AHERA Education
Understanding AHERA Compliance for Safer Schools
AHERA Education & Resource Center
What is AHERA?
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) is a federal regulation requiring educational agencies to inspect school buildings for asbestos-containing materials, prepare management plans, and take response actions to prevent hazards.
Who Must Comply?
- K–12 Public School Districts
- Non-Profit Private Schools (including Charter and Religious schools)
The Compliance Timeline
- Initial Inspection: Baseline identification of all ACBM (Asbestos-Containing Building Material).
- 6-Month Periodic Surveillance: Visual check of the condition of all identified asbestos.
- 3-Year Reinspection: Formal reinspection by an accredited professional.
- Annual Notification: Yearly updates to parents, teachers, and employee organizations regarding the Management Plan.
Critical Compliance Failures
Many institutions fall out of compliance due to:
- Missing or outdated Management Plans.
- Lack of 2-hour Awareness Training for custodial and maintenance staff.
- Failure to document "Response Actions" or minor repairs.
- Incomplete recordkeeping of 6-month surveillance cycles.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Failure to adhere to AHERA standards can result in significant EPA, DLS fines, reaching thousands of dollars per day per violation. More importantly, it creates a massive liability risk and compromises the safety of students and staff.
What Inspectors Look For
When an auditor or inspector arrives, they prioritize:
- The Management Plan: Is it on-site, updated, and easily accessible?
- Training Records: Are all maintenance staff properly certified?
- Warning Labels: Are asbestos-containing materials in maintenance areas properly labeled?
- Condition of Material: Is there any "friable" (crumbled) asbestos that poses an immediate risk?
Recordkeeping Requirements
A legally defensible AHERA program requires meticulous documentation, including:
- Initial and reinspection reports.
- Dated surveillance logs.
- Fiber-release episode records.
- Staff training certificates and accreditation for all consultants/contractors.
Credentials & Certifications
Industry-Leading Qualifications We maintain the highest level of accreditation to ensure your documentation is defensible and your campus is safe.
- State Asbestos Licenses: Fully licensed Inspectors, Management Planners, and Project Designers.
- DLS Accreditation: All services meet or exceed federal DLS, EPA, DEP, and AHERE standards.
- AHERA Certifications: Certified specialists in school-specific asbestos management.
- Proven Track Record: Over 30 years in business serving a diverse portfolio of school districts.
- Institutional Reach: Proudly serving [Number] of schools across the region.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Fully insured for professional environmental liability.
Meet Our Lead Consultants
Ammar Dieb
Mr. Dieb is presently the President of Universal Environmental Consultants (UEC). Mr. Dieb has been licensed for Asbestos Consulting Services, including Inspection, Management Planning, Designing, Construction Project Monitoring and Air Sampling Analysis since 1988.
Mr. Dieb has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of the District of Columbia (1987). He holds licenses as a Certified Asbestos Project Designer in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.
Mr. Dieb has been involved in the inspection, management planning, design for remediation and construction, and laboratory services in over 1,500 buildings, schools, residential, commercial, industrial buildings, and colleges in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
Asbestos inspections included review of all records and drawings, review of the current and future building use, and inspection of all suspect materials, including quantities, conditions, and bulk sample results, strictly in accordance with Federal and State regulations. Recommendations for abatement activities, including management in place, repair, or remediation, are provided with cost estimates. Mr. Dieb has prepared management plans, including an assessment of hazard areas with prioritization for action in each area according to the level of hazard. His design experience has included resolving the scope of asbestos remediation to meet regulatory requirements with careful consideration of the safety of building occupants, preparation of specifications and designs for remediation, preparation of contract and bidding documents, conducting pre-bid site inspections with contractors, and assisting the building owners with bidder qualification.
Other responsibilities include construction cost estimating, assisting clients with pre-bidding, pre-construction, and post-construction activities such as pre-bid conference, bid openings, pre-construction meetings, contractor submittals, and project completion punch lists.
George Bezreh
George has been the Director of Operations for Universal Environmental Consultants for the last 13 years, overseeing multiple projects and personnel for the company at various school systems, municipalities, housing authorities, and hospitals. George is heavily involved with compliance training of many school systems in their AHERA management plans involving asbestos. George also provides the required two-hour training of in-house facilities staff for many public and private school systems.
George holds an Asbestos Inspectors License and an Asbestos Project Monitors License in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. George is also a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor and Master Electrician. George has been in the building trades since the 1980’s and is well-rounded to perform multiple projects. George was the past Operations Supervisor for Emerson College and Director of Facilities for the Brockton Public Schools for 12 years each. George was responsible for over 140 custodial and trades personnel and the maintenance of over 3,000,000 square feet of building space. George has overseen many construction projects for each of his employers, from $25,000 - $3,000,000 and is proficient in public procurement.
George is a graduate of the Facilities Maintenance program at Wenworth Institute of Technology (2008)
Our Lead Inspectors
Jason Becotte
Mr. Becotte is presently employed as an Asbestos Consultant for Universal Environmental Consultants.
Mr. Becotte has performed asbestos abatement inspection and project monitoring in public and privately owned buildings throughout Massachusetts. His responsibilities as an industrial hygienist include inspections, supervising contractor performance and procedures, documenting daily activities, acting as liaison between client and contractor, conducting air monitoring throughout the project, and preparing a final report. He is also trained in the state of Massachusetts for laboratory analysis of asbestos.
Mr. Becotte has also performed asbestos inspection services in accordance with AHERA regulations in over 100 buildings throughout Massachusetts.
Leonard Busa
Mr. Busa is presently employed as an Asbestos Consultant for Universal Environmental Consultants. He was responsible for inspecting buildings in Virginia and Massachusetts, as well as managing planning and providing response actions and prioritizing hazard assessments.
Mr. Busa has performed asbestos abatement project monitoring in public and privately owned buildings throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. His responsibilities as an industrial hygienist include supervising contractor performance and procedures, documenting daily activities, acting as liaison between client and contractor, conducting air monitoring throughout the project, and preparing a final report. He is also licensed in the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island for laboratory analysis of asbestos.
Mr. Busa has also assisted in some asbestos design projects. His responsibilities included: review of buildings as built; quantifying asbestos-containing materials; and quality control of completed designs.
Other responsibilities include AHERA inspections & management plans, AHERA periodic surveillance & re-inspection and laboratory quality control programs.