50ppm Styrene Exposure Agreement

What?

Have committed to implement a workplace Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for styrene of 50 ppm.

When?

By July of 1997.

Where?

In every workplace throughout the United States.

Why?

Because it is a safe and appropriate workplace exposure level.

How?

Through pollution prevention, improved ventilation, administrative controls, or respirator protection. By using the methods which works best in your plant!

Your plant occupational exposures should be at or below 50 ppm.

It's Time...

Industries producing and using styrene agreed to establish a voluntary program with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (Click here (pdf, 1MB) to download the documents describing the industry/OSHA agreement.) The objective of this program is to encourage all facilities to comply with the PEL which OSHA proposed for styrene during a 1989 rulemaking. This means that inhalation exposures may not exceed 50 ppm on an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA), and a 100 ppm 15-minute ceiling. Both are supported by health science and feasibility considerations.

Why Now?

When the 1989 PEL rule making was overturned in court, the PELs for many chemicals reverted to previous levels. Our initiative allows cooperation between industry and OSHA to achieve proper levels of employee protection without waiting for OSHA to conduct a formal rulemaking.

Why 50 ppm?

There is evidence that overexposure to styrene can cause certain temporary adverse health effects. The onset of these effects can be seen at exposures of 100ppm and higher. OSHA and industry agreed in the 1989 rule making that 50 ppm protected workers from these health concerns, and offered an appropriate "safety margin."

It's Achievable...

How Does Your Company Achieve 50 ppm?

Pollution Prevention: The best way to achieve 50 ppm styrene exposure is to limit the emissions in the first place. Every composites facility should take steps to limit its styrene emissions first! After that, ventilation and respirators become easier to implement.

Plant Ventilation: Another way for companies to maintain 50 ppm styrene exposure is through the use of an effective plant ventilation system. The system would maintain ambient styrene concentrations at levels which ensure that no worker will be exposed to styrene levels above 100 ppm, and that the eight hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) exposures remain below 50 ppm. There are a number of versions of plant ventilation systems from "directed flow systems" to "active transport" systems.

Respirators: Respirators may also be used to achieve 50 ppm. The industry's agreement permits employers to institute a respirator protection program for their workers, as long as it meets OSHA's standards, and provided that ventilation controls have been used to reduce 8-hour TWA exposures to no more than 100 ppm.