Which statement describes friable vs non-friable in practice?

• A. Friable materials crumble under hand pressure; non-friable do not.
• B. Friable materials never crumble.
• C. Non-friable materials crumble under hand pressure.
• D. All asbestos materials are always friable.

Answer: (A)

Friability describes how easily a material can be crumbled or powdered by hand pressure. In practice, friable materials crumble under light hand pressure, while non-friable materials resist crumbling and stay intact. This matters for asbestos because friable asbestos fibers can be released into the air when disturbed, posing inhalation risks and triggering specific abatement procedures. The best answer states that friable materials crumble under hand pressure, and non-friable materials do not. The other options are incorrect because they reverse or misstate the behavior of friable versus non-friable materials, and because asbestos can be either friable or non-friable depending on the product and condition.