(a) The Texas Department of Health (department) has the right to inspect or investigate the practices of any person involved with asbestos abatement or related activity in a facility, public or commercial building. (b) Advance notice of inspections or investigations by the department is not required. (c) A department representative, upon presenting the department identification (ID) card, shall have the right to enter at all reasonable times any area or environment, including but not limited to any containment work area, building, construction site, storage, vehicle, or office area to inspect and investigate for compliance with these sections, to review records, to question any person, or to locate, to identify, and to assess the condition of asbestos and asbestos-containing material. (d) A department representative in pursuance of his/her official duties is not required to notify or seek permission to conduct
inspections or investigations. It is a violation of this chapter for a person to interfere with, deny, or delay an inspection or investigation conducted by a department representative. (e) Authority and responsibility for the qualifications, health status, and personal protection of department representatives resides with the department by law. A department representative shall not be impeded or refused entry in the course of his official duties by reason of any regulatory or contractual specification. (f) All persons engaged in asbestos-related activities must have the department-issued ID Card present at the worksite except those persons working in a commercial building which must have their accreditation certificate or card.


Source Note: The provisions of this §295.68 adopted to be effective October 20, 1992, 17 TexReg 6901; amended to be effective September 22, 1994, 19 TexReg 7098; amended to be effective December 13, 1998, 23 TexReg 12353.