Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Asbestos

Recordkeeping for Asbestos Operation and Management (O&M) Plans

You should store all the building asbestos management documents in permanent files, including:

  • Inspection and assessment reports
  • The O&M program plan
  • Work practices and procedures
  • Respirator use procedures
  • Fiber release reports
  • Application for maintenance work and work approval forms
  • Evaluations of work affecting ACM
  • Reinspections/surveillance of ACM

Recommendations

EPA recommends that building owners make available all written elements of the O&M program to the building’s O&M staff as well as to tenants and other building occupants, if applicable. Building owners are also encouraged to consult with their legal counsel concerning appropriate recordkeeping strategies as a standard part of their O&M programs.

Federal Requirements

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards require that employers with employees engaged in asbestos-related work retain:

  • Personal air sampling records, for at least 30 years; personal air samples are those collected in the worker's breathing zone during performance of work involving asbestos exposures.

  • The data used to qualify for exemptions from OSHA's initial monitoring requirements for the duration of the exemption.

  • Medical records for each employee subject to the medical surveillance program for the duration of their employment plus 30 years.

  • All employee training records for one year beyond the last date of each worker's employment.

Additional OSHA recordkeeping requirements:

  • Access to employee exposure and medical records (29 CFR 1910.1020)

  • Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200).

  • Also see the OSHA Construction Rule (29 CFR 1926.1101) or the EPA Worker Protection Rule (40 CFR 763 Subpart G) which incorporates the OSHA regulations by reference for certain state and local employees.

EPA's Asbestos in Schools regulations require that Local Education Agencies (LEAs), or school districts, maintain asbestos management plans for all of their school buildings.

Additionally, state and local regulations may also require additional recordkeeping procedures.

View Sample O&M Forms

Previous: Safe Work Practices

Asbestos

  • Learn About Asbestos
  • Protect Your Family
  • Recent EPA Actions to Prevent Asbestos Exposure
  • EPA Asbestos Risk Evaluation
  • School Buildings
  • Building Owners and Managers
  • State Contacts
Contact Us about Asbestos
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on July 23, 2024
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.