Subpart Z
Asbestos is a group of fibrous magnesium-silicate minerals that includes chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos, tremolite asbestos, and actinolite asbestos. See the substance identification in 1926.1101 App H for the listed mineral types.
Asbestos may be present in many building materials and equipment such as heat‑resistant clothing, automotive brake and clutch linings, floor and ceiling tiles, roofing felts, asbestos‑cement pipe and sheet, fire‑resistant drywall, pipe and boiler insulation, and sprayed‑on insulation or fireproofing on beams, in crawlspaces, and between walls. The appendix lists common uses of asbestos in construction materials in 1926.1101 App H. For remediation work in residences, OSHA has clarified that those remediation activities involving asbestos are covered by the construction asbestos standard, see the interpretation Asbestos remediation protocols (Nov. 14, 2024).
Friable means the material can be crumbled with hand pressure and is therefore likely to release airborne asbestos fibers; friability determines how easily fibers can become airborne and create exposure hazards. The appendix explains what makes materials friable and why sprayed‑on or fluffy insulation materials are high risk in 1926.1101 App H.
The permissible exposure limits are 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter of air (0.1 f/cc) as an 8‑hour time‑weighted average and 1.0 f/cc as an average over any 30‑minute sampling period. These PELs are noted in 1926.1101 App H and are enforced under the construction asbestos standard 1926.1101.
An employer must provide and require the use of respirators when asbestos exposure exceeds the PEL (0.1 f/cc TWA) or when performing certain designated asbestos operations. Appendix H explains respiratory protections and the standard 1926.1101 contains the detailed respirator program and selection requirements; see also the interpretation on respirator selection for Class I asbestos work (Jan. 4, 2024).
When Class I asbestos exposures exceed 1 f/cc as an 8‑hour TWA, employers must provide full‑facepiece supplied‑air respirators (SARs) operated in pressure‑demand mode and equipped with an auxiliary positive‑pressure self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). This requirement is explained in the asbestos standard 1926.1101 and clarified in OSHA's respirator selection interpretation (Jan. 4, 2024).
No. Disposable respirators or simple dust masks are not permitted for asbestos work; employers must provide appropriate respirators with HEPA filtration or supplied‑air systems as required by the asbestos standard. Appendix H states this restriction and 1926.1101 sets the respirator requirements.
Employers must conduct a fit test when an employee is first assigned a tight‑fitting respirator and then at least every 6 months thereafter. Appendix H states the initial and six‑month interval fit testing requirement; the broader respiratory protection obligations are found in 1926.1101.
Protective clothing is required in work areas where asbestos fiber concentrations exceed the permissible exposure limit of 0.1 f/cc. Appendix H states the clothing requirement for exposures above the PEL and the full requirements are in 1926.1101.
Asbestos‑containing material removed from buildings must be disposed of while wet and placed in leak‑tight 6‑mil plastic bags, plastic‑lined cardboard containers, or plastic‑lined metal containers that are sealed before they dry out. See the disposal and packaging guidance in 1926.1101 App H and follow the applicable requirements in 1926.1101.
Vacuum bags or disposable paper filters should not be cleaned; they should be lightly sprayed with a fine water mist and then placed into a labeled waste container. Appendix H gives this cleanup and handling instruction in 1926.1101 App H.
Yes. Employees or their designated representatives have the right to observe employee exposure monitoring and to record the results. Appendix H states this right to observe monitoring in 1926.1101 App H and the main standard 1926.1101 contains monitoring and notification requirements.
Exposure records must be kept for at least 30 years, and medical records must be kept for the period of employment plus 30 years. Appendix H specifies these retention periods in 1926.1101 App H.
Employers must inform employees each year about the information contained in the asbestos standard and appendices and must instruct them in proper work practices for handling asbestos and correct use of personal protective equipment. Appendix H describes the annual information requirement in 1926.1101 App H and 1926.1101 details training obligations.
An employer must treat thermal system insulation and sprayed‑on or troweled‑on surfacing material as asbestos unless laboratory analysis shows the material does not contain asbestos. Appendix H states this presumption rule in 1926.1101 App H.
Yes, but only if the employer produces a valid negative exposure assessment (NEA) showing exposures will be below the PELs; then the employer may select respirators from Table 1 of the respiratory protection standard, provided they still meet asbestos‑specific requirements (for example, not using filtering facepieces and providing HEPA filters for air‑purifying respirators). OSHA explained this nuance for Class I asbestos work in the respirator selection interpretation (Jan. 4, 2024) and employers must follow 1926.1101 monitoring and NEA rules.
Yes. OSHA clarified that remediation activities involving asbestos‑containing building materials (ACBM), including property remediation work in residential homes, are covered by the construction asbestos standard, 29 CFR 1926.1101, as explained in the interpretation Asbestos remediation protocols (Nov. 14, 2024).
Yes. Employers must assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present or likely to be present and, if PPE will be required, document the hazard assessment in writing. OSHA's PPE hazard assessment interpretation (Mar. 28, 2024) explains the obligation to perform hazard assessments and produce written certification when PPE is required.
Yes. Non‑friable materials such as vinyl‑asbestos floor tile, roofing felt, or asbestos‑cement pipe generally do not emit fibers while intact, but they can release airborne asbestos fibers when subjected to cutting, sawing, sanding, or breaking. Appendix H explains this behavior in 1926.1101 App H.
Process waste and housekeeping waste should be wetted with water or a water‑plus‑surfactant mixture prior to packaging in disposable containers to minimize fiber release. Appendix H sets out these wetting and packaging procedures in 1926.1101 App H.
Empty asbestos shipping bags can be flattened under exhaust hoods and packed into airtight containers, and empty shipping drums should be sealed because they are difficult to clean. Appendix H provides these disposal recommendations in 1926.1101 App H.
An employer must release a worker's exposure and medical records to the worker's physician or to a designated representative upon the worker's written request. Appendix H states this right and the employer's obligation in 1926.1101 App H.
Asbestos exposure can cause disabling respiratory disease and various cancers (including lung cancer and mesothelioma), and symptoms of these diseases commonly do not appear until 20 or more years after initial exposure. Appendix H provides this health hazard information in 1926.1101 App H.
If employee exposure exceeds the PEL, the employer must inform the employee of the over‑exposure and of the actions being taken to reduce exposure to within permissible limits, provide required respiratory and protective equipment, and keep and make available exposure and medical records as required. Appendix H describes these notification and recordkeeping obligations in 1926.1101 App H and the standard 1926.1101 contains the specific employer duties.