DOE/EH-0495 --- Issue No. 95-5 --- 08/95
OSHA Amends Final Asbestos Standards, Delays Start Dates
In the June 29, 1995, Federal Register, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published corrections to and clarifications of final asbestos standards, issued August 10, 1994, to help employers understand and comply with the standards. Delayed start-up dates for several of the new provisions-including medical surveillance, respiratory protection, and training-were published the previous day. The asbestos standard (found under 29 CFR 1910.1001, 1915.1001, and 1926.1101) increases worker protection against health hazards caused by asbestos exposure such as lung cancer and asbestos.
While most of the 478 total changes made to the standard were typographical corrections, there were also significant changes to the text in specific provisions. Some of these changes amended the definition of disturbance, clarified methods of compliance and distinctions between historical and objective data, explained the appropriate use of glovebags, and reduced the requirements for medical surveillance of two types of workers.
Major changes were made to roofing operations provisions in response to a National Roofing Contractors Association petition. OSHA determined that the corrections and clarifications to these provisions eased compliance burdens on roofing contractors without creating new safety hazards or significantly increasing asbestos exposures to roofing workers.
Provision Start Dates Pushed Back
OSHA also extended the effective dates of several provisions from July 10, 1995, to October 1,1995. These provisions address exposure monitoring, regulated areas, methods of compliance, respiratory protection, hygiene and lunchroom facilities, communication of hazards, medical surveillance, compliance programs, housekeeping, and designation and training of qualified and competent persons.The extensions give employers more time to comply with the new requirements. Note that the new exposure limit of 0.1 f/cc became effective on its original October 11,1994, start date.
For More Information
To obtain copies of the Federal Register notices or for details on the final asbestos rule corrections and delayed start-up dates, contact Richard Liblong, Director of Information and Consumer Affairs OSHA, Department of Labor (DOL), Room N3647, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, at (202) 219-8151.If you have a question about the final asbestos standards or any other occupational safety and health standard, contact the DOE Occupational Safety and Health Standards Interpretations Response Line at 1-800-292-8061 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, eastern standard time, or by fax at (800) 292-8030. The Response Line is a toll-free service offered to DOE personnel and contractors that provides interpretations of occupational safety and health standards. Safety and health experts answer most questions in a single call.
Full text of all unprecedented DOE interpretations can be accessed electronically through the Internet. To access the file using gopher, enter www.tis.eh.doe.gov as the new gopher and set the port number at 2010. This address brings you directly to DOE's Technical Information Services (TIS). Within TIS, select "HSS Technical Reference Library." Finally, select "DOE Interpretations." You can search for interpretations by key word or phrase, or OSHA CFR number. Another TIS file within the ES&H Technical Reference Library is the "DOE OSH Standards Interpretations Response Line." This file contains the 100 most frequently asked questions arranged by topics.
This Safety & Health Note is one in a series of publications issued by EH to share occupational safety and health information throughout the DOE complex. To be added to the Distribution List or to obtain copies of the publication, call (301) 916-4444. For additional information regarding the publications, call Barbara Bowers at (301) 903-3016.
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