Document vVz0J3zJrpJQawRM7edK1bbeZ

:k Federal Regjster / Vol. 51, No. 119 / Friday, June 20, 1988 / Rules and Regulations 22759 change the filter elements whenever an Increase in breathing resistance is detected and shall maintain an adequate supply of filter elements for'-this purpose. (iil) Employees who. wear respirators shall be permitted to leave work areas to wash their faces and respirator facepieces whenever necessary to prevent skin irritation associated with respirator use. - (iv) No employee shall be assigned to tasks requiring the use of respirators if. based on his or her most recent examination, an examining physician determines that the employee will be unable to function normally wearing a respirator, or that the safety or health of the employee or of other employees will be impaired by the use of a respirator. Such employee shall be assigned to another job or given the opportunity to transfer to a different position the duties of which he or she is able to perform with the same employer, in the same geographical area, and with the same seniority, status, and rate of pay he or she had just prior to such transfer, if such a different position is available: , (4) Respiratorfit testing, (i) The employer shall ensure that the respirator issued to the employee exhibits the least possible facepiece leakage and that the respirator is fitted properly. - (ii) Employers shall perform either quantitative or qualitative face fit tests at the time of Initial fitting and at least every 6 months thereafter for each employee wearing a. negative-pressure respirator: The qualitative fit tests may be used only for testing the fit of.half- mask respirators where they are. permited to be worn, and shall be . conducted in accordance,with Appendix C. The tests.shall be used to select facepieces that provide the required protection as prescribed in.Table 1. (1) Protective clothing--(1) General. . The employer shall provide and require the use of protective clothing, such as coveralls or similar whole-body .. . clothing, head coverings, gloves, and foot coverings for-any employee exposed to airborne concentrations of . asbestos, tremolite. anthophyllite, actinolite or a combination of these minerals that exceed the permissible exposure limit prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section. (2) Laundering, (i) The employer shall ensure that laundering of contaminated clothing is.done so as to prevent the . release of airborne asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, actinolite. or a combination of these minerals in excess of the exposure limit prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section^: . (ii) Any employer who gives contaminated clothing lo another person for laundering shall inform such person of the requirement in paragraph (i)(2)(i) of this section to effectively prevent the release of airborne asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, actinolite, or a combination of these minerals in excess of the exposure limit prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section. (3) Contaminated clothing. Contaminated clothing shall be transported in sealed impermeable bags, or other closed, impermeable containers, and be labeled in accordance with paragraph (k) of this section. (4) Protective clothing for removal, . demolition, and renovation operations. (i) The competent person shall periodically examine worksuits worn by employees for rips or tears that may' occur during performance of work. (ii) When rips or tears are detected while an employee is working within a . negative-pressure enclosure, rips and tears shall be immediately mended, or the worksuit shall be immediately replaced. (j) Hygiene facilities andpractices-- (1) General, (i) The employer shall provide clean change areas for employees required to work in regulated areas or required by paragraph (i)(1) of this section to wear protective clothing. Exception: In lieu of the change area requirement specified in paragraph (D(l)(l)> the employer may permit employeea engaged in small scale, short duration operations, as described in paragraph (e)(6) of this section, to clean their protective clothing with'a portable HEPA-equipped vacuum before such employees leave the area where maintenance was performed. (ii) The employer shall ensure that change areas are equipped with separate storage facilities for protective clothing and street clothing, in. accordance with section 1910.141(e). ' (iii) Whenever food or beverages are consumed at the worksite and employees are exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, actinolite. or a combination of these minerals in excess of the permissible exposure limit, the employer shall provide lunch areas in which the airborne concentrations of asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, actinolite,.or a combination of these ' minerals are below the action level. . (2) Requirements for removal demolition, and renovation operations-- (i) Decontamination area. Except for small scale, short duration operations, as described in paragraph (e)(6) of this section, the employer shall establish a decontamination area that is adjacent and connected to the regulated area for the decontamination of employees contaminated with asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, or actinolite. The decontamination area shall consist of an equipment room, shower area, and clean room in series. The employer shall ensure that employees enter and exit the regulated area through the decontamination area. (ii) Clean room. The clean room shall be equipped with a locker or appropriate storage container for each employee's use. (iii) Shower area. Where feasible, shower facilities shall be provided which comply with 29 CFR 1910.141(d)(3). The showers shall be contiguous both to the equipment room and the clean change room, unless the employer can demonstrate that this location is not feasible. Where the employer can demonstrate that it is not feasible to locate the shower between the equipment room and the clean change room, the employer shall ensure that employees: (A) Remove asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, or actinolite contamination from their.worksuits using a HEPA vacuum before proceeding to a shower that is not contiguous to the work area; or (B) Remove their contaminated worksuits, don clean worksuits, and proceed to a shower that is not contiguous to the work area. (iv) Equipment room. The equipment room shall be Supplied with impermeable, labeled bags and containers for the containment and disposal of contaminated protective clothing and equipment. (v) Decontamination area entry procedures. (A) the employer shall ensure that'employees: (7) Enter the decontamination area . through the clean room; [2] Remove and deposit street-clothing within a locker provided for their use; and (5) Put on protective clothing andrespiratory protection before leaving the clean room. (B) Before entering the enclosure, the employer Bhall ensure, that employees pass through the equipment room. [v\\ Decontamination area exit procedures. (A) Before leaving the regulated area, the employer shall ensure that employees remove all gross contamination and debris from their protective clothing. (B) The employer shall ensure that employees remove their protective clothing in the equipment room and deposit the clothing in labeled impermeable bags or containers. (C) The employer shall ensure-that employees do not remove their : respirators in the equipment room. i'1 M A* ' !;" I f} m t! jinii fist! Ii- Iii'/ ' t!! j- 1'V:r I-. i, -1;:: :1a GLEASON-001007