Abatement

Abatement is the controlled removal, sealing, or enclosure of asbestos-containing material so that fibers are not released into the air. It is carried out by licensed contractors under strict federal and state rules governing containment, air monitoring, and disposal. Abatement is meant to protect building occupants and workers, but the work itself can expose laborers if it is done improperly.

Origin

From the Old French abatre, meaning "to beat down" or "put an end to." The term took on its modern regulatory meaning in the United States after the 1970s, when EPA and OSHA rules, and later the 1986 Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, established formal procedures for handling asbestos in buildings.

Significance in Asbestos Context

Abatement records are a valuable source of proof for patients. Building surveys, abatement contracts, and inspection reports often name the specific asbestos-containing materials present in a workplace or school, which products they were, and where they were located, all of which can support product identification and exposure. For workers who performed abatement, the paper trail can show whether required protections like wet methods, negative-air enclosures, and respirators were actually used or skipped. Improper or rushed abatement, especially before the modern rules took hold, exposed many laborers and even bystanders. If your exposure came from renovation or demolition, these records can establish both the presence of asbestos and the conduct of the parties responsible.

Example Sentence

The school district's asbestos abatement report from the 1990s identified the pipe insulation the client had removed as a maintenance worker, which helped confirm his exposure source.

Related Terms

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, Encapsulation, Friable Asbestos, Asbestos Survey, Demolition and Renovation

Notes

• If you worked in or near a building undergoing abatement, request the abatement project files, air-monitoring logs, and the operations and maintenance plan.
• School records under AHERA must be kept on file and are often obtainable; they can name specific products and locations.
• Note whether wet methods, enclosures, and respiratory protection were provided, since their absence bears on liability.