New York State Asbestos Investigator Practice Exam

What is a reason for avoiding air sampling in certain asbestos scenarios?

1. Air samples are not reliable

2. Air sampling can be more expensive

3. Air samples do not show the full extent of contamination

4. Air sampling is time-consuming

The correct answer is: Air samples do not show the full extent of contamination

The reason for avoiding air sampling in certain asbestos scenarios primarily relates to the limitation that air samples do not provide a complete picture of contamination. Air sampling typically measures the concentration of airborne fibers at a specific moment in time and may not account for areas where asbestos is embedded in building materials or other surfaces. Consequently, air sampling can give a misleading perspective on the overall risk because it might fail to capture the latent hazards present in solid materials or unobserved contamination. In contrast, other options highlight aspects of air sampling like reliability, cost, or time, which do have relevance in specific contexts but do not address the core issue that air sampling alone may not depict the full extent of asbestos-related risks. For scenarios where there may be significant remediation needs or concerns about residual contamination, relying solely on air sampling can lead to inadequate assessments and potentially dangerous oversights.