TORONTO (Canadian OH&S News) -- Ontario is proposing to revise the occupational exposure limits for 14 substances, remove the existing occupational exposure limits (OELs) for 10 substances as per the recommendations of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), and add OELs for two new substances, Coumaphos and Monochloroacetic acid.
The Ministry of Labour (MoL) is proposing to combine multiple forms of crystalline Silica, which are currently listed separately, into one listing with a reduced allowable exposure limit.
Crystobalite (current time weighted average exposure value, 0.05 mg/m3 respirable) and quartz and tripoli (current TWEAV, 10 mg/ m3) will be combined into one listing for crystalline Silica with a proposed TWEVA of 0.025 mg/m3.
A few substances that have silica in their names, such as silica fume, silica fused, and silica gel, are among ten substances for which the MoL is proposing to remove OELs. The ACGIH has concluded there is insufficient scientific evidence to support an OEL for these substances.
Steve Fulford, an industrial hygienist with Jacques Whitford in Markham, Ont, suggests the proposed changes relating to crystalline Silica may have the most impact in manufacturing. "When it's used in manufacturing, you get the different types and the different forms that silica can be in. So obviously, if they change an OEL, and the work practice was based on the old OEL, then it's going to have an effect."
Enzo Garritano, manager of technical services for the Construction Safety Association of Ontario, says his organization will be having discussions with the ministry over how the proposed changes will apply to draft guidelines for the construction sector relating to substances such as silica and lead.
Ontario currently has OELs for over 700 substances. Since the government initiated an annual review process in 2004, 104 OELs have been revised, updated or added.
Fulford says that, under the new review process, the province is following the ACGIH's lead more closely, and that has meant less confusion for employers searching for guidance."You'll see a lot of Canadian provinces do this, going away from issuing their own limits, and referring back to the ACGIH TLVs [threshold limit values]," says Fulford. As reported by: Canadian Occupational Health & Safety News, August 2006 |
