Comments of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Final Rule on Occupational Exposure to Asbestos, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, and Actinolite. 29 CFR Parts 1910 and 1926, Docket No. H-033C

摘要

The testimony contained a letter from J. D. Millar which discussed an epidemiologic study by NIOSH the purpose of which had been to examine the mortality of miners employed by the R. T. Vanderbilt Company, Gouverneur Talc Company Mine and Mill number 1. These miners were exposed to tremolite (14567738) and anthophyllite (17068789). Based on internal and external reviews of the study at this point, it was decided not to proceed since there would be insufficient statistical power to render conclusive results. The study would also not have contributed new information concerning the environmental characteristics of the talc (14807966) from the Gouverneur Talc District. Therefore the letter indicated that the position of NIOSH on the fibrosity of this talc would remain unchanged. The definition of asbestos used by NIOSH was restated. It is recommended that for regulatory purposes the definition be used in the current asbestos standard (29 CFR 1910.1001). The testimony also contained a copy of an earlier letter, from R. E. Glenn, which stated that further analysis of the mortality data of the cohort was to be suspended until sufficient power was obtained to render results which were clearly interpretable.