# Verify roles, credentials and independence

Lesson 1 of [Commission asbestos and lead work](https://abatement.fyi/academy/commission-asbestos-and-lead-work.md), 12 minutes.

When selecting an asbestos or lead provider, start with the service you are buying. An inspection, a risk assessment, corrective work and a renovation are not interchangeable. A firm may offer more than one service, but you still need to know who will do each task, which credentials apply and what written evidence the task produces. A clear assignment of roles makes a proposal easier to assess.

## Asbestos: separate assessment from correction

EPA describes asbestos inspectors as professionals who inspect buildings, assess conditions, arrange samples for testing and advise on corrections. Asbestos contractors repair or remove material. An inspector may also check corrective work and monitor air. Ask the proposed provider to name its role rather than accepting a general description such as “environmental services.”

EPA recommends avoiding a conflict of interest by using an assessor who is not connected with the firm doing the repair or removal. As a buyer, ask whether those parties are connected and how the arrangement follows that recommendation. Independence matters because the recommendation to purchase corrective work should be based on the condition and the project, rather than on the assessor's opportunity to sell removal.

Ask asbestos professionals to document completion of approved training and provide proof of accreditation for the people doing the work. EPA advises checking past performance with the relevant air-pollution and worker-safety agencies and asking about safety violations and legal actions. Treat these as checks to make, not as permission to infer an unverified problem with a particular business.

## Lead: match the credential to the task

EPA distinguishes the lead-based paint activities programme from the renovation, repair and painting programme. Inspection, risk assessment and abatement belong to the activities programme within its applicable scope. Renovation certification does not establish that a provider holds the certification required for abatement. Ask for evidence that matches the proposed service, and verify it with the programme authority.

EPA explains that individuals and firms performing regulated lead-based paint activities need certification. The administrator can be EPA or an authorised state, territorial or Tribal programme. Ask the appropriate authority how to check the firm and the individuals assigned to your project. Do not assume that a credential from another jurisdiction or another service category is sufficient for your property.

## Make the evidence usable

Keep the proposed service, the provider's name, the assigned role and the credential evidence together in your project record. This is a suggested purchasing practice, not a universal legal form. It helps you ask a focused follow-up when the proposal changes. If the named assessor is replaced, ask whether the replacement holds the relevant credentials and whether the independence arrangement has changed.

A directory listing can help you discover providers, but you should verify the relevant evidence with the issuing authority. Ask each provider the same role questions so that you compare the same service. Neither a polished proposal nor an unrelated training certificate answers those questions.

This course gives buyers a way to organise their enquiries. Passing its exam earns a certificate of completion from abatement.fyi. It is not a licence, accreditation or professional qualification, and it cannot stand in for the credentials you ask a contractor or assessor to demonstrate. Check local requirements for the particular property before appointing anyone.

## Sources

- https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/protect-your-family-exposures-asbestos
- https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-abatement-inspection-and-risk-assessment
- https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-based-paint-abatement-and-evaluation-program-overview

Also on the [web page](https://abatement.fyi/academy/commission-asbestos-and-lead-work/verify-professional-roles).