Before disturbing material in a building constructed in the 1960s that may contain asbestos, a contractor should FIRST:
Explanation
Thermal system insulation and surfacing material in a building put up no later than 1980 are presumed asbestos-containing material, and the presumption is displaced only by a survey and sampling that meet the standard - or the employer may simply accept it and work to the controls for that class. What it may not do is any of the other three. An owner's assurance (b) is not a survey, and the owner is usually the last person who knows what sits above the ceiling. Wetting down (c) is a control used DURING removal by trained workers inside a regulated area, and not a way of avoiding finding out what the material is. And a permit history (d) records what was abated, not what remains: a 1965 building with one documented abatement may be full of asbestos elsewhere.
Law Reference: 8 CCR §1529(b), (k)(1); 29 CFR 1926.1101(k)(1)This topic, taught in full in the CSLB Law & Business guide. CSLB Law & Business — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $24.99 · 14-day refund →
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