Asbestos Exposure Rule Finalized

The Office of Personnel Management has finalized a rule previously in effect on an interim basis that requires the use of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure limit standard for concentrations of airborne asbestos fibers for an environmental differential pay for federal prevailing rate (blue collar) employees. That brings the practice for those employees in line with the practice for general schedule employees, who receive a similar hazard differential pay when exposed to asbestos that exceeds OSHA limits. Prior to a 2003 law, there had been no statutory standard regarding asbestos exposure for environmental differential pay for blue collar employees. The final rule is in the February 22 Federal Register.