Skip to main content

Asbestos Operations & Maintenance Worker (Initial)

Essential Training for Maintenance and Repair Personnel Working With Asbestos-Containing Materials

EMI classes are only available through the Indianapolis Ivy Tech campus at this time. For more information, contact Indianapolis-EMI@ivytech.edu.

OSHA (29 CFR 1926.1101(k)(9)) and EPA AHERA regulations (40 CFR 763.92(a)) require that employees who disturb asbestos during routine maintenance or repair activities receive specialized Operations & Maintenance (O&M) training. This 16-hour initial course, delivered under the supervision of the Ivy Tech Environmental Management Institute (Indianapolis), fulfills all federal OSHA and EPA requirements—except for site-specific instruction related to the location of ACM/PACM and the facility’s asbestos management program, which must be provided by the employer.

This course prepares participants to safely and legally perform:

  • Work on nonfriable asbestos materials that remain nonfriable during the project
  • Limited work on friable asbestos, including up to:
    • 3 linear feet on pipe surfaces
    • 3 square feet on other surfaces
    • Up to 0.75 cubic feet total

Larger quantities of friable asbestos require licensure as an Asbestos Abatement Worker or oversight by a licensed Project Supervisor, as mandated by state and federal law.

In addition, this training satisfies OSHA’s competency requirements for individuals designated as the competent person for Class III and Class IV asbestos work, as well as for supervisors overseeing resilient floor covering removal.

Participants completing the course will be equipped with the knowledge and foundational skills needed to work safely, reduce exposure risks, and support compliance with federal asbestos regulations.

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the properties and health effects of asbestos and understand how exposure occurs during maintenance activities.
  • Identify asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and presumed asbestos-containing materials (PACM) commonly encountered in building systems.
  • Apply OSHA and EPA AHERA requirements for Operations & Maintenance work, including Class III and Class IV activities.
  • Perform small-scale, short-duration asbestos disturbance tasks safely, including allowed quantities of friable and nonfriable ACM.
  • Use proper engineering controls and work practices, including wet methods, HEPA filtration, containment, and decontamination procedures.
  • Select, use, and maintain appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for O&M tasks.
  • Conduct minor repair, encapsulation, and cleanup activities on ACM in compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Carry out basic air monitoring, waste handling, and disposal procedures for small asbestos-related projects.
  • Serve as the OSHA-designated competent person for Class III and Class IV asbestos work, as permitted by regulation.

If there are no upcoming dates listed below, please reach out to the EMI team at indianapolis-emi@ivytech.edu. We will work with you to ensure you get the EMI class you need in a timely manner.