1926.1101(f)(1): Asbestos Exposure Monitoring Criteria
Employers required to monitor asbestos exposure must accurately determine airborne concentrations employees may be exposed to, using breathing zone air samples representative of each employee's 8-hour TWA and 30-minute short-term exposures. Full-shift samples represent 8-hour exposure in each work area, and 30-minute samples must represent operations most likely to exceed the excursion limit.
Key takeaways
- 1926.1101(f)(1) is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart Z).
- OSHA cited it 123 times in the last 3 years, in 121 inspections, with $161,808 in current penalties.
- Most citations: MI (99), NY (4), MO (3).
- Related part: 1926.1101(f) Exposure assessments and monitoring (211 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.1101(f)(1) ("General monitoring criteria") is one requirement inside 1926.1101 Asbestos, an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart Z). It includes 3 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(1) General monitoring criteria. 123 citations
(i) Each employer who has a workplace or work operation where exposure monitoring is required under this section shall perform monitoring to determine accurately the airborne concentrations of asbestos to which employees may be exposed. Open (f)(1)(i) 101 citations
(ii) Determinations of employee exposure shall be made from breathing zone air samples that are representative of the 8-hour TWA and 30-minute short-term exposures of each employee. Open (f)(1)(ii) 18 citations
(iii) Representative 8-hour TWA employee exposure shall be determined on the basis of one or more samples representing full-shift exposure for employees in each work area. Representative 30-minute short-term employee exposures shall be determined on the basis of one or more samples representing 30 minute exposures associated with operations that are most likely to produce exposures above the excursion limit for employees in each work area. 3 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1926.1101.
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 44 |
| 2025 | 45 |
| 2026 | 28 |
Top states: MI (99), NY (4), MO (3), MD (3), NV (3)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| ACCOLADE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTING, CORP. | BOSTON, MA | $33,103 |
| ACE EXCAVATING & GRAVEL INC. | KALAMAZOO, MI | $10,000 |
| JM ROMICH ENTERPRISES, INC | GREECE, NY | $5,250 |
| NORTHERN HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. | LANSING, MI | $5,000 |
| EDGE RESTORATION LAS VEGAS, LLC | LAS VEGAS, NV | $4,839 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1926.1101(f)(1), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
Related parts of this rule
- 1926.1101(f) Exposure assessments and monitoring 211 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(1)(i) 101 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(2) Initial Exposure Assessment 66 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(2)(i) 62 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(1)(ii) 18 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(3) Periodic monitoring 14 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(3)(i) Class I and II operations 14 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(5) Employee notification of monitoring results 5 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(2)(iii) 1 citations
- 1926.1101(f)(2)(iii)(A)
- 1926.1101(f)(6) Observation of monitoring
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Frequently asked questions
Where must asbestos air samples be taken?
From the employee's breathing zone.
What exposures must be measured?
Samples representative of the 8-hour TWA and 30-minute short-term exposures of each employee.
Which tasks are sampled for short-term exposure?
Operations most likely to produce exposures above the excursion limit in each work area.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.1101 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.