Occupational exposure limits (OELs) serve as health-based benchmarks against which measured or estimated workplace exposures can be compared. In the years since the introduction of OELs to public health practice, both developed and developing countries have established processes for deriving, setting, and using OELs to protect workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. These processes vary widely, however, and have thus resulted in a confusing international landscape for identifying and applying such limits in workplaces. The occupational hygienist will encounter significant overlap in coverage among organizations for many chemicals, while other important chemicals have OELs developed by few, if any, organizations. Where multiple organizations have published an OEL, the derived value often varies considerably—reflecting differences in both risk policy and risk assessment methodology as well as access to available pertinent data. This article explores the underlying reasons for variability in OELs, and recomm...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15459624.2015.1060327

The Global Landscape of Occupational Exposure Limits—Implementation of Harmonization Principles to Guide Limit Selection

Background

Information dissemination is a mandated, but understudied, requirement of occupational and environmental health laws and voluntary initiatives. Research is needed on the factors that enhance and limit the development, transfer, and use of occupational safety and health information (OSH). Contemporary changes in the workforce, workplaces, and the nature of work will require new emphasis on the dissemination of information to foster prevention.



Methods

Legislative and regulatory requirements and voluntary initiatives for dissemination of OSH information were identified and assessed. Literature on information dissemination was reviewed to identify important issues and useful approaches.



Results

More than 20 sections of laws and regulations were identified that mandated dissemination of occupational and environmental safety and health information. A four-stage approach for tracking dissemination and considering the flow of information was delineated. Special areas of dissemination were identified: the information needs of the changing workforce, new and young workers; small businesses; and workers with difficulty in understanding or reading English.



Conclusions

We offer a framework for dissemination of OSH information and underscore the need to focus on the extent to which decision-makers and others receive and use such information. More solid data are also needed on current investments in disseminating, diffusing and applying OSH information and on the utility of that information. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:515–531, 2003. Published 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Information dissemination and use: critical components in occupational safety and health.

https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Documents/OEL/12.%20Niemeier/References/Seeley_2001_Reg%20Tox%20and%20Pharm.pdf

Procedures for health risk assessment in Europe.

Assessment of user safety, exposure and risk to veterinary medicinal products in the European Union.

Once started as the activity of some individual scientists, and later taken up by professional organisations, standard setting for occupational chemicals has since the 1970s increasingly become a task of government agencies. This shift in the location of standard setting has been accompanied by a growing ‘rationalisation’ of the process, mainly by structuring the information input, separating the decision making process into two or more pieces, and making legal frameworks for the implementation of standards in workplaces. This has led in turn to the design of assessment protocols, the standardisation of toxicity tests, and has involved the definition of domains of discretion for the actors involved.

Boundary Dynamics in Dutch Standard Setting for Occupational Chemicals

https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Documents/OEL/12.%20Niemeier/References/Zielhuis_1991_Reg%20Tox%20and%20Pharm.pdf

H.P.A. Illing

Papers

Harmonization of criteria documents for standard setting in occupational health: a report of a workshop.