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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8151
Help is here for small businesses that need detailed guidance in meeting
the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard on
methylene chloride (MC), a widely used industrial solvent that can cause cancer
or worsen heart problems for workers who are exposed to the vapors.
OSHA has produced a series of eleven fact sheets geared toward
employers who need specific recommendations for work practices and engineering
controls to limit MC exposures during routine work activities. Targeted toward
industries that include many small businesses where MC exposures are common,
the fact sheets were developed with help from employers and employees in those
industries.
General fact sheets on exposure monitoring and medical surveillance
will be useful to all employers. Specific fact sheets cover cold degreasing and
other cold cleaning operations, construction work, furniture refinishing,
flexible polyurethane foam manufacturing and vapor degreasing.
"Under the New OSHA, we want to work cooperatively with employers in
protecting workers. Providing detailed guidance specific to individual
industries is one effective way to do that," said Gregory R. Watchman, acting
assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health.
In addition to the fact sheets, OSHA also plans to hold seminars later
this year to offer employers and employees more in-depth guidance and to
respond to their specific questions about complying with the MC standard.
OSHA's plans to assist small businesses in complying with its MC standard were
announced today at a congressional hearing on the methylene chloride standard.
Small businesses also can turn to OSHA's free consultation service for
additional on-site help in meeting the demands of the standard. Available in
every state, the service helps small businesses establish effective safety and
health programs and deal with specific safety and health concerns. OSHA
consultation programs are usually listed in the state government section of the
telephone directory.
The methylene chloride standard, which was promulgated January 9 and
took effect April 10, will affect 92,000 firms employing nearly a quarter
million workers. Workers who breathe MC vapors risk developing cancer and
worsening existing cardiac disease. The new exposure limit, a 20-fold decrease
from the 500 part per million (ppm) limit set more than 25 years ago, will
prevent an estimated 31 cancer deaths each year. Employers in the smallest
businesses have up to three years to install engineering controls to comply
with the 25 ppm exposure limit and other requirements.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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