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Alabama’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a warning to auto mechanics on the job. The warning concerns the safety issues involved with working with older model vehicles that may have asbestos in some parts.  This warning is also something weekend mechanics doing auto repairs at home, as a hobby or as a side job may want to be mindful of.

In the recent Alabama worker safety alert, the concern is for the brake and clutch systems of vehicles produced before the US government issued a ban on asbestos in the automotive industry.  Cars and trucks manufactured in recent years do not have parts made from asbestos.  It’s the older vehicles manufactured before the ban that pose the health risk today.

The Alabama worker safety alert describes four safe handling procedures recommended when working on older vehicles.  Above and beyond these recommended procedures, OSHA strongly suggests that anyone in the vicinity of an older model vehicle when the brakes or clutch system are being repaired is to expect that asbestos is present.

Each year, more than 10,000 Americans die from diseases caused by asbestos exposure.  Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract and the lungs are common causes of death from asbestos exposure.  Painful, crippling cases of asbestosis and mesothelioma also come from exposure to asbestos and contribute to the number of annual fatalities due to exposure to this dangerous substance.

OSHA cites the low cleaning / wet pressure cleaning and the negative pressure enclosure / HEPA vacuum system methods as the “best practices” to use when handling asbestos-containing parts.

In smaller repair shops that see no more than five repair tickets for brake and clutch systems in a week, OSHA accepts the wet method.  Although less effective than other procedures, it is allowed for job sites where there is limited exposure.

In some cases, the spray can / solvent measure is allowed.  Regardless of handling procedures, wetting the asbestos is important to minimize the number of tiny particles in the air.  Inhaling these particles can cause the terminal illnesses attributed to asbestos exposure.

It is also highly recommended that all parts of a vehicle that might contain asbestos be stored in a clearly labeled and tightly sealed bag. 

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