Document 93xoOxzpjOONEprg2VGMd3KE5

United States department f Laiwr dffice f informatton___ ___ _Washington. .C. 2121 CONTACT: Donald Smyth OFFICE : 202/523-7316 HOTC : 301/933-8112 Vernon Lowiere 202/523-7316 703/832-2124 USOt 83-476 3 pw ^37" For Release: JfffEBJATE, Wednesday P~. a; November 2, 1983 donovah announces IPS0IATE labor department action to increase worker 'PROTECTION AGAINST ASBESTOS BY LOWERING PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT Secretary of Labor Raymond J. Donovan today announced that the Labor Department will take Immediate action to increase esplpyee protections by lowering the permissible worker exposure level (PEL) to asbestos- In a Federal Register notice to be published shortly, the Department's Occupational Safety and Health Adnrinlstratipn will issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) imaerfiately lowering the (PEL) from 2 fibers of jtrhfxtnr per coble centiliter of air (2 f/cc) to Q-5 f/cc- In the ETS, OSHA will cite a recently Completed risk assessment stowing risk of grave danger to employees subject to even short-term asbestos exposure. The risk assessment predicts three excess cancer deaths per l.WX) workers exposed to asbestos for one year at} the current exposure level. Applying that formula to the actual nunberjof workers exposed at levels higher than 0.5 f/cc OSHA estimates that this ETS will save many lives. ! The ETS applies to general industry, Including manufacturing, as well as the construction and sari time, industries, awl covers an estimated 375,000 workers. Its provisions inti ode training requirements for all exposed employees. j *! Secretary Donovan said the hazards posed by workplace exposure to asbestos mandate the issuance of an ETS under the statutory requirements for an ETS spelled out In the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Workers are "exposed to gravedanger," and an ETS "is necessary to protect employees from such danger."Donovan said. J "In the. past* the courts have narrowly applied those statutory requirements.," Donovan added. "That Is why the decision to Issue an ETS was made only after very careful deliberation within the Department and detailed review of our work outside the Department [by experts1 from the public and private sector scientific ewanumties." The ETS allow* compliance by any combination of; engineering controls, work practices and respirators- That flexibility makes compliance "clearly feasible, as required by the OSH Act." Donovan said-' 2- Techntcally, the ETS amends the existing asbestos Standard. In addition to lowering the PEL and allowing "aiy practicable combination" of engineering controls, wort practices and personal protective equipment to meet the lower limit* the ETS requires training for all employees whose exposure is "reasonably expected" to be at or- above the PEL. Training must begin "as soon as possible but no later than ;30 days" after the effective date. Training must cover respirator fitting and use; Asbestos handling; medical information; the relationship between smoking* lung cancer and jasbestosis; and a review of th?. asbestos standard. j On smoking, the ETS presents findings that smokers;'exposed to asbestos risk lung cancer mortality rates. 53 times higher than non-smokers not exposed to asbestos. However* two other health risk* associated with asbestos. mesothelioma and gastrointestinal cancer, have not been linked to smoking. The ETS resalns in effect for six months. The OSlf Act calls For a permanent standard "no later thair six months'1 after puijlfeat-ion of an ETS. QSHA will address several uajor subjects during tile rulemaking process Initiated by the ETS and a separate notice of proposed (rulemaking to be published in the near-future. Those subjects include: (reducing the PEL; revising the. provisions on respirator selection; improving the reliability of sao^Tings and analyses; and strengthening the training requiresents. OSHA further intends to address unique jprobleas among exposed workers in construction, including? requirements for and frequency of medical examinations;:special needs for the construction Indus ry; the use of certified work practices; and other issues. This regulatory actfuir follows an announcement in October that the agency would conduct two special emphasis programs to increase enforcement efforts aimed, at workplace expoaire to asbeitos. One program directs each OSHA area- office to initiate 10 additional Inspections! this fiscal year in industries where asbestos violations have occurred in Sthe past* Under the other program, OSHA will inspect construction or demolition worksites where high exposures to asbestos are likely to occur. ~ States with their own occupational safety and health plans are expected to adopt a standard comparable to the ETS within 30 dajys of the effective date of the tis*. These states-are: Alaska* Arlz.. Cdfif.. Conn, (covers state and local government enployees). Hawaii, Ind., iowa, Ky.* Hd., Mich., Hlnn.* Hev., H.C.. Ore*, Puerto Rico* S*C., Tend., Utah, Vt., Va. Virgin Islands*. Hash., Wyo. m &T> P0^* ***-*\