NASCLA Accredited Commercial General ContractorGeneral RequirementsHard
A general contractor is managing a commercial renovation project where asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) have been identified. According to OSHA regulations, what is the MAXIMUM permissible exposure limit (PEL) for airborne asbestos fibers averaged over an 8-hour workday?
- A0.2 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc)
- B0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc)
- C0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc)
- D0.05 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc)
OSHA's PEL for asbestos is 0.1 f/cc averaged over an 8-hour workday. Contractors must ensure worker exposure does not exceed this limit through engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This is above the current OSHA PEL for asbestos exposure.
- C. This is below the current OSHA PEL and might be a short-term excursion limit or an older/different standard.
- D. This is not the current OSHA 8-hour PEL for asbestos.
OSHA Asbestos PEL
The maximum concentration of airborne asbestos fibers that workers can be exposed to over an 8-hour workday, as established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
- Current 8-hour Time-Weighted Average (TWA) PEL is 0.1 f/cc.
- Also has an Excursion Limit (EL) of 1.0 f/cc over a 30-minute period.
- Requires employers to implement protective measures to stay below these limits.
Memory trick: One tiny fiber per ten cubic centimeters is the limit for eight hours.