![]() Medical surveillance must also be offered in the event of an exposure to MC in an emergency situation.Įmployees must be made aware of the monitoring results within 15 working days of receipt of the results. Depending on the exposure monitoring results, employers may be required to offer the employee the opportunity to participate in a medical surveillance program. If monitoring results show exposure levels above the Action Limit or STEL, an exposure monitoring program must be established in accordance with Table 1 of the Standard. If the employer chooses not to conduct sampling due to this exemption, documentation must be made in compliance with the Standard. Monitoring is required unless there is objective data to demonstrate that MC cannot be released at or above the Action Limit (12.5 ppm) or above the STEL during the highest MC exposure likely to occur under reasonably foreseeable conditions of use (e.g., if all MC use was conducted in a properly functioning fume hood). Both PEL and STEL personal breathing zone air sampling must be conducted. Personal breathing zone air samples can be obtained either for each employee’s exposure, or by taking representative samples of each employee’s exposure. The Methylene Chloride Standard requires that employers conduct initial monitoring to determine each affected employee’s exposure. ![]() In addition, MC is an anesthetic that will cause olfactory fatigue. For most people, this is above the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 25 ppm and the Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of 125 ppm. The odor threshold range is 1.2 ppm – 440 ppm (mean of 160 ppm). Odor is not considered a good warning property for MC. EPA considers MC likely to be carcinogenic in humans. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified MC as a Group 2B carcinogen, or possibly carcinogenic to humans. OSHA considers MC to be a potential human carcinogen. Extremely high concentrations can result in pulmonary edema, unconsciousness, and death. Symptoms of exposure include skin and eye irritation, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, mental confusion, poor coordination, and breathing problems. The primary routes of exposure to MC are inhalation and absorption through the skin.Īccording to OSHA, employees exposed to MC are at an increased risk of developing cancer, as well as adverse effects on the heart, central nervous system and liver. It is a colorless liquid with a chloroform-like or sweet ether-like odor. MC is also used in pharmaceutical manufacturing. It is commonly used in laboratories for drying resins in the final synthesis of solid phase peptides. MC is a halogenated solvent also known as dichloromethane. Methylene chloride (MC) is considered a highly hazardous chemical causing both acute and chronic health effects. Recent violations of OSHA’s Methylene Chloride Standard at a laboratory facility serve as a good reminder about the importance of handling this chemical safely.
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