Document 4kOExedOqE5yL2aYrQraqVKG

H W ;i. i1 Federal Register / Vol. 51, No. 119 / Friday. Jane 20, 1986 / Rules and Regulations 22675 result of the rule, there will be a IX. Standards Recommended to OSHA recommended requirements for decrease in the amount of ambient by Interested Parties ' monitoring. medica] surveillance, emissions to the environment. Although any captured fibers could take the form of solid waBte of wastewater runoff, sludge, or slurry, this is not anticipated to result in a significant environmental impact. In achieving compliance with the standard, industry will in some instances need to install engineering controls, implement work practices, provide persona) protective equipment, and training. These measures are not expected to have any significant adverse environmental effects, and could be of potential benefit to the environment in terms of air and water quality and solid waste disposal. The use of local controls, niters, In the course of this rulemaking, several interested parties have developed and submitted to OSHA recommended standards for controlling occupational exposures to asbestos in various workplace settings. Among the organizations and entities submitting such standards were OSHA's Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (hereafter called CACOSH or the Advisory Committee), which provided a number of relevant documents for the record, the Organization of Resource Counselors. Inc. (ORC), the Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD) of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and the recordkeeping, protective clothing, employee training, and signs and labels that are nearly identical to those of OSHA's revised general industry rule. However, the ORC's recommended standard differs substantially from the revised rule in one major respect: the ORC recommends that OSHA adopt two permissible concentrations for exposure to-asbestos, a permissible airborne concentration (PAC) and a permissible exposure limit (PEL) that governs actual in-lung employee exposure. The ORC recommended a PAC of O.S f/cc or less, and a PEL of 0.2 f/cc. ORC defines a PAC as the "ambient worksite concentration" or maximum 8-hour timeweighted average concentration in collection devices and wet methods would reduce levels of airborne Asbestos Information Association of North America (AIA/NA). "which any employee may work;" ORC assumes that, if engineering controls emissions in the workplace. The placement of proper controls and filtering devices may mean that filtered OSHA has benefited greatly from the recommendations and regulatory suggestions of these groups, and has and work practices are not sufficient to reduce the ambient concentration to this level, employees would be required to sir is vented to baghouses or other capture/retention devices, thereby incorporated many of their recommended approaches into the wear respiratory protection having u protection factor adequate to do so. lessening the potential release of requirements of the revised standards Thus, ORC's definition of a PAC is airborne emissions to the external for general industry and construction. consistent with OSHA's traditional environment. The use of air-tight enclosures will prevent the release of emissions tp the general environment. Specific regulatory requirements recommended by these commenters are discussed in the Summary and definition of a permissible exposure limit (PEL). The ORC's definition of PEL, however, differs markedly from This is also true where devices such as Explanation sections of the preamble, as OSHA's. ORC states that: portable saws with local exhaust ventilation and capture devices.are used for cutting asbestos products. Although such collection devices will increase the amount of disposable waste where they . are implemented, it is difficult to quantify the degree to which this will occur. No significant adverse effect on air quality is expected to occur as a result of the final rule; The use of wet methods and processes will also reduce the level of ambient appropriate. Specific recommendations. made to OSHA by CACOSH, the AIA/ NA, and the BCTD are described in Section XI of this preamble (the Summary and Explanation for the revised rule for the construction industry), while specific requirements recommended by the ORC are described in Section X, the Summary and Explanation for maritime and general industry. The paragraphs below briefly The eight hour time weighted average airborne concentration of asbestos fibers; to which any employee mBy be exposed shall not exceed 0.2 fibers (inhaled into the lungs) per cubic centimeter of air (Ex. 91-10). OSHA has not adopted ORC's two pronged approach to exposure limits, for several reasons. First, OSHA has traditionally defined PELs andemployee exposures as the airborne concentration of a contaminant measured without emissions. The use of.vacuums and other recommended work practices for describe the standards recommended by regard to the use ofrespirators. The . these groups, concentrating on the Agency has consistently used this cleanup and removal of fibers will general approach adopted by each definition of exposure because airborne reduce the likelihood of any reentrainment of fibers into the organization in developing its recommended standard. In addition? concentrations, in contrast to in-lung concentrations, are easy to control and atmosphere. Potential.wastewater effluents resulting from, these methods OSHA's response to these recommendations and the Agency's measure, and limits based on such concentrations are comparatively easy ' and processes will also be alleviated rationale for accepting, modifying, or to enforce. In addition, employers are depending on the control method (e.g., rejecting the approaches recommended able to determine, by means of HEPA vacuums, recirculation and reuse are discussed. established industrial hygiene of water) and disposal technique used [e.g., leak-tight containers). The training of workers should Recommended Standardfor General, Industry procedures and controls Buch as employee monitoring, leak detection systems, continuous alarms, and the use provide an incentive for the proper use The ORC developed a standard that it of engineering controls and work and handling of asbestos and asbestos- recommended to OSHA to control practices, what the actual exposures of containing products. Training also has occupational exposures to asbestos in their employees are. OSHA does not the potential to impact on the discharge the industry sectors predominantly believe that the cause of occupational and disposal of asbestos materials into represented by its members [i.e., general safety and health would be well served the environment. industry and maritime). The standard by basing an exposure limit on ah end Finally. Ihe revised rule, as well as the recommended by the ORC (Ex. 91-10) is. point that is as subject to individual EPA.proposed ban on asbestos, is likely generally similar to the revised standard variability, as dependent on individual to encourage the research, development being promulgated by OSHA for general and group behavior, and as difficult to arid use of suitable substitutes. . . industry. For example, the ORC enforce arid administer as the in-lung GLEASON-000923