Labor Law Center Blog » Blog Archive » South Carolina Worker Alert Asbestos

South Carolina Worker Alert Asbestos

June 7th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

While asbestos is banned from new buildings and has been removed from most old ones, the hazardous material is not ancient history. It can still be an immediate, risky problem.

That problem is on wheels, according to a recent South Carolina worker safety alert. Asbestos is still found in the brakes and clutches of many old cars and trucks, according to the alert. As a result, it’s a particular hazard for mechanics and other people in the car repair business.

Every mechanic should be aware that when a brake shoe or a clutch is removed improperly, he or she is putting everyone in the shop at risk. There is no way to tell ahead of time if a car or truck’s brakes or clutch contain asbestos. The best approach is to treat every vehicle as if it contains the hazardous material.

OSHA recommends taking some steps to control the airborne material. One useful approach is wetting the asbestos. Another is sealing it up tightly in a clearly labeled bag. Repair shops should also use the low pressure/wet cleaning method, and the negative pressure enclosure/HEPA cleaning system. In fact, OSHA says those are the two “best practices” for controlling the spread of the material. The wet method is only allowable for five or fewer clutch and/or brake jobs weekly.

The South Carolina worker safety alert notes that OSHA requires every employer in those industries affected by asbestos – such as the automotive repair industry – to develop written safety procedures. Those procedures must then be turned into reality by training employees and insuring that they actually follow through on that training.

When asbestos breaks or crumbles, it is released into the air in particles invisible to the naked eye. Those fibrous particles can cause serious problems. Among those problems are gastrointestinal cancer, asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. About 10,000 people every year die of asbestos-related ailments in the U.S. alone.

Consumers are not immune to asbestos problems. Those who enjoy working on their own cars can risk exposure. OSHA recommends taking vehicles to professional mechanics for brake and clutch repairs.