Questions and Answers on the Asbestos Standard | Workplace Hazards

Scope

Q.	Are marine terminals and longshoring covered by the General Industry standard?
A.	Marine terminals and longshoring are covered by the General Industry standard if asbestos is being loaded, unloaded or stored.
Q.	What work activity is most affected by the General Industry asbestos standard?
A.	Brake and clutch repair in the General Industry standard is the activity engaged in by the largest group of asbestos exposed workers, although most of them are exposed sporadically and at low levels. The next largest group consists of custodial workers who do not perform their duties as part of construction activities, but clean surfaces, sweep, buff and vacuum floors and wash walls and windows in manufacturing plants and a wide variety of public and commercial buildings.
Q.	Is housekeeping work covered under the General Industry standard or the Construction standard?
A.	Housekeeping work which is not related to a construction activity, is regulated under the General Industry standard. Housekeeping work which is related to construction activities at a construction site is covered by the Construction standard.
Q.	What other industries are covered by the General Industry standard?
A.	Primary and secondary manufacture of asbestos-containing products.
Q.	What activities does the Construction standard (29 CFR 1926.1101) cover?
A.	The construction standard explicitly states that it covers, but is not limited to, the following activities involving asbestos: demolition, removal, alteration, repair, maintenance, installation, clean-up, transportation, disposal, and storage. It has been redesignated 29 CFR 1926.1101.

Q.	If construction activities are performed in a facility normally covered by the General Industry standard, which standard applies?
A.	Asbestos work which involves removal, repair, maintenance or demolition is explicitly regulated by the Construction standard even if such work is performed within a facility otherwise regulated under the General Industry standard.
Q.	Does the standard apply during earthmoving projects, drilling, blasting or sawing where natural deposits of asbestos occur?
A.	The record indicates that certain construction sites in mostly well-defined areas contain deposits of naturally occurring asbestos. In such cases, wetting of the excavation site, often required by local authorities, should be sufficient to suppress measurable airborne asbestos concentrations. No other actions are required by the standard.
Q.	In the above case is the employer required to take any action if there is no information readily available indicating asbestos contamination of the soil?
A.	In the absence of actual knowledge or information showing asbestos contamination of soil in the immediate vicinity of a construction site, the employer is not required to take any action under this standard.