Maintaining notification to employees that are working in an environment containing asbestos is not always as easy as it may initially seem and requires frequent checks to ensure continued compliance with OSHA standards. For example, one apartment building management company found it to be quite difficult to maintain proper signage after discovering the presence of asbestos. Each of the individual units had initially had signage notifying the tenants and workers that the unit contained asbestos and to take proper precautions when working within the unit.
Maintaining notification to employees that are working in an environment containing asbestos is not always as easy as it may initially seem and requires frequent checks to ensure continued compliance with OSHA standards. For example, one apartment building management company found it to be quite difficult to maintain proper signage after discovering the presence of asbestos. Each of the individual units had initially had signage notifying the tenants and workers that the unit contained asbestos and to take proper precautions when working within the unit. Testing confirmed that tenants would not disturb the asbestos through the normal course of renting and living in the apartment. Workers renovating the unit or delving beneath the drywall, on the other hand, would have to take precautions and use personal protective equipment to ensure they did not incur lasting effects when disturbing the asbestos.
The problem with notification arose when the tenants would remove the signage for aesthetic reasons. The apartment management company did not repeatedly access the private units and were not aware the signs had been removed; until work had to be performed in the unit or the tenant moved out. A maintenance worker would then not be properly notified and the apartment building management company would not be in compliance with OSHA notification requirements and had exposure to fines until the signage was replaced.
The Asbestos Inspector and OSHA were able to come up with a suitable solution that satisfied the duty to disclosure and the challenge of maintaining signage. The management company now uses a special work order that adequately discloses all the material within the apartment units containing asbestos.
This particular case shows a creative solution that fulfilled all needs in the situation, and was approved by OSHA for this particular case. The takeaway from this scenario is that the Asbestos Inspector was able to identify a problem of the lack of proper notification through continued and regular inspections. The Asbestos Inspector was only then able to present a solution for approval that met multiple needs. Had the asbestos inspector only visited the complex once and identified the materials containing asbestos, then implications would have been very different. This situation highlights the importance continued inspections which saved the exposure of repairmen that would not have seen the missing signage and would not have known the dangers.
Asbestos requires continuous monitoring and special handling to ensure safety continues beyond identification of the hazard. Click hereto find an Asbestos Inspector near you.
Occupational Health Overcomes Everyday Hazards
Many workers face different types of hazards on a daily basis. Each company has a responsibility to proactively protect their employees from hazards encountered in the workplace. Accidents or injuries can bring production to a halt, reduce the workforce while the employee is recovering and lead to costly worker compensation claims. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can help your company improve the Occupational Health present at your facility.
The Risk from Asbestos
Asbestos poses a major health risk in many office buildings and homes due to the wide adoption and usage of asbestos as an insulator in the construction process. Asbestos can be found in the glue beneath vinyl flooring or in material applied to concrete to regulate the temperature between floors in an office building. These buildings and homes are being remodeled and modernized as an update to the space, but the demolition process can be hazardous if asbestos is present. Test for asbestos prior to starting your next remodeling project to ensure workers are safe.
Communicating the Dangers with HazCom
Hazard Communication focuses on explaining the dangers present at the workplace. The employees have a right to understand the hazards present and how to remain safe on the jobsite. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can work with your company to fulfill the HazCom requirement set forth by OSHA.
