Asbestos Safety Topic

Asbestos Hazards

The term asbestos covers several naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals. When airborne, asbestos can be inhaled and has numerous severe health effects, most of which are long-term. Lung tissue scarring, mesothelioma, and lung cancer are among the more serious health concerns.

Exposure Limits and Monitoring

Most asbestos-related construction activities involve building materials, such as flooring. Initial assessment and periodic monitoring are required to determine exposure limits. OSHA sets these limits at 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter averaged over a period of 8 hours or 1.0 fibers per cubic centimeter averaged over 30 minutes when under the excursion limit. All employees and their representatives must be allowed to observe any and all monitoring of exposure; all monitoring results must be given in writing either individually or by posting no later than…