What is asbestos?
is a naturally occurring mineral fiber.
- non-combustible
- non-corrosive
- non-conductive
The three most commonly used of
... [Show More] asbestos are?
CHRYSOTILE
(White in color; the most commonly used type of asbestos)
AMOSITE
(Brown in color; used most frequently in cement sheets and pipe insulation)
CROCIDOLITE
(Blue in color; used most frequently to insulate steam engines, spray-on coatings, pipe insulation, plastic and cement products
Because of the properties, asbestos can be found in over how many products?
Approximately 3,600 different commercial products
HOW MANY YEARS DOES OSHA REQUIRES RECORD KEEPING?
30 YEARS
ASBESTOS IS REGULATED FEDERALLY AT WHAT PERCENT?
AT > 1.0 PERCENT ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIAL
ASBESTOS IS REGULATED BY THE STATE AT WHAT PERCENT?
AT > 0.1 PERCENT ASBESTOS-CONTAINING CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL
WHAT DOES "NOA" STANDS FOR?
NATURALLY OCCURRING ASBESTOS
WHAT DOES "ABPO" STANDS FOR?
ASBESTOS BAN AND PHASE OUT
WHAT DOES "EPA" STANDS FOR?
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WHAT DOES "OSHA" STANDS FOR?
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS
AS OF 1996, THE FOLLOWING ASBESTOS-CONTAINING PRODUCTS WERE BANNED FROM MANUFACTURE, PROCESSING, OR IMPORTATION:
- CORRUGATED PAPER
- ROLLBOARD
- COMMERCIAL PAPER
- SPECIALTY PAPER
WHAT DOES "PEL" STANDS FOR?
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL):
DEFINED AS EXPOSURE TO AN AIRBORNE CONCENTRATION OF ASBESTOS NOT TO EXCEED 0.1 FIBERS PER CUBIC CENTIMETER OF AIR (0.1 f/cc) AVERAGED OVER AN EIGHT-HOUR WORK DAY.
EXCURSION LIMIT:
DEFINED AS EXPOSURE TO AN AIRBORNE CONCENTRATION OF ASBESTOS NOT TO EXCEED 1.0 FIBERS PER CUBIC CENTIMETER OF AIR (1.0 f/cc) AVERAGED OVER A SAMPLING PERIOD OF 30 MINUTES
CAL/OSHA CLASS I - ASBESTOS WORK
MEANS ACTIVITIES INVOLVING THE REMOVAL OF THERMAL SYSTEM INSULATION (TSI), SURFACING ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIAL (ACM), AND PRESUMED ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIAL (PACM)
CAL/OSHA CLASS II- ASBESTOS WORK
MEANS ACTIVITIES INVOLVING THE REMOVAL OF ACM THAT IS NOT TSI OR SURFACING MATERIAL. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, THE REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS-CONTAINING WALLBOARD, FLOOR TILE AND SHEETING, ROOFING AND SIDING SHINGLES, AND CONSTRUCTIONS MASTICS.
CAL/OSHA CLASS III - ASBESTOS WORK
MEANS REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS WHERE ACM, INCLUDING TSI AND SURFACING ACM, AND PACM, IS LIKELY TO BE DISTURBED.
CAL/OSHA CLASS IV - ASBESTOS WORK
MEANS MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES DURING WHICH EMPLOYEES CONTACT, BUT DO NOT DISTURB, ACM OR PACM, AND ACTIVITIES TO CLEAN UP DUST, WASTE, AND DEBRIS RESULTING FROM CLASS I, II AND III ACTIVITIES.
WHAT DOES "TSI" STANDS FOR?
THERMAL SYSTEM INSULATION
WHAT DOES "ACM" STANDS FOR?
ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIAL
WHAT DOES "PACM" STANDS FOR?
PRESUMED ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIAL
WHAT IS ASBESTOS FRIABLE?
ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIAL THAT CAN BE CRUMBLED BY HAND PRESSURE OR IMPACT, CAUSING THE ASBESTOS FIBERS TO BECOME AIRBORNE.
LUNG CANCER:
LUNG CANCER - MALIGNANT LUNG TUMOR(S) ARE FIVE TIMES MORE COMMON IN PEOPLE EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS THAN IN THOSE NOT EXPOSED. A SMOKER WHO IS HEAVILY EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS IS 30 TO 90 TIMES OR MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP LUNG CANCER THAN A NONSMOKER.
- EARLY SYMPTOMS: COUGHING, CHANGES IN BREATHING, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, CHEST PAINS, HOARSENESS, AND ANEMIA
- TREATMENT: THERE IS NO CURE; HOWEVER, IF DIAGNOSE EARLY, MEDICAL TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE
- PROGNOSIS: DISABLING OR FATAL
MESOTHELIOMA:
A DEADLY FORM OF CANCER THAT MAY OCCUR FROM RELATIVELY LIGHT EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS. THIS CANCER INVOLVES THE LINING OF THE CHEST AND ABDOMEN.
- EARLY SYMPTOMS: SHORTNESS OF BREATH, CHEST OR ABDOMINAL PAIN
- TREATMENT: THERE IS NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR THIS CONDITION
- PROGNOSIS: FATAL
OTHER CANCERS:
EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS IS ALSO THOUGHT TO RESULT IN CANCERS OF THE ESOPHAGUS, LARYNX, STOMACH, COLON, RECTUM, AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. THESE DISEASES MAY BE DUE TO INGESTING SOME ASBESTOS FIBERS THAT ARE CAUGHT IN THE UPPER AIR PASSAGES AND THEN CARRIED TO THE THROAT IN MUCOUS.
- TREATMENT: THERE IS NO CURE; HOWEVER, IF DIAGNOSED EARLY, MEDICAL TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE.
INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTRACT AN ASBESTOS-RELATED DISEASE OFTEN DO NOT SHOW SYMPTOMS FOR 10 TO 30 YEARS AFTER EXPOSURE.
IS ASBESTOS DANGEROUS?
INHALATION OF ASBESTOS FIBERS CAN BE DEADLY. EVEN SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS FIBERS CAN BE HARMFUL. FOR EXAMPLE, IN DOCUMENTED CASES, FAMILY MEMBERS OF ASBESTOS WORKERS HAVE BEEN
SICKENED BY EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS FIBERS ON THE WORKERS' CLOTHING. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THERE IS NO SAFE LEVEL OF EXPOSURE, AND MANY EXPERTS BELIEVE THE MORE A PERSON IS EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS, THE HIGHER THE RISK OF CONTRACTING AN ASBESTOS-RELATED DISEASE.
WHO MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS?
WORK IN RENOVATION, DEMOLITION, AND CONSTRUCTION MAY RESULT IN EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY (i.e., AS A RESULT OF THE ACTIVITY OF NEARBY WORKERS IN OTHER TRADES) AND FROM NATURALLY OCCURRING ASBESTOS (NOA). THE LIST BELOW INCLUDES SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION-RELATED WORKERS WHO MAY BE EXPOSED TO ASBESTOS ON THE JOB:
- BRICKLAYERS
- CARPENTERS
- CEMENT MASONS
- DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS
- DRYWALL TAPERS
- EARTH MOVERS/GRADERS
- ELECTRICIANS
- FLOOR COVERERS
- FUMIGATORS
- GENERAL BUILDING MAINTENANCE WORKERS
- GENERAL MANUFACTURED HOUSING CONTRACTORS
- GLAZIERS
- HEAT AND FROST INSULATORS
- HEATING/AIR-CONDITIONING WORKERS
- HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTORS
- JANITORIAL WORKERS
- LABORERS
- LANDSCAPERS
- OPERATING ENGINEERS
- PAINTERS/DECORATORS
- PLASTERERS
- PLUMBERS
- RENOVATORS
- ROOFERS
- SHEET METAL WORKERS
- SPRINKLER FITTERS
- STATIONARY ENGINEERS
- STEAMFITTERS
- WELDERS
RECORD KEEPING:
COMPLETE AND ACCURATE RECORDS OF THE FOLLOWING MUST BE KEPT AND MAINTAINED FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAL/OSHA AND EPA GUIDELINES:
- MEDICAL EXAMS
- TRAINING RECORDS
- RESPIRATOR FIT TEST RECORDS
- EXPOSURE MEASUREMENTS
- REQUIRED NOTIFICATION RECORDS
THESE RECORDS MUST BE MADE AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES AND FORMER EMPLOYEES UPON REQUEST.
ASBESTOSIS (AKA "WHITE LUNG")
A SERIOUS, CHRONIC, NONCANCEROUS RESPIRATORY DISEASE THAT OCCURS WHEN ASBESTOS FIBERS LODGE IN THE LUNGS. THE LUNG TISSUES BECOME IRRITATED, AND THE SMALL AIR TUBES AND SACS IN THE LUNGS BECOME INFLAMED. AS THE INFLAMMATION HEALS, PERMANENT SCAR TISSUE (CALLED FIBROSIS) REMAINS.
- EARLY SYMPTOMS: SHORTNESS OF BREATH, COUGHING, FATIGUE
- TREATMENT: THERE IS NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR THIS CONDITION
- PROGNOSIS: DISABLING OR FATAL
ASBESTOS MEDICAL RECORDS NEED TO BE KEPT FOR A LEAST HOW MANY YEARS?
30 YEARS
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF A RENOVATION PROJECT?
FACILITY OWNER
ASBESTOS LABELING MUST INCLUDE THE ORIGINAL ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIAL (ACM)
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