Permissible Exposure limit

Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL)

A concentration of 2 parts formaldehyde per million parts of air (2 ppm) during a 15 minute period. OSHA standard test used in a sample for formaldehyde exposure, Cannot be above 2 ppm

What to do when the permissible exposure limit is above such limits?

Must wear a respirators, OSHA

Asepsis

absence of significant contamination, freedom from infection and from any form of life, sterility

Time Weighted Average (TWA)

an evaluation of exposures that are time-weighted over an established period. It allows the exposure levels to be averaged generally over an 8-hour time period. 8 hours/0.75 ppm

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

the maximum legal limits established by OSHA for regulated substances. These are based on employee exposure that is time weighted over an 8 hour work shift. When these limits are exceeded, employers must take proper steps to reduce employee exposure. For formaldehyde, the PEL is .75 ppm.

Action Level/AL-Exposure Limits

these levels are established to ensure adequate protection of employees at exposures below the OSHA limits, but to minimize the compliance burdens for employers whose employees have exposure below the 8hour permissible exposure limit (PEL). The AL for formaldehyde is 0.5ppm