Asbestos smoking cessation info

Appendix J lists five organizations that provide smoking cessation information: the National Cancer Institute (toll-free Cancer Information Service 1–800–4–CANCER and Office of Cancer Communications), the American Cancer Society (3340 Peachtree Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia), the American Heart Association (7320 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas), the American Lung Association (1740 Broadway, New York, New York), and the Office on Smoking and Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. See Appendix J to 1926.1101—Smoking Cessation Program Information for Asbestos—Non-Mandatory for the full list and the contact details given in the Appendix.

No, the smoking cessation information in Appendix J is non-mandatory guidance and not a regulatory requirement. Appendix J is explicitly titled "Smoking Cessation Program Information for Asbestos—Non-Mandatory," which means employers may use the listed resources but are not required by that Appendix to implement a specific cessation program. See Appendix J to 1926.1101—Smoking Cessation Program Information for Asbestos—Non-Mandatory and the construction asbestos standard at 1926.1101 for mandatory asbestos protections.

No, OSHA does not require employers to provide a smoking cessation program under Appendix J; Appendix J only supplies suggested external resources. Appendix J is non-mandatory guidance listing organizations that can help workers quit smoking, whereas the mandatory duties for asbestos exposure (training, monitoring, medical surveillance, respiratory protection, etc.) are set out in 1926.1101. Employers may voluntarily provide or facilitate cessation programs as part of their worker-protection efforts.

Employers can provide Appendix J contact information directly to employees as part of the training and information required under the asbestos standard and include it in written or verbal communications. Appendix J offers organizations and contact points that employers may distribute during the training sessions and in written materials required by 1926.1101, and using these resources can help employees access smoking cessation assistance.

Yes, employers may partner with or refer employees to the organizations listed in Appendix J to provide smoking cessation assistance, but Appendix J does not require such partnerships. Appendix J simply identifies external resources (National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Office on Smoking and Health) that employers can direct workers to for help quitting smoking; it does not set rules about how employers must deliver or fund cessation services. See Appendix J to 1926.1101.

Employers are not required by Appendix J to include smoking cessation resources in their written asbestos programs, but they may include them as part of training records and employee information. The asbestos standard 1926.1101 contains required elements for training and medical surveillance; including references to Appendix J resources in those materials is a practical way to help exposed workers access cessation assistance even though Appendix J itself is non-mandatory.

Appendix J notes that some listed services offer language assistance in specified areas (for example, it states Spanish-speaking staff availability for certain callers to the National Cancer Institute service areas and a Hawaii phone note). Employers should verify current language support and provide translated or interpreter services as needed. See Appendix J to 1926.1101—Smoking Cessation Program Information for Asbestos—Non-Mandatory and ensure training under 1926.1101 is understandable to all employees.

Yes, Appendix J lists the National Cancer Institute's toll-free Cancer Information Service number as 1–800–4–CANCER as the contact to reach the CIS office serving your area. Employers should note this contact is printed in Appendix J and may want to verify the current contact details before widely distributing them. See Appendix J to 1926.1101.

Appendix J does not address whether employers can require attendance, as it only lists non-mandatory resources; whether an employer can require participation depends on company policy, collective bargaining agreements, and other laws. Appendix J is purely informational and does not impose or prohibit employer policies about mandatory participation. See Appendix J to 1926.1101 and the asbestos standard 1926.1101 for mandatory asbestos protections.

Employers may provide Appendix J contact information and materials to employees during medical surveillance visits or return-to-work discussions as part of counseling and preventive measures. Appendix J supplies organizations that can help workers quit smoking, and giving workers these resources alongside the medical surveillance required in 1926.1101 is a practical step to reduce combined health risks even though the Appendix itself is non-mandatory.

Appendix J provides non-mandatory resources that remediation and restoration contractors may use to support workers, and contractors whose activities are covered by the construction asbestos standard should consider offering those resources. OSHA's interpretation on asbestos remediation clarifies that activities involving asbestos-containing building materials during remediation are covered by 1926.1101 rather than the general industry asbestos standard (see OSHA letter of interpretation on asbestos remediation protocols at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-11-14). Combining the Appendix J resources with the employer's asbestos obligations under 1926.1101 is a reasonable practice.

Appendix J itself does not provide a scientific explanation in the text for how smoking interacts with asbestos exposure; it simply offers smoking cessation resources for asbestos-related contexts. Employers who need to explain health risks should reference the asbestos standard and medical surveillance information in 1926.1101 and may supplement training with authoritative medical or public-health sources when counseling employees about combined risks.

No, Appendix J lists several organizations as examples of resources but does not limit employers to those sources; employers may use other community, state, or employer-provided programs. Appendix J is non-mandatory and intended to point employers and workers to helpful places to obtain cessation information; employers can identify and share other validated resources appropriate for their workforce. See Appendix J to 1926.1101.

No, Appendix J does not require or address employer payment for smoking cessation services; it simply lists external agencies that provide information and programs. The Appendix is non-mandatory guidance and does not create obligations to fund or reimburse participation. Employers who are considering offering paid programs should consult other applicable labor and benefits rules and their own company policies. See Appendix J to 1926.1101.

Employers should verify and, if necessary, update the contact information before distributing Appendix J resources to ensure accuracy. Appendix J provides organization names and contacts as non-mandatory guidance, but it does not guarantee those details remain current; employers can use the Appendix as a starting point and confirm current phone numbers and local chapter contacts prior to sharing. See Appendix J to 1926.1101.

Appendix J notes that Spanish-speaking staff members are available during daytime hours to callers from certain listed areas for the National Cancer Institute service mentioned, but it limits that availability to the specified areas and times; employers should confirm current language support when referring workers. See Appendix J to 1926.1101.