The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency that has three standards to protect workers from exposure to asbestos where they work. The first regulates construction work, including alteration, repair, renovation, and demolition of structures containing asbestos. The second standard covers asbestos exposure in shipyards. The third standard applies to general industry, such as automotive work, custodial work, and manufacture of asbestos-containing products.
Many state and local agencies have more restrictive standards than those required by the Federal government. However, because some workers were not covered by OSHA, state, or local regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency's "Worker Protection Rule" extended standards implemented by the OSHA to these state and local employees who perform asbestos work. The Worker Protection Rule covers medical examinations, air monitoring and reporting, protective equipment, work practices, and record keeping.
