One of the significant geologic problems a registered geologist must learn to identify and mitigate is the geologic hazard of naturally-occurring asbestos. In regions of California underlain by serpentine rocks, chrysotile and often actinolite asbestiform fibers are commonly present in the bedrock at Sites under development. The environmental assessment of the Site, which is usually conducted by a registered geologist, produces guidelines, which are subsequently recommended to the contractor/developer for mitigating the potential risks that are generated geologically. Naturally-occurring asbestosis a potential geologic risk which is highly regulated through standards set by multiple Federal, State, and local regulatory organizations. These standards are set to protect the workers and the public during and after development. This report details the geologic and regulatory background of naturally-occurring asbestos, and outlines, as a case study, the procedure commonly used for documenting, verifying, and then dealing with the presence of asbestos at a project Site.
