Every year, professionals who work with asbestos must attend state-approved training sessions to remain certified. We had the opportunity to host a three-day workshop covering the latest management guidelines and regulations for the hazardous substance. The training sessions were conducted in partnership with Ivy Tech’s Environmental Management Institute (EMI). EMI is a non-profit training organization that specializes in lead, asbestos, mold, EPA, OSHA, DOT, and HUD hazardous materials management training.
Why is this important?
In order to work in the asbestos management field, annual recertification is required. The courses offered at our training workshops were eight-hour and four-hour refresher classes for the different levels of certification:
Asbestos Operations and Maintenance
Asbestos Worker
Asbestos Supervisor
Asbestos Inspector
For context, most maintenance workers and contractors carry either an Asbestos Operations & Maintenance certification, an Asbestos Worker certification, or an Asbestos Supervisor certification. Environmental consultants, like our experts here at EMC, carry Asbestos Inspector certifications. This level of certification ensures that the person performing the inspection can properly identify asbestos materials prior to a demolition or renovation project.
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The objective of each course was to bring attendees up-to-date on changes in federal, state, and local regulations, provide details on state-of-the-art work practices, review the basic information included in the initial accreditation course, and offer participants an opportunity to raise questions and discuss common concerns with other professionals before taking the recertification exam.
What did we learn?
A few items that stuck out were changes in asbestos regulations and a new program set up to help homeowners swap out their attic insulation. The Zonolite Attic Insulation Trust was recently created to help educate the public about the possible health effects of asbestos-containing vermiculite and to provide partial reimbursement for Zonolite Attic Insulation removal to qualified claimants. It was an added bonus to learn about these programs that help people ensure the environmental safety of their homes without breaking the bank.