NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) testimony to DOL (Department of Labor) on arsenic, by R. Lemen, July 14, 1982

Technical Report · Wed Jul 14 00:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:5893071

Evidence of the carcinogencity of arsenic prompted the recommendation by NIOSH in 1975 of an exposure limit of 2 micrograms/cubic meter (microg/m3) for a 15-minute sampling period. In 1978, the OSHA standard was set at 10 microg/m/sup 3/. OSHA concluded in 1982 from the quantitative assessment that between 7.7 and 25 excess deaths per 1000 workers would result from lung cancer among employees exposed to arsenic at 10 microg/m/sup 3/ over a working lifetime. NIOSH contended that by their statement of reduced exposure through good work habits, OSHA was concluding that a significant risk still existed at the proposed level of 10 microg/m/sup 3/ and that a person who was acting in his own best interests would seek to lower that exposure level still further. NIOSH urged that the recommended exposure level of 2 microg/m/sup 3/ be reconsidered and accepted.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5893071
• Report Number(s): PB-87-222659/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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