How to Deal with Asbestos Exposure in your Workplace – Advice for Industrial Building Owners

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Jeff Mahoney

{Part three of a three-part series}

Building owners play one of the primary roles in preventing asbestos exposure at the workplace. When constructing a building – or leasing out an existing facility that contains asbestos – building owners can take several steps that ensure safety on the premesis.

Only purchase asbestos-free building materials for renovations or new construction. Despite its known health hazards, asbestos materials are still being produced. In 2004, the United States used more than 3,000 metric tons of asbestos for roofing products, coatings and compounds and other industrial applications. Facility managers must specify that they want asbestos-free materials when placing or approving orders for building materials. Be sure to verify manufacturer’s certifications before making the purchase.

Schedule asbestos surveys for your properties. To best protect the workers in the building, owners must schedule a comprehensive building survey from a licensed asbestos abatement company. This survey will indicate where asbestos is present and which products need to be immediately addressed. As a facility owner, you should verify the conditions listed by the abatement company’s report. Also remember to schedule regular follow-up inspections every six months from the date of the original inspection.

Develop and implement an asbestos management program for each building. Owners must draft a thorough asbestos management plan that outlines their method of addressing asbestos-containing materials on their property. The policies should be as specific to the facility as possible, and should include information about:

Which items in your building contain asbestos
How you will notify employees and building occupants of the asbestos
How you will train building occupants to avoid damaging asbestos-containing materials
How you plan to address asbestos emergencies in your building
Which work permits are necessary when asbestos in the building may be disturbed
Which work practices will be enforced to reduce the likelihood of asbestos exposure

Building owners may wish to hire a program development team to help construct the asbestos management plan. Maintenance and custodial staff, engineers, health and safety officials and industrial hygiene personnel can all contribute to the plan. Managers from the company that will occupy the building may also be involved.

Clearly label any materials in the building that you know contain asbestos. Asbestos-containing materials must be clearly labeled with warning signs. These signs should be placed on the materials themselves. Caution signs indicating the presence of asbestos should also be posted at the entrance for any area where asbestos products have been identified.

Provide your contact information to all the building residents. In the event that an asbestos-containing product in your building is disturbed, the occupants will need to contact you. Provide contact cards with your name, location, phone number and email address to the management of the company who occupies your building.

These steps can help reduce the likelihood that any industrial employees who work in or on your buildings are exposed to asbestos. In the event that an asbestos emergency arises in one of your properties, immediately contact OSHA at (800) 321-OSHA (6742).

This Intelex Guest Blog is the concluding post in a three-part series. Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.

How to Deal with Asbestos Exposure in Your Workplace: Advice for Managers

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Jeff Mahoney

{Part two of a three-part series}

Industrial mangers are faced with hundreds of responsibilities each day. Ensuring worker safety should be at the top of their priority list – especially when it comes to asbestos.

Do you work in management at a construction site or industrial occupation? Here’s what you can do to promote asbestos safety:

Conduct daily or periodic monitoring. Unless a manager can demonstrate that asbestos exposure at the worksite will remain below the permissible limit, they are required to perform daily monitoring for worksites where asbestos-containing materials are directly involved. Managers must perform periodic monitoring (at intervals determined by state legislature) for workers who perform other industrial operations that pose a risk for asbestos exposure.

Create controlled zones. Regulated areas must be created and thoroughly enforced wherever asbestos work is performed. Mangers must prohibit workers from entering without appropriate licensure or respiratory protection. Managers must also keep workers from doing any of the following within a controlled zone:

Eating
Drinking
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Chewing gum
Applying cosmetics

These areas must be clearly labeled as regulated areas.

Provide the required protective equipment and safety training. Employers are required to provide and enforce the use of respirators, coveralls, head and foot coverings and gloves when asbestos work is performed. OSHA standard CFR 1910.134 can be used to determine which sort of gear is necessary. This protective gear can only be given to workers who have undergone respirator training.

Additionally, employers must enroll workers who handle asbestos in the required asbestos licensure classes (and refresher courses) through an accredited training company. Check your local laws for information about industrial asbestos training.

Provide appropriate medical examinations. Managers at construction sites and shipyards must provide medical examinations for workers who spend 30 days or more each year with Class I, II, or III asbestos work. Managers at any other site are required to provide medical examinations to all workers who are exposed to asbestos above the PEL.

Keep thorough records. In the event of legal action, managers must be able to provide records of asbestos monitoring, employee medical records and licensure training records. Keep records of exposure monitoring and physician’s evaluations for each employee for at least 30 years. Keep training records for at least one year.

This Intelex Guest Blog is part two of a three-part series. Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.

How to deal with asbestos exposure in your workplace: advice for industrial workers

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Jeff Mahoney

At one point, more than 75 different industries exposed workers to asbestos. Even though these industries have been made safer by regulations from the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, many workers still come in contact with asbestos products that remain at their jobsites.

Although most industrial employees face some form of asbestos exposure risks during their career, employees most at risk for asbestos exposure include:

Construction workers.
HVAC mechanics.
Electricians.
Chemical plant workers.

Do you work in one of these industrial occupations where asbestos exposure is still a risk? The following tips can help reduce the risk of you or your coworkers being exposed to asbestos and becoming at risk for an asbestos-causing cancer.

Know which materials pose an asbestos threat – and know how to handle them. More than 3,000 industrial products were once made with asbestos. Many of these are still present in jobsites. Tiles, pipes, cement and insulation are some of the most common, yet nearly any material installed before the 1980s can contain asbestos.

Asbestos may be visible in some older products that are in poor condition, but the fibers are rarely visible to the naked eye. Building owners are now required to put warning labels on products that they know contain asbestos, yet older products may still be unlabeled. Ask your manager or building owner for a full list of asbestos-containing products on the premises.

As long as these products remain intact, they do not pose a health threat. However, the rough nature of most industrial activities can easily damage the product and release asbestos into the air. Do not chip, scrape, saw or drill any products that may contain asbestos without following appropriate procedures. If you find a product that you think might contain asbestos, leave it alone and report it to a supervisor.

Refuse any assignments that you are not licensed for. Only workers with asbestos licensure can perform asbestos work. Employers are responsible for providing this training. If your supervisor assigns you to a project that requires asbestos certifications that you do not have, do not perform the project until they provide you with the necessary training.

Wear protective gear when working with asbestos – and leave it at the worksite. Your employer is also required to provide you with protective gear anytime you enter an area where asbestos work is being performed. Do not begin any asbestos work without a full safety suit (including coveralls, gloves, shoes and a respirator). Once your work is done for the day, change out of your protective gear and leave the gear at the worksite overnight. Shower to remove any remaining asbestos fibers before going home.

Properly dispose of asbestos waste. Waste should be placed into a 60”-by-60” waste bag and brought to a landfill that accepts asbestos waste. If the waste does not fit into one bag, alert your supervisor so that an accredited asbestos professional can be contacted to come remove the material. After debris has been addressed, the area must be thoroughly cleaned with a vacuum that is equipped with a HEPA filter. Do NOT use dry mops, brooms, dust cloths or standard vacuums to clean up asbestos waste remnants.

When in doubt, refer to OSHA standards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration developed three standards to protect workers who may be exposed to asbestos. Construction workers are covered by 29 CFR 1926.1101. Shipyard workers are covered by 29 CFR 1915.1001. Workers in any other industry are covered by 29 CFR 1910.1001. If you have any questions about employee protections your industry is covered by, refer to the OSHA standards for your trade.

Know when to speak up. If management is not appropriately handling asbestos in the workplace, workers can file a complaint online at OSHA’s website or by calling (800) 321-OSHA (6742). The hotline should also be called for any asbestos-related emergency.

Alert your doctor. Even though your employer is required to provide you with health screenings, you should still tell your health care provider that you work in an occupation where asbestos exposure is a threat. Your doctor can help you schedule routine asbestos-related disease screenings to detect any illnesses that might arise even after you leave your current place of employment. Most of these illnesses do not arise for several decades after asbestos exposure occurs. Letting your doctor know about this exposure now can help your medical team keep their eye on your health for problems that might develop in the future.

This Intelex Guest Blog is part one of a three-part series. Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.

Michael’s reaction to OSHA’s ‘aggressive’ mandate, state success and failure in OHS performance, Germany’s amazing renewable investments and more on EHS This Week

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Paul Leavoy

We discuss top stories from the world of environment, health and safety news for the past seven days, including OSHA head David Michael’s defending the administration’s record, Washington’s success in minimizing OHS fatalities, the GHS final rule announcement and more.

Come back on a weekly basis or subscribe for our rundown of the week’s top EHS Stories.

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Our Top 5 most popular blog posts of 2011

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Paul Leavoy

Between sweeping new regulations, ambitious new OHS programs, and environmental controversy in the U.S. and Canada, EHS issues were top of mind throughout 2011. To wrap up a year that had no shortage of headlines, we’ve analyzed last year’s Intelex blog stats to determine the most popular posts of 2011. Without further adieu, here are the Top 5:

I2P2, hazardous chemicals, high-risk construction among top OSHA priorities for 2011: OSHA Secretary of Labour Dr. David Michaels kicked off the year with an online chat outlining some of OSHA’s top priorities for 2011. While many of his priorities – including the ambitious I2P2 program and the addition of an MSD column to OSHA Form 300 reports – did not make it through the gates by the end of the year, this overview provided some guidance on where OSHA’s priorities lie in the very near future.
Start preparing for new OSHA fall protection requirements now: Fall safety, which for many years has landed in the top spot of OSHA’s list of most frequently cited violations, was a chief concern for residential builders across the U.S. as OSHA implemented new fall protection requirements.
The Top 5 upcoming OHS regulatory events you need to know about: Placing third on our Top 5 is, well, another Top 5! We combed through a variety of upcoming OHS legislation, regulations and literature to identify the five key OHS regulatory events that will have the most impact on businesses from coast to coast. Topping the list was OSHA’s monumental Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2), which will have an equally monumental impact on U.S. businesses. It hasn’t been implemented yet, but could see the light of day in the very near future.
No more ‘catch me if you can’ – I2P2 and what it could mean for you: Well, if there is a emerging theme to this list, it might have something to do with I2P2. For most organizations, it is a distant thunder, buried in clouds gathering on the horizon. But for the proactive business, it ought to be so much more given its scope is absolutely vast and will essentially redefine how all companies manage safety.
Sustainability as a business opportunity: And finally, it wasn’t all about safety in 2011. As organizations continue to seek value in sustainability initiatives and as environmental advocates try to achieve buy-in from senior management on green programs in the face of a turbulent climate, we flipped the argument on its head. Instead of viewing sustainability programs as a financial burden, it should be thought of as an investment that carries great returns.

We are always on the hunt for fresh content ideas that are important to our readers. Write me or use the comments section below to share your ideas. Happy New Year!

The Top 5 upcoming OHS regulatory events you need to know about: #5

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Paul Leavoy

U.S. agencies and regulatory bodies are constantly proposing, reviewing, and finalizing new rules that often mean significant changes for businesses across the nation. Almost any company of any size needs to be aware of forthcoming changes that will impact how they manage their impacts and responsibilities related to occupational health and safety (OHS).

However, between proposed rules, final rules, pre-rules, long-tem actions and the dozens upon dozens of rules being reviewed at any given time, it can be hard for businesses to separate the wheat from the chaff and determine which events will directly affect how they do business.

In an attempt to ensure the most important issues are on your radar, I’ve put together a list of the Top 5 OHS regulatory events on the immediate horizon business leaders as well as OHS managers and staff need to know about.

We’ll start with number five and countdown to number one throughout the week.

5. The crystalline silica rule:

Earlier this year, OSHA started preparing a rule that would protect workers exposed to crystalline silica, a basic component of sand, granite, soil and other minerals that has been classified as a human lung carcinogen and can cause silicosis and tuberculosis.

More than 2 million U.S. workers, at least 100,000 of which operate in high-risk jobs like stonecutting, rock drilling, foundry work, blasting, quarry work and tunneling are exposed to crystalline silica on an ongoing basis. When the rule is implemented, thousands of employers in industries where crystalline silica is present will have to take an array of precautions to minimize exposure of workers to the dangerous compound.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has already gone over the rule, and it has been returned to OSHA, which is well passed the typical deadline for review – it should have published a proposed rule by May 15. In a web chat this past Monday, an OSHA representative stated that the agency has made no final decision on the scope of a proposed rule and added “OSHA continues to work with OMB and is confident that a proposed rule will be published soon.” Since the agency has been working on the framework and scope of this rule since at least 2003, it is about time.

Check back tomorrow for the fourth most important upcoming OHS regulatory event you need to know about.

Sweeping OHS Bill passes in Ontario

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Paul Leavoy

After months of debate and consultation, Bill 160 has passed in Ontario, Canada after a 79-0 vote in the provincial assembly late last week. The Occupational Health and Safety Statute Law Amendment Act will take full effect when it achieves Royal Assent, as soon as next month.

The Act will create the position of a provincial Chief Prevention Officer as well as a Prevention Council to work with the Ministry of Labour to develop a comprehensive occupational health and safety strategy and determine training standards.

The act will affect almost all businesses across the province, so make sure you are up to speed with all the bill’s implications by checking out OHS Insider’s very handy and comprehensive Ontario OHS Reform Blog, which features detailed information on the nuances on Bill 160.

As the blog notes, establishing provincewide training standards will be central to the Act after it becomes law.

Prevention, training central to Ontario OHS reforms

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Paul Leavoy

Ontario is poised to dramatically rework how it manages occupational health and safety.

Earlier this month Bill 160 was amended by the province’s standing committee on social policy and is now headed to the provincial legislature for a third reading and vote, meaning it could be law by as early as June. The proposed bill flows from the work of an expert panel formed in the wake of a string of workplace-related deaths across the province.

Focused on training and prevention, some of the bill’s key elements are as follows:

Training standards: The bill would call upon the Minister of Labour to set training program standards and ‘approve’ compliant organizations accordingly.
Training provider: In addition to minimum standards for training programs, those who administer training would also be required to achieve “approved training provider” status, though those certified under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act would be automatically approved.
Prevention: Quite notably, the bill would establish both a Prevention Council and a Chief Prevention Officer (CPO). It would also take the responsibility of workplace safety away from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and hand it to the newly created CPO, who would report to the Minister of Labour and also be charged with the development of a provincial health and safety strategy. The Prevention Council, composed of provincial health and safety organizations, trade union representatives, employers, and other experts in the field, would provide advice to the CPO as he or she develops an province-wide strategy and prepares an annual report for the Minister.

Additional changes include adjustments to the number of trained health and safety personnel required for small businesses, altering how reprisals are referred to the labour relations board, and more.

According to convention, businesses across Ontario could be given up to 12 months to comply with the new rules, though the Ministry of Labour may ask employers to adhere to the act’s requirements on an expedited basis. Proactive businesses ought to begin determining how they will address the coming changes. For up-to-date news on Bill 160 developments, check out OHS Insider’s excellent blog on Ontario health and safety reform.

Picturing Safety: OSHA celebrates 40 years with photo contest

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Paul Leavoy

In celebration of 40 years of making workplaces safer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a new photo contest to boost awareness of workplace safety issues.

Anyone with a camera is invited to take a photo of a scenario or setting they believe represents an image of occupational health and safety (OHS) and submit it to OSHA. The administration is looking for outstanding portrayals of occupational health and safety in terms of artistic value, and capacity to inspire conversations on OHS issues. Other judging criteria include: the clarity and quality of the photo; the inclusion of worker, employer or workplace imagery; originality; and the suitability of the image for print in OSHA publications. The winners will be determined by a panel of expert judges with backgrounds in photography and labour issues.

In addition to being featured on OSHA’s website, first, second and third-place photographs will be framed and displayed within OSHA’s National Office in Washington, D.C., to serve “as a daily reminder of the real-life impacts of OSHA’s mission for leading policymakers and prominent professionals,” according to the contest website.

Entrants have until August 12 to submit up to three photos, so take some time to capture an image that encapsulates an OHS matter in a unique way.

Check out the photo contest FAQ here.