454 CMR, § 28.04 - Worker Protection Requirements

(1) Personal Exposure Monitoring . The employer must conduct personal exposure monitoring on all employees who perform Asbestos Abatement, Asbestos Associated Project Work and Operations and Maintenance Work, in accordance with OSHA Asbestos Regulations at 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, or EPA Asbestos Regulations at 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart G, and M.G.L. c. 149, §§ 6, and 61/2, as applicable.

(2) Respiratory Protection.

(a) The employer must provide respiratory protection as specified at 29 CFR Part 1926.1101(h).

(b) Where powered air purifying respirators are used, a supply of charged replacement batteries, HEPA (NIOSH N, R or P 100) filters and flow test meters must be available at the worksite.

(c) Person(s) performing glove bag work and cleanup of Minor Fiber Release Episodes must wear a half-mask, dual cartridge, and HEPA filtered respirator (N, R or P 100) as the minimum level of respiratory protection.

(d) When negative air pressure respirators are used, they must be properly fit tested in accordance with OSHA Asbestos Regulations 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, using protocols detailed in Appendix C of that document.

(3) Protective Clothing and Equipment.

(a) The employer must provide all employees who perform Asbestos Abatement, Asbestos Associated Project Work or Operations and Maintenance Work with full-body disposable clothing consisting of material impermeable by asbestos fibers, and other equipment as required by the OSHA Asbestos Regulations at 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, and M.G.L. c. 149, §§ 6 and 61/2, as applicable.

(b) Nonskid footwear must be provided to employees where slipping hazards exist. Disposable protective clothing must be adequately sealed to the footwear to prevent contamination.

(c) Employees must be provided with eye protection, gloves and hard hats, as required by OSHA Asbestos Regulations at 29 CFR Part 1926.1101, and M.G.L. c. 149, §§ 6, and 61/2 as applicable

(4) Medical Monitoring. The employer must provide employees engaged in Asbestos Abatement, Asbestos Associated Project Work or Operations and Maintenance Work with the medical monitoring specified by OSHA Asbestos Regulations at 29 CFR Part 1926.1101(m). Physical examinations must be given by a board eligible/licensed occupational health physician or by a licensed physician with known expertise in occupational health. Persons other than licensed physicians who administer the pulmonary function testing must have completed a training course in spirometry sponsored by an appropriate academic or professional institution. All X-rays shall be classified only by a B-Reader, a board eligible/certified radiologist, or an experienced physician with known expertise in pneumoconiosis.

Notes

454 CMR, § 28.04

Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1440, eff. 4/2/2021.