Additional Resources

• Preventing Occupational Illnesses through Safer Chemical Management. OSHA.
• Toluene Infosheet. OSHA. Gives information on the harmful effects of toluene on workers and how employers can protect them.

Related Safety and Health Topics Pages

• Chemical Hazards and Toxic Substances
• Confined Spaces
• Dermal Exposure
• Directed-Reading Instruments
• Hazard Communication
• Health Hazards in Nail Salons
• Respiratory Protection
• Solvents
• Spray Operations
• Ventilation

Other Sources

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - NIOSH Pocket Guide This pocket guide serves as a valuable resource for industrial hygienists and scientists who need information on occupational exposure levels, physical properties, and general health effects of chemicals.
• Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH). (May 1994). Documents the criteria and information sources used by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to determine immediately dangerous to life or health concentrations, including toluene. The NIOSH IDLH concentration for toluene is 500 ppm.
• NIOSH Safety and Health Topics: Toluene. Includes many links to other publications, including ATSDR, EPA, WHO.
• NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM). NMAM is a collection of methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air, and in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed. NMAM also includes chapters on quality assurance, sampling, portable instrumentation, etc.
• Occupational Health Guideline for Toluene. The Occupational Health Guideline was developed jointly by OSHA and NIOSH in 1978. Includes recommendations for emergency first aid.
• ATSDR's Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs): Toluene. Includes instructions mostly for emergency response workers.
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): ToxFAQs™ for Toluene. (2001). This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions about toluene.
• Toxicological Profile for Toluene (ATSDR). Compiles data as of September 2000.
• New Jersey Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets: Toluene. New Jersey Department of Health Fact Sheet, (2007).
• Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) (EPA): Toluene. Exposure limits for emergency response purposes.
• Toluene. Environmental Protection Agency. This page summarizes the risk assessment information referenced in IRIS, includes a graphical comparison of exposure limit recommendations and notes, "Chronic inhalation exposure of humans to toluene also causes irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes, sore throat, dizziness, and headache. Human studies have reported developmental effects, such as CNS dysfunction, attention deficits, and minor craniofacial and limb anomalies, in the children of pregnant women exposed to high levels of toluene or mixed solvents by inhalation."
• NLM (Hazardous Substance Data Bank): Toluene