PELs

PELs are the limits of hazardous materials exposure, inhalation, or skin contact permissible by OSHA. You learned about permissible exposure limits (PELs) in Unit 2 (Definitions and Key Terms) and Unit 4 (Site Characterization).

Here are some of the key points regarding PELs:

• OSHA's lists its determined PELs in 29 CFR Part 1910, Subparts G and Z.
• Some OSHA PELs are from shortly after 1970 (after the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act). OSHA has not updated some of its PELs since that time. For this reason, OSHA admits that "many large industrial organizations have felt obligated to supplement the existing OSHA PELs with their own internal corporate guidelines."

Employers should use these charts and the data collected during the initial and secondary evaluations to determine the PELs for the hazardous substances found on site.

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