Document 7RpvVm7ey3MRY8pVbnVaKO2ME

,,. 623 Current Report ' The new standard was issued under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and also applies to the Construction Safety Act and Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act regula- " tions. ' ' . ' ' /" ' ' .' The adoption was made under Section 6(c). of OSHA . following studies conducted by the National Institute for ! Occupational Safety and Health and recommendations made by the American Conference of Governmental Indus trial Hygienists. NIOSH and ACGIH determined that existing standards constituted a grave danger to employees exposed to the eight-hour time weighted average concentra tion and that an emergency standard was necessary. NIOSH concurred that the change proposed by the ACGIH would provide a substantial base. Action under Section 6(b) of the Act will begin soon. Any notice of proposed rulemaking under 6(b) will give notice of the emergency standard as a proposed rule of any subsidiary proposals which may be required under subsec tions (5) and (7) of 6(b) relating to toxic substances. The emergency temporary standard had been called for in a letter to the Labor Department from the AFL-CIO. ' The letter cited evidence from a study conducted by Dr. Irvin J. Selikoff and the staff of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the AFL-CIO, and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Asbestos Hazard of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Depart ment (Current Report, November 18, p. 581). " The emergency standard appears in the Full Text section of this report and will be included in a future Reference File supplement. . ----- ---..Asbestos OSHA PUBLISHES EMERGENCY STANDARD FOR ASBESTOS TO BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY An emergency standard limiting the exposure of employto asbestos dust was published by the Occupational - Safety and Health Administration and made effective December 7. The emergency standard limits the eight-hour time weighted average airborne concentration of asbestos dust to ---'which employees are exposed to no more than five fibers per milliliter greater than five microns in length. Concentrations above five fibers per milliliter but, not to exceed 10 fibers per milliliter, may be permitted up to a total of 15 minutes in an hour for up to five hours in an eight-hour day. . ....' -............ . . --------------------------------------------- Copyright J971- by_The Bureau.of Rational Affairs, Inc. D-1002 ^CURRENT REPORT J------------------- :------------------------------------------------ V 643 Full! Toxt EMERGENCY STANDARD FOR EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS DUST PUBLISHED BY THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION Chapter XVII--Occupational Safety and Health Administration, De partment of Labor PART 1910--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS Emergency Standard for Exposure to Asbestos Dust Pursuant to section 6(c) of the WilUams-Steiger Occupational Safety and -Health-Act of -1970 (84 Stat. 1596, 29 TJ.S.C. 655), Part 1910 of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (36 FR. 10466, May 29, 1971) Is hereby amended in the manner indicated below in order to pro vide an emergency standard dealing with the exposure of employees to asbestos dust. In light of increasing information on the results of exposure of employees.to airborne asbestos dust, including recent studies by the National institute for Oc cupational Safety and Health and others, and recommendations by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), it is hereby deter mined that (1) exposure under the pres ent standard for asbestos dust in Table G-3, J 1910.93, of 12 fibers per milliliter greater than 5 microns in length or 2 million particles per cubic foot of air, which is derived from an established Fed eral standard promulgated under the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act on May 20, 1969, constitutes a grave danger to employees exposed to this 8-hour time-weighted average concentration; and that (2) an emergency standard is necessary to protect employees from this excessive exposure. The National Insti tute for Occupational Safety and Health concurs that the proposed change in the asbestos dust standard recommended by the American Conference of Governmen tal industrial Hygienists should be the substantial base for the emergency standard. Action concerning the standard will be commenced under section 6(b) in the immediate future. Any notice of pro posed rulemaking under section 6(b) will give notice of the emergency standard as a proposed rule and also of any ap propriate subsidiary proposals which may be required under subparagraphs () and (7) Of section 6(b) relating to the ex posure of employees to toxic substances. Copyright 1971 by The Bureou of Notional Affairs, Inc. 644 OCCUPATIONAL WfETY & HEALTH REPORTER Part 1910 is amended as follows: 1 Table G-3 following S 1910.93 (36 F.R. 15104. Aug. 13. 1971) is hereby amended by deleting the following: Asbestos--12 fibers per milliliter greater than 6 microns In length or------------'-- 2 MppcT. TremollteB Mppcf. 20mg./M %sio. As amended. Table G-3 reads as follows: Taels Q-3--Mineral Dusts Substance Mppcf Mg/M' Silica; Crystalline; Quarts (respirable). 250' lOmg/M1 " %S10H-S %SrOH-2 Quarts (total dust)............................ ...... 30mg/M> Cristobalite: Use >4 the value calculated bom the count or mass formulae for quart!. Tndymite: Use X the value calculated bom the for mulae lor quarts. Amorphous, including natural dtatomaceous earth................. %SjOj+2 20 S0mg/Ms %SiOj Silicates (less than 1% crys talline silica): Mica....................................... Soapstone........... ................ Tale____ ________ Portland cement................ Graphite (natural)................. Cod dust (respirable fraction less than 5% 8100--............ For more than S% SiOj--------- Inert or Nuisance Dust: Respirable fraction.............. Total dust.......................... - 20 20 20 50 15 2.4mg/M> or lOmg/M1 %S!Oi+2 15 5mg/M> 50 15mg/M< Note: Conversion factors-- mppcfX35.3-million particles per cubic meter -particle* per c.c. Minions of particles per cubic foot of air, based on lmpinger samples counted by light-field technics. i The percentage of crystalline silica in the formula Is the amount determined from air-borne samples, ex cept in those Instances In which other methods have been shown to be applicable. I As determined by the membrane filter method at 430Xphase contrast magnification. - Both concentration and percent quart! for the appli cation of this limit am to be determined from the fraction passing a sire-selector with the following characteristics: Aerodynamic diameter (unit density sphere) 2 2.3 . 8.5 A0 10 Percent passing selector 90 78 80 28 0 The measurements under this note refer to the use of an AEC Instrument. If the respirable fraction of coal dust is determined with a MRE the figure correspondlim to that of 2.4 Mg/M* In the table for coal dust Is 4.5 Mg/M, 2. A new 1910.93a is added to Part 1910. The new {1910.93a reads as follows: ... . 1910.93a Asbestos dust. (a) The 8-rhour time-weighted aver age airborne concentration of asbestos dust to which employees are exposed shall not exceed 5 fibers per milliliter greater than 5 microns in length, as de termined by the membrance filter method at 400--450X magnification (4 millimeter objective) phase contrast illumination. Concentrations above 5 fibers per milliliter but, not to exceed 10 fibers per milliliter, may be permitted up ter a total of 15 minutes in an hour for up to 5 hours in an 8-hour day. scribed in the remaining subparagraphs of this paragraph (d), the employer shall (b) Engineering methods, such as but not limited to, enclosure, vacuum sweep comply with the requirements of these subparagraphs relating to the operations ing, and local exhaust ventilation, shall involved. The requirements of this para be used to meet the exposure limits pre graph are in addition to those prescribed scribed in paragraph (a) of this section. in paragraph (b) of this section. Where such engineering methods are not (2) All hand- or power-operated tools feasible, or do not otherwise reduce the which produce asbestos dust such as, but concentrations below those prescribed in not limited to, saws, scorers, abrasive paragraph (a) of this section, respira wheels, and drills shall be provided with tory protective devices shall be provided local exhaust ventilation and dust col and used in accordance with paragraph lectors in accordance with the American (c) of this section. National Standard Fundamentals Gov (c) (1) (i) When the limits of ex erning the Design and Operation of Local posure to asbestos dust prescribed in Exhaust Systems: ANSI Z9.2--1971. paragraph (a) of this section are ex (3) Employees exposed to the spraying ceeded and when engineering controls of asbestos or the demolition of pipes, required by paragraph (b) of this section structures, or equipment covered or in are not feasible or do not otherwise re sulated with asbestos shall be provided duce the concentration of asbestos dust with respiratory protective devices in below those prescribed in paragraph (a) accordance with paragraph (c)(4) of of this section, the employer shall re this section. ' quire the use of respiratory protective de vices. The selection of respiratory (e) Asbestos cement, mortar, coatings, grout, and plaster shall be mixed in protective devices shall be limited to those specified in the remaining sub paragraphs of this paragraph (c). (if) The employer shall* require that each employee test his respiratory pro tective device before each use in order closed bags or other containers. (f) Asbestos waste and scrap shall be collected and disposed of in sealed bags or other containers. (g) All cleanup of asbestos dust and to insure a proper fit according to the manufacturer's instructions. The em blowing shall be performed by vacuum cleaners. No dry sweeping shall be per ployer shall further provide for effective formed. training or supervision of employees in 3. Section 1910.12 Is amended by the testing of respiratory protective de changing paragraph (a) In order to apply vices for fit before their use. the emergency standard prescribed in the (2) For an atmosphere containing not new I 1910.93a, which is published in this more than 25 fibers per milliliter greater document, to construction work which Is than 5 microns in length over an 8-hour subject to the Act. The amendment is average, or more than 50 fibers per milli necessary in light of the rule of regula liter over any period of 15 minutes, a tory construction set forth in $ 1910.5(c). reusable or single-use filter type respira As amended, 5 1910.12 reads as follows: tor, operating with negative pressure during the Inhalation phase of breathing, 1910.12 Construction work. approved by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (a) (1) Adoption and extension of es under the provisions of 30 CFR Part 14 tablished safety and health standards (Bureau of Mines Schedule 21B), or a for construction. The standards pre valveless respirator providing equivalent scribed by Part 1518 of this title and in protection, shall be used. effect on April 28, 1971, are adopted as (3) For an atmosphere containing not occupational safety or health standards more than 250 fibers per millilter greater under section 6(a) of the Act and shall than 5 microns In length over an 8-hour apply, according to the provisions average, or more than 500 fibers per thereof, to every employment and place milliliter over any period of 15 minutes, of employment of every employee en a powered filter positive pressure res gaged in construction work. Each em pirator approved by the TJ.S. Bureau of ployer shall protect the employment and Mines under the provisions of 30 CFR places of employment of each of his Part 14>(Bureau of Mines Schedule 21B) employees engaged in construction work shall be used. by complying with the appropriate (4) For an atmosphere containing standards prescribed by this paragraph. more than 250 fibers per milliliter (2) The standards prescribed in greater than 5 microns In length over 11518.55(c) .of this title shall apply in an 8-hour average a type C positive pres the case of the exposure of any em sure supplied-air respirator approved by ployee in construction work to airborne the U.S. Bureau of Mines under the pro asbestos dust. visions of 30 CFR Part 12 (Bureau of Mines Schedule 19B) shall be used. (5) The employer shall establish a respirator program in accordance with the requirements of American National Standard Practice for Respiratory Pro * ft Effective date. These amendments shall become effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register (12-7-71). tection Z88.2--1969. (Sec. 6(c), 84 Stat. 1596, 29 U.S.C. 655; Sec (6) The respirators provided each em retary's Order No. 12-71,36 FJt. 8754) ployee shall be properly cleaned, repaired and stored. Inspected, Signed at Washington, D.C., this 2d day of December 1971. (d) (1) When an employer has em ployees who are exposed to asbestos dust exceeding the limits prescribed in para graph (a) of this section and the ex posure results from the operations de- G. C. Guenther, Assistant Secretary of Labor. [FR Doc.71-17833 Filed 12-6-71;8:47 am] Occupational Safety & Health Reporter