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FILE NAME: Trade Publications (TR) DATE: 1976 May DOC#: TR060 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Trade Journal Article - Know and Understand the Law - OSHA will Soon be Around "Know and understand the law OSHA will soon be around . . . asbestos Is a danger to your employees Lass menth, we introduced the pro posed changes in the asbestos regula tions and briefly outlined some of the standardsyour shop must meet to obey them. This month, we will taite a closer look at seme of the specific standards affecting your business, show how much danger is involved in handling asbestos and present some of the solu- tions parts and equipment manufactur ers have developed. When ihe 1974 asbestos inhalation law went into effect, most of the con cern was for those employees involved in milling, fabrication and construction . A dm i collection sysicm designed fo r use with A tnm 'o Tools, In c .'s brake shoe grin ders (Model 8925) efficiently collects, ton- tains ontl disposes of asbestos dust ground o ff brake shoes, according to the company. . N o external power source is required, as a built-in suction'fan puds dust from the sur- .fa ce of the brake shoe and deposits it in a sealable disposable plastic bag. Once instal led, the brake shoe grinder is said to meet or exceed Federal Clean A ir Standards set by the OSHA A ct o f 910. :i industries (the miners' were `Under another law); Of the nearly one million Use of the common sense NIOSH guidelines wilt mean greater shop safety and could help you pass OSHA, Industrial hygiene inspection. tons of asbestos "consumed" in the United States in 1972, approximately 77% was used in the construction in dustry. However, further statistics reveal that only 500.000 workers are exposed to asbestos in mining, milling, fabrica tion and construction. Compare that number with the nearly une million American workers exposed to asbestos while installing and/or maintaining clutch and brake linings! A smaller per centage of the total asbestos is con sum ed but a larger percentage of America's work force is exposed. But how serious is the exposure? A 1975 study done by Dr. W.J. Nicholson of hit. Sinai Hospital detailed in a paper, entitled "Asbestos Exposure During Brake Lining Maintenance and Repair" reveals some interesting statistics. Before studies were undertaken, it was thought that the heat involved dur ing the use of brakes caused a chemical breakdown, transforming the asbestos in the linings into a relatively harmless dust. The data presented in the paper indicates that workers engaged in car and truck brake service are exposed to potentially hazardous levels of airborne asbestos dust. BRAKE AND FRONT END .Specific, braic..servicing.-.oporations, ..per cubic centimeter..Specifically, the studied included blow-out of au Federal Register states "The S-liour tomobile brake assemblies, grinding of time-weighted average airborne con used truck brake linings-and bevelling centrations of asbestos fibers to which of new truck brake linings. .Average, any employee may be exposed shall not peak asbestos air concentrations for exceed two fibers, longer than five mic these three activities based on personal ron, per cubic centimeter of air," samples taken within 10' feet of the operator were, respectively, 10.5, 3.75 and 37.3 fibers (greater than five mic rons in length) per cubic centimeter, up to 19 times worse than the recom mended limit. The measurement is done by using a membrane filter method with an elec tronic microscope costing between J500-SI ,000.'Obviously, this is too costly for most brake shops. Some in surance companies will undertake this The study concluded that "during brake lining maintenance -and repair, workmen in garages, service stations and brake repair shops are exposed to measurement for their accounts, pro viding the insurance company has an industrial hygiene division. Also, some state OSHA offices will help. asbestos and thus may be subject to Regardless who does it, the employer serious cancer risk. Others, at some is responsible for taking the measure distance from the repair work, (includ ment. An explanation of the membrane ing those who are within 75 feet) are filter method (which is the only accept perhaps subject to the same hazard." able method according to OSHA) can This study, and others-lhal have been, be found in the Asbestos Information undertaken, has established in the sci The Brake-O-Vac brake assembly cleaner entific community a basis for studying has been redesigned by Per-Lax, Inc., to the extent of asbestos-related disease in meet OSHA requirements by attaching the brake servicing personnel. A recent re unit to an approved shop vacuum. When view of scientific literature, quoted in an ASIA news bulletin, states that "the association between asbestos exposure and [tumors of the chest and abdominal membranes] has revealed at least four cases of these rare tumors in persons attached to au u ndurd air hose, dust, asbes tos and other foreign matter can be vac uumed o f f brake assemblies in seconds. Automatic or manual models, plus quickchunge adapters from 9 in. so 12 in., are ovaitoble. who were employed in jobs involving automobile brake servicing." (Resear chers have just begun to pinpoint this industry. Other related cases are ex pected to be found.) Now that the scientific community and the federal government are convinced of the risk involved in brake servicing, it is lime for the individual shop owner to comply with the standards estab lished by the Dept, of HEW and staled in the Airborne Asbestos regulations. The law states that airborne asbestos fibers must be below a certain count may i m 15 Y-io Association's " Recommended Work Practices: Fabrication and Use-of As bestos Friction Materials." It takes 11 complicated-pages to explain the pro cedure. A toll-free call lo OSHA's Chicago office revealed Chat the industrial hygiene inspectors will look favorably on indications of voluntary compliance. (The Chicago office is quite willing to answer any questions on this and any other OSHA regulations. The toll-free number is: 1-800-621-0523). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has suggested -the following procedures for asbestos brake and clutch servicing in order to reduce exposures: if passible, an area should be des ignated for all brake and clutch repairs. Entrances should be posted with warn ing sign saying: " Asbestos dust hazard. Avoid breathing dust. Wear assigned protective equipment. Do not remain in area unless your work requires it. Brea thing asbestos dust may cause asbestosis and cancer." During brake servicing, an air durifying respirator, either single use or with replaceable paniculate filter(s), us approved by the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration of NIOSH, will be worn during all procedures start ing with the removal of the wheels and including reassembly. Such a respirator should also be worn during all clutch procedures from removal to installation M u ih i 1250 brake assembly washer intro duced iy Ammco permits solvent washing o f brake assemblies and eliminates the prac tice o f itir-bjasting asbestos particles and dust around the shop. The'specially de signed gun. which requires shop air pres sure, delivers a properly atomized stream o f solvent without misting or waste. The solvent'returns to the sump through the perforated parts pan for recirculation. A s partate removed from the brake assembly. they are allowed to drop into the performed parts fan where 1they ore retained until reused or discarded. Tem po Products Co. offers this brakeI clutch service vacuum (Model AD-7515} for dry recovery o f asbestos fibers. The vuettum is equipped with a four-stage /titration sys tem with secondary fail-safe protection that is said to assure maximum asbestos filter entrapment. Each unit includrs complete instructions und all elements necessary fur the safe collection and disposal a f asbestos fibers. According so the manufacturer, it has been certified to comply with current regulations by an environmental laboratory when used as instructed. RAKE AND FRONT END of a new assembly. Dust should first be cleaned from brake drums, brake backing plates, brake assemblies and clutch assemblies using an industrial type vacuum cleaner equipped with a high efficiency filter system. After vacuum cleaning, any remaining dust shall be removed using a r.ag soaked in water and wrung until nearly dry. Under no circumstances should compressed air or dry brushing be used for cleaning. a During arcing and riveting opera tions, respirator should also be worn. Grinding (arcing) machines should be provided with total exhaust ventilation such that worker exposures maintained at least below the 1976 asbestos stan dard. Industrial vacuum cleaner bags containing asbestos dust and cloths used for wiping brake and clutch as semblies should be scaled in plastic bags and labeled with the following warning label primed in letters of suffi cient size and contiast to be readily visible and legible, "Caution, contains asbestos fibers. Avoid breathing dust. Breathing asbestos dust may cause asbesiosis and cancer." All floor cleaning in areas where brakes anil clutches are repaired should be done with a high efficiency industrial vacuum cleaner. Although adherance to the above procedures should minimize any con tamination of work clothing, appropri ate portions of the OSHA asbestos reg ulations concerning special clothing, change rooms, etc. should be followed, Compliance to this law will mean not only a safer shop for your employees but it will mean a cleaner and neater shop. Also, be sure your employees understand the severity of this problem so that compliance procedures become standard operating methods in your shop. M X / 1976 " 'I D A TSU N Z. 510, 610. 710, 8210. M A Z D A R X 2/3 V, Cfor G^acPhersonJ Strut Mac Prvursen Control Struts, th e/ ro Qood. but they have 3 prootear--iiitlo Of no CJrribir uJ;ub(iiiuoi New you have ti quick solution Indian pre cision rxjincC'reiJ camber ousNngs. Give your cusuxnetts better lue wear or more r e s p o n s iv e ii.'iO k iln u j G iv e y o u n e J l tn ^ i extra adjustment margin so nucu&csfy on Csitu aiiut&o or vMocxeu irY.ita*.I Ctx.tk.hiy tot lirj prolits. Simply /e- ijvjvo luwci coniici .i/m. press uu( otd ano slip >n nw and at.yn Easy* No Oiuiifuj, no wulii*ny. no (jfinoiny, no ddftuuH udjiislrttuftl FAH Pufiamtance Inc Oupi isF. 2240 0 La Cruz Blvci. CIj i a . C A 95050 - tci! free 8O0"38*7*>I2 Cci<l 406 249-7'ji<G collect <nutP e r f o r m a n c e *" ___________ __________ / CirtU 11 on Sofvicc Card 17