Purpose
Michigan Technological University has determined that certain employees are
required to perform tasks involving actual or potential disturbance of asbestos
containing materials which could result in respiratory exposures. These employees
are trained to perform this work and at times may be required to wear a respirator.
Other engineering and administrative methods are employed to control asbestos
exposures during this work as required and appropriate.
A number of other tasks are performed by MTU employees that have the potential
for exposure to harmful air contaminants. Engineering controls, for example laboratory
fume hoods, have been provided to eliminate or reduce exposures to safe levels.
It is the responsibility of faculty, supervisors, and managers to utilize these
existing engineering controls as well as administrative controls to keep air contaminant
exposures below the Michigan Occupational Health permissible exposure limit, PEL,
if it exists. Where existing engineering controls are not adequate, it is their
responsibility to determine the feasibility of installing additional engineering
and administrative controls, including substitution of less toxic materials, necessary
to maintain exposures below the PEL. It is highly encouraged that these engineering
and administrative control methods be utilized to keep air contaminant concentrations
not only below the PEL, but as low as reasonably feasible and below the applicable
ACGIH threshold limit value, especially where a PEL does not exist. Respirators
shall only be used to achieve compliance with a PEL when it is not feasible to
do so with engineering or administrative controls. When respirators are used by
employees at MTU, their use is subject to the requirements of this program and
each request will be reviewed by Occupational Safety and Health Services.
In those cases where a respirator is desired during certain operations where
it is not required by MTU, its use is also subject to the requirements of this
program. Occupational Safety and Health Services will review each of these requests
on a case-by-case basis.
