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OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH GUIDELINE FOR ASBESTOS POTENTIAL HUMAN CARCINOGEN INTRODUCTION (5)CAS 1456773-8;RTECS CI6560000;DOT Not assigned; (6)CAS 17068-78-9;RTECS C16478000;DOT Not assigned; This guideline summarizes pertinent information about as- (7)CAS 13768-00-8; RTECS CI6476000; DOT Not assigned bestos for workers, employers, and occupational safety and . Appearance and odor: A fiber or filament,asbestos may health professionals who may need such information to con- have a"fluffy"appearance.Colors may vary from white,gray, duct effective occupational safety and health programs.Recom- blue,brown,green or yellow. Positive identification requires mendations may be superseded by new developments in these microscopic examination. fields; therefore, readers are advised to regard these recom- mendations as general guidelines. CHEMICAL. AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES SUBSTANCE IDENTIFICATION • Physical data 1. Molecular weight: (2)277.13; (5) 185.03 Data in the following section are presented for various forms 2. Specific gravity (water = 1): 2.5-3.0 of asbestos: (1)Asbestos(mixed forms); 3. Noncombustible solid (2)Chrysotile; • Warning properties (3)Amosite; Evaluation of warning properties for respirator selection: (4)Crocidolite; Warning properties are not considered in recommending respi- (5)Tremolite; rators for use with carcinogens. (6)Anthophyllite; (7) Actinolite. EXPOSURE LIMITS If unspecified,data apply to all forms. Only asbestos fibers greater than 5 micrometers(ju)m in length • Composition: (1) Not Available; are considered for the following exposure limits.The current (2)3MgO-2SiO2-2H2O; Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA)per- (3)(FeM9)SiO3; missible exposure limit(PEL)for asbestos is 0.2 fiber per cu- (4) NaFe(SiO3)2-FeSiO3-H2O; bic centimeter(cc)of air as a time-weighted average(TWA) (5)Ca2Mg5SisO22(OH)2; concentration over an 8-hour workshift with an action level of (6)(MgFe)7Sis022(OH)2; 0.1 fiber/cc as an hour TWA. The National Institute for Oc- (7)Cao-3(MgFe)0-4Si02 cupational Safety and Health(NIOSH)recommends that as- * Synonyms: (1)Asbestos fiber, serpentine,amphibole; bestos be controlled and handled as a potential human (2)Canadian chrysotile, white asbestos, serpentine; carcinogen in the workplace and that exposure be minimized (3)Brown asbestos, fibrous grunerite; to the lowest feasible limit. The NIOSH recommended ex- (4)Blue asbestos; posure limit(REL) is 0.1 fiber/cc(in 40-liter air sample) as (5)Fibrous tremolite; a TWA concentration for up to an 8-hour workshift,40-hour (6)Azboien asbestos; workweek.The American Conference of Governmental Indus- (7)Not available trial Hygienists(ACGIH)has designated asbestos as an Al sub- * Identifiers: (1)CAS 1332-21-4; RTECS CI6475000; DOT stance (suspected human carcinogen, with an assigned 2212 (blue) 2590(white); threshold limit value/TLVO)of 2 fibers/cc for chrysotile,0.5 (2)CAS 12001-29-5; RTECS C16478500; DOT 2590; fiber/cc for amosite,0.2 fiber/cc for crocidolite,and 2 fibers/cc (3)CAS 12172-73-5;RTECS CI6477000;DOT Not assigned; for other forms, as a TWA for a normal 8-hour workday and (4)CAS 12001-28-4, RTECS CI6479000; DOT 2212; a 40-hour workweek(Table 1). U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service Centers for Disease Control National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Division of Standards Development and Technology Transfer 1988 Asbestos 1