Regulation of Benzene Tips

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Where can I learn more about benzene?

Regulation of benzene

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrycan tell you where to find occupational and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize, evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances such as benzene. You can also contact your community or state health or environmental quality department if you have any more questions or concerns. For more information, call 1-888-422-8737.

   
What are material safety data sheets?

Regulation of benzene

If you work with benzene, but you do not have a copy of the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for this substance (as mandated by OSHA), you can find the MSDS for this and many other chemicals at the OSHA web site. These sheets not only provide all the relevant phyisical and chemical descritions of a substance, including other trade names, they specify how a chemical should be stored, symptoms associated with exposure, what actions should be taken in the event of exposure, cleanup procedures, and acceptable methods of disposing of a chemical.

   
What levels of exposure to benzene is immediately hazerdous?

Risks of exposure to benzene

Exposure to benzene at levels of 500 ppm is immediately dangerous to life and health. If there is the possibility of exposure to benzene at these levels, NIOSH standards require the use of an approved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in a positive-pressure mode.

   
What is the role of state OSHA programs in regulating benzene?

Regulation of benzene

Twenty-six states have their own Occupational Safety and Health Administration or "OSHA" programs. These OSHA-approved State Plan programs set standards which are "at least as effective as" Federal OSHA standards for many safety issues including handling and exposure to dangerous chemicals such as benzene. State plans provide assistance and extend their authority to most private sector and all public sector ( state and local government ) employers and employees in those States, including first and second responders. Visit State Occupational Safety and Health Plans to verify your state's status and search for standards that may apply to you.

   
Does the federal government regulate benzene?

Regulation of benzene

The federal government has set certain exposure thresholds to help protect human health. The EPA has set the maximum permissible level of benzene in drinking water at 0.005 milligrams per liter (0.005 mg/L). The EPA requires that spills or accidental releases into the environment of 10 pounds or more of benzene be reported to the EPA. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a permissible exposure limit of 1 part of benzene per million parts of air (1 ppm) in the workplace during an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.

   
What information about benzene should my workplace have available?

Regulation of benzene

The dangers and procedures for working with benzene should be available everywhere the chemical is used. Chemical manufacturers and importers must evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import. Using that information, they must then prepare labels for containers, and more detailed technical bulletins called material safety data sheets (MSDS). Every container of hazardous chemicals you receive must be labeled, tagged, or marked with the required information. Your suppliers must also send you a properly completed material safety data sheet (MSDS) at the time of the first shipment of the chemical, and with the next shipment after the MSDS is updated with new and significant information about the hazards.

   
Is illness from benzene exposure rare?

Risks of exposure to benzene

The risk of exposure to benzene means that manufacturers and chemical companies should exercise extreme caution with regards to employees working with this chemical. However, this has not been done in many cases, and as a result of this negligence many people have suffered ill health. Those handling and working with this chemical should be provided with all necessary safety equipment and protection by their employers. However, it is already too late for many, and because benzene exposure related diseases can have a long latency period of several decades in some cases some people may be unaware that they have been affected.

   
What are considered safe levels of benzene exposure?

Regulation of benzene

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, the possiblity of benzene exposure exceeding 0.1 ppm requires the use of a full pacepiece supplied air respirator operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.

   
What should small business owners who use benzene do to ensure they are handling it safely?

Regulation of benzene

If you run a small business that involves the handling, use, or disposal of toxic chemicals such as benzene, the federal goverment's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can provide training materials to help limit the dangers caused by exposure to benzene. OSHA has materials designed especially to meet the training needs of small businesses. Your nearby Government Documents Repository can give you the name of the nearest OSHA office, or simply call the office of your congressional representative for more information.

   
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