Guidelines for the application of TRGS 954 "Recommendations relating to exceptional authorisations to derogate from 15 a par. 1 GefStoffV regulating the handling of asbestos-containing mineral raw material and products in quarries"

For some rock deposits mined in Germany it is impossible to exclude the pre sence of asbestos. The German technical regulation TRGS 954 explains, under which circumstances an exceptional authorisation can be obtained to deroga te from the official asbestos exposure ban. The BG expert committee Nonmeta llic minerals" co-ordinated the work on guidelines describing the main step s and strategies to be followed in connection with potentially asbestos-con taining rock deposits. The necessary measuring methods are described. Measu ring readings from quarries collected since 1992 give an overview of the ex posure situation and the asbestos content in inhalable dust. It is of parti cular importance that protective measures are defined in close co-operation between employers, supervising authorities and accident insurance and prev ention institutions. The guidelines also refer to the special occupational medical check-ups of workers likely to be exposed to asbestos. Medical info rmation and information on the occupational disease situation as concerns a sbestos-exposed quarry workers is given elsewhere.