OSHA Crane Inspection Report and Analysis Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document 05/^A02 12:09 F.U @003 *02.*lS/2002 12:26 g.p.p A22ee=^2-^ ♦iUianiad NC'-Ss"" iOCt’" i-rt« <».ua/w ‘-’bis

i

X.

The general definition of a "competent person" is presented at 29 CFR 1926.32(f;. According to the standard, a "competent person" is, "me 'aho is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings cr w^rrking cimdiiions which are unsanitary, hazardous, cr dangerous to employees, md who has authorization to uike prctnt’i corrsdioe msasiires io eliminate them." Paragraph 1926.1101 (b) further defines a "competent person" as, "tn addition io the ^finriiOK in 29 CrK 1926 32^}, one whc is capable of identifying existing asbestos hazards in the workplace and selecting the apprcpriaie control strategy fyr asbestos exposure, who has the'aiithoriZj to take pr^impt corrective measures io eliminate them, as specified in 25 CFR 1926.32^." The Construction Asbestos standard furtiter incorporates die pro^dsions of 29 CFR lS26.20(bX2) which requires frequert and regular mspections of job sites, materials, and equipment to be made by the competent person, These rsquirements are geared toward ensuring maximum safety and health for employees on worksites where asbestos is present

Step 3: 'V

Reply: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (\TO9H) is the Federal agency assigned the responsibility for approving respirators and filters. Ah respirators and filters required by OSHA standard.-? must be N2OSH certified. OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard.. 29 CFR 1910.134, governs the workplace use of respirators.

A NIOSH-cenifted HEPA filter is, "afilter that is at kast 99.97% efficient in removing mcno-di!>perse particles of 0.2 mKrometas in diameter. ” Ecriivalent particilate filters certified by' r<IOSH are the NlOO, RlOO, and PlOO filters.

I The 0,3 micrometers (microns - pm) diameter particle used in the certification tesung of die HEPA (and lOO-series) respirator filters is approximately the most pex'-.etratip.g for I ' particulate filters. Although.it seems contrary' io expectafion, smaller particles do not penetrate as readily as 0.3 (un particles. That is to say, these filters eiimma-te other particle sizes at least as well as the certified efiiciencj' value cf . I

Step 4: Tlie remaining debris must be taken out properly.

R &ply: /.sbestos-ccntaiiving waste must be presumed to be iiitemu>«d with tiie remaining debris at thte World Trade Center site be-cio, - miteriih ccmairung asbestoa were used in ths constniction of the Tw in Towers, Therefore, m accordance vdth 1926.IIOI gh ’)(u), wet methods must and are beiny used to control empioyee asbestos e.'-rposni ss w.iile remo ving the remaining Twin Towers debris except witere employers

i

NYC-WTC_000149963