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,
