NIOSH Revamps Standards For Toxic Chemical Exposure in the Workplace

The comment period for a new set of standards proposed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently closed – the new standards are being developed to more accurately determine unacceptable toxic exposure levels for workers in the air that they breathe.

NIOSH originally partnered with Occupational Health and Safety Administration to develop a Standards Completion Program in 1974. The aim of the program was to provide standard occupational health measures for a variety of industries. As part of the Standards Completion Program, the agencies developed Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) values, for many chemicals that workers are exposed to, sometimes at toxic levels, in the workplace. NIOSH’s new initiative will ultimately update the rationales and protocols that derive exposure guidelines and IDLH values where necessary, based on a scientific “weight-of-evidence” approach.

Workers Exposed to Toxic Chemicals Face Many Health Consequences

Painters, clean room workers, factory workers, hazardous materials truck drivers and other workers across numerous industries are often exposed to toxic chemicals in the workplace. Workers may be exposed inadvertently due to a toxic spill, chemical explosion or in small amounts over a long period of time. Workers might experience skin irritation, trouble breathing, and even risk death if they are exposed to unacceptable levels of chemical or toxic agents.

IDLH values come into play in a variety of ways for workers who are exposed to toxic chemicals. For example, IDLH values help determine when workers should be required to use respirators while working. They are also used to determine at what concentrations workers can escape without injury or with “reversible” injury if a respirator or other breathing apparatus fails or is compromised. NIOSH’s latest update to the IDLH values allows for consideration of new scientific evidence and greater analysis of the dangers of many toxic chemicals used in U.S. workplaces today.

These new values will undoubtedly impact the ability of workers to hold their employers accountable for injurious chemical exposure on the job. If you have been injured due to chemical exposure on the job, contact an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to discuss your options.