Mandatory Testing for PCBs in Schools
The Workplace and PCBs
PCBs are becoming a very important and serious concern in the construction and demoliton industries. Before doing any work, you must ask yourself:
Was the building built or material installed between the 1930's and late 1970's?
Is the material you are working on suspect for PCBs?
The only way to know for sure is to test for PCBs. If you are unsure or suspect there might be PCBs present, it is advisable to seek professional help.
It is very important to remember that there are regulatory requirements when PCB contaminated materials, such as caulk, are renovated, repaired or abated. It is your legal obligation to follow these regulations.
EPA Posts New Information for Building Contractors Who May Encounter PCB-Containing Caulk
Are There PCBs In Your Workplace? 5 Things to Know When Deciding if You Should Test
PCBs in caulk: a looming issue for the construction and demolition industry
What About School Maintenance Workers by Dave Newman
NYCOSH: Playing Industrial Hygiene to Win by Eileen Senn
Hazard and Control by Western Region Universities Consortium
NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Report
Lakeland School District PCB Containing Caulk Abatement Plan
New York State Education PCB Protocols
New York State Education Letter on PCB Light Fixtures
Topics on Worker's Exposure Information
Estimating the half-lives of PCB congeners in former capacitor workers measured over a 8-year interval .. NYS Department of Health 2010
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), thyroid hormones and cytokines in construction workers removing old elastic sealants
OSHA Air Contaminants - Guide and Bibliography
Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines for Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine)
-
OSHA: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has standards for only two types of PCBs:
-
The Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Chlorodiphenyl (42% Chlorine) is 1 milligram per cubic meter of air (1 mg/m3);
-
The PEL for Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine) is 0.5 mg/m3Both of these standards were developed before it was known that PCBs can cause cancer and reproductive effects, and they do not cover many other forms of PCBs.
-
-
NIOSH: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends a PEL of 1 microgram per cubic meter level, 1,000 times less than the OSHA standard.