ILO Home
Go to the home page
Site map | Contact us Français | Español
view in a printer-friendly format »

Occupational exposure limits - 9 entries found

Your search criteria are

  • Country / Organization: USA
  • Occupational exposure limits

1989

CIS 91-20
US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA Final Rule - Air contaminants [USA]
This extensive document discusses health, feasibility, policy and legal issues connected with the limitation of exposure to air contaminants in the workplace. It includes: history of health standards in the US; very detailed survey of toxicology in general and of 18 classes of substances based on the health effects they produce (with individual discussion of a large number of substances). In annex: list of exposure limits (already analysed under CIS 90-373) for air contaminants (ca. 700 substances; transitional Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) and Final-Rule TWA/STEL or ceiling limits, ppm and mg/m3; skin designation), with a separate table concerning acceptable maximum peak concentrations above the acceptable ceiling concentration for 21 commonly used dangerous substances and a table giving maximum permitted particle concentration and mg/m3 values for certain dusts; index of analytical and sampling methods for ca. 400 substances; index of NIOSH analytical methods for an update of PELs.
Federal Register, 19 Jan. 1989, Vol.54, No.12 (Book 2), p.2332-2983. Illus. Bibl.ref.

1987

CIS 88-718
Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Occupational exposure to benzene [USA]
The 1978 US standard on occupational exposure to benzene (see CIS 78-1937) was vacated (voided) by the US Supreme Court in 1980, which meant that the old (1971) OSHA standard of 10ppm remained in effect. After further risk assessment, OSHA issued this reduced standard, reducing the permissible exposure limit from 10ppm to an 8h TWA of 1ppm and a short-term exposure limit of 5ppm. The effective date of the standard is 10 Dec. 1987. The risk assessment that led to the standard, including both epidemiologic studies and animal experiments and the reasons for the adoption of this standard, are discussed in detail. Also included: technological, economic and environmental aspects of the new standard, exposure monitoring, respiratory protection, protective clothing, medical surveillance, communication of benzene hazards to employees, recordkeeping, a substance safety data sheet on benzene.
Federal Register, 11 Sep. 1987, Vol.52, No.176, p.34460-34578. Also available separately from: OSHA Office of Publications, US Department of Labor, Room N-3101, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, USA.

1986

CIS 89-24
Department of Labor
OSHA Final Rules - Occupational exposure to asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite [USA]
Full version of the amended standards already analysed as CIS 86-1795. 3 parts: 1 - Preamble: regulatory history; risks and health effects; economic and environmental impact; recommendations to OSHA by interested parties. 2 - Amended standards (Part 1910): definitions; permissible exposure limit (0.2 fibre/cm3 of air, 8h-TWA); exposure monitoring; regulated areas; compliance methods; respiratory protection; protective clothing and equipment; hygiene facilities and practices; communication of hazards to employees; housekeeping; medical surveillance; recordkeeping; observation of monitoring; appendices (the OSHA Reference Method and other techniques for analysing air samples for asbestos; mandatory medical questionnaires; recommended work practices for automative brake repair operations; recommended substance technical information for asbestos; medical surveillance guidelines). 3 - Amended standards (Part 1926): special provisions dealing with the construction industry (including demolition and repair) when asbestos is present.
Federal Register, 20 June 1986, Vol.51, No.119, p.22612-22790. Illus..

CIS 86-1795 OSHA Final Rules - Occupational exposure to asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite
The revised OSHA standards establish a permissible exposure limit of 0.2 fibre/cm3 of air, determined as an 8h TWA airborne concentration. Separate standards and statements of reasons have been developed for the general industry (including maritime) and the construction industry. These standards also establish a 0.1 fibre/cm3 (TWA concentration) "action level" above which employers must initiate specific compliance activities. In addition the standards provide for requirements for methods of compliance, personal protective equipment, employee monitoring, medical surveillance, hazard communications, regulated areas, housekeeping procedures and record-keeping.
OSHA Office of Publications, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-4203, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington D.C. 20210, USA, 1986. 102p.

1978

CIS 80-420
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Occupational exposure to acrylonitrile (vinyl cyanide) - Final standard.
This final standard, dated 22 Sep. 1978 (effective 2 Nov. 1978) sets the permissible limit of occupational exposure to acrylonitrile at 2ppm for an 8-h time-weighted average (TWA), with a ceiling level of 10ppm for any 15min period during an 8-h day, and an "action level" of 1ppm as an 8-h TWA. Definitions are followed by provisions concerning: reporting of emergencies; exposure monitoring; regulated areas; compliance; respiratory protection; protective clothing; housekeeping; hygiene facilities and practices; initial and periodic medical examinations; employee information and training; warning signs and labels; record keeping. Appended: safety data (health hazards, first aid, safe use, handling and storage) and technical guidelines sheet (physical and chemical data; fire, explosion and reactivity data; spill and leak elimination, waste disposal), medical surveillance guidelines, and sampling and analytical methods. The text of the standard is preceded by background and explanatory material.
Federal Register, 3 Oct. 1978, Vol.43, No.192, p.45762-45819.

CIS 80-131
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Occupational exposure to lead: Final standard; Attachments to the preamble for the final standard [USA]
This permanent standard dated 8 Nov. 1978 (effective: 1 Feb. 1979) establishes a permissible exposure limit of 50µg/m3 averaged over 8h, or (for exposure exceeding 8h) a time-weighted average determined as: the maximum permissible limit (in µg/m3) = 400/hours worked during a 24h period. The standard contains provisions concerning; monitoring, respiratory protection for lead aerosols, respirator selection, protective clothing and equipment, cleaning of floors and other surfaces, vacuum cleaning, hygiene facilities and practices, changing rooms, medical surveillance (biological monitoring, blood sampling tests and medical examinations, restrictions on chelation, transfer of workers to other employment), worker training and information, warning notices. The text of the standard is preceded by supplementary and background information, and the attachments to the preamble contain general information on lead toxicity, industry surveys (smelting, refining, scrap handling, battery breaking), feasibility and compliance cost predictions.
Federal Register, 14 Nov. 1978, Vol.43, No.220, p.52952-53014, and 21 Nov. 1978, No.225, p.54353-54509. Illus.

CIS 80-130
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Occupational exposure to inorganic arsenic: Final standard.
This permanent standard dated 26 Apr. 1978 (effective: 1 Aug. 1978) establishes a permissible exposure limit of 10µg/m3 averaged over an 8h period, with an "action level" of 5µg/m3 averaged over 8h, for inorganic arsenic and its compounds (calcium arsenate, lead arsenate). It contains provisions concerning: notification of use; exposure monitoring; regulated areas, demarcation and access; provision of respirators and respirator selection; employers' compliance programme; protective work clothing and equipment, hygiene facilities and practices; medical surveillance, examinations, tests, reports and record-keeping; warning signs and labels; worker information and training. Appendices: information sheet; physical and chemical properties; monitoring and measurement procedures; medical surveillance guidelines. The text of the standard is preceded by background and explanatory material.
Federal Register, 5 May 1978, Part IV, Vol.43, No.88, p.19584-19630.

CIS 80-129
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Occupational exposure to 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) - Occupational safety and health standards.
This permanent standard dated 10 Mar. 1978 (effective: 17 Apr. 1978) establishes a TLV of 1ppb as an 8h time-weighted average for DBCP. The employer must ensure that no worker is exposed to eye or skin contact with this substance. The standard contains other provisions concerning: worker information and training, supply of respirators and protective clothing and equipment, employers' compliance programme, selection of respirator type for different concentrations of DBCP, exposure monitoring, cleaning of surfaces, hygiene facilities and practices, medical surveillance (frequency and content of medical examinations, medical reports), emergency situations, warning signs and out-of-bounds areas, labelling. Appendices: safety data sheet (substance identification, health hazard data, first aid, precautions for safe use, handling and storage), chemical and physical properties, medical surveillance and treatment guidelines, preventive medicine. The text of the standard is preceded by background and supplementary information.
Federal Register, 17 Mar. 1978, Vol.43, No.53, p.11514-11533. 5 ref.

CIS 78-1937
Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Washington.
Occupational exposure to benzene.
This permanent standard (entry into force: 13 Mar. 1978) limits employee exposure to benzene to 1ppm averaged over 8h, with a ceiling level of 5ppm for any 15min period and an action level of 0.5ppm. It also provides limits on eye and skin contact with benzene. Other provisions relate to measurement of exposure, engineering controls, work practices, personal protective clothing and equipment, signs and labels, employee training, medical surveillance and recordkeeping. Sections of the document are devoted to health effects (general, acute, chronic); leukaemia; economic considerations; air monitoring; medical surveillance; compliance and other costs for petroleum refineries, coke plants, petrochemical industry, bulk terminals, oil and gas production, transport, laboratories, rubber products, and other industries; etc. Explanation of the standard.
Federal Register, Feb. 1978, Vol.43, No.29, p.5918-5970.