Alabama Worker Safety Alert Asbestos

May 31st, 2007 Posted by Amelia

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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Posted in Alabama, Compliance Issues, Employer Requirements, Updated Regulations

  1. Posted by: T A Russell

    Where my wife works .Some time she wok’s 8 hrs,some time 10 hrs
    some time 12 hrs. She wont’s to know what the law is on these hours
    as for as brakes and lunch are. They are tell them what they are going to do.
    This is in the State of Alabama. She wont’s to know what the labor law is on this
    Thank’s T A Russell

  2. Posted by: Amelia

    Hi TA! There are 19 U.S. states that have laws requiring meal breaks for employees. Unfortunately, Alabama is not one of them. An employer in Alabama can require that an employee work 12, 18 or more hours per day without a meal or rest break of any kind. So the employer is actually being generous, by permitting employees to take a meal break some of the time.
    Federal OSHA worker safety regulations require that employees be permitted to use the restroom when nature calls. But those are the only types of breaks required under federal law, for most employees.
    Alabama has some of the worst employment laws in the nation. The state does a very poor job of protecting workers on issues like minimum wage, breaks, paydays, etc. To change these laws, contact your representatives in the state legislature. HTH, and thanks for reading the blogs!~ Amelia

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