Legacy Hazards: One Organization’s Assessment of Occupational Exposures

Building materias that contain asbestos lead, mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are generally believed to have been phased out and banned, and often are not considered when analyzing potential occupational exposures. Some of these materials have not actually been banned, and even those that have may still be present in existing building materials and equipment. Occupational exposures related to the presence of and contact with these materials during repair, renovation and routine operations are often poorly characterized and misunderstood. Furthermore, governmental agencies involved in regulating these materials may apply rules and regulations that vary based on the material, its condition or specific activity being performed. Between 2009 and 2010, work was conducted with a large municipal wastewater treatment bureau to develop a strategy to characterize and manage exposures to these "legacy" materials. The bureau operates more than 20 wastewater treatment plants ranging in age from 25 to 100 years. Each treatment plant consists of multiple buildings, miles of pipe and an array of mechanical equipment. The bureau began the project after an initial expo-sure assessment and sampling strategy it developed was deemed to be too costly to implement.