Air Contaminants - Exposure Limits
Limits for various air contaminants:
| Pollutant | Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)1) |
|---|---|
| Acetaldehyde | 200 ppm |
| Acetic Acid | 10 ppm |
| Acetone | 1000 ppm |
| Ammonia | 50 ppm |
| Asbestos 2) | 0.1 fiber/cubic centimeter |
| Benzene 2) | 1 ppm |
| Bromine | 0.1 ppm |
| Cadmium 3) | 5 μg/m3 |
| Carbon dioxide | 5000 ppm (1000 ppm 8 hrs ASHRAE) |
| Carbon disulfide | 200 ppm |
| Carbon monoxide | 50 ppm (9 ppm 8 hrs, 35 ppm 1 hr ASHRAE) |
| Carbon tetrachloride 3) | 10 ppm |
| Chlorine | 1 ppm 4) |
| Chloroform | 50 ppm 4) |
| Cresol | 5 ppm |
| Ethanol (Ethyl alcohol) | 1000 ppm |
| Ethyl chloride | 1000 ppm |
| Fluorine | 0.1 ppm |
| Formaldehyde 3) | 0.75 ppm |
| Gasoline | 300 ppm |
| Hydrogen cyanide | 10 ppm |
| Iodine | 0.1 ppm 4) |
| Iron oxide (fume) | 10 mg/m3 |
| Isopropyl alcohol | 400 ppm |
| Lead | 50 μg/m3 |
| Manganese compounds | 5 mg/m3 |
| Mercury | 1 mg/10 m3 4) |
| Methanol (Methyl alcohol) | 200 ppm |
| Nitric oxide | 25 ppm |
| Nitrogen dioxide | 5 ppm 4) (0.05 ppm 1 year ASHRAE) |
| Ozone | 0.05 ppm (0.12 ppm 1 hr ASHRAE) |
| Particles | 50 μg/m3 1 year, 150 μg/m3 24 hrs ASHRAE |
| Propane 5) | 1000 ppm |
| Selenium compounds | 0.2 mg/m3 |
| Sulfur dioxide | 5 ppm (0.03 ppm 1 year, 0.14 ppm 24 hrs ASHRAE) |
| Sulfur acid | 1 mg/m3 |
| Tellurium compounds | 0.1 mg/m3 |
| Tetraethyl lead | 0.075 mg/m3 |
| Toluene | 200 ppm |
| Turpentine | 100 ppm |
| Vinyl chloride 2) | 1 ppm |
| Zinc oxide, fume | 5 mg/m3 |
| Zinc oxide, dust | 15 mg/m3 |
1) PEL -Permissible Exposure Limit - 8-hour time weighted averages - An employee's exposure to any substance listed, in any 8-hour work shift of a 40-hour work week, shall not exceed the 8-hour time weighted average limit given for that substance - OSHA, Occupational Safety & Health Administration
2) Human carcinogen - confirmed
3) Human carcinogen - suspected
4) Acceptable ceiling concentration
5) Simple asphyxiant
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