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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

NIOSH comments to DOL on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's proposed rule; limited reopening of the rulemaking record on occupational exposure to formaldehyde by R. A. Lemen, February 9, 1987

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5978272
The testimony concerns the position of NIOSH regarding occupational exposures to formaldehyde (50000). The testimony contains a letter sent from NIOSH regarding the NCI epidemiologic and industrial hygiene studies of workers exposed to formaldehyde. While statistically significant findings were not observed in some of the studies, both the report of the occupational epidemiologic study and the companion residential epidemiologic study indicate that the analyses demonstrated elevated risk estimates for cancer sites of the upper respiratory system associated with exposure potential to formaldehyde. This was strongest for individuals with long residence times in mobile homes. NIOSH indicates additional research should be conducted to assess the cancer risk associated with a combined exposure to formaldehyde on particulates. NIOSH is not aware of data that describe a safe exposure concentration to a carcinogen and thereby urges that the exposure limits to formaldehyde be for as low a level as possible.
Research Organization:
National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
OSTI ID:
5978272
Report Number(s):
PB-91-152207/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English