Document pEkVakqaddaGaKEYRaZembxX

Federal Register / Vol. 51. No. 119 / Friday, June 20, 1986 / Rules and Regulations 22725 contained in the, revised standard for as applicable, engineering controls, general industry. work practices, respirators, The first exception is based on housekeeping and protective clothing, l paragraph (g)(2)(i) of the existing and any necessary instruction in the use standard, which does not require that of these controls; 15) the purpose, proper products be labeled if asbestos is use, fitting instructions, and limitations bonded or modified in such a way that of respirators, as described in 29 CFR use of the product will not result in 1910.134; (D) the appropriate work employee exposures that exceed the practices for performing the asbestos PEL. In the revised standard, OSHA has job; and (7) the medical surveillance modified this exception by triggering the program requirements. The employer labeling requirement in cases where the may design and implement his own . use of such products may result in training program that contains these employee exposures above the action elements, or rely on third-party training ? level rather than above the PEL OSHA programs, such as EPA-sponsored . has made this change to be consistent courses on asbestos abatement. 1 with the use of an action level, which OSHA strongly believes that V was not included in the existing informing and training employees can C standard, as a trigger for the employer to reduce the incidence of work-related institute measures to protect workers diseases caused by exposure to from exposure to asbestos. hazardous workplace conditions. A ? The second-exception to labeling, large number of commenters supported . f which pertains to products and the inclusion of information and training 1 materials containing less than 0.1 provisions in the final rule (Trs. 7/10, 6/ percent asbestos, is based on OSHA's 29, 6/26, 6/20, 6/28) and many Hazard Communications rule (29 CFR employers and/or states reported having 1910.1200), which specifies that a established programs in place (Trs. 6/20, \ mixture shall be.considered to be 6/29, 6/27). The BCTD, however, carcinogenic if a carcinogen is present in proposed a more elaborate employee concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent. certification program modeled after the ; Although one commenter (Ex. 344-16) program specified in Maryland and V suggested that OSHA consider asbestos California laws governing occupational to be a trace contaminantif it is present exposure to asbestos. The BCTD felt : at a concentration of 0.25 percent or that general training requirements less, OSHA found no record evidence ~ would be too difficult to enforce (Ex. that indicated that a higher degree of 330). The BCTD recommended that worker protection could be attained by employees be given precertification using a percent concentration other than examinations in proper respirator use : that specified by the generic standard. and general competency with regard to Employee information arid training. i OSHA proposed training requirements job-specific work procedures and . practices for working with asbestos- !: for abestos-exposed employees in the containing materials, and that only April-notice, and these have been employees certified by their employer ! slightly, modified in the final rule. The would be allowed to perform most ; training-requirements in the revised . asbestos tasks (Ex. 330). i standard-are patterhed after those After careful consideration of the f discussed in OSHA's Hazard ' evidence in the record, OSHA has | Communication-standard (29 CFR determined that the training | 1910.1200(h)(1) and (2)). requirements in the final rule will * The revised asbestos standard for the provide construction employees with an !j construclion lndustry requires affected understanding of the hazards of- I employers; tp -piovide-a training program asbestos.and the necessary protective for all employees exposed to airborne measures lopermit them to participate i concentrations of asbestos in excess of actively in their employer's training and | the action level prior to or at the time of hazard control programs. | initial assignment (unless the employee T has received equivalent'training.within Paragraph (i)--Housekeeping ? the previous 12 months) and at least In the revised standard for the t annually thereafter. Component areas to construction industry, OSHA has .' | be covered in the training program included a housekeeping provision - f include: (1) methods for recognizing stipulating that (1) when vacuuming is 1 asbestos; (2) the health effects used for asbestos cleanup, only HEPA- v associated with asbestos exposure; (3) - filtered equipment may be used, and (2) J the relationship between asbestos and all asbestos waste, scrap, debris, bags, smoking in producing lung cancer; (4) . containers, equipment, and the nature of operations that could contaminated clothing must be collected | result in exposure to asbestos, the. and disposed of in sealed impermeable > importance of necessary protective. bags or in other closed impermeable - 'i controls to minimize exposure including. containers. The Agency believes that these housekeeping practices reflect advances in vacuum filter technology and good hygiene practices, and are essential parts of any effective asbestos control program. OSHA believes that the use of HEPA-filtered vacuums and proper disposal practices will considerably diminish the risk of generating airborne asbestos during cleanup--a potentially high-exposure activity. The required use of high-efficiency particulate air filters on vacuums employed for cleanup (paragraph (l)(i)) is not intended to preclude the use of other complementary cleanup methods, such as wet methods. However, this provision does preclude the use of conventional vacuums, which would simply redistribute the asbestos fibers. R. F. Boggs, Vice President of Organization Resources Counselors, stressed the importance of using HEPAequipped vacuums for cleanup operations on construction sites: "In order to achieve good housekeeping, industrial asbestos vacuum cleaners are a necessity" (Ex. 123-A). The waste disposal provision in paragraph (1)(2) is a restatement of a similar requirement in the asbestos standard adopted by OSHA in 1972. The objective of the requirement in the earlier standard was to impose bagging restrictions only in situations likely to produce airborne concentrations of asbestos in excess of the ceiling limit or the PEL By requiring these precautions . in the revised standard for the on-site transportation of all asbestos wastes for disposal. OSHA is seeking to prevent both the direct exposure of cleanup personnel and the Incidental exposure of workers not directly involved in asbestos removal, installation, or renovation. Support for. a rigorous housekeeping program is amply provided in the record (e.g.. Asbestos Information Association. Ex8. 84-307 and 328; Associated General Contractors of America, Ex. 84-457; Organization Resources Counselors, Ex.. 123-A; and the Building and ... . Construction Trades Department, Ex. 330). Dr. Boggs also described the process used for disposing of asbestos- containing waste on construction sites:' Ab (asbestos) insulation is removed, it Is immediately bagged in poly bags, on which are preprinted warning labels. The bags are removed from the. structure to the designated storage area and are not allowed to remain in various parts of the work area. ... Housekeeping is of the utmost importance. (Ex. 123-A) OSHA's requirements for waste . disposal are designed to protect . employees from exposure to asbestos GLEASON-000973