Better protection against asbestos in the workplace

Asbestos is a widely used, mineral-based material that is resistant to heat and corrosive chemicals. Typically, asbestos appears as a whitish, fibrous material which may release fibers that range in texture from coarse to silky; however, airborne fibers that can cause health damage may be too small to see with the naked eye.

Who is exposed?
An estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job. Heaviest exposures occur in the construction industry, particularly during the removal of asbestos during renovation or demolition. 

Employees are also likely to be exposed during the manufacture of asbestos products (such as textiles, friction products, insulation and other building materials) and during automotive brake and clutch repair work.

What are the dangers of asbestos exposure?
Exposure to asbestos can cause asbestosis (scarring of the lungs resulting in loss of lung function that often progresses to disability and to death); mesothelioma (cancer affecting the membranes lining the lungs and abdomen); lung cancer; and cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum.

What protections Are mandatory?
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued revised regulations covering asbestos exposure in general industry and construction. 

Both standards set a maximum exposure limit and include provisions for engineering controls and respirators, protective clothing, exposure monitoring, hygiene facilities and practices, warning signs, labeling, recordkeeping, and medical exams.

Nonasbestiform tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite were excluded from coverage under the asbestos standard in May 1992. 

Here are some of the highlights of the revised rules, published in the Federal Register June 20, 1986; and on Sept. 14, 1988.

• Permissible exposure limit: In both general industry and construction, workplace exposure must be limited to 0.2 fibers per cubic centimeter of air (0.2 f/cc), averaged over an eight-hour work shift. The excursion or short-term limit is one fiber per cubic centimeter of air (1 f/cc) averaged over a sampling period of 30 minutes.

• Exposure monitoring: In general industry, employers must do initial monitoring for workers who may be exposed above the "action level" of 0.1 f/cc. Subsequent monitoring must be conducted at reasonable intervals, in no case longer than six months for employees exposed above the action level. 

• Methods of compliance: In both general industry and construction, employers must control exposures using engineering controls, to the extent feasible. Where engineering controls are not feasible to meet the exposure limit, they must be used to reduce employee exposures to the lowest levels attainable and must be supplemented by the use of respiratory protection.

• Respirators: In general industry and construction, the level of exposure determines what type of respirator is required; the standards specify the respirator to be used.

• Regulated areas: In general industry and construction, regulated areas must be established where the eight-hour TWA or 30-minute excursion values for airborne asbestos exceed the prescribed permissible exposure limits. Only authorized persons wearing appropriate respirators can enter a regulated area.

In regulated areas, eating, smoking, drinking, chewing tobacco or gum, and applying cosmetics are prohibited. Warning signs must be displayed at each regulated area and must be posted at all approaches to regulated areas.

• Labels: Caution labels must be placed on all raw materials, mixtures, scrap, waste, debris and other products containing asbestos fibers.

• Recordkeeping: The employer must keep an accurate record of all measurements taken to monitor employee exposure to asbestos. This record is to include: the date of measurement, operation involving exposure, sampling and analytical methods used, and evidence of their accuracy; number, duration, and results of samples taken; type of respiratory protective devices worn; name, social security number, and the results of all employee exposure measurements. This record must be kept for 30 years.

• Protective clothing: For any employee exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos that exceed the PEL, the employer must provide and require the use of protective clothing such as coveralls or similar full-body clothing, head coverings, gloves and foot covering. Wherever the possibility of eye irritation exists, face shields, vented goggles, or other appropriate protective equipment must be provided and worn. 

• Hygiene facilities and practices: Clean change rooms must be furnished by employers for employees who work in areas where exposure is above the TWA and/or excursion limit. Two lockers or storage facilities must be furnished and separated to prevent contamination of the employee's street clothes from protective work clothing and equipment. Showers must be furnished so that employees may shower at the end of the work shift. Employees must enter and exit the regulated area through the decontamination area.

The equipment room must be supplied with impermeable, labeled bags and containers for the containment and disposal of contaminated protective clothing and equipment. Lunchroom facilities for those employees must have a positive pressure, filtered air supply and be readily accessible to employees. Employees must wash their hands and face prior to eating, drinking or smoking. The employer must ensure that employees do not enter lunchroom facilities with protective work clothing or equipment unless surface fibers have been removed from the clothing or equipment. Employees may not smoke in work areas where they are occupationally exposed to asbestos.

• Medical exams: In general industry, exposed employees must have a preplacement physical examination before being assigned to an occupation exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos at or above the action level or the excursion level. The physical examination must include chest X-ray, medical and work history, and pulmonary function tests. Subsequent exams must be given annually and upon termination of employment, though chest X-rays are required annually only for older workers whose first asbestos exposure occurred more than 10 years ago.

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