Long Island owners told a permit does not replace an asbestos survey

Quest Mold & Asbestos Inspections is warning Long Island property owners that a local building or demolition permit does not satisfy New York State asbestos survey rules. The distinction matters before renovation, remodeling or demolition because required surveys must be completed and filed before work starts.

Why it matters: - Property owners who skip the asbestos step can disturb hazardous material during demolition or renovation. - New York State rules require a separate asbestos survey for many projects, even when a local permit has already been approved. - The warning applies to Long Island towns, cities and villages, where permit procedures can create confusion.

What happened: - Quest Mold & Asbestos Inspections and Testing Corp. urged Long Island property owners to verify asbestos requirements before demolition, renovation, remodeling or repair work. - The company said a local building or demolition permit does not mean an asbestos survey has already been completed. - New York State Industrial Code Rule 56 requires asbestos surveys for applicable demolition, renovation, remodeling and repair projects before work begins.

The details: - Where the rule applies, a licensed asbestos contractor must perform the survey using certified New York State asbestos inspectors. - The survey is meant to determine whether the building, structure or affected area contains asbestos-containing material, presumed asbestos-containing material or other asbestos material. - New York State Department of Labor guidance says a copy of the completed asbestos survey must be sent to the local permitting jurisdiction and the relevant New York State Asbestos Control Bureau District Office. - Asbestos can be found in floor tiles and mastics, pipe and boiler insulation, roofing and siding, ceiling materials, joint compounds, textured coatings and other construction products. - If asbestos-containing materials are disturbed without proper procedures and controls, asbestos fibers can become airborne. - New York State asbestos regulations include exemptions and special circumstances, including provisions affecting certain buildings and certain one- and two-family dwellings under specified conditions. - An exemption from one survey requirement does not necessarily remove other federal, state or occupational-safety obligations.

Between the lines: - Long Island property owners often deal with separate local permitting systems, which can make asbestos compliance easy to overlook. - Meir Efargan of Quest Mold & Asbestos Inspections and Testing Corp. said property owners may see an approved permit and assume asbestos has already been checked. - The underlying risk is not just paperwork. It is the possibility of disturbing hidden asbestos before the right survey and controls are in place.

What's next: - Before demolition or major renovation, property owners should confirm whether a survey is required, who performed it, which areas were evaluated and whether the project will disturb any identified asbestos materials. - Property owners and contractors should review both New York State rules and the requirements of the municipality issuing the permit. - On projects where asbestos rules apply, the required survey should be completed before suspect materials are disturbed.

The bottom line: - A local permit and an asbestos survey are not the same thing, and property owners should verify both before work begins. - Quest Mold & Asbestos Inspections and Testing Corp. is an independent environmental inspection and testing company serving Long Island and the New York metropolitan area. - The company provides asbestos inspections and testing, mold assessments, indoor air-quality testing, VOC testing and other environmental testing services. - More information is available through the company’s social channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.