Document 3N7G3V2x9Q3bgn7rVJMbE4JOn

SubiKt: Occupational Safety and Health - 'Exposure to Airborne Asbestos Fibers - Request for Survey tYP iettar: data: distribution lists: fij* no. relstsd Unarj: other: 3L American Teiesncre anc Teiegraon Comnany 195 Snoadwav New Yarn. *. Y 10007 Phone (212) 390-9300 from: description: Section 29 CFR 1910.1001 of standards issued by the Occupational Sarety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employers to establish and maintain an effective program for protecting their employees against excessive exposure to airborne asbestos particles. As a result of this request, there is a need to provide guidance to the OTCs so that they may develop and implement the programs needed to assure compliance vim the current OSHA Standards for asbestos. Baseline environmental studies conducted by the Environmental Kealtr. anc Safety Department of Beil Telephone Laboratories have shown that there are two categories of asbestos usage which may potentially result in excessive employee exposures: 1. Motor vehicle maintenance operations on brakes and clutches. 2. Operations in areas where sprayed-on asbestos was used for fire proofing and heat insulation. Instructions contained in GL 77-07-024 and GL 78-08-045 establish pro cedures for protecting employees from excessive exposure to airborne asbestos fibers while performing maintenance operations on brakes anc clutches in company-owned vehicles. However, at present there rename c need for guidance concerning employees in facilities (owned and leasee with sprayed-on asbestos. PLAINTOnrS EXHIBIT AIT-311 NOTICE Not for use or disclosure outside the f-LA 000051 In order to develop guidelines whir'1', are both ~enr.ir.gful and realism, there is a need for basic information concerning the extent of sprayeoon asbestos in Beil System facilities. As a result, each OTC is recuester to perform a comprehensive survey of al1 their facilities (owned and leased) to identify all buildings which appear to have sprayed-on asoestcs Although bulk sample tests are not requested at this time, the OTCs might choose to do some sampling for corroboration. This request supercedes a previous request for data (GL 77-04-133). The 1977 data was accumulated within a very short time frame, and the information on leased facilities was generally incomplete. However, each company should review this data to determine its completeness with resoec: to owned and leased facilities. This might simplify and expedite the present request for information. A form is attached which must be completed for each facility with snravedon material. Also attached is a transmittal sheet which requests the total number of leased and owned locations in that company. Each OTC is encouraged to keep an official record of all facilities (owned and leased), with and without sprayed-cn asbestos, since OSKA might request this information some time in the future. For your information sprayed-on asbestos was used extensively in con struction during the period from 1953 to 1972, after uhich it was banned by the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition it was employed prima in low-cost light-weight construction. Within the Bell System this means it would, in general, not exist in equipment buildings since this type of construction is not employed for these facilities. However, asbestos was probably used in a number of administrative buildings, which may be company owned or leased. The likelihood is that it was used extensively in leased buildings built during this period, and these facilities presently comprise approximately 23% of all Bell System space. Thus, a comprehensive survey of leased facilities is essential. THE SURVEY PACKAGE, WITH A FORM COMPLETED- FOR EACH BUILDING WITH SPRAYEDON MATERIAL SHOULD 3E FORWARDED TO AT&T 3Y JULY :. 1979. Since the survey data will be used to design models for evaluating employee exposures to airborne asbestos during typical work procedures, a formal solution to asbestos compliance will not be available until 1980. However, interim guidelines are presently being developed for specific situations where employees might be exposed to excessive leve.s of asbestos. These guidelines will be issued shortly. Questions pertaining to this letter may be addressed to N. J. DeCapua 201-221-4934 . LLA 000052