Engineers at Risk for Asbestos Exposure: Changes in the Asbestos Standard

The Industry Announces Significant Changes in Standards for Asbestos Engineers Significant Changes in the Asbestos Standard for General Industry (June 29, 1995) including:

The PEL was reduced from 0.2 fibers/cc to 0.1 fibers/cc from 0.2 fibers/cc as a TWA. The Excursion Limit remains 1.0 fibers/cc averaged over 30 minutes.

Asphalt and vinyl flooring material installed before 1980 also must be treated as asbestos-containing.

Installed thermal system insulation and sprayed-on and troweled-on surfacing materials found in buildings constructed no later than 1980 are presumed to be asbestos-containing materials (greater than 1% asbestos).

Sanding of asbestos-containing flooring material is prohibited. Building and facility owners must determine the presence, location, and quantity of asbestos-containing material (ACM) and presumed asbestos-containing material (PACM) and keep records of ACM/PACM.

Building and facility owners must inform other employers, and their own employees who will perform housekeeping activities, of the presence and location of such materials.

Employers must post signs at entrances to mechanical rooms/areas that contain ACM/PACM and that employees may enter.

Employers must provide an asbestos awareness training course to employees who will perform housekeeping activities in an area containing ACM or PACM. EPA regulations (CFR Title 40: Protection of the Environment). The TSCA Asbestos regulations are found in 40 CFR 763, Asbestos.

Courtesy of United States Department of Labor