Final clearance testing
for asbestos abatement
Pre-sampling surface check plus aggressive-air sampling to confirm a remediated space passes regulatory clearance and is safe to reoccupy. NJDEP, NYS DOH, NYC DEP, and AHERA formats.
What clearance actually means
An asbestos clearance is the line between an abatement project that's finished and one that isn't. It has two parts: a visual inspection of every surface in the containment area, and an air sample collected under aggressive conditions designed to dislodge any residual fibers.
If the visual fails, the contractor cleans again before the air sample even goes up. If the air result is over the regulatory threshold, the area gets re-cleaned and re-tested. Nobody reoccupies until the numbers come back clean.
We run this work for abatement contractors who need a third-party clearance, for building owners who want independent verification, and for school districts under AHERA.
How a clearance runs, step by step
Pre-sampling surface check
Substrate-by-substrate review of every surface in the work area. Hidden cavities, pipe chases, and floor seams included. If we find residual debris, we reject the visual and the contractor cleans again.
Aggressive setup
Once the visual passes, we set up fans and a leaf blower per ASTM E1368 to disturb any residual fibers, then place air pumps at occupant breathing zone height.
Air sampling
Multiple samples per containment, run for 75 minutes minimum. AHERA TEM clearance for schools; PCM under NIOSH 7400 for most state-level clearance work.
Pass/fail report
Same-day report with pass/fail call against the applicable threshold. We email it before the day ends so the contractor knows whether to demobilize or restage.
What "passing" looks like by jurisdiction
AHERA (schools)
TEM analysis, < 70 s/mm² on the filter, with both indoor and outdoor reference samples.
NJDEP / NJDOH
PCM by NIOSH 7400, < 0.01 f/cc on aggressive air. A pre-sampling surface review must precede the air sample.
NYC DEP (ACP-7)
TEM under NYC DEP protocol. Required for any abatement filed under an ACP-7 permit.
NYS DOH (ICR 56)
PCM under NIOSH 7400 with aggressive-air clearance. TEM may be required for friable projects above a defined threshold.
Need this analysis today?
Ship samples to our Union, NJ intake or schedule field collection. Same-day, 24 and 48-hour turnaround available for wholesale partners.