The Local Education Agency (LEA) is responsible for AHERA compliance. LEAs include:

• K-12 public schools
• owners of any private, non-profit elementary or secondary school
• schools operated under the Defense Department's education system

To comply with AHERA regulations, LEAs need to:

• Conduct an initial inspection to determine whether asbestos-containing building materials are present 
• Perform a reinspection every three (3) years 
• Ensure that accredited professionals perform inspections, response actions, and operation and maintenance
• Create, develop, and maintain an asbestos management plan
• Appoint a designated person to ensure the responsibilities of the LEA are properly implemented
• Inspect known or suspected asbestos-containing building material every six (6) months 
• Provide an annual notification to all workers and building occupants about the school’s asbestos management plan and any asbestos-related activity in the school
• Provide custodial and maintenance staff with asbestos-awareness training
• Attach warning labels near any asbestos-containing building material in routine maintenance areas 

Asbestos Management Plans

• Each school in the LEA must have an asbestos management plan
• Management plans are living documents. Update them regularly. 

AHERA management plans include the following: 

• Name and address of each school building and whether the building has asbestos-containing building material, and the type of asbestos-containing material
• Date of the original school inspection
• Reinspection plans
• Blueprint that identifies the location of asbestos-containing building materials that remain in the school
• Description of any actions taken to reduce asbestos exposure
• Copy of the analysis of any building, and the name and address of any laboratory that sampled the material
• Contact information of the designated person
• Description of steps taken to notify parents, teachers, and students or their guardians about asbestos management plan and asbestos-activities annually
• Training records for custodial and maintenance staff

Recordkeeping

• The LEA must keep a copy of the asbestos management plan in each school
• The LEA must also keep a copy of every asbestos management plan at their central repository
• The asbestos management plan should be available upon request without restriction within 5 working days

DSHS Resources: 

• AHERA Compliance Inspection Checklist (PDF, 63KB)
• AHERA Flyer 2 (PDF)
• Rack Card (PDF)

EPA Resources:

• Federal Requirements for Asbestos Management in Schools (PDF, 310KB)
• Model AHERA Asbestos Management Plan for Local Education Agencies (PDF, 292KB)
• How to Manage Asbestos in School Buildings: The AHERA Designated Person's Self Study Guide (PDF, 633KB)
• AHERA Asbestos Management Plan: Self Audit Checklist for Designated Persons (PDF, 321KB)