OSHA General Industry Standards (29 CFR Part 1910) 1910.1001: 1910.1001 Asbestos

Applies to all occupational asbestos exposure except construction (covered by 1926.1101) and shipyard employment (1915.1001). Asbestos covers chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite asbestos; ACM is material with more than 1% asbestos; thermal system insulation and surfacing material in buildings built no later than 1980 is presumed ACM (PACM), and asphalt and vinyl flooring installed no later than 1980 must also be treated as asbestos-containing. PELs: 0.1 f/cc 8-hour TWA and an excursion limit of 1.0 f/cc averaged over 30 minutes, measured by the Appendix A reference method. Exposure monitoring: initial monitoring of employees who are or may be exposed at or above the TWA or excursion limit (earlier monitoring after March 31, 1992 or objective data may be relied on); periodic sampling at intervals no greater than six months where exposures may exceed the limits; monitoring may stop when results are below the limits and must restart after changes in production, process, controls, personnel or practices; personal samples analysed by the OSHA Reference Method or an equivalent method by laboratories with quality assurance; employees notified within 15 working days, with corrective action stated if limits were exceeded. Regulated areas where concentrations exceed the limits, with restricted access, respirators for everyone entering, and no eating, drinking, smoking, chewing or cosmetics. Methods of compliance: engineering controls and work practices (local exhaust per ANSI Z9.2-1979, LEV on tools, wet methods, no compressed air cleaning without capture, no sanding of asbestos flooring); for listed operations controls must reach 0.5 f/cc TWA or 2.5 f/cc for 30 minutes before respirators supplement them; a written compliance program where limits are exceeded; no employee rotation. Brake and clutch work must use Appendix F methods (negative pressure enclosure/HEPA vacuum, low pressure/wet cleaning, or the wet method for shops doing no more than 5 pairs of brakes or 5 clutches per week, or a demonstrated equivalent). Respirators under 1910.134 (no filtering facepieces; HEPA filters; PAPR on request). Protective clothing above the limits with clean clothing at least weekly, removal only in change rooms, labelled closed containers, no blowing or shaking. Change rooms, end-of-shift showers and positive-pressure filtered lunchrooms for employees above the limits; no smoking in exposed work areas. Hazard communication under 1910.1200 (cancer and lung effects); building owners must determine presence, location and quantity of ACM/PACM, keep those records for the duration of ownership and inform employers and housekeeping employees; DANGER signs at regulated areas and labels on asbestos products and waste; PACM may be rebutted by AHERA inspection or bulk testing by an accredited inspector or CIH, and flooring by an industrial hygienist determination. Training before or at initial assignment and at least annually for those at or above the PEL or excursion limit, plus annual awareness training for housekeeping employees in ACM/PACM areas. Housekeeping: HEPA vacuums, prompt spill clean-up, sealed impermeable waste containers, no sanding of flooring, stripping with low abrasion pads below 300 rpm wet. Medical surveillance for employees at or above the limits: pre-placement exam (history, physical, Appendix D questionnaire, chest X-ray, FVC and FEV1), annual periodic exams with chest X-ray frequency per Table 1 (every 5 years, or every 2 years at ages 35 to 45 and every year over 45 once more than 10 years since first exposure), and a termination exam within 30 calendar days before or after termination; physician's written opinion to the employee within 30 days. Records: exposure measurements at least 30 years, objective data for the duration of reliance, medical records duration of employment plus 30 years, training records 1 year beyond employment; employees may observe monitoring. Appendices A, C, D, E and F are mandatory (reference method, questionnaires, ILO X-ray classification by B-Reader or qualified physician, brake and clutch methods); B, G, H, I and J are informational.