Asbestos Article

About Asbestos Regulation

Asbestos can be a source of great danger to those who work with it or have been exposed to it. Old houses and buildings that were built between the years 1950 and 1973 could just test positive for the presence of asbestos. Once damaged or disturbed, the materials that release the asbestos fibers into the air may cause serious lung disorders when inhaled.

The government is concerned about how to regulate and manage the repairing, maintaining and removal of asbestos materials. This has resulted in many asbestos laws and regulations passed by the government to bring down the potential hazards related to asbestos so that people can be protected from the harmful effects of asbestos. There are a couple of government agencies that are primarily concerned with creating asbestos rules and regulations.

The CPSC or the Consumer Product Safety Commission deals with asbestos regulations in consumer products and this area is its prime concern. The agency not only provides general information related to asbestos that may be present in your house but they also set guidelines for the removal and repairing of asbestos and also have laboratories for testing.

The second agency is the EPA or the Environment Protection Agency. As exposure to asbestos is most often accomplished through fibers that are present in the air, this agency is the prime government instrumentality that manages rules and regulations that are related to asbestos to protect the public.

There are two prime asbestos regulations that are enforced by the EPA. The first one is the Clean Air Act (CAA) and is managed by the EPA. The second, called the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos, is an example of asbestos regulation formulated to bring down the risks when exposed to asbestos.

The TSCA - Toxic Substances Control Act is managed and administered by the authorities of OPPT - the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics or by another state or other local equivalents. There are other two asbestos regulation Acts under the TSCA – the ASHARA that is the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act and AHERA - Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act.

OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a body that was mainly set up for the protection of workers who are exposed to asbestos in their workplace. The agency not only sets standards at work premises but also has certain regulations that protect the employees from exposure during the course of their work. They offer technical assistance and consultation programs and they reach out to the employers and employees. The other service that the agency provides is Asbestos Advisor 2.0, a software program that gives details about federal asbestos regulations. To get more information one must visit their website or get in touch with the Department of Industries and Labor.