Part IX. Standards of Practice and Conduct for Accredited Training Programs and Board-Approved Training Courses
18VAC15-21-520. General requirements for training programs and courses.
A. All Virginia-approved accredited asbestos training programs and board-approved training courses must remain in compliance with all training and recordkeeping requirements established by MAP.
B. Each initial and refresher accredited training program and board-approved training course must be discipline specific.
C. All accredited training programs must be taught in English. Accredited asbestos worker training programs are exempt from this requirement.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-525. Electronic delivery of asbestos refresher training courses.
A. Electronic delivery of accredited asbestos refresher training courses is permitted, provided the following requirements are met:
1. Courses delivered electronically must be approved by the board in accordance with Part V (18VAC15-21-220 et seq.) of this chapter. A pre-existing approval for an in-person, classroom-based refresher course does not extend to approval of the electronic course.
2. The training provider must have a system in place to authenticate each participant's identity and the participant's eligibility to enroll in the course.
3. A unique identifier must be assigned to each participant to be used to launch and re-launch the course. This identifier may be used throughout the course if deemed necessary by the instructor.
4. Each participant must be logged into the course and participating for the full length of time required for each course discipline. The training provider must track each participant's course logins, launches, progress, and completion. The training provider must maintain a record of the same in accordance with the applicable recordkeeping requirements of MAP and this chapter.
5. The course must include knowledge checks throughout the entirety of the course. The knowledge checks must be successfully completed before the participant moves on to the next module.
6. Course instructors must be available to answer questions or offer technical discussion by way of online discussion or message boards, or a telephone number during the training period.
7. There must be a test of at least 20 questions at the end of the course, of which 80% must be answered correctly for successful completion of the course. The test must be designed so that the student does not receive feedback on answers until after the test has been submitted.
8. Each participant must be provided with a completion certificate that may be saved and printed. The completion certificate must specifically mention that the course was taken online. The certificate must not be susceptible to editing. The certificate must contain all information required by MAP and this chapter.
9. Course notifications and participant lists provided to the board must indicate whether the course is conducted electronically.
B. Electronic courses must meet all other requirements for refresher courses as established in this chapter.
C. For auditing purposes, the board must have unrestricted access to the electronic course at any time during which the course is conducted.
D. For purposes of this section, electronic delivery includes real-time virtual training and asynchronous delivery of training courses.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-530. Length of training.
A. No portion of an accredited training program or board-approved training course will exceed eight hours in a 24-hour period.
B. Portions of accredited training programs or board-approved training courses conducted after 5 p.m. and before 8 a.m. may not exceed four hours, except where training is conducted during the course participants' usual working hours.
C. Portions of accredited training programs or board-approved training courses conducted between Friday after 5 p.m. and Monday before 8 a.m. may not exceed 16 hours.
D. Each initial accredited training program or board-approved training course, including examinations, must be completed within a single two-week timeframe.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-540. Presence of instructor required to provide training.
An instructor must remain present in the classroom or training area where instruction takes place at all times during the course of the accredited training program or board-approved training course.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-550. Minimum standards for training program and course materials.
A. Prior to the start of the accredited asbestos training program or board-approved training course, the training provider must prepare a course outline or syllabus to be distributed to all course participants.
B. At a minimum, the outline or syllabus must include:
1. Training program title and length of training;
2. Start time of each day of training;
3. Division of course sections, to include the instructor and length of time for each section;
4. Start and end times for each scheduled break;
5. Start and end times for each scheduled lunch;
6. Scheduled hands-on training, a description of the training, the name of the instructor, and length of training; and
7. Start and end time of the final examination.
C. All training program participants will be issued a training program manual for the training program.
D. Use of video instruction is permitted in an accredited training program, provided that videos are not the sole and primary source of instruction.
E. In no case will equipment utilized for display or as part of hands-on training have been utilized on an asbestos abatement project site.
F. Following attendance of the accredited training program or board-approved training course and successful completion of an examination by the training program participant, the training provider must issue a certificate of completion to the training program participant. At a minimum, the completion certificate must include:
1. Training provider's business name;
2. Training provider's business address and telephone number;
3. Location of training;
4. Typewritten or printed name of training program participant;
5. Training program title and length of training in hours;
6. Certificate number;
7. Start and end dates of the training program;
8. Examination date;
9. An expiration date one year after the date of completion of the accredited asbestos training program;
10. For training programs covered under 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E, Appendix C, a statement that the person receiving the certificate has completed the requisite training for asbestos accreditation under Title II (§ 2641 et seq.) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 USC § 2601 et seq.);
11. Statement of attendance and successful completion of an examination by the training program participant; and
12. Signature and typewritten or printed name of the accredited asbestos training program manager or administrator and principal instructor. The signature may be a printed facsimile.
G. The board will not accept training certificates of completion for initial training courses where the name of the course participant, training manager, and principal instructor are the same.
H. Course participants in a refresher training course who are both the training manager and principal instructor of a refresher training program must be monitored by another instructor if completing the program's examination for the purpose of license renewal. The monitoring individual must sign the certificate of completion as the participant's instructor. A course participant in a refresher training course who is either the training manager or the principal instructor of a training program must be monitored by the other if completing his own program's examination for the purpose of license renewal. The monitoring individual must sign the certificate of completion as the participant's instructor.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-560. Examinations.
A. Oral examinations are not permitted in an accredited training program. Accredited asbestos worker training programs are exempt from this requirement.
1. Instructors providing oral examinations must provide an answer sheet to the course participant, to be completed by the participant.
2. The answer sheet must be signed by the course participant.
B. Examinations must be given in the language of the accredited asbestos training program's instruction.
C. A course participant is allowed one opportunity to retake a failed examination. If the course participant fails to achieve a 70% passing score on the second examination attempt, the course participant must reenroll and participate in the entirety of the discipline-specific accredited training program.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-570. Reporting of changes.
A. Any change in the information provided in Part V (18VAC15-21-220 et seq.) of this chapter must be reported to the board prior to implementing the change. Information submitted will be reviewed to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter prior to the continuation of the accredited asbestos training program.
B. Documentation of all instructor qualifications will be reviewed and approved by the board prior to the instructor teaching in an accredited asbestos training program.
C. Changes to the certificate of completion must be submitted to the board for review and approval prior to issuance to training program participants.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-580. Recordkeeping and provision of records to the board.
A. Unless otherwise authorized by the board, the training provider must submit course notifications and participant lists to the board electronically in a format established by the board.
B. The training provider must notify the board no less than 48 hours prior to the start date of any accredited asbestos training program.
C. The training provider must provide an updated notification when an accredited training program will begin on a date other than the start date specified in the original notification no less than 48 hours prior to the new start date.
D. The training provider must update the board of any change in location of an accredited training program at least 48 hours prior to the start date provided to the board.
E. The training provider must update the board regarding any accredited training program cancellations or any other change to the original notification at least 48 hours prior to the start date provided to the board. This requirement does not apply to situations or circumstances beyond the control of the training provider.
F. Each notification, including updates, must include the following:
1. Notification type (e.g., original, update, cancellation).
2. Training program name, Virginia accreditation number, address, and telephone number.
3. Course discipline, type (initial or refresher), and the language in which the instruction will be given.
4. Dates and times of training.
5. Training locations, telephone number, and address.
6. Principal instructor's name.
G. For all accredited training programs, the training provider must provide to the board a training program participant list of all of the individuals attending the accredited training program course within 10 days of the course end date. The training program participant list must contain the following minimum information:
1. Training program name, Virginia accreditation number, address, and telephone number.
2. Course discipline and type (initial or refresher).
3. Dates of training.
4. Location of training program presentation.
5. Each participant's name, address, social security number, course completion certificate number, and course test score.
6. Principal instructor's name.
H. The principal instructor must complete the training program participant list daily.
I. The training program participant list must be retained by the training provider for three years following the date of completion of the training program.
J. The department has discretion to refuse to recognize completion certificates from accredited training providers that fail to provide course notifications or training program participant lists to the board.
K. Approval letters for accredited training programs must be maintained at the location of training and made accessible to the public.
L. A copy of the training program outline must be retained by the training provider for a period of three years following the completion of the training program.
M. All examinations completed by the accredited training program participants, regardless of the examination score, must be kept for a period of three years after the examination date.
N. Records required to be maintained by the training provider must be maintained at the physical location of the accredited asbestos training provider.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-590. Access by the department.
Accredited training providers must permit department representatives to attend, evaluate, and monitor any accredited training program. Prior notice of attendance by department representatives is not required. The department will be given access to all course materials, principal instructor and training manager rosters, participant rosters, and other records as stipulated by this chapter.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.
18VAC15-21-600. Withdrawal of approval of an accredited asbestos training program.
A. The board has discretion to withdraw approval of any accredited training program for the following reasons:
1. The training provider, instructors, or training programs no longer meet the standards established in this chapter.
2. The board determines that the provider is not conducting the training in a manner that meets the requirements as set forth in this chapter.
3. Suspension or revocation of training approval in another state or by EPA.
B. Decisions regarding withdrawal of approval will be made by the board under the provisions of the Virginia Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 8, eff. January 2, 2026.