AUTOMOTIVE ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

Automobile mechanics still vulnerable to fatal incidents of asbestos exposure, despite work-site safety regulations

The following information can help professional automotive technicians and home mechanics who repair and replace brakes and clutches, and are concerned about automotive asbestos exposure and the deadly asbestos-related diseases it is known to cause (i.e., asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer).

AUTOMOTIVE ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

June 3, 2010 – By law, most professional automotive shops must follow work-site regulations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA). These regulations are mandatory measures that employers must follow for work activities that involve automotive brake and clutch jobs.

Even though home mechanics are not required to follow OSHA’s work practices (or the identical requirements under the EPA Asbestos Worker Protection Rule), adhering to these practices can minimize hazardous incidents of automotive asbestos exposure and reduce the risk of developing fatal diseases related to asbestos.

Avoiding automotive asbestos exposure

Automotive asbestos exposure is caused by the regular inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers in the tight confines of a garage or a mechanic’s pit – and is often linked to work activities on automotive asbestos friction products, like brakes and clutches.

OSHA states that mechanics should assume that all brakes have asbestos-type shoes because worn “non-asbestos” brakes cannot be readily distinguished from “asbestos” shoes. If a mechanic assumes incorrectly that a shoe is a non-asbestos type and fails to utilize brake dust control procedures, increased asbestos exposure may result.

Brake and clutch dust can be seen when a brake disk, drum, clutch cover, or the wheel is removed from a car, truck, or other equipment. There are also many small dust particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye. If the brakes contain asbestos, the dust is likely to contain asbestos fibers, which could be inhaled.

OSHA regulations require the use of one of the following precautionary procedures:

Negative-pressure enclosure/HEPA vacuum system method: This type of enclosure and vacuum system has a special box with clear plastic walls or windows, which fits tightly around a brake or clutch assembly to prevent asbestos exposure.
Low pressure/wet cleaning method: This specially designed low-pressure spray equipment wets down the brake assembly and catches the runoff in a special basin to prevent airborne brake dust from spreading in the work area.
Wet wipe method: This method involves using a spray bottle or other device capable of delivering a fine mist of water, or amended water (water with a detergent), at low pressure to wet all brake and clutch parts. The brakes can then be wiped clean with a cloth.

To avoid automotive asbestos exposure, it is advisable to wear a certified respirator while implementing the above procedures.

By law, most professional automotive shops must follow the OSHA regulations at 29 CFR 1910.1001 and specifically paragraph (f)(3) and Appendix F.

Champion to the American worker

If you at any time worked as an automobile mechanic, or in a mechanic’s garage, and you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness, you are urged to obtain a free legal consultation with a Weitz & Luxenberg asbestos attorney through the communication form at left.

Weitz & Luxenberg specializes in asbestos-injury litigation and is known in the legal community for obtaining record-setting verdicts and settlements for automotive workers who have fallen ill (sometimes decades later) from on-the-job asbestos exposure.

Protect your family’s financial future today and obtain a free appraisal of your case.