Asbestosis Information and Resources

Protection from Asbestosis

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a component of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and is the Federal agency responsible for health and safety regulations in maritime, construction, manufacturing, and service workplaces. OSHA established regulations dealing with asbestos exposure on the job, specifically construction work, shipyards, and general industry, that employers are required to follow. In addition, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), another component of the DOL, enforces regulations related to mine safety. Workers should use all protective equipment provided by their employers and follow recommended work practices and safety procedures. For example, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved respirators that fit properly should be worn by workers when required.

Workers who are concerned about asbestos exposure in the workplace should discuss the situation with other employees, their employee health and safety representative, and their employers. If necessary, OSHA can provide more information or make 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 on the Internet.

More information about asbestos is available on the OSHA Asbestos Web page, which has links to information about asbestos in the workplace, including what OSHA standards apply, the hazards of asbestos, evaluating asbestos exposure, and controls used to protect workers. This page is available at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/index.html on the Internet. 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), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is another Federal agency that is concerned with asbestos exposure in the workplace. NIOSH conducts asbestos-related research, evaluates work sites for possible health hazards, and makes exposure control recommendations. In addition, NIOSH distributes publications on the health effects of asbestos exposure and can suggest additional sources of information. 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

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