Mesothelioma: Laws and Regulations

There are many laws and regulations that aim to protect workers and the public from asbestos exposure. These laws include:

Mesothelioma: Laws and Regulations

• Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) regulates safety and health hazards in the workplace. OSHA includes specific regulations on asbestos exposure.
• Workers' Compensation for Occupational Diseases (WISHA): Workers' Compensation for Occupational Diseases (WISHA) provides health care benefits and compensation to workers who are injured by occupational diseases, including mesothelioma.
• National Asbestos Policy Act (NAPA): The National Asbestos Policy Act (NAPA) aims to eliminate asbestos from products and environments.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) establishes a permissible exposure limit (PEL) for asbestos in the workplace. The current PEL for asbestos is 0.1%. This means that workers may not be exposed to more than 0.1 part per million of asbestos in the air they breathe over an eight-hour period.

OSHA also requires employers to take steps to prevent asbestos exposure in the workplace. These steps include:

• Training workers on the hazards of asbestos exposure
• Providing workers with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Monitoring asbestos exposure levels in the workplace

Workers' Compensation for Occupational Diseases (WISHA)

Workers' Compensation for Occupational Diseases (WISHA) provides health care benefits and compensation to workers who are injured by occupational diseases, including mesothelioma. This compensation is known as workers' compensation.

In order for a worker to be eligible for workers' compensation for mesothelioma, they must prove that:

• They worked in a profession that exposed them to asbestos
• They were exposed to asbestos in the workplace
• They have mesothelioma

National Asbestos Policy Act (NAPA)

The National Asbestos Policy Act (NAPA) aims to eliminate asbestos from products and environments. The Act requires employers to remove asbestos from their products and workplaces.

The Act also provides funding to help employers remove asbestos.

International Laws and Regulations

There are also international laws and regulations that regulate asbestos exposure. These laws include:

• The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (PIC): The Rotterdam Convention requires countries to register all new chemicals that are considered hazardous. This includes asbestos.
• The Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer (VESPA): The Vienna Convention requires countries to take steps to prevent asbestos exposure.

International Efforts to Combat Mesothelioma

There are many international efforts to combat mesothelioma. These efforts include:

• The Global Mesothelioma Elimination Campaign (GMES): The Global Mesothelioma Elimination Campaign aims to eliminate mesothelioma by 2030.
• The International Mesothelioma Alliance (IARC): The International Mesothelioma Alliance focuses on promoting international cooperation in the fight against mesothelioma.

Through international cooperation, we can take steps to prevent more deaths from mesothelioma.