Understanding permissible exposure limits
Each hazardous chemical in your laboratory has a permissible exposure limit (PEL) assigned to it. It also has an action level. Determining what each one is will identify when you need initiate your respiratory protection program.
For example, the PEL for formaldehyde is 0.75 ppm. The action level is 0.5 ppm. If environmental monitoring over an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exceeds 0.5 ppm then you need to implement your respiratory protection program. If the ppm for formaldehyde exceeds 2.0 ppm during a short term exposure level (STEL) that, too, requires you to launch your program.
Also, concerning formaldehyde exposure, remember that if you use air-purifying respirators with chemical cartridges or canisters that do not contain end-of-service-life indicators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), you must replace the cartridges or canisters at the end of the work shift. In addition, the canister or cartridge must be approved for use against formaldehyde and not be a generic cartridge.
Employers may substitute an air-purifying, half-mask respirator for an air-purifying, full-face-piece respirator when they equip the half-mask respirator with a cartridge approved for protection against formaldehyde and provide the affected employee with effective gas-proof goggles.
For more information on handling and storing hazardous chemicals, visit the Tools page to download “Chemical Incompatibility Chart,” “Proper Storage Consideration for Chemicals,” and “Handling Hazardous Drugs Safely Checklist.”
« Joint Commission revisions include IC standard and ASC survey procedures | Home | Ask the expert: Workers who don’t respond to the hepatitis B vaccination »
-
Categories
- Ask the Expert—Bloodborne Pathogens
- Ask the expert—General OSHA
- Ask the Expert—Hazard Communication
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Emergency Action Plans
- Featured
- First Aid
- General Safety and Health
- Hazardous Waste
- Infection Control
- Lab Safety
- Needlesticks & Sharps Injuries
- Notes from the field
- OSHA – Citations & Fines
- OSHA – General
- Pandemic Influenza
- Popular
- Uncategorized
- Waste Management
- Weekly Poll Questions
-
Archives
-
Feeds
Terry Jo Gile
Terry Jo Gile, MT(ASCP), MA Ed.,The Safety Lady® has more than 40 years experience as a certified medical technologist. As president of her own consulting firm, Safety Lady LLC, she is a world renowned speaker and consultant who helps organizations create safety savvy laboratories. Click the links to visit her Web site and her blog.
Terry Jo has written 49 posts.
Leave a Comment