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Policies Part 5

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Policies Part 5 Contents

CONTROLLING EXPOSURE

  R5.48-1 RE: Chemical and Biological Substances - Exposure Limits and Designations
  R5.54-1 RE: Chemical and Biological Substances - Controlling Exposure - Exposure Control Plan

Policies Part 5 - Controlling Exposure

Policy Item R5.48-1
RE: Occupational Exposure Limits
BACKGROUND

1. Explanatory Notes
Section 5.48 provides established limits for a worker's exposure to hazardous chemical substances. Generally, these exposure limits are established according to the Threshold Limit Values ("TLVs") adopted by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists ("ACGIH"). However, the Board has authority to make exceptions and adopt occupational exposure limits for specific chemical substances that are not consistent with the TLVs established by the ACGIH. This policy sets out those exceptions.

2. The Regulation
Section 5.48:

Except as otherwise determined by the Board, the employer must ensure that no worker is exposed to a substance that exceeds the ceiling limit, short-term exposure limit, or 8-hour TWA limit prescribed by ACGIH.

Section 5.57:

(1) If a substance identified as any of the following is present in the workplace, the employer must replace it, if practicable, with a material which reduces the risk to workers:

(a) ACGIH A1 or A2, or IARC 1, 2A or 2B carcinogen;

(b) ACGIH reproductive toxin;

(c) ACGIH sensitizer;

(d) ACGIH L endnote.

(2) If it is not practicable to substitute a material which reduces the risk to workers, in accordance with subsection (1), the employer must implement an exposure control plan to maintain workers' exposure as low as reasonably achievable below the exposure limit established under section 5.48.

(3) The exposure control plan must meet the requirements of section 5.54.

3. Preamble to Policy
The following is a preamble to be applied to those exposure limits developed by the Board as an exception to the TLVs established by the ACGIH:

An exposure limit is a maximum allowed airborne concentration and is not intended to represent a fine line between safe and harmful conditions. In determining an exposure limit, it is not possible to take into account all factors that could influence the effect that exposure to the substance may have on an individual worker. Therefore, for all hazardous substances, regardless of any assigned exposure limit, the guiding principle is elimination of exposure or reduction to the lowest level that is reasonably achievable below the exposure limit.

Due to a wide variation in individual susceptibility, some workers may experience discomfort from some substances at concentrations at or below the exposure limit. Others may be affected more seriously by aggravation of a pre-existing condition, or by development of an occupational disease. Furthermore, other workplace contaminants may affect an individual's response. The effects of combined chemical exposures are often unknown or poorly defined.

POLICY
1. Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances

As presented in the table below, the Board has determined exposure limits for the following specific substances, notwithstanding the TLVs established by the ACGIH.

Substance/Chemical Name CAS No. Unit 8-hour TWA Limit Short-term exposure Limit, STEL Ceiling Limit
ABATE (TEMEPHOS) TOTAL DUST3383-96-8mg/m310 20  
ACETONE67-64-1ppm250 500  
ACETONE CYANOHYDRIN75-86-5ppm   1
ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON GASES, ALKANES [C1-C4]   ppm 1000    
ALLYL AMINE107-11-9ppm2   
ALLYL BROMIDE106-95-6ppmNo previous limit No previous limitNo previous limit
BENZYL CHLORIDE100-44-7ppm   1
BERYLLIUM AND COMPOUNDS, AS Be7440-41-7mg/m30.002 0.01  
BROMOCHLOROMETHANE 74-97-5ppm200 250  
n-BUTANE106-97-8ppm600 750  
BUTENES, ALL ISOMERS, INCLUDING ISOBUTENE106-98-9,
107-01-7,
590-18-1,
624-64-6,
25167-67-3,
115-11-7
ppmNo previous limit No previous limit No previous limit
n-BUTYL ALCOHOL (n-BUTANOL)71-36-3ppm15  30
n-BUTYL ACETATE123-86-4ppm20   
n-BUTYL METHACRYLATE97-88-1ppm50   
CALCIUM CARBONATE (incl. LIMESTONE, MARBLE), TOTAL DUST1317-65-3mg/m310 20  
CAPROLACTAM DUST105-60-2mg/m31 3  
CARBARYL63-25-2mg/m35   
CARBON DIOXIDE124-38-9ppm5000 15000  
CARBON DISULFIDE75-15-0ppm4 12  
CARBON MONOXIDE630-08-0ppm25 100  
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE56-23-5ppm2   
CARBONYL SULFIDE463-58-1ppmNo previous limit No previous limitNo previous limit
CHLOROACETIC ACID79-11-8ppm0.3   
CHLOROBROMOMETHANE (see BROMOCHLOROMETHANE)      
1-CHLORO-1,1-DIFLUOROETHANE75-68-3ppm1000   
CHLORODIFLUOROMETHANE75-45-6ppm500 1250  
CHLOROFORM67-66-3ppm2   
CHLOROTRIFLUOROMETHANE75-72-9ppm1000   
CHROMIUM, WATER SOLUBLE, Cr VI COMPOUNDS7440-47-3mg/m30.025  0.1
CITRAL, INHALABLE5292-40-5ppmNo Previous Limit No Previous Limit No Previous Limit
CLOPIDOL 2971-90-6 mg/m3 10    
CRESOL, ALL ISOMERS1319-77-3,
95-48-7,
95-48-7,
108-39-4,
106-44-5
mg/m310   
CUMENE98-82-8ppm25 75  
DIACETYL431-03-8ppmNo previous limit No previous limit No previous limit
DIBUTYL PHOSPHATE107-66-4ppm1 2  
DICHLOROMETHANE75-09-2ppm25   
DICYCLOHEXYLMETHANE-4,4'-DIISOCYANATE5124-30-1ppm0.005  0.01
2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID AND ITS ESTERS94-75-7mg/m310 20  
DIELDRIN60-57-1mg/m30.25   
DIETHANOLAMINE111-42-2mg/m32   
DIETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER 112-34-5   No previous limit No previous limit No previous limit
N,N-DIETHYLHYDROXYLAMINE 3710-84-7   No previous limit No previous limit No previous limit
DIISOCYANATES, N.O.S. ppm0.005  0.01
DIMETHOXYMETHANE109-87-5ppm1000 1250  
DIMETHYL ETHER115-10-6ppm1000   
DIMETHYL SULFATE77-78-1ppm   0.1
n-DIOCTYL PHTHALATE117-84-0mg/m35   
ENDOSULFAN115-29-7mg/m30.1   
ENFLURANE13838-16-9ppm2   
EPICHLOROHYDRIN106-89-8ppm0.1   
ETHYL ACETATE141-78-6ppm150   
ETHYL FORMATE109-94-4ppm100   
ETHYL METHACRYLATE97-63-2ppm50   
ETHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER 637-92-3 ppm 5    
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE 106-93-4ppm0.5   
ETHYLENE DICHLORIDE (1,2-DICHLOROETHANE)107-06-2ppm1 2  
ETHYLENE GLYCOL, PARTICULATE107-21-1mg/m310 20  
ETHYLENE GLYCOL, VAPOUR107-21-1ppm   50
ETHYLENEIMINE151-56-4ppm0.5   
ETHYLENE OXIDE75-21-8ppm0.1 1  
FLUORINE7782-41-4ppm0.1   
FLUOROXENE406-90-6ppm2   
FORMALDEHYDE50-00-0ppm0.3  1
FURFURYL ALCOHOL98-00-0ppm5 10  
GLYCERIN MIST, RESPIRABLE 56-81-5mg/m33   
GYPSUM, TOTAL DUST13397-24-5mg/m310 20  
HALOTHANE151-67-7ppm2   
HEXAMETHYLENE DIISOCYANATE822-06-0ppm0.005  0.01
n-HEXANE110-54-3ppm20   
HEXANE, ALL ISOMERS except n-HEXANE ppm200   
HYDROGEN FLUORIDE, as F7664-39-3ppm   2
HYDROGEN SULFIDE7783-06-4ppm   10
INDENE95-13-6ppm10   
IODIDES ppmNo previous limit No previous limit No previous limit
IODINE7553-56-2ppm   0.1
IRON OXIDE, FUME1309-37-1mg/m35 10  
IRON PENTACARBONYL13463-40-6ppm0.01   
IRON SALTS, SOLUBLE, as Fe mg/m31 2  
ISOPHORONE DIISOCYANATE4098-71-9ppm0.005  0.01
ISOPROPYL GLYCIDYL ETHER (IGE)4016-14-2ppm   50
LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS68476-85-7ppm1000 1250  
LITHIUM HYDROXIDE1310-65-2mg/m3   1
MAGNESIUM OXIDE, RESPIRABLE DUST AND FUME, as Mg1309-48-4mg/m33 10  
MALEIC ANHYDRIDE108-31-6ppm0.1   
MANGANESE, ELEMENTAL AND INORGANIC COMPOUNDS, as Mn 7439-96-5 mg/m3 0.2    
MERCURY, ARYL COMPOUNDS7439-97-6mg/m30.05  0.1
MESITYL OXIDE141-79-7ppm10 25  
METHOXYFLURANE76-38-0ppm2   
1-METHOXY-2-PROPANOL107-98-2ppm50 75  
2-METHOXY-1-PROPANOL1589-47-5ppm20 40  
1-METHOXYPROPYL-2-ACETATE108-65-6ppm50 75  
2-METHOXYPROPYL-1-ACETATE70657-70-4ppm20 40  
METHYLENE BISPHENYL ISOCYANATE101-68-8ppm0.005  0.01
METHYLENE bis (4-CYCLOHEXYL-ISOCYANATE)5124-30-1ppm0.005  0.01
4,4'-METHYLENEDIANILINE101-77-9ppm0.01   
METHYL ETHYL KETONE (MEK)78-93-3ppm50 100  
METHYL ISOAMYL KETONE 110-12-3 ppm 50    
METHYL PARATHION298-00-0mg/m30.2   
METHYL PROPYL KETONE (2-PENTANONE)107-87-9ppm150 250  
Alpha-METHYL STYRENE98-83-9ppm50 75 100
1,5-NAPHTHYLENE DIISOCYANATE3173-72-6ppm0.005  0.01
NATURAL RUBBER LATEX, AS TOTAL PROTEINS, INHALABLE9006-04-6mg/m30.001   
NICKEL, ELEMENTAL, SOLUBLE INORGANIC COMPOUNDS (NOS)7440-02-0mg/m30.05   
NICKEL, INSOLUBLE INORGANIC COMPOUNDS (NOS)7440-02-0mg/m30.05   
NICKEL CARBONYL13463-39-3ppm0.001   
NITROGEN DIOXIDE10102-44-0ppm   1
2-NITROPROPANE79-46-9ppm5   
NITROUS OXIDE10024-97-2ppm25   
NONANE, ALL ISOMERS111-84-2ppm200   
OIL MIST, MINERAL, MILDLY REFINED mg/m30.2   
OIL MIST, MINERAL, SEVERELY REFINED mg/m31   
2,4-PENTANEDIONE123-54-6ppmNo previous limit No previous limitNo previous limit
PHENYL ISOCYANATE103-71-9ppm0.005  0.01
PHENYL MERCAPTAN108-98-5ppm   0.1
o-PHTHALODINITRILE91-15-6mg/m3No previous limit No previous limitNo previous limit
PIPERAZINE AND ITS SALTS, as PIPERAZINE110-85-0mg/m30.3 1  
PIPERIDINE110-89-4ppm1   
PLASTER OF PARIS, TOTAL DUST26499-65-0mg/m310 20  
PORTLAND CEMENT65997-15-1mg/m310 (E,N)   
PROPYLENEIMINE75-55-8ppm2   
RHODIUM, METAL AND INSOLUBLE COMPOUNDS, as Rh7440-16-6mg/m30.1 0.3  
RHODIUM, SOLUBLE COMPOUNDS, as Rh7440-16-6mg/m30.001 0.003  
SELENIUM AND COMPOUNDS, as Se7782-49-2mg/m30.1   
SILICA, AMORPHOUS:      
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH, UNCALCINED, TOTAL DUST 61790-53-2mg/m34   
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH, UNCALCINED, RESPIRABLE DUST 61790-53-2mg/m31.5   
PRECIPITATED SILICA and SILICA GEL, TOTAL DUST112926-00-8mg/m34   
PRECIPITATED SILICA and SILICA GEL, RESPIRABLE DUST112926-00-8mg/m31.5   
SILICA FUME, TOTAL DUST69012-64-2mg/m34   
SILICA FUME, RESPIRABLE DUST69012-64-2mg/m31.5   
SILICON TETRAHYDRIDE (SILANE)7803-62-5ppm0.5 1  
SILVER AND COMPOUNDS, as Ag7440-22-4mg/m30.01 0.03  
STODDARD SOLVENT (MINERAL SPIRITS)8052-41-3mg/m3290 580  
STYRENE100-42-5ppm50 75  
SULFUR DIOXIDE7446-09-5ppm2 5  
SULPROFOS35400-43-2mg/m31   
TANTALUM and TANTALUM OXIDE dusts, as Ta7440-25-7mg/m35   
1,1,1,2-TETRACHLORO-2,2-DIFLUOROETHANE76-11-9ppm500   
1,1,2,2-TETRACHLORO-1,2-DIFLUOROETHANE76-12-0ppm200   
TETRAETHYL LEAD, as Pb78-00-2mg/m30.075   
TETRAMETHYL LEAD, as Pb75-74-1mg/m30.075   
THIONYL CHLORIDE7719-09-7ppm   1
THIRAM137-26-8mg/m31   
2,4-TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE (TDI)584-84-9ppm0.005  0.01
2,6-TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE 91-08-7ppm0.005  0.01
TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE 126-73-8 ppm 0.2    
1,1,2-TRICHLORO-1,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE76-13-1ppm500 1250  
TRIMELLITIC ANHYDRIDE552-30-7mg/m3   0.04
TRIMETHYL HEXAMETHYLENE DIISOCYANATE28679-16-5ppm0.005  0.01
TRI-n-BUTYLTIN COMPOUNDS688-73-3mg/m30.05   
URANIUM COMPOUNDS, NATURAL, SOLUBLE, as U7440-61-1mg/m30.05   
VANADIUM PENTOXIDE, RESPIRABLE DUST and FUME, as V2O51314-62-1mg/m3   0.05
VANADIUM PENTOXIDE, TOTAL DUST, as V2O51314-62-1mg/m30.2   
VEGETABLE OIL MIST, RESPIRABLE FRACTION, EXCEPT CASTOR, CASHEW NUT, OR SIMILAR IRRITATING OILS8008-89-7mg/m33   
VINYLIDENE CHLORIDE75-35-4ppm1   
VINYL TOLUENE, ALL ISOMERS25013-15-4ppm25 75  
WOOD DUST:      
ALLERGENIC mg/m31   
NON-ALLERGENIC, HARDWOOD mg/m31   
NON-ALLERGENIC, SOFTWOOD mg/m32.5   
ZINC STEARATE, TOTAL DUST557-05-1mg/m310 20  

 

(E) = the value is for particulate matter containing no asbestos and less than 1% crystalline silica

(N) = the 8-hour TWA listed in the Table is for the total dust. The substance also has an 8-hour TWA of 3 mg/m3 for the respirable fraction

(G) = as measured by the vertical elutriator, cotton-dust sampler, see TLV Documentation

2. Dusts

The Board categorizes particulates that are insoluble or poorly soluble in water and do not cause toxic effects other than by inflammation or the mechanism of "lung overload", as "nuisance dusts".

A "nuisance dust" will have an exposure limit or TLV of 10 mg/m3 for total particulate. It is recognized that the respirable fraction of "nuisance dusts" may also be measured. The equivalent exposure limit for respirable particulate is 3 mg/m3. Respirable particulate refers to the fraction of inhaled dust that is capable of passing through the upper respiratory tract to the gas exchange region of the lung. Total particulate refers to a wide range of particle sizes capable of being deposited in the various regions of the respiratory tract.


EFFECTIVE DATE: May 1, 2013
AUTHORITY: s. 5.48, Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
CROSS REFERENCES:
HISTORY: Effective May 1, 2013, changes were made to add eight substances to the Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances:

ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON GASES, ALKANES [C1-C4]
CLOPIDOL
DIETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER
N,N-DIETHYLHYDROXYLAMINE
ETHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER
MANGANESE, elemental and inorganic compounds, as Mn
METHYL ISOAMYL KETONE
TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE

Effective April 10, 2012, changes were made to add six substances to the Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances:

  ALLY BROMIDE CARBONYL SULFIDE
DIACETYL ETHYL FORMATE
o-PHTHALODINITRILE NONANE

CAS No for piperazine and its salts was corrected from 142-64-3 to 110-85-0.

Housekeeping change effective October 14, 2011 to correct the reference to section 5.57 of the regulation. This is not a substantive change.

Effective September 15, 2011, changes were made to remove seven substances from the Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances:

ACETIC ANHYDRIDE
CARBON BLACK
ETHYL BENZENE
METHYL ISOPROPYL KETONE
SOAPSTONE
SOAPTONE, RESPIRABLE
4,4' THIOBIS (6-tert-butyl-m-CRESOL)

Effective June 1, 2011, changes were made to remove three substances from the Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances:

COTTON DUST, raw
METHYL ISOBUTYL KETONE
THALLIUM AND SOLUBLE COMPOUNDS

Housekeeping changes effective June 1, 2011, to replace "exposure level" with "exposure limit" in Item 3 of the Background of this Policy. These changes also add 2,4-Pentanedione to the Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances pursuant to the Occupational Exposure Limit review and adoption procedure approved by the Board of Directors at their March 2010 meeting.

Housekeeping changes effective April 19, 2011 in accordance with the new Occupational Exposure Limit review and adoption procedure approved by the Board of Directors at their March 2010 meeting. The changes add seven substances to the Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances:

ACETIC ANHYDRIDE
CARBON BLACK
ETHYL BENZENE
MALEIC ANHYDRIDE
METHYL ISOPROPYL KETONE
SOAPSTONE
4,4' THIOBIS (6-tert-butyl-m-CRESOL)

Housekeeping changes effective September 15, 2010 to update regulation reference, delete practice reference, and make formatting changes.

The Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances has been amended to include 18 substances for which the Board of Directors has made an exception to the adoption of these substances for which the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists changed the Threshold Limit Values in 2008 and 2009. The effect of this amendment is that the substances will be re-assigned the OELs that were in effect prior to the revision by ACGIH. The Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances has been amended to delete two substances so the more protective American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Values will now apply to these substances. The revisions were made to the Table effective September 1, 2010.

The Table of Occupational Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances has been amended to include new or revised substances for which the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists has changed the Threshold Limit Values in 2010. The effect of this amendment was that the existing occupational exposure limits for these substances continue to be in effect. These substances were added to the Table effective April 1, 2010.

This item was originally developed to implement the amendments made to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, effective October 29, 2003 pertaining to occupational exposure limits. A review of the policy was conducted to ensure that all substances for which an exception was warranted were listed, and there was no duplication with the information provided by the ACGIH.

APPLICATION: Each amendment of this policy applies to incidents occurring on and after the effective date of the amendment. If a decision made before the amendment effective date is within the appeal period, at Review Division, or at WCAT, it remains subject to the policy in effect at the time of the incident.
Policy Item R5.54-1 RE: Chemical and Biological Substances - Controlling Exposure - Exposure Control Plan
BACKGROUND

1. Explanatory Notes
Section 5.54 sets out the requirement for an exposure control plan in certain circumstances and the necessary elements if an exposure control plan is required. Among those elements is health monitoring under section 5.54(2)(f).

2. The Regulation
Section 5.54:

(1) An exposure control plan must be implemented when

(a) exposure monitoring under section 5.53(3) indicates that a worker is or may be exposed to an air contaminant in excess of 50% of its exposure limit,

(b) measurement is not possible at 50% of the applicable exposure limit, or

(c) otherwise required by this Regulation.

(2) The exposure control plan must incorporate the following elements:

(a) a statement of purpose and responsibilities;

(b) risk identification, assessment and control;

(c) education and training;

(d) written work procedures, when required;

(e) hygiene facilities and decontamination procedures, when required;

(f) health monitoring, when required;

(g) documentation, when required.

(3) The plan must be reviewed at least annually and updated as necessary by the employer, in consultation with the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable.

POLICY

At the request of persons outside the Board or Board staff, the Board may arrange for samples to be analyzed as part of a health monitoring program under section 5.54(2)(f). The Board will have the results organized into broad categories of body burden levels and reported to the person who made the request and to Board staff and industry representatives concerned with the particular program.

The actual body burden levels of individuals are confidential and will only be revealed to a worker if the worker inquires, and to anyone else with the worker's written authorization. Questions regarding specific analysis results should be referred to the Board staff concerned with the particular program.


EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 2001
AUTHORITY: s. 5.54(2)(f), Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
CROSS REFERENCES:
HISTORY: Housekeeping changes effective September 15, 2010 to delete practice reference and make formatting changes.
Replaces Policy No. 13.01(6) of the Prevention Division Policy and Procedure Manual
APPLICATION: This Item results from the 2000/2001 "editorial" consolidation of all prevention policies into the Prevention Manual. The POLICY in this Item merely continues the substantive requirements of Policy No. 13.01(6), as they existed prior to the Effective Date, with any wording changes necessary to reflect legislative and regulatory changes since Policy No. 13.01(6) was issued.

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