Protection from Asbestos Exposure

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for safety and health regulations in the workplace. The administration has developed rules concerning workplace asbestos exposure. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has also established additional laws. Employees should follow safety procedures and always use protective equipment on the job.

If you are concerned about asbestos exposure, talk with other your employer, other employees and your health and safety representative. OSHA can also come out to your workplace for an inspection. Regional offices of OSHA are listed in the "United States Government" section of a telephone directory’s blue pages (under "Department of Labor"). Regional offices can also be found at http://www.osha.gov/html/RAmap.html.

If you would like to learn more about asbestos, the OSHA asbestos page provides information about asbestos exposure, its hazards and OSHA standards. Visit  http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/index.html to learn more. OSHA’s national office can be contacted at:

Organization:
 Office of Public Affairs
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
U.S. Department of Labor 
Address:
 Room N–3649
200 Constitution Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20210  
Telephone:
 202–693–1999
1–800–321–6742 (1–800–321–OSHA)  
TTY (for deaf or hard of hearing callers):
 1–877–889–5627
Internet Web site:
 http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/index.html (workers’ page) 

Mine workers can contact MSHA at:

Organization:
 Office of Public Affairs
Mine Safety and Health Administration 
U.S. Department of Labor
 
Address:
 21st Floor
1100 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22209
Telephone:
 202–693–9400
1–800–746–1554 
Internet Web site:
 http://www.msha.gov
http://www.msha.gov/codeaphone/codeaphonenew.htm
(National Hazard Reporting Page)
 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also deals with occupational asbestos exposure. NIOSH evaluates work sites for possible health hazards; conducts asbestos-related research; and makes exposure control recommendations. In addition, NIOSH supplies publications on the harmful side effects of asbestos. NIOSH can be contacted at:

Organization:
 Education and Information Division
Information Resources Branch
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
 
Address:
 Robert A. Taft Laboratories
4676 Columbia Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45226
Telephone:
 1–800–356–4674 (1–800–35–NIOSH) 
E-mail:
 eidtechinfo@cdc.gov
Internet Web site:
 http://www.cdc.gov/niosh