AHERA Compliance Services

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

AHERA stands for Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. AHERA was enacted to protect children in schools and immediately address any asbestos hazards. The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act (ASHARA) of 1992 extended AHERA regulations to cover public and commercial buildings as well.

Asbestos becomes a hazard when it is impacted or delaminates and becomes airborne. If a material containing asbestos remains in good/intact condition, it can be maintained in place. This determination is the purpose of the initial AHERA inspection followed by mandatory AHERA re-inspections to be completed every three years.

The ABF process is to visit each school site and inspect all areas inside of a school building to observe all known and suspect asbestos-containing materials and document their current condition. If materials have deteriorated, ABF will make recommendations to the district to quickly address the areas of concern.

Asbestos Management Plan (AMP)

This information is then incorporated into the Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) for each school facility. The AMP will include information for how to react to an asbestos release and who to contact at the district. The AMP, three-year AHERA re-inspection data, six-month inspection data and any sampling data will all be compiled into a binder to be maintained at each school site. AHERA allows for transparency for families concerned about the potential hazards at local schools and ensures that School Districts are properly maintaining their facilities for the safety of all students, teachers and staff members.