ASTM E2356-18 PDF Download

The ASTM E2356-18 standard provides guidelines for conducting surveys of buildings and facilities to locate, identify, quantify, and assess asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). The standard emphasizes the importance of having accurate information about the location, type, quantity, and condition of ACMs in order to implement appropriate control measures to minimize exposure to airborne asbestos fibers.

The standard describes three types of surveys: Baseline Survey, Project Design Survey, and Pre-Construction Survey.

- The Baseline Survey is a thorough inspection of the entire building or facility, collecting bulk samples of suspect materials and assessing the overall presence of ACMs. This survey provides information for long-term management and prioritization of response actions.

- The Project Design Survey is more focused and is used to provide information to the Project Designer for preparing abatement plans and specifications. Destructive testing may be required, and the presence of ACMs in suspect materials is confirmed.

- The Pre-Construction Survey is conducted when there is no existing Baseline Survey and no information on ACMs within the planned construction area. Destructive testing is performed if concealed spaces will be breached, and if ACMs are found, a Project Design Survey is conducted to prepare plans and specifications.

The standard highlights the importance of inspecting as many functional spaces as possible, documenting reasons for not inspecting certain areas, and addressing items that may be difficult to distinguish as ACMs, such as cooling towers or laboratory hoods. It also emphasizes that a Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey is not limited to interior structural members but includes items inside or adjacent to the building.

The standard provides guidance for individuals conducting the survey under a contractual arrangement, as well as the responsibilities of the building owner or manager. It stresses that a Comprehensive Building Asbestos Survey goes beyond sample collection and analysis, and the report should include a narrative discussion of findings, inspection and analysis results, and graphical depictions of inspected areas.

The standard does not cover air sampling or surface (dust) sampling for evaluating exposure hazards, and refers the reader to Practice D7886 for assistance in exposure assessment. It also warns about the health risks of asbestos fiber inhalation and the need to take precautions to avoid creating and breathing airborne asbestos particles.