OSHA permissible exposure limits (PELs)-regulatory limits based on an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure on the amount or concentration of a substance in the air-are in place to protect employees from the exposure of hazardous substances.

To ensure that your company is in compliance with OSHA PEL requirements, you must first determine which regulations could apply. PELs have been established for approximately 500 materials and are listed in various places in the OSHA regulations, mainly in 29 CFR 1910.1000.

If you determine that there is a compliance requirement, the next step is to perform area and personal monitoring to determine if the exposure is compliant. Usually, monitoring is performed by an industrial hygienist, either one on staff or one that has been contracted.

If monitoring results indicate that the PEL is being exceeded, exposure pan must be developed and implemented to minimize employee exposure. The options that are typically considered include: personal protective equipment (PPE), engineering controls, administrative controls, and work proactive controls. Another option that is being considered more often than in the past and is highly recommended by OSHA is transitioning to safer chemicals.

While all of these options are acceptable, many experts believe that the best and most cost-effective, long-term solution is to either find a satisfactory chemical replacement or implement engineering controls. PPE and/or administrative controls require a significant amount of oversight to implement, manage, and enforce. Additionally ongoing monitoring is required to verify that the controls are adequately controlling the exposure.

Join us when our presenter, a seasoned health and safety professional who has focused on strategies to reduce and eliminate chemical exposure in the workplace and has assisted companies in the development and implementation of successful and compliant programs, will teach you the comprehensive process for evaluating your existing program and suggest proven recommendations to assure that your organization is in compliance with OSHA PEL requirements and can withstand focused OSHA scrutiny.

Learning Objectives:

• Interpret the OSHA PEL regulations to determine if any are applicable to your organization, and consensus standards, including the ACGIH TLVs
  
• Determine what would be involved in a personal and area monitoring program if it has been decided that one is required
  
• Identify the criteria that should be used in selecting an outside consultant to perform monitoring
  
• Assess the various approaches that are available to control exposure
  
• Identify the criteria that should be considered if an outside consultant is used to assist in implementing controls
  
• Consider the viability of addressing an exposure through engineering controls or chemical transitioning vs. PPE and administrative controls
  
• Identify and evaluate outside resources to assist you in developing your chemical exposure management program

Register now to learn how to ensure compliance with OSHA's PEL requirements and keep workers safe.

About Your Presenter:

Tom Burgess, a client manager at T&M Associates, an industrial hygienist, and certified safety professional, has over 25 years of experience developing a wide range of safety and health programs for clients in areas such as chemical exposure, industrial hygiene, risk management, fire prevention, risk management and OSHA compliance. As an experienced health and safety manager and consultant, Burgess brings a perspective that goes beyond the technical details of regulations codes and compliance and addresses the practical development and management of health and safety issues and challenges.