Friable asbestos is defined as which?

• A. resist breaking under pressure
• B. be heat resistant
• C. easily break into smaller particles
• D. be non-crushable

Answer: (C)

Friable asbestos means the material can be easily crumbled, crushed, or reduced to dust by hand pressure or slight force, releasing asbestos fibers into the air. This is exactly what “easily break into smaller particles” conveys, making it more hazardous to handle. Materials that resist breaking, are non-crushable, or require significant force to release fibers are non-friable, and heat resistance is a different characteristic not defining friability.