What are the goals of this Request for Information (RFI) on Chemical Management and Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)?

• The first goal of this RFI is to initiate a national dialogue on ways to prevent work-related illness caused by exposure to hazardous substances. We are asking public health experts, chemical manufacturers, employers, unions and others committed to preventing workplace illnesses to help us identify the best approaches to manage chemical hazards.
• Ultimately, the goal of the Agency is to reduce illnesses caused by exposure to these chemicals.

What are PELs and why is OSHA publishing this Request for Information now?

• Historically, PELs have been a cornerstone of OSHA's chemical management approach.
• OSHA's PELs are regulatory limits on the amount or concentration of a substance allowed in the air, for the purpose of protecting workers against the health effects of overexposure to hazardous substances.
• However, many of OSHA's current PELs, which cover fewer than 500 chemicals out of the tens of thousands of chemicals in commerce, have not been updated since their adoption in 1971. Scientific data clearly indicate that many current PELs are no longer sufficiently protective.
• Past attempts to update the PELs, most notably in 1989, have not been successful. The process is extremely time and resource-intensive; and is not adequate to keep up with the rapid pace in which U.S. workers are exposed to new chemicals.

Why are OSHA's outdated PELs problematic?

• Most importantly, many workers are not adequately protected from hazardous chemicals in the workplace; many of them erroneously think that OSHA PELs are "safe."
• Businesses and industry develop internal limits to protect their workers, resulting in inconsistencies and an uneven playing field. In addition to internal limits, the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists, (ACGIH), widely recognized as a professional organization that advances occupational health, develops its own voluntary exposure limits, Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health also develops recommended exposure levels.
• For example, OSHA has no limit for 1-Bromopropane (1-BP), a chemical commonly used as a solvent in auto body shops and electronics manufacturing. In a Hazard Alert issued jointly by OSHA and NIOSH, the case of six cushion gluers in the furniture manufacturing industry who were seen in a medical facility was reported. All patients complained of slow onset of lower extremity pain or numbness. Five of six complained of difficulty walking, and on examination had leg spasms, loss of sensation in limbs and muscle twitching. The ACGIH TLV is 0.1 ppm as an 8-hour TWA.
• N-hexane is a widely used solvent in the U. S. and abroad. Apple recently announced that it was banning the use of n-hexane, but only in the final stage of assembly after 137 workers suffered adverse neurological effects following exposure to n-hexane in Taiwan. An earlier study in Hong Kong reported an outbreak of peripheral neuropathy in an offset printing factory where workers exposed to 63 ppm-132 ppm n-hexane. OSHA's PEL for n-hexane (500 ppm) is ten times those of the ACGIH and NIOSH.

How will this RFI improve the lives of American workers?

• The publication of the RFI will initiate a dialogue that will engage stakeholders in a process to help the Agency develop the best approaches to reduce and prevent occupational illnesses.
• Ultimately, fewer American workers will suffer from effects of overexposures to hazardous chemicals in their workplaces. For example, OSHA has PELs for some of the components of welding fume; however, the PEL for manganese, a neurotoxin, is 50 times that of the ACGIH TLV.

What information is OSHA requesting through the RFI?

• OSHA has developed a Request for Information (RFI) that seeks stakeholder input on a wide range of topics related to more effective strategies for better protecting workers from hazardous chemical exposures. Specifically, OSHA is seeking input about:
  • possible new approaches for streamlining risk assessment and feasibility analyses;
  • alternative and additional new approaches for managing chemical exposures, including hazard banding, task-based approaches, and informed substitution.

How long will respondents have to submit their comments for this Request for Information?

• The Request for Information on Chemical Management and Permissible Exposure Levels has a comment period of 180 days. During that time, OSHA will continue to engage stakeholders through alternative means. The docket number is Docket # OSHA – 2012 – 0023 at http://www.regulations.gov. Please see the Federal Register Notice for more information.