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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

NIOSH testimony to DOL on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's notice of proposed rulemaking on occupational exposure to asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite by R. A. Lemen, May 9, 1990

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5978245

The testimony summarized information pertinent to the proposed rulemaking to remove nonasbestiform tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite from the asbestos standard. NIOSH concludes that on the basis of current data that cleavage fragments of the appropriate aspect ratio and length from the nonasbestiform minerals should be considered as hazardous as fibers from the asbestiform minerals. No scientifically valid health evidence was found for removing from the asbestos standard cleavage fragments that become airborne when nonasbestiform tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite are mined, milled and used, and that meet the microscopic definition of a fiber. The risk of cancer from such exposures warrants limiting exposures to these minerals to the lowest feasible concentration. A glossary of terms is provided in an appendix.

Research Organization:
National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
OSTI ID:
5978245
Report Number(s):
PB-91-152439/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English