Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the division of the U.S. Department of Labor with the stated mission: "To assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health." Along with the EPA, OSHA regulates issues of
asbestos exposure in work environments. Much of OSHA's duties revolve around the OSH Act, which dictates standards by which employers must abide regarding working environment, and gives OSHA the authority to enforce compliance with regulations.
Call us at (888) 360-4215 to speak with a mesothelioma paralegal
In general terms, OSHA requires that employers "furnish to each of his
employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees." Because of the health risks posed by
asbestos, and because materials containing asbestos have been integrated into the certain industries, OSHA has explicitly laid out regulations regarding the risk of asbestos exposure in industrial settings. These regulations overlap with the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations on asbestos.
OSHA's guidelines regarding asbestos differ depending on the work site; they have separate sets of regulations for shipyard environments, construction environments, and for general industry. In general, the rules: strictly limit the degree of exposure any single employee is allowed; dictate that employers must monitor the environment and employees at-risk for exposure; mandate the use of protective clothing and respirator systems when appropriate; and establishes prohibitions regarding who can enter areas where asbestos is present. They also dictate that warning signs, labels, and recordkeeping must be maintained, and that employees have access to storage areas, decontamination areas and showers to minimize the possibility of contaminating other environments. Failure to comply with OSHA requirements can lead to large fines and other significant consequence for employers.