OSHA

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Except for siUca and natural abrasives containing free siUca, the abrasive materials used today are classified by NIOSH as nuisance dust materials and have relatively high permissable dust levels (55). The OSHA TWA allowable total dust level for aluminum oxide, siUcon carbide, boron carbide, ceria, and other nuisance dusts is 10 mg/m. SiUca, in contrast, is quite toxic as a respkable dust for cristobaUte [14464-46-1] and tridymite [15468-32-3] the allowable TWA level drops to 0.05 mg/m and the TWA for quartz [14808-60-7] is set at 0.1 mg/m. Any abrasive that contains free siUca in excess of 1% should be treated as a potential health hazard if it is in the form of respkable dust. Dust masks are requked for those exposed to such materials (see Industrial hygene). 

The U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA) has ruled that an employee s exposure to dimethyl acetamide in any 8-h work shift of a 40-h work week shall not exceed a time-weighted average of 10 ppm DMAC vapor in air by volume or 35 mg/m in air by weight (7). If there is significant potential for skin contact with DMAC, biological monitoring should be carried out to measure the level of DMAC metaboHtes in urine specimens collected at the end of the shift. One industrial limit is 40 ppm DMAC metaboHtes, expressed as AJ-methylacetamide [79-16-3] for individuals, and 20 ppm metaboHte average for workers on the job (8). 

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) issued by suppHers of acetone ate requited to be revised within 90 days to include new permissible exposure limits (PEL). Current OSHA PEL (54) and ACGIH threshold limit values (TLV) (55) ate the same, 750 ppm TWA and 1000 ppm STEL. Eot comparison, the ACGIH TWA values for the common mbbing alcohols are ethyl, 1000, and isopropyl, 400 ppm. A report on human experience (56) concluded that exposure to 1000 ppm for an 8-h day produced no effects other than slight, transient irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. 

Air Contaminants—Permissible Exposure Limit," Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part CFR 1910.1000, OSHA, 1989, p. 3112. 

Exposure limits for siHcon carbide and powders of zirconium compounds (including zirconium dioxide) have been estabHshed by ACGIH. TLV—TWA s are 10 mg/m and 5 mg/m, respectively. OSHA guidelines for zirconium compounds call for a PEL of 5 mg/m. There are no exposure limits for siHcon nitride powder, but pmdent practice suggests a TLV—TWA of 0.1 mg/m. The soHd ceramics present no apparent health hazard. In machining such ceramics, however, care should be taken to prevent inhalation of respirable particles in amounts in excess of estabHshed limits. Disposal should be in approved landfills the materials are inert and should pose no danger to the environment. 

Fan noise is demanding and receiving much attention because of environmental laws. The basic control document is the federal OSHA limitation of 90 dB(A) at an operator s work place for 8-h exposure. There are other limitations on entire plant noise at the boundary of new plants from local ordinances which are typically more severe than the OSHA limitation. 

The OSHA permissible exposure limit (11) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) estabHshed threshold limit value (TLV) (12) for fluorides is 2.5 mg of fluoride per cubic meter of air. This is the TLV—TWA concentration for a normal 8-h work day and a 40-h work week. 

OSHA has a TWA standaid on a weight of Sb basis of 0.5 mg/for antimony in addition to a standard TWA of 2.5 mg/m for fluoride. NIOSH has issued a criteria document on occupational exposure to inorganic fluorides. Antimony pentafluoride is considered by the EPA to be an extremely hazardous substance and releases of 0.45 kg or more reportable quantity (RQ) must be reported. Antimony triduoride is on the CERCLA bst and releasing of 450 kg or more RQ must be reported. 

Mild exposure to HF via inhalation can irritate the nose, throat, and respiratory system. The onset of symptoms may be delayed for several hours. Severe exposure via inhalation can cause nose and throat bums, lung inflammation, and pulmonary edema, and can also result in other systemic effects including hypocalcemia (depletion of body calcium levels), which if not promptly treated can be fatal. Permissible air concentrations are (42) OSHA PEL, 3 ppm (2.0 mg/m ) as E OSHA STEL, 6 ppm (5.2 mg/m ) as E and ACGIH TLV, 3 ppm (2.6 mg/m ) as E. Ingestion can cause severe mouth, throat, and stomach bums, and maybe fatal. Hypocalcemia is possible even if exposure consists of small amounts or dilute solutions of HE. 

Mercury salts are highly toxic and must be handled carefliUy. It is necessary to consult the material safety data sheet prior to handling. Strict adherence to OSHA/EPA regulations is essential. The ACGIH adopted (1991—1992) TLV for mercury as inorganic compounds is TWA 0.1 mg/m and for fluorides as F 2.5 mg/m. ... 

Health and Safety Factors. Sulfur hexafluoride is a nonflammable, relatively unreactive gas that has been described as physiologically inert (54). The current OSHA standard maximum allowable concentration for human exposure in air is 6000 mg/m (1000 ppm) TWA (55). The Underwriters Laboratories classification is Toxicity Group VI. It should be noted, however, that breakdown products of SF, produced by electrical decomposition of the gas, are toxic. If SF is exposed to electrical arcing, provision should be made to absorb the toxic components by passing the gas over activated alumina, soda-lime, or molecular sieves (qv) (56). 

Toxicity. Sulfur tetrafluoride has an inhalation toxicity comparable to phosgene. The current OSHA standard maximum allowable concentration for human exposure in air is 0.4 mg/m (TWA) (54). On exposure to moisture, eg, on the surface of skin, sulfur tetrafluoride Hberates hydrofluoric acid and care must be taken to avoid bums. One case of accidental exposure of electrical workers to decomposed SF gas containing SF has been cited (108). 

The OSHA standard maximum allowable concentration for human exposure in air is 0.10 mg/m (TWA) (55). No commercial uses for this compound have developed. 

Stannous fluoride is used in dentifrices and dental preparations. The OSHA permissible exposure limit (44) and ACGIH (45) estabUshed TLV for fluoride is 2.5 mg/m of air. 

Handling and Toxicity. Tungsten hexafluoride is irritating and corrosive to the upper and lower airways, eyes, and skin. It is extremely corrosive to the skin, producing bums typical of hydrofluoric acid. The OSHA permissible exposure limits is set as a time-weighted average of 2.5 mg/kg or 0.2 ppm (22). 

OSHA has a standard time-weighted average (TWA) of 2.5 mg/m based on fluoride. NIOSH has issued a criteria document (24) on occupational exposure to inorganic fluorides. 

Although DMF has led to iacreased embryo mortaUty ia pregnant animals at doses close to the lethal level for the pregnant animal, DMF exposures below the OSHA limits should not represent a ha2ard to pregnant workers as long as pmdent work practices are followed (4). 

For chemical faciUties in the United States, hazard analysis is not an option if inventories of hazardous chemicals are maintained in amounts greater than the threshold quantities specified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 1910.119. Many faciUties are finding that hazard analysis has many benefits. The process or procedure often works better, the quaUty of the product is improved, the process experiences less down time, and the employees feel more comfortable in the work environment after a hazard analysis has been completed. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), as amended in 1990, encourages reduction of occupation safety and health ha2ards and promotes safe and healthful conditions. 

The ICC classifies hydrogen as a flammable gas and requires that it carry a red label. Data on storage is available (203). The production and Handling of flammable gases andHquefied flammable gases is regulated by OSHA (204). 

AH Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) rules and regulations should be reviewed prior to handling hydrochloric acid and all the regulations must be followed. AH employees handling HCl must be trained to ensure that they are familiar with the appropriate materials safety data sheets and appHcable regulations. 

Industrial hygienists work closely with members of several other professions concerned with workplace health and safety, eg, occupational medicine, occupational health nursing, and safety engineering. AH of these groups are involved in the implementation of the laws that regulate workplace health and safety. In the United States the principal law is the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) (1) enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. 

Occupational Safety and Health J ct. OSHA regulations deal principally with physical aspects of safety and those things generally associated with accident prevention. These federal regulations deal especially with the need for estabHshed material safety data sheets and the proper labeling of printing inks under the Hazard Communication Laws. 

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