ASTM Committee E34 on Occupational Health and Safety

By Rashod R. Johnson, P.E.

The first item of business of this subcommittee is to develop a Silica Standard that is specific to the construction industry.

ASTM Committee E34 on Occupational Health and Safety was formed in 1972. E34 meets twice annually, in April and October, with two days of technical meetings. The Committee, with a current membership of approximately 235, has jurisdiction of 20 standards. These standards are published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 11.03. E34 has 8 subcommittees that maintain jurisdiction over these standards. The Committee's standards address the identification, exposure, symptomatology, treatment, control and administrative aspects of diverse occupational safety and health issues such as silica, metalworking fluids and ergonomics.

Subcommittee E34.30 is the called Occupational Health and Safety in Construction. MCAA's Rashod R. Johnson, P.E. is the Chairman of this subcommittee. ASTM realized that the construction industry has mobile work area and in many instances a transient workforce. This causes the construction industry to do things differently than manufacturers when protecting workers. The first item of business of this subcommittee is to develop a Silica Standard that is specific to the construction industry. The committee has already met this past October in Atlanta and will be balloting the first version of this standard soon.

About the Author

Rashod R. Johnson, P.E., is president of The Roderick Group in Chicago. He is the former Director of Engineering for the Mason Contractors Association of America and currently serves as a technical consultant to the association.