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IS 11451:1986 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for recommendations for safety and health requirements relating to occupational exposure to asbestos. This standard provides recommendations for safety and health requirements in workplaces involving occupational exposure to asbestos. It specifies permissible exposure limits (PELs) for different types of asbestos, mandates regular air monitoring, and outlines engineering controls, work practices, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure. The code also details requirements for medical surveillance of workers and procedures for safe disposal of asbestos waste.
Recommendations for Safety and Health Requirements Relating to Occupational Exposure to Asbestos
! This standard is OBSOLETE and has been superseded by IS 11451 (Part 1):2013 and IS 11451 (Part 2):2014. Always refer to the latest versions for current legal and safety compliance.
! The code makes a critical distinction between different types of asbestos (e.g., chrysotile vs. crocidolite), which have vastly different exposure limits due to their varying health risks.
! Exposure limits are specified as an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average (TWA), requiring full-shift monitoring to assess compliance.
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012)Health and Safety Executive (HSE), United Kingdom
HighCurrent
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
Provides a comprehensive legal framework for controlling exposure to asbestos in the workplace.
29 CFR 1910.1001Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), USA
HighCurrent
Asbestos - General Industry Standard
Sets mandatory permissible exposure limits and detailed work practice requirements for asbestos.
Safety in the use of asbestos (1984)International Labour Organization (ILO), International
HighCurrent
Code of Practice: Safety in the use of asbestos
Provides international guidance on principles for protecting workers from asbestos exposure, a key influence on the 1986 IS code.
Asbestos Convention, 1986 (No. 162)International Labour Organization (ILO), International
MediumCurrent
Convention concerning Safety in the Use of Asbestos
Sets the high-level principles for national policy on asbestos safety, which national standards implement.
Key Differences
≠The IS 11451:1986 is based on a 'controlled use' philosophy, providing limits for various asbestos types. Many modern standards (e.g., UK's CAR 2012) are based on prohibition, banning the import, supply, and new use of all asbestos types, focusing on managing existing installations.
≠The Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) in the Indian standard (2 fibres/ml) is 20 times higher than the limit in most current international standards like the UK HSE's (0.1 fibres/cm³).
≠Modern standards like the UK's CAR 2012 mandate a formal, government-issued license for most high-risk asbestos work, a strict requirement not present in the 1986 Indian standard.
≠International standards like OSHA's are far more prescriptive regarding the specific content of medical examinations, training programs, and the exact wording of warning signs compared to the more general recommendations in IS 11451:1986.
Key Similarities
≈Both the Indian standard and international counterparts mandate the fundamental principle of a hierarchy of controls: prioritizing engineering controls (e.g., ventilation) and work practices over reliance on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
≈The requirement for regular workplace air monitoring to measure airborne asbestos fibre concentrations and ensure they remain below the legal limit is a core component of both IS 11451 and all major international asbestos regulations.
≈All standards recognize the necessity for specific, safe procedures for the disposal of asbestos waste, including wetting the material and sealing it in clearly labelled, impermeable containers.
≈The principle of providing pre-employment and periodic medical surveillance for all occupationally exposed workers is a shared requirement, aimed at the early detection of asbestos-related diseases.
≈The technical definition of a countable asbestos fibre (a particle with length > 5 µm, diameter < 3 µm, and an aspect ratio > 3:1) is consistent between the IS code and international measurement methodologies.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Permissible Exposure Limit (8-hour TWA)
2 fibres/ml (for chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite)
0.1 fibres/cm³ (equivalent to 0.1 fibres/ml)
UK CAR 2012
Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)
Not specified; control is based on the 8-hour TWA.
1.0 fibre/cm³ over a 30-minute period (Excursion Limit)
US OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001
Prohibition of Specific Asbestos Types
Recommends prohibiting the use of crocidolite, but allows for controlled use of others.
Complete ban on the new use of all types of asbestos (crocidolite, amosite, chrysotile, etc.).
UK CAR 2012
Medical Record Retention Period
Minimum 40 years from the date of last entry.
Duration of employment plus 30 years.
US OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001
Air Monitoring Record Retention Period
Minimum 40 years.
Minimum 30 years.
US OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001
Regulated Area Warning Sign Language
ASBESTOS DUST HAZARD / AVOID CREATING DUST / BREATHING ASBESTOS DUST / MAY CAUSE CANCER
DANGER / ASBESTOS / CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD / AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
US OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001
Air Monitoring Frequency
At intervals not exceeding six months.
Sufficiently frequent to reliably assess employee exposure; daily for certain high-risk jobs.
US OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values5
Quick Reference Values
Permissible TWA for Chrysotile & Amosite2 fibres/ml
Permissible TWA for Crocidolite0.2 fibres/ml
Maximum short-term exposure limit (15 min) for Chrysotile10 fibres/ml
Medical records retention period20 years after employment termination
Frequency of air monitoringAt least every 6 months
What is the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for asbestos under this old standard?+
The 8-hour TWA is 2 fibres/ml for chrysotile and amosite, and a much stricter 0.2 fibres/ml for crocidolite (Clause 4).
Is this standard still in use?+
No, it was superseded. For Chrysotile asbestos, use IS 11451 (Part 1):2013. For Amphibole asbestos, use IS 11451 (Part 2):2014.
What kind of medical surveillance was required?+
It mandated pre-employment and periodic medical examinations, including chest X-rays, lung function tests, and maintenance of medical records for 20 years post-employment (Clause 9).
What method is used to count asbestos fibres?+
The standard specifies collecting air samples on a membrane filter and counting fibres using a phase-contrast optical microscope (PCM) at 400-500x magnification (Annex A).