Types of Cal/OSHA Certification and Required Courses
Our courses prepare participants for two types of
Cal/OSHA certification: Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC) and Site
Surveillance Technician (SST). Each requires a different set of courses
and AHERA accreditations. (Click here for
more on AHERA.)
You must be certified by Cal/OSHA if you contract
to provide Asbestos Consultant or Site Surveillance Technician services
to others, or if you are a state employee who provides these services.
You do not need to be Cal/OSHA certified if you only
perform these tasks for your own employer in their own buildings (unless
your employer is the state).
This certification program is similar to other professional
licensing programs. You as an individual must be certified, not your
employer. You will need to pay an annual fee, prove that you meet education
and experience requirements, maintain various AHERA accreditations,
and pass a Cal/OSHA certification exam.
Certified Asbestos Consultant (CAC)
A CAC must have valid AHERA accreditations for all of
the following:
(1) Inspector and Management Planner Accreditation
Course Title: “Building
Inspection and Management Planning for Asbestos” (5 days)
(2) Contractor/Supervisor Accreditation
Course Title: “Practices
and Procedures in Asbestos Control” (5 days)
(3) Project Designer Accreditation
Course Title: “Designing
Asbestos Abatement Projects” (3 days)
You'll also need one year of asbestos experience
if you have a BS degree in a related field; two years experience if
you have a BA degree; three years experience if you have a AA degree;
or four years experience if you have a high school degree. The Cal/OSHA
certification fee is $375.
Site Surveillance Technician (SST)
An SST must have valid AHERA accreditations for both of
the following:
(1) Building Inspector Accreditation
Course Title: “Building
Inspection for Asbestos” (3 days)
(2) Contractor/Supervisor Accreditation
Course Title: “Practices
and Procedures in Asbestos Control” (5 days)
(Note: You may also fulfill this requirement by obtaining Building Inspector,
Worker, and Project Designer accreditations.)
You'll also need six months of experience working
under a Certified Asbestos Consultant and a high school degree. The
Cal/OSHA certification fee is $275.
A Note on Building Inspection and Management Planning Courses
Please note that you must take the appropriate building
inspection course for the level of certification you are seeking. There
are two different courses, “Building
Inspection and Management Planning for Asbestos” (5 days)
and “Building
Inspection for Asbestos” (3 days). Click
here for more information on the differences between the two.
Exceptions
There are only two exceptions to the Cal/OSHA asbestos
certification regulation. You do not need to be certified if you do
not "contract" for these services. Certification is not required
if you provide these services in-house for your own employer in his/her
own buildings. (It does apply if you are a state employee performing
these services.)
The other exception is for individuals providing "environmental
site assessments." In general during a site assessment, if you
are not certified, you may report the presence of suspected asbestos
products, take some samples, and provide the owner with the lab results.
(You must be an AHERA accredited inspector to take samples!) You may
not describe the condition of the material or provide advice on the
management of the material.
For More Information
This is a complicated licensing program with many
definitions and issues that you may need to clarify. For example, the
definitions of "contracting for services" and "environmental
site assessments" are certainly somewhat subjective. Contact the
Cal/OSHA Asbestos Certification Program at (916) 574-2993 if you are
not sure how the program applies to you.
Please note that there is more to achieving this certification
than simply taking AHERA accreditation courses. You will have to demonstrate
a combination of education and experience that meets the certification
requirements. After you have met the other requirements, you will need
to pass an exam administered by Cal/OSHA. Please contact Cal/OSHA about
these other requirements before you enroll in a course.
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