The current OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) is:

• A. 0.1 fiber/cc
• B. 1.0 fiber/cc
• C. 0.01 fiber/cc
• D. 0.5 fiber/cc

Answer: (A)

Airborne asbestos exposure is limited by an OSHA permissible exposure limit that is measured in fibers per cubic centimeter of air and is averaged over an 8-hour work shift. The established limit for asbestos is 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter (0.1 f/cc), meaning a worker’s average concentration over a full shift should not exceed that value. It’s important to note there is also a short-term exposure limit of 1.0 f/cc for any 15-minute period to prevent spikes, but the long-term standard used for daily exposure is 0.1 f/cc. The other options don’t represent the standard OSHA PEL: 1.0 f/cc is the short-term limit, 0.01 f/cc would be stricter than the PEL, and 0.5 f/cc is not the PEL value.