Document mmeYRqxxkXVpOy9QY8djrJJ

( Bell Laboratories 600 Mountain Ave-ue Murray Hilf New Je-sev C737J Phone ;20i; 532-300C ( July 9, 1976 Morton Corn, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary of Labor U,S. Department of Labor c 200 Constitution Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20210 Dear Dr. Corn: It^appears that we have a special cuesti asbestos standard promulgated by OSHA . 4 _ the course of our industrial hygiene surveillance o 3ell System. companies, we find that the asbestos concentrations Inside the vast majority of cur office buildings approximat or are less than the concentrations of asbestos fibers :ur.d in the outside community air. Typical concentration within our buildings average 0.06 fibers per cc of a , ( whereas typical values for the ambient air in the vi nity of the same Bell System, buildings averaze G.l fibers ?r cc of air. All airborne concentrations within our buildings have consistently been well below the stand .rd of 2 fibers per cc of air. If the present asbestos standard is taken literally, the finding of even a single fiber (not necessarily asbestos) is cause for instituting special monitoring and medical surveillance procedures for employees located within those buildings. c Needless to say, we will continue to collect information on airborne asbestos levels through our self-initiated studies and in response to questions from, employees who have become greatly concerned about asbestos because of notoriety in the press. However, I believe it is also fair to say we have begun to wonder about the reasonable ness of an inordinate ex:er.diture of time and effort cr. monitoring and surveillan.ee procedures for those c operations having exposure levels below background. LLA 000294 Morton Corn, Fh.D. - 2 July 9, 1975 ;*r We would, therefore, appreciate an interpretation from you as to the manner in which the scope and applicability o the present asbestos standard relate to the kind of wor environment cited above. This brief letter is designed to introduce our asbestos question to you. If you believe a more detailed dis cussion would be profitable, we would make ourselves available to meet with you. Your perspective on this question would be greatly appreciated. LLA 000295