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Employers have a responsibility to establish written procedures to minimize the hazards of asbestos in the workplace. These include safe handling of brakes and clutches in auto repair shops. While asbestos has been almost entirely eliminated from building materials, it is still present in the clutches and brakes of older cars and trucks. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, this poses a significant hazard to mechanics and others in the industry. 

Every worker must be trained in the procedures for handling parts that potentially contain asbestos, and must follow them. A single worker who does not follow the procedures is exposing everyone – workers and customers alike – to a dangerous chemical. Because it’s difficult to determine which parts contain asbestos, mechanics should follow proper asbestos-handling procedures with all parts. The employer is responsible for training workers in these procedures, and seeing that they are followed.

One method of controlling asbestos particles that is approved by OSHA includes wetting the material. This prevents microscopic particles from being dispersed in the air, where workers can breathe them in. It’s also recommended that any parts which may contain asbestos are sealed in plastic and stored with a proper label. 

The Oregon OSHA has authority over employers and employees, but it has no power to regulate individual consumers. Still, the recent Oregon OSHA alert strongly recommends that individuals not attempt brake and clutch repairs on their own.  Very few consumers are properly equipped to safely handled asbestos. This is one job that is better left to a professional auto mechanic.

For many years, asbestos has been banned as a building material. It has been removed from the majority of buildings, so many people assume that all asbestos hazards have been eliminated. The most recent OSHA alert shows that asbestos is still a problem in the auto repair industry.

Asbestos is a mineral that becomes highly dangerous when it breaks into tiny particles that may be inhaled.  The invisible particles remain in the lungs forever, causing internal damage. Serious diseases and health issues can result, even years later. The most common diseases caused by asbestos exposure include asbestosis, lung and gastrointestinal cancers. Asbestos also causes mesothelioma, a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium. Each 10,000 people die in the United States, because of illnesses related to asbestos.

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