PCBs in schools: What about school maintenance workers?

Abstract

Driven by environmental and parent activists, government agencies are paying increasing attention to the issue of PCBs in in-place caulk, particularly in school buildings. At the same time, there is insufficient consideration of the school maintenance workers and contractors who maintain and replace PCB caulk, even though they may constitute the school population with the highest exposures and risks. This commentary briefly assesses recent PCB-related developments at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the New York State Education Department from an occupational health perspective.