OSHA- Formaldehyde Standard Flashcards
- PEL- permissble exposure limit for an eight-hour day time weighted average (TWA)- .75ppm
- STEL- short term exposure limit for a 15-minute period- 2ppm
- Action Level- .5ppm
- PPM- Parts per million (one part of formaldehyde to one million parts of air).
Permissible Exposure Limits to Airborne Concentrations of Formaldehyde:
- Monitoring
- Accuracy
- Documentation
Exposure Determinations
Shall be monitored for initial compliance with the standard and repeated each time there is a change in personnel or work practices that may result in additional exposure to formaldehyde.
Airborne Concentraions of Formaldehyde
This shall be monitored promptly.
An Employee that Reports Symptoms of Overexposure to Formaldehyde
Shall be identified and monitored OR a representative sampling strategy shall be used.
Each Worker Exposed to Formaldehyde
If this is used, it shall be conducted seprately for each shift unless objective data can be used to document that exposure levels are equivalent for different work shifts.
Representative Sampling
Shall be conducted when exposure to formaldehyde is at maximum levels in the preparation room.
Monitoring
- At the 95 percent confidence level
- To within plus or minus 25 perfent for airborne concentrations of formaldehyde at the TWA and STEL.
- To within plus or minus 35 percent for airborne concentrations of formaldehyde at the action level.
Accuracy: Monitoring Equipment Shall Meet the Following OSHA Specifications for Accuracy:
- The date and time conducted
- The monitoring method used
- Evidence that the monitoring equipment used meets OSHA specifications
- The name, job title and social security number of the employee being monitored
- The procedures being performed
- The types of engineering controls and protective equipment being used.
Documentation: Monitoring Shall be Carefully Documented, Including:
Employees shall be notified in writing of monitoring results within this time frame. If exposure exceeds permissible levels, the notice shall contain a description of the corrective action being taken.
15 Days of Receipt
Then:
Good engineering controls and work practices shall be maintained; and training and other programs required under the standard shall be continued.
If:
The 8 Hour TWA level is below .5ppm (action level) and the 15-minute level is below 2ppm (STEL)
Then:
Immediate steps shall be taken to reduce exposure; periodic PEL monitoring shall be conducted at least every 6 months as long as exposure remains above the action level; medical surveillance of exposed employees shall be instituted.
If:
The 8 hour TWA level is below .75ppm (PEL), but above the .5ppm (action level); and the 15 minute level is below 2ppm (STEL):
Then:
- A written plan shall be developed for immediate reduction of exposure levels;
- immediate steps shall be taken to reduce exposure;
- if levels cannot be reduced immediately, repirators shall be provided and a respirator program shall be implemented in compliance with OSHA standards,
- the warning shall be posted on the door to the preparation room
- periodic PEL monitoring shall be conducted at least every 6 months as long as exposure remains above the action level;
- Periodic STEL monitoring shall be conducted under worst conditions at least once a year;
- Medical surveillance of exposed employees shall be insitiuted
If:
The 8 hour TWA level is above .75ppm (PEL); and/or the 15-minute level is about 2ppm (STEL)
DANGER FORMALDEHYDE IRRITANT AND POTENTIAL CANCER HAZARD AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
The Warning: (Know word for word)
Periodic monitoring and routine medical surveillance shall be terminated if permissible levels are demonstrated from PEL and STEL tests repeated twice at least seven days apart.
Under Scenaries 1 and 2
Shall be continued for any employee reporting signs and symptoms of over exposure REGARDLESS of formaldehyde levels in the work area.
Medical Survelliance
- Engineering controls
- Protective clothing and equipment
- Safe work practices
- Hygiene Protection
- Housekeeping
Exposure Reduction
All work areas in which formaldehyde is used shall be properly ventilated.
Engineering Controls
With liquids containing 1% or more formaldehyde shall be prevented by the use of chemical protective clothing made of material impervious to formaldehyde and the use of goggles and face shields, as appropriate to the task being performed.
Contact to the Eyes and Skin
That has becoe contaminated with formaldehyde shall be cleaned or laundered before reuse. Containers for contaminated clothing and equipment shall be properly labeled. Only persons trained to recognize the hazards of formaldehyde shall handle contaminated clothing and equipment. Workers shall not remove contaminated clothing or equipment from designated work or storage areas.
Protective Clothing and Eqipment
Shall be repaired or replaced as necessary to assure its effectiveness.
Protective Clothing
- Keeping the lid on the embalming machine
- Keeping caps on bottles
- Treating autopsy viscera in a covered pail or closed viscera bag
- Keeping waste or drainage sinks covered when in use
- Connecting the drainage tube and the table drain with rubber tubing to reduce fumes in the embalmer’s breathing zone
- Keeping waste receptacles covered
- Covering the area with light plastic and sealing it with adhesive tape to contain fumes when a cavity pack or external perserative is used
- Adding ammonia to cleanup buckets to neutralize any traces of formaldehyde that might be picked up by a rag or mop
- painting wood positioning blocks with epoxy paint to avoid saturation with formaldehyde
- reporting leaks or worn hoses on the embalming machine immediately
Safe Work Practices (steps taken at all times to avoid putting formaldehyde fumes into the atmosphere)
Shall be provided for employees who are required to use protective clothing. This shall have storage facilities for street clothes and separate storage facilities for protective clothing.
Change Room