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Published on: May 28, 2013
Derivation of temporary emergency exposure limits (TEELs)
D K Craig1, J S Davis, D J Hansen
1Westinghouse Safety Management Solutions, Inc., Aiken, SC 29803, USA.
Journal of Applied Toxicology : JAT
|January 21, 2000
Summary
Developing temporary emergency exposure limits (TEELs) provides rapid, reliable guidance for chemical safety. This new method quickly estimates exposure limits for workers and the public when official guidelines are unavailable.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health and Safety
- Toxicology
- Risk Assessment
Background:
- Short-term chemical concentration limits are crucial for emergency planning, hazard assessment, and safety analysis.
- Existing peer-reviewed community exposure limits, such as Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs) and Acute Exposure Guidance Levels (AEGLs), are not developed rapidly.
- The Department of Energy (DOE) needed a method to quickly derive protective exposure limits for workers and the public.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present an expanded methodology for deriving Temporary Emergency Exposure Limits (TEELs).
- To enable the rapid development of approximations to ERPGs and AEGLs for a wider range of chemicals.
- To provide a reliable interim guidance for chemical exposure until formal limits are established.
Main Methods:
- The methodology integrates a hierarchy of existing concentration limits (e.g., PELs, TLVs, IDLHs) with published toxicity data (e.g., LC50, LD50).
- Hierarchy-based values take precedence over toxicity-based values, and human data are prioritized over animal data.
- Default assumptions based on statistical correlations of existing ERPGs are used to fill data gaps.
Main Results:
- The expanded TEEL methodology allows for the derivation of limits for a significantly larger number of chemicals compared to the original method.
- Over 1200 chemicals have had community exposure limits developed using this new TEEL hierarchy/toxicity methodology.
- The method effectively uses readily available literature and CD-ROM data for quick TEEL development.
Conclusions:
- The new TEEL methodology provides a robust and rapid approach to developing essential chemical exposure guidance.
- This method enhances the ability of emergency planners to create reliable approximations of peer-reviewed community exposure limits.
- TEELs offer a high degree of confidence for protecting DOE workers, on-site personnel, and the general public during emergencies.
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