Document V3zen1gByvb5Ky2mqJL8BVXkZ

Enclosed Is a copy of an article as it appeared in the Kev York Times of Sunday October 5, 19 75. The full publication of the proposed standard will be in the Federal Register on October 9, 1$75* The proposed new standard is rough. The current regulations call for the 5 fibers/cc Unit to be reduced to 2 fiber/cc on July i, 19 76. This nev proposal calls for a standard of Q.5 flbers/cc (effective date not established). I have excerpted some of the more significant parts of the OSHA proposed standard (from a covering letter from the Asbestos Information Association): 1. ' Reduce the permissible exposure limit to a TVJA of 0.5 fibers per cubic centimeter <500,000 fibers per cubic meter) and reduce the ceiling limit to 5 fibers per cubic centimeter (5 million fibers per cubic meter). 2. Add a 15 minute sampling period for deterrainstion of the ceiling limit. 3. Establish additional requirements for regulating areas, employee rosters, hygiene facilities, employee information and training, signs end labels, monitoring and aedical surveillance. 4. Extend the period for retention of monitoring and medical records to 40 years or for the duration of the employees * empioysent pins 20'years, 'Whichever i-s longer. it vculd appear that comments on technical feasibility, costs to the employer, and possible plant shut-downs might have some hearing on adoption of this stringent new standard. From the draft copy 1 have seen, chey are asking for objections er comments prior to December 8, 1975. Written data should be ir. cuadrvoiicate to: Docket Officer, Docket H-033 U.S. Department of Labor Loon N-352Q 200 Constitution Avenue, h'.l\ Washington, D.C. 20210 Telephone (202) 523-8076 Ac gin, this proposed new standard ,,*iil be in the Federal Register ci October 9, 1975. SkS^ WV-06148  s 7' *tw& |*3*Ao.rce Off HA A Sgg^TBS S>T> *rO*iC a^^SigW' ' * * Labor Department Seeking Reduction in Exposure of *v : Workers and Families j i By JAKE 8RODY I The United Sum Depart-1 neat ef I.afairr has proposed! a mv stwidard to protect1 wttfcin and Oiair families from; toe iaag-ratmeg tad cancer*i eassme affect* of axbtaie*. a- --inert ef a uiouuad uses : to which regions of Aaaneaa: worker* are espesei. j Tre ex:r~" ustsi&i run-; card, which rtas been wtaety( contested bv iaaor groups. was] Gfiiiynee otrv to prevent eases- j tee-.*. i ICKT.BS of We lungs; the:. If saver#, car turn a work er tat t crtgpie in a respirator. | Hewrever, the Labor Depart-1 merit's Occupational Salary and] Health Aumaistnuon said'in its proposal that new inform*-! r.ea had developed snowing! c?c; tw ea&xtg tvcftiarO' would no: provest aabeKOSu! asd would ceruiaiy no*, pre*' ven: assestos-sacsed bnosrs.1 Cancers. especial!v these m-! vcivwg w# lung. gasvtwntes-; snai iron and >a=nj of the ories; and abeomsaii cavrnea, have accounted for mere un& per eent of deaths among saw groups ef asoestos work er*. a rau turn to four tijw hfgnc than that ts the general population. Is addition, studies in South] Africa and Hew Jerssv have* shows that the families of as-i easier verker* alee face an,: increased cancer m& because | tr.cy are exposed to asfleare* fsr.sr* earned home os the! wpr*r*' clothing. Delayed Fiber Effeet | >ibe*to* enter* the body TPe:ri3y thrown Inhalation, li mpv also be ingested in food'* c tfnn* canummawd wfit: w{ nr.oml fibers Ones in the o> ejy the fi&en tend to persist.' remaining oonrsant for rntnyi vearl However. 20 or morel years later, cancers caused by) these freer* ray became cam-! ttllly apparent. \ The Labor Department's pro- j posed standard would greatly; reduce tne amount of asbestos j fiber* ntrv allowable la the] air, a .worker breathes tad! Would sharply reduce lowerI standard acntdoled to tike effee: nest year. Currently the standard permit* a level ef 'ftvt mUHon fibree per aibte' meter of air. Thu wms to have - been reduced to two million I . fibers per <xb:c meter bv neat i July. * j . '7Tnt two million level vu. dociced upon on the basis of!, trpeneaee a: one Brnisn ashes-' to* laoery. wnere a study <rf; 290 men tndie*ted that, si' about twm that ievel only a"snail percentage ef worker exposed for 10 year* or hanger! developed usg seamng. ; ^However, 'tneae worker* have met been re-examined, and X-rav evidence of lung asner-. mehuct wet tiorvi in 46 70. per cent of tne urn* group* of workers in addition, a num ber of asbestos-mates cancers' was found. \ ^The proposed standard would, roduce worker emoauro <o ai- beoiot to 00.000 'h&ers percubic meter, avroged over am eipit-hoor dey. with a maxi4 srurs exposure at any one sac! of five nullum fiber*. Workers] wmrirf have to be educated *; te baaards of asbestos and; how to avoid them and tosud1 periodically to be sore toeyl weft suftenag ao JU effect*.. { Zj Record* Kept Longer '' j- iResords of both the medlotl' examiciuons end tens ef ai-i bcsio* levels in tne work envir-l ftwwi wpuJd have u be k#>i for SO year*, or for the fiuraiion] eftne wereer'a employmentj phis 20 years, whicntvef le; was Jper, tne current siandardi requires reter.uen of mediical; recor f 20 year* and moncj tomgaf records for only throe] years. f -Employer* would also be re-1 eutrod under the ne* standards! to'provide shower and cr.aapei rooms for asbestos works?* io| guard gamtftr inadvenant-l W. carrying the fioen nomt-l Ho food, drink cr smskisg; would be allowed whero as&ea-f lor was used and wentenj would have to wash thoroughly] before eatug durug the work' day. The new standard would cov er an estimated total of 9,039; worker* mveWOd in the menu*: ja?:urt of asbeuc*-eonta>n:figi. pnunms an <&out 40.900 fteid insulation woraers who are ts-;. poeed to tsbCHOt eusu ftiui' msav shouaands of ether* who1 work wi'Ji products tna: con-- tain aspestoa j The standard would nor coveri tr.iDico* of worker* ir, the eon.* ctroRioc industry, whero thrtft-: tevrt&s ef *S eibesas* pradiuu; are used. The Labor Depart-1 ment aaid it tntaded to tonmi-[ late a separate siasaard for] tnase worker*, coca vtey m: usually employed ia Donftzed; work places .and teed to be; teghiygigawfiL ' *, Tne La'oor Denarunen; mud! new prepare an environmental1 impact and an lAfiaue&trv sm-! pact rutement before holding' a haaneg o& tne proposed *Uo>: cart In addition to asbestos attn-: dart*, the department lest! week issued proposed new! xundxrt* :e Jujwi worker npe-' sure u> lead end toluene, both1 widely used hazardous indus trial auosuneea. and ttb-! iisbad jwncedures tor bandUnjl X other tens cnoueels ip! um work nrvtrouu&L < OCT 0 51975