Under Cal/OSHA asbestos regulations, what is the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for asbestos in construction work?
Correct Answer
C) 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter
Cal/OSHA sets the PEL for asbestos at 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter as an 8-hour time-weighted average.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Cal/OSHA establishes the asbestos PEL at 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). This matches the federal OSHA standard and represents the maximum allowable airborne asbestos concentration for workers.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 2.0 fibers per cubic centimeter
2.0 f/cc is 20 times the actual PEL. This figure is not a recognized asbestos standard and would represent a dangerously high exposure level.
Option B: 1.0 fibers per cubic centimeter
1.0 f/cc is 10 times the actual PEL. This was closer to older historical limits but is not the current Cal/OSHA standard.
Option D: 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter
0.01 f/cc is 10 times lower than the PEL. While lower exposure is always safer, 0.01 f/cc is not the regulatory PEL — it is the excursion limit concept used differently in the standard.
Memory Technique
Think '0.1 = one-tenth.' Asbestos is a tenth of a fiber per cc — a tiny number for a tiny, deadly fiber.
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A construction crew is working outdoors in Fresno when the temperature reaches 95°F. According to Cal/OSHA heat illness prevention requirements, what is the minimum frequency for providing preventative cool-down rest periods?
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