Workplace exposure limits - Revision history

Designing Buildings at 07:12, 3 February 2021

2021-02-03T07:12:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:12, 3 February 2021
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	* Volatile organic compounds.		* Volatile organic compounds.

−	[[Category:~~Health_and_safety_/_CDM~~]] [[Category:~~Standards_/_measurements~~]] [[Category:DCN_Standard]]	+	[[Category:DCN_Definition]] [[Category:DCN_Guidance]] [[Category:DCN_Standard]] [[Category:Health_and_safety_/_CDM]] [[Category:Standards_/_measurements]]

Designing Buildings at 07:21, 5 August 2018

2018-08-05T07:21:32Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:21, 5 August 2018
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−	~~Many~~ processes involve the use of substances that could cause harm. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require employers to prevent or reduce workers' exposure to substances.	+	Some workplace processes involve the use of substances that could cause harm. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require that employers prevent or reduce workers' exposure to such substances.

	Workers might be exposed by:		Workers might be exposed by:
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	WEL values are approved by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), which acts on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances (ACTS). They are expressed as a time weighted average (TWA). There are two variations of WEL:		WEL values are approved by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), which acts on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances (ACTS). They are expressed as a time weighted average (TWA). There are two variations of WEL:

−	* Long term exposure limit (LTEL): The maximum exposure over an 8-hour period. This is intended to protect the workforce from contaminants which, over a long period of time, may cause ill health.	+	* Long-term exposure limit (LTEL): The maximum exposure over an 8-hour period. This is intended to protect the workforce from contaminants which, over a long period of time, may cause ill health.

−	* Short term exposure limit (STEL): The maximum exposure over a 15-minute reference period. This is intended to protect the workforce from peak exposure incidents which might result in immediate and acute ill health.	+	* Short-term exposure limit (STEL): The maximum exposure over a 15-minute reference period. This is intended to protect the workforce from peak exposure incidents which might result in immediate and acute ill health.

	A document published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contains the list of WELs for use with COSHH – [http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits].		A document published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contains the list of WELs for use with COSHH – [http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits].

−	Since there are a large number of chemical compounds used in construction, there will be some that are not included on this list of WELs, perhaps due to a lack of information about them. However, this does not mean that they are therefore safe ~~and they~~ should ~~instead~~ be controlled to a level at which the workforce could be exposed for a long period of time without experiencing any adverse health effects.	+	Since there are a large number of chemical compounds used in construction, there will be some that are not included on this list of WELs, perhaps due to a lack of information about them. However, this does not mean that they are therefore safe. They should be controlled to a level at which the workforce could be exposed for a long period of time without experiencing any adverse health effects.

	= Find out more =		= Find out more =
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	* Volatile organic compounds.		* Volatile organic compounds.

−	[[Category:Health_and_safety_/_CDM]] [[Category:Standards_/_measurements]]	+	[[Category:Health_and_safety_/_CDM]] [[Category:Standards_/_measurements]] [[Category:DCN_Standard]]

Editor at 16:36, 2 August 2018

2018-08-02T16:36:34Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:36, 2 August 2018
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	* Short term exposure limit (STEL): The maximum exposure over a 15-minute reference period. This is intended to protect the workforce from peak exposure incidents which might result in immediate and acute ill health.		* Short term exposure limit (STEL): The maximum exposure over a 15-minute reference period. This is intended to protect the workforce from peak exposure incidents which might result in immediate and acute ill health.

−	A document published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contains the list of WELs for use with COSHH – [http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm EH40/2005 ~~Workplaceexposure~~ limits].	+	A document published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contains the list of WELs for use with COSHH – [http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits].

	Since there are a large number of chemical compounds used in construction, there will be some that are not included on this list of WELs, perhaps due to a lack of information about them. However, this does not mean that they are therefore safe and they should instead be controlled to a level at which the workforce could be exposed for a long period of time without experiencing any adverse health effects.		Since there are a large number of chemical compounds used in construction, there will be some that are not included on this list of WELs, perhaps due to a lack of information about them. However, this does not mean that they are therefore safe and they should instead be controlled to a level at which the workforce could be exposed for a long period of time without experiencing any adverse health effects.

Editor: Created page with "Many processes involve the use of substances that could cause harm. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require employers to prevent or reduce ..."

2018-08-02T16:36:15Z

Created page with "Many processes involve the use of substances that could cause harm. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require employers to prevent or reduce ..."

New page

Many processes involve the use of substances that could cause harm. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require employers to prevent or reduce workers' exposure to substances.

Workers might be exposed by:

* Inhalation.
* Ingestion.
* Contact with the skin.
* Contact with the eyes.
* Skin puncture.

COSHH stipulates that the control of hazardous substance exposure will only be regarded as being adequate if it falls below the necessary workplace exposure limit (WEL). The regulations place a duty on employers to prevent or control exposure to within the particular WEL.

WEL values are approved by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), which acts on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances (ACTS). They are expressed as a time weighted average (TWA). There are two variations of WEL:

* Long term exposure limit (LTEL): The maximum exposure over an 8-hour period. This is intended to protect the workforce from contaminants which, over a long period of time, may cause ill health.

* Short term exposure limit (STEL): The maximum exposure over a 15-minute reference period. This is intended to protect the workforce from peak exposure incidents which might result in immediate and acute ill health.

A document published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contains the list of WELs for use with COSHH – [http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/eh40.htm EH40/2005 Workplaceexposure limits].

Since there are a large number of chemical compounds used in construction, there will be some that are not included on this list of WELs, perhaps due to a lack of information about them. However, this does not mean that they are therefore safe and they should instead be controlled to a level at which the workforce could be exposed for a long period of time without experiencing any adverse health effects.

= Find out more =

=== Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki ===

* Air quality.
* Construction dust.
* Construction health risks.
* COSHH.
* Deleterious materials.
* Hazardous substances.
* Indoor air quality.
* Personal protective equipment.
* Pollution.
* Volatile organic compounds.

[[Category:Health_and_safety_/_CDM]] [[Category:Standards_/_measurements]]