2006 Notice of Proposal to Adopt New or Revised Occupational Exposure Limits or Listings for 27 Hazardous Chemical Substances
See also:
The Ontario Ministry of Labour is seeking input on the proposed adoption of new or revised occupational exposure limits (OELs) or listings for 27 chemical substances.
Regulated under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, OELs restrict the amount and duration of worker exposure to hazardous workplace substances such as asbestos, benzene, lead and crystalline silica. The proposed limits are based on recommendations by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, (ACGIH), an internationally recognized authority on occupational health. ACGIH recommendations regarding exposure limits are the basis of OELs in many North American and other jurisdictions.
The table posted on the Ministry’s website contains new or revised OELs or listings proposed for 27 substances based on changes recently recommended by the ACGIH. They include the establishment of OELs for two substances not previously listed in Ontario regulations, revised exposure limits or listings for 14 substances; the withdrawal of exposure limits for 10 substances that ACGIH has reviewed and considers there to be insufficient data or information to support the determination of an OEL, and the adoption of a single more protective OEL for all types of crystalline silica that are regulated in Ontario as a designated substance. Stakeholder input on the limit proposed for Silica in 2004 remain under consideration by the Ministry in the context of the new limit being proposed.
Stakeholder input is an essential part of the OEL updating process. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments on any or all of the proposed OEL changes including issues relating to implementation.
Where an exposure limit for a hazardous substance has not been recommended and is not under consideration by the ACGIH at this time, stakeholders are invited during this consultation period to nominate the substance for development of an OEL. The submission should include a proposed limit and supporting documentation used by a jurisdiction that has adopted the proposed limit. The 60-day consultation period ends September 30, 2006. Submissions may be mailed, faxed, or sent electronically to the following addresses:
| Mail: | The 2006 OEL Update Project Ontario Ministry of Labour 12th Floor, 400 University Avenue Toronto, ON M7A 1T7 |
| Facsimile: | (416) 326-7650 |
| E-mail: | 2006oelupdateproject@mol.gov.on.ca |
Enquiries and requests for additional copies of this proposal may be directed to: (416) 326-9299.
