NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Comments to DOL (Department of Labor) on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Final Rule on Occupational Exposure to Asbestos, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, and Actinolite

摘要

The comment restated the definition currently in place at NIOSH for asbestos (1332214). Concern had arisen following the issuance of an internal memorandum by Mr. Robert Glenn who was director of the Division of Respiratory Disease Studies at NIOSH. The memorandum did not change the position of NIOSH concerning the definition of asbestos as it concerns regulatory purposes. The definition remained as follows. Asbestos is defined to be chrysotile (12001295), crocidolite (12001284), and fibrous cummingtonite-grunerite including amosite (12172735), fibrous tremolite (14567738), fibrous actinolite (13768008), and fibrous anthophylite (17068789). The fibrosity of the above minerals is ascertained on a microscopic level with fibers defined as being particles with an aspect ratio of 3 to 1 or larger. At present the evidence documenting a health effect from exposure to nonfibrous cummingtonite-grunerite including amosite, fibrous tremolite, fibrous actinolite, and fibrous anthophylite was insufficient and therefore the nonfibrous forms of these minerals were excluded from the asbestos definition.