Implications of OSHA's reliance on TLVs in developing the air contaminants standard

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700190103· OSTI ID:5897726

Robinson, J C; Paxman, D G; Rappaport, S M ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley (USA)

This paper evaluates the decision by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to base its Air Contaminants Standard on the threshold limit values (TLVs) of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Contrary to the claim made by OSHA in promulgating the standard, the TLV list was not the sole available basis for a generic standard covering toxic air contaminants. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) presented data indicating that the TLVs were insufficiently protective for 98 substances. NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs) were available for 59 of these substances. The ratio of PEL to REL ranged up to 1,000, with a median of 2.5 and a mean of 71.4. OSHA excluded 42 substances from the standard altogether despite the availability of NIOSH RELs, solely because no TLV had been established.

• OSTI ID: 5897726
• Journal Information: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (USA), Journal Name: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (USA) Vol. 19:1; ISSN 0271-3586; ISSN AJIMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR QUALITY
DECISION MAKING
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE LEVEL
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NIOSH
POLLUTION
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS
US DOL
US ORGANIZATIONS
US OSHA