Asbestos "Grace" Period Explained

 

According to the EPA, if the participant allows the cert to expire one year beyond the last day of training the participant can no longer perform response actions associated with asbestos. This applies to initial and refresher courses. The law provides a one year "grace period" for the accreditation reaches the one-year expiration date. Whereby for 365 days following the expiration date the participant may refresh the accreditation by attending a one-day refresher course provided by an EPA or a state approved training provider. This grace period anticipated the participant leaving and then rejoining the asbestos abatement industry within the grace year. Hence, the day after the 2 year date is met, that is two years and one day after the last date of training, the certificate becomes null and void and may no longer be used to achieve refresher or renewal accreditation. In order to rejoin the industry the participant must start over by taking the initial course again.

 
 
 
 
Any asbestos course completed on lets say, August 18, 2000 would be valid to perform asbestos response actions until August 18, 2001. The period from August 18, 2001 to August 18, 2002 would be known as the one year grace period. After that time the accreditation certificate is rendered non-renewable.