A REGULATORY VIEW OF MINERALOGY AS IT APPLIES TO “ASBESTOS”

Regulators have used and applied mineralogical information as a part of framing and applying health regulation of asbestos fiber for decades. The complexity of the asbestos regulation process and the diversity of professional perspective have resulted in a confusing reality for all interested parties. This is a discussion of the history of definitions used by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in particular. Also discussed will be how changes made in mineralogical definitions by mineral scientists have affected how regulators react to and use that data. The process of promulgating OSHA's regulations will be briefly discussed with emphasis on how definitions are included and applied.