos flooring including floor tiles and sheet flooring.

Asbestos in Roofing Materials

The risk of high levels of airborne asbestos from cementious roofing products is probably very low unless the workers are using power equipment like sanders and saws on these substances.

See Asbestos Roofing Materials.

According to NRCA, the National Roofing Contractors' Association, their studies up to February 1992 had not found a single roofing job at which these limits were exceeded, and NRCA reported that in some cases no fiber release was detected.

But it appears that the association may have been referring only to asphalt-based roofing materials, not jobs involving the demolition of other ACRM such as cement-asbestos roof shingles (or "asbestos roof tiles" as some consumers refer to them) which might produce different statistics.

Asbestos in Heating Systems

The use of corrugated asbestos paper and asbestos cement on heating and some water pipes and pipe elbows has been widely recognized. Because in poor condition this material is more friable than cementious or vinyl-based building products it has received plenty of attention.

See these key articles on heating system and plumbing system asbestos insulation products and locations:

Asbestos Risk Assessment
Asbestos in Good Condition
Asbestos in Poor Condition
ASBESTOS REMOVAL, Amateur, Incomplete
Asbestos Removal, Certification
Asbestos Air Ducts
Asbestos Air Duct Vibration Dampers
Asbestos Pipe Insulation

Asbestos in Siding Materials

New and old fiber cement and asbestos cement shingles side by side (C) Daniel Friedman

The most common siding material containing asbestos fibers was cement-asbestos shingle siding popular from about 1940 to 1970.

See ASBESTOS CEMENT & FIBER CEMENT SIDING.

It is possible that other siding materials such as asphalt building siding may contain asbestos fibers as well, particularly if that material was produced during the same years that asbestos fibers appear in asphalt roof shingles.

Disposal of Asbestos Containing Flooring, Roofing or Siding Materials

For handling and disposal guidance concerning old roofing material, siding material, vinyl-asbestos floor tiles, asbestos pipe or boiler or furnace insulation, or other asbestos containing or suspect asbestos containing materials at a job-site, contact the US EPA, your state Department of Environmental Protection/Conservation, or your local building and health departments.

At OSHA Asbestos Roof/Siding Regulations we discuss (briefly) the regulation of demolition & removal of cement asbestos or other asbestos containing roofing and siding materials.

At Asbestos Roofing Materials we discuss environmental issues surrounding disposal of fiber cement roofing products that contain asbestos.

Asbestos regulations for Ontario are published under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and are in Ontario Regulation 278/05 also found at http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_050278_e.htm

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ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION
ASBESTOS-FREE INSULATION MATERIALS
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS
ASBESTOS ROOFING / SIDING DUST

ASBESTOS CEMENT & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING
  Asphalt-asbestos Roofing Materials
  Cement-asbestos roof shingles
  Environmental Issues - Asbestos Roofing/Siding
  Wear Signs on Cement Asbestos Shingles
  Maintenance Tips for Asbestos Cement Shingles
  Replacements for Asbestos Cement Shingles
  Corrugated Cement-Asbestos Roofing
  Asphalt-asbestos Paints & sealants
ASBESTOS MATERIAL REGULATIONS
ASBESTOS REGULATION Update
ASBESTOS in UNUSUAL PLACES
ASBESTOS-FREE INSULATING MATERIALS
ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR
AGE OF ROOFING
ALUMINUM ROOFING
AMERICAN CEMWOOD ROOFING
ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS
ASBESTOS CEMENT & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING
ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES
CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIRS
FIRE RATINGS for ROOF SURFACES
FIRE RETARDANT PLYWOOD
ROOF ARCHITECTURAL STYLES - PHOTO GUIDE
ROOF CLEANING RECOMMENDATIONS
ROOF COLOR RECOMMENDATIONS
ROOF DORMER TYPES - PHOTO GUIDE
ROOF INSPECTION SAFETY & LIMITS
ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS
ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS
ROOFING FELT UNDERLAYMENT REQUIREMENTS
ROOFING MATERIALS, Age, Types
ROOF NOISE TRANSMISSION
ROOFING TILE SHAPES & PROFILES
ROOFING UNDERLAYMENT BEST PRACTICES
SLATE ROOF INSPECTION & REPAIR
SNOW GUARDS on SLATE & METAL ROOFS
SOD ROOFING
SIDING, Sheathing Identification - Photo Guide
STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG
STAINS on BUILDINGS - QUICK GUIDE
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on ROOFS
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on STONE
STANDARDS for ROOFING
STONE CLEANING METHODS
STONE ROOFING

TEST LABS - ROOF SHINGLE
THATCH ROOFING
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in buildings
TILE ROOFING
TREES & SHRUBS, TRIM OFF BUILDING
TRUSS UPLIFT, ROOF
TRUSSES, Floor & Roof

UNDERLAYMENT REQUIREMENTS on ROOFS

WALK-ON ROOF SURFACES
WARRANTIES for ROOF SHINGLES
WORKMANSHIP & WIND DAMAGE
ZINC METAL ROOFING

Asbestos products and their history and use in various building materials such as asphalt and vinyl flooring includes discussion which draws on Asbestos, Its Industrial Applications, D.V. Rosato, engineering consultant, Newton, MA, Reinhold Publishing, 1959 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 59-12535 (out of print).
"Handling Asbestos-Containing roofing material - an update", Carl Good, NRCA Associate Executive Director, Professional Roofing, February 1992, p. 38-43
EPA Guidance for Controlling Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings, NIAST, National Institute on Abatement Sciences & Technology, [republishing EPA public documents] 1985 ed., Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,D.C. 20460
Copy on file as - /hazmat/Asbestos_in_Your_Home_US_EPA.pdf - Asbestos in Your Home - U.S. EPA, Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,D.C. 20460
NRCA Roofing and Waterproofing Manual, 4th Ed., available from the National Roofing Contractors' Association.
"Tips for working with fiber-cement roofing products", Thomas L. Smith, AIA, RRC, Professional Roofing, September 1996
"About Asbestos Cement Roof Shingles", Ann Johnson, at ehow.com, a nice article about the history of this material - November 2008.
Thanks to reader Tom Sukeforth, Asbestos & Lead Project Manager, Department of Facilities Management, University of Maine for updating our information on the current permissible exposure limits (PELS) for asbestos fibers, and for the discussion of PACM. 07/29/2010.
Presumed Asbestos-Containing Material (PACM) vs. Suspect Asbestos-Containing Material, Michael Kindley, CIH Workplace Hygiene website, via web search 07/29/2010, http://www.workplace-hygiene.com/articles/PACM-v-Susp.html
Asbestos regulations for Ontario are published under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and are in Ontario Regulation 278/05 Web search 11/4/2010, original source: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_050278_e.htm

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

Asbestos Hazard, Testing, Removal, References & Products

Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our own technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS How to find and recognize asbestos in Buildings - visual inspection methods, list of common asbestos-containing materials
Asbestos Identification and Testing References

Asbestos Identification, Walter C.McCrone, McCrone Research Institute, Chicago, IL.1987 ISBN 0-904962-11-3. Dr. McCrone literally "wrote the book" on asbestos identification procedures which formed the basis for current work by asbestos identification laboratories.
Stanton, .F., et al., National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 506: 143-151
Pott, F., Staub-Reinhalf Luft 38, 486-490 (1978) cited by McCrone

Asbestos in Good Condition
Copy on file as - /hazmat/Asbestos_in_Your_Home_US_EPA.pdf - Asbestos in Your Home - U.S. EPA, Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,D.C. 20460
Asbestos HVAC Ducts and Flues field identification photos and guide
Asbestos NESHAP Adequately Wet Guidance, EPA340/1-90-019, December 1990, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Stationary Source Compliance Division, Washington, DC 20460,original web source: http://www.epa.gov/region04/air/asbestos/awet.htm
Asbestos paper duct wrap
Asbestos products and their history and use in various building materials such as asphalt and vinyl flooring includes discussion which draws on Asbestos, Its Industrial Applications, D.V. Rosato, engineering consultant, Newton, MA, Reinhold Publishing, 1959 Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 59-12535 (out of print, text and images available at InspectAPedia.com).
Asbestos Transite Chimneys, Flues, & Pipes in Buildings
Asbestos under the microscope
Asbestos Vibration Dampers & Asbestos in the Air Handler
Ceiling tiles: How to recognize ceiling tiles that may contain asbestos
Examples of unusual uses of asbestos in buildings
Fiberglass: Indoor Air Quality Investigations: Health Concerns About Airborne Fiberglass: Fiberglass in Indoor Air from HVAC ducts, and Building Insulation
Enviro-Scare: Electric Power Lines, Electromagnetic Fields, Cancer Risk, & "Enviro-Scare" - The Normal Curve Cycle of Public Fear of Environmental Issues
Dust from the World Trade Center collapse following the 9/11/01 attack: the lower floors of this building contained spray-on fire-proofing asbestos materials.
Asbestos Information Links: Asbestos Detection, Testing, Recognition, Hazards, Field Photos, and Information Sources, including health-related links such as legal services and information about mesothelioma and other cancers.
"Handling Asbestos-Containing roofing material - an update", Carl Good, NRCA Associate Executive Director, Professional Roofing, February 1992, p. 38-43
EPA Guidance for Controlling Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings, NIAST, National Institute on Abatement Sciences & Technology, [republishing EPA public documents] 1985 ed., Exposure Evaluation Division, Office of Toxic Substances, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,D.C. 20460

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What is the Permissible Exposure Limit (PELs) for Asbestos in or at Buildings?

Definition of & Handling Rules for Presumed Asbestos Containing Material (PACM)

Definition of & Handling Rules for Suspect Asbestos Containing Materials SACM

Occurrence of Asbestos in Common Building Materials

Asbestos in Flooring Materials

Asbestos in Roofing Materials

Asbestos in Heating Systems

Asbestos in Siding Materials

Disposal of Asbestos Containing Flooring, Roofing or Siding Materials

Questions & Answers regarding this article

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Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Asbestos Hazard, Testing, Removal, References & Products