Utah Contractor Practice Exam

If asbestos is found in a home improvement project, who is responsible for hiring a licensed individual for abatement?

1. Homeowner

2. Contractor

3. City inspector

4. Department of Building Safety

The correct answer is: Homeowner

The homeowner is responsible for hiring a licensed individual for abatement when asbestos is found in a home improvement project. This is based significantly on the fact that homeowners hold the ultimate responsibility for the safety and compliance of their property during renovations. According to regulations concerning asbestos, it is critical that any handling, removal, or abatement is performed by a trained and licensed professional. This is essential not only for the safe removal of asbestos but also to ensure compliance with environmental and health regulations that protect all occupants of a property. While contractors may play a vital role in the renovation process and can guide homeowners on the necessary steps to take, the responsibility to hire a qualified expert for asbestos abatement explicitly falls on the homeowner. This delineation of responsibility emphasizes the importance of maintaining safety during home renovations, particularly in older buildings where asbestos is more likely to be present. The roles of city inspectors and the Department of Building Safety typically involve oversight and regulatory compliance rather than direct responsibility for hiring contractors for abatement tasks. Their functions are more about ensuring that work is being done correctly and according to code rather than being the ones to employ specialists for these hazardous conditions.