1.1 This practice describes procedures for conducting comprehensive surveys of buildings and facilities for the purpose of locating, identifying, quantifying and assessing asbestos-containing materials.

1.2 The results of a Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey are intended to be used for ongoing management of asbestos-containing materials, including Operations Maintenance, removal and other response actions. This includes response actions associated with renovations. A Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey is also intended to provide information required for removal of asbestos-containing materials prior to demolition of a building or facility.

1.3 This standard practice discusses two types of surveys: Baseline Surveys and Project Design Surveys.

1.4 This standard practice discusses the following activities for each of the above types of surveys:

1.4.1 Planning the survey to meet defined objectives;

1.4.2 Obtaining and reviewing information on the building or facility including previous surveys and response actions;

1.4.3 Conducting the physical activities of inspecting the premises and collecting bulk samples of suspect materials;

1.4.4 Analyzing the bulk samples for asbestos type and content;

1.4.5 Assessing the Current Condition and Potential for Disturbance of asbestos-containing materials; and

1.4.6 Preparing a report that includes a narrative discussion of the findings, tabulations of inspection, sampling and analysis results, graphical depiction of the areas inspected, and the results of the assessment.

1.5 A Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey provides sufficient information about the asbestos-containing materials in a building or facility for purposes of a real property transaction. In situations where the amount of information required by a party to the transaction is minimal, a Limited Asbestos Screen may suffice in place of the Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey.

1.6 This standard practice does not include air sampling or surface (dust) sampling for purposes of evaluating a potential exposure hazard from airborne asbestos fibers.

1.7 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 for regulatory requirements addressing asbestos.

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.