ACGIH Adds Phosphine, Other Chemicals to “Under Study” List
In July, ACGIH announced the release of its 2018 two-tier “Under Study” list, which includes chemical substances and physical agents to be considered for Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. Phosphine, talc, the insecticide trichlorfon, and resin acids are among the chemicals recently added as tier 1 entries, which indicate chemical substances and physical agents for which ACGIH may issue a Notice of Intended Change or Notice of Intent to Establish in the upcoming year. NICs and NIEs represent additional steps toward the issuance of a TLV or BEI. Other chemicals recently added to tier 1 include dicamba, an herbicide; enflurane, an inhalation anesthetic; and subtilisins, which are used in commercial products such as dishwashing and laundry detergents. Ionizing radiation was added to tier 1 of the Under Study list for physical agents, and head-supported mass and neck loading were added to tier 2. Tier 2 entries are substances and agents for which ACGIH will not issue an NIE or NIC in 2019. Chemicals recently added to tier 2 of the Under Study list for BEIs include heptane, cyclohexane, and methylcyclohexane. ACGIH has presented its Under Study list in two tiers since 2006. View the full list on the organization’s
website
. TLVs and BEIs are health-based values derived from ACGIH’s conclusions of the exposure levels that typical workers can experience without adverse health effects. According to ACGIH, BEIs are guidance values for assessing biological monitoring results. Most BEIs are based on a direct correlation with the TLV, although some are instead directly related to the development of an adverse health effect.
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