JLC • NEW ENGLAND EDITION • FEBRUARY 1995
EIGHT-
PENNY
NEWS VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
FEBRUARY 1995
New OSHA regulations governing
asbestos exposure on
construction sites reduce the
permissible exposure level by
half. Under the new rules,
many materials installed before
1980, including furnace and
duct insulation, spray-applied
drywall finishes, and vinyl
floor tiles, fall into the category
of "presumed asbestos-containing
material," or PACM.
Contractors who encounter
any of these listed materials
have to adhere strictly to testing
and protection guidelines,
unless they can provide test
data from a qualified industrial
hygienist to prove the material
contains less than 1% asbestos.
In commercial and public
buildings, the revised rules
hold building owners responsible
for protecting workers from
asbestos fibers. On remodeling
and demolition sites where
asbestos is disturbed,