EPA: Solutions, Risks and Consequences.
The Environmental Protection Agency had enforced a multitude of laws and regulations regarding asbestos ranging from the protection of the public to training grants. These do lack specificity when it comes to general workers in the United States. There is a specific regulation about school employees and their exposure to asbestos, when construction will be allowed, etc. However, there does not appear to be any law or regulation specific to all workers and certainly not phone company workers. The EPA does strictly enforce the laws and regulations that are in place to protect the public and other workers from exposure to asbestos. (www.epa.gov).
OSHA: Solutions, Risks and Consequences.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set forth guidelines to direct the workers in the United States in using equipment to protect themselves from asbestos exposure. "Controlling the exposure to asbestos can be done through engineering controls, administrative actions, and personal protective equipment. Engineering controls include such things as isolating the source and using ventilation systems. Administrative actions include limiting the workers exposure time and providing showers. Personal protective equipment include wearing the proper respiratory protection and clothing" (www.epa.gov). OSHA has succeeded in offering this personal protective equipment to the workers. However, in Boulder they may have failed in properly educating the workers as to when this equipment should be worn. Since there is no general practice of using PPE in regular situations where phone lines are being installed and the work sites are not being tested for asbestos prior to holes being drilled in the walls, there seems to be a lack of action from the administration in providing adequate safety to these employees. (www.osha.gov).
CWA: Solutions, Risks and Consequences.
The Communication Workers of America address asbestos exposure in the Health and Safety Fact Sheet #1.