Document dGJgJZxV7pg2akpBvV1YBRVq

1 Other Requirements Under the standard employers arc required to establish FINAL ASBESTOS STANDARD WILL LIMIT .' monitoring systems to assure that employee exposure is EXPOSURE TO TWO FIBERS BY JULY; 1976 -- below the limits. Monitoring must be done at least every A final standard limiting employee exposure to asbestos six months and employees or their representatives are dust to two fibers, not longer than five micrometers, per guaranteed the right to observe the measurements and cubic centimeter of air on a time-weighted average, was ' ..have access to records of them. announced on June 7 by the Occupational Safety and Warning signs arc provided for where asbestos con- Health Administration and will become effective. July 1, : centrations may exceed the limits. Labels warning of 1976. ... possible adverse health effects must be affixed to all raw The present permissible concentration of five fibers per . materials, mixtures, scrap, waste, debris or other product cubic centimeter will remain in effect until July 1, 1976. ,^containing asbestos fibers, or to their containers. No label In addition, the new standard prohibits any conccntra- . is required where the fibers have been modified by a tions in excess of 10 fibers at any time. . bonding agent, binder or other coating that prevents Hie new standard takes effect July 7 of this year. The ;, . release of above-limit concentrations. preface to (lie amendments appears in the Full Text : Records of personal or environmental monitoring must Section of tiiis report. The amendments will be included - be maintained by the employer for at least three years in a future Reference File supplement. and be available upon request to OSHA or NIOSH. Any Tiic standard was adopted after consideration of rec former or current employees arc guaranteed reasonable ommendations from the National Institute for Occupa ' access to records of their personal exposure to airborne tional Safety and Health, the OSMA Advisory Committee asbestos. Employees found to have been exposed to on Asbestos Dust, and comments submitted by mail and excessive concentrations must be informed within five . .during four days of public hearings. i days after the finding and told what corrective actions are Provisions being taken. Employers must provide, or make available at their `Hie ptimary means of compliance required arc feasible technological controls and appropriate work practices, including rotation of employees. The use of personal protective equipment such as respirators to effect com pliance was dismissed because of (he burdensome and . discomforting aspects of devices. The following compliance requirements also arc con tained in the standard: ' cost, comprehensive medical examinations including chest X-ray and pulmonary tests within 30 days of an em ployee's first employment in a job involving asbestos exposure and within 30 days before or after termination of a worker's employment. By January 31, 1973, employers - must make available annual medical examinations for ., employees in asbestos exposure areas. Hand tools that may produce or release asbestos' Records of medical examinations made under the fibers in excess of (lie limits must be equipped with local exhaust ventilation systems. standard must, be maintained for 20 years and must be .open to inspection and copying by the Assistant Secretary As much as jtossiblc, asbestos must be handled and of Labor for OSHA, the director of NIOSH, authorized worked in the wet state unless this reduces (he usefulness : physicians or mcdica] consultants of either agency, and, of the product. , . upon request of an employee or former employee, to his No asbestos cement, mortar, coaling, grout, piaster, physician. Doctors who conduct examinations under the or similar material containing asbestos can be removed , t standard must furnish the employer with all information from shipping bags or other containers without cither : required by the regulation and any. other medical data being wetted, enclosed, or ventilated. -related to occupational exposure to asbestos fibers. Where respirators are permitted, they must be select In addition to manufacturing and other industries, the ed from among (lie types approved by the Bureau of standard covers workers in construction, ship repairing, Mines or NIOSH, but no employee may he assigned to a shipbuilding, shipbreaking, and longshoring. task icquiiiitg a icspirator if n physician delot mines it would ai'f.vt his job iiiitciloulug or health. Hie employer must provide mid require (lie use of 4 Staiuiartts ' . sjioeial protective clothing, change rooms, and two separate lockets for the j employee's street and work 'flies and exercise care in laundering and any other lulling of contaminated clothing; lixterual work areas must be -kept free of excessive accumulations of asbestos fibers and waste must be OSHA PROPOSES STANDARD REVISION FOR RETIRING ROOMS, SCAFFOLDING Amendments to the job safety and health standards for retiring rooms for women and the construction safety standards concerning scaffolding were proposed by the collected in sealed, impermeable bags or. other such Occupational Safety and Hcalth^Administratiflji_Qa--Iiu3c containers. 7` ^Plaintiffs Copyright C 1972 by Tho Bureau of Motional Affair*, (no exhibit rVv BASF-17