Solvents in construction

Scope

OSHA recognizes solvent exposure levels for construction workers ranging from trace quantities to hovering in the upper exposure limits of 10,000 parts per million (ppm) and greater. To protect workers, the agency has established permissible exposure limits (PELs) for over 100 solvents, including those most commonly used in construction. Many companies adhere to current, more stringent American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold levels or other internal, more protective limits. And since OSHA has adopted ACGIH thresholds, they haven’t updated their solvent PELs for some time.

Regulatory citations

• 29 CFR 1926 Subpart D — Occupational Health and Environmental Controls
• 29 CFR 1926.57 — Ventilation
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart H — Hazardous Materials
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I — Personal Protective Equipment

Key definitions

• Administrative control: A type of workplace hazard control that uses procedures, policies, supervision, scheduling, and training as a means of protecting workers.
• Engineering control: A type of workplace hazard control that places barriers between the worker and the hazard, such as ventilation, guarding, or the elimination of harmful chemicals or machinery.
• Ingestion: The process of taking in a substance by swallowing.
• Inhalation: The process of breathing in a substance.
• Parts per million (ppm): The number of units per million total units. It is equivalent to the absolute fractional quantity multiplied by one million.
• Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL): The maximum allowable legal limit for employee exposure to a substance, chemical, or other physical agents that are potentially harmful.
• Skin absorption: The process of a substance permeating into the body’s bloodstream through the skin.
• Solvent: Any substance that dissolves something else.

Summary of requirements

OSHA requires employers to monitor hazards in the workplace and protect workers from solvent exposure. Construction and maintenance workers are especially susceptible to solvent exposure and must understand the hazards, potential health effects, and protective measures for protection.

Section 1926.55 provides direction for preventing exposure to solvents through inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption, or direct contact. Safety data sheets (SDSs) and solvent labels provide initial warnings of hazardous substances; however, engineering and administrative controls provide the best defense against exposure. When such controls do not provide enough protection, other protective means, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), are required.

Protecting workers from solvent exposure requires employers to:

• Confirm proper engineering controls are in place for ventilation, filtering, and exhaust containment.
• Implement administrative controls to protect workers from solvent exposure beyond PELs.
• Ensure appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), especially hand, eye, and respiratory protection, is available to protect workers from solvents.
• Enforce appropriate handling, use, storage, and disposal procedures.
• Educate workers on PELs, the physical hazards of solvents, proper protective measures, and how appropriate safety protocols prevent negative health effects.