Evaluating the use of occupational standards for controlling toxic air pollutants

Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established air standards for relatively few chemicals. As a result, state agencies are faced with controlling air contaminants for a large number of chemicals posing potential public health threats. Use of occupational standards as a basis for deriving ambient air guidelines is a method used by states to control air toxics. This standard development approach is reviewed by considering the differences in the health basis and numerical values which often occur among the occupational standards set by OSHA, NIOSH and ACGIH. This study indicated that careful selection should be made of the most appropriate occupational standard to use to protect public health. A comparison is made of chemicals regulated by various state air toxic programs using occupational standards lowered by a safety factor to concentrations established by the U.S. EPA. It was found that the air guidelines vary, but the degree of stringency can be comparable.