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Occupational Exposure to
Formaldehyde CAS# 50-00-0
29 CFR 1910.1048 Summary of
Requirements
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) = 0.75 part
per million (ppm) 8-hour Time-weighted Average (TWA),
2 ppm for a 15-minute STEL
Action Level = 0.5 ppm 8-hour TWA
| Requirement |
> TWA or STEL |
³ Action Level
but < TWA |
< Action Level |
| Initial
Monitoring |
Yes |
Yes |
Objective data may be used
instead1 |
| Periodic
Monitoring Frequency2 |
Annually for STEL
Not Specified for TWA |
6 months |
No |
| Written
Employee Notification of Results |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Observation
of Monitoring |
Opportunity must be
provided |
Opportunity must be
provided |
Opportunity must be
provided |
| Regulated
Work Area |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Engineering,
Work Practice or PPE Controls |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Respirators
used to supplement other controls |
Yes |
No3 |
No3 |
| Protective
Equipment to Prevent Skin Contact4 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Change Room5 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Eyewash/
Emergency Showers6 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Gas and
Liquid Leak Detection and Emergency
Procedures |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Medical
Surveillance |
Yes |
Yes |
No7 |
| Hazard
Communication including labels and MSDSs |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes8 |
| Employee
Information and Training |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes8 |
| Records
Retention- Monitoring |
Not less than 30 years |
Not less than 30 years |
Not less than 30 years |
| Records
Retention- Medical monitoring |
Employment
+ 30 years |
Employment
+ 30 years |
Employment
+ 30 years |
| Transfer of
Records |
Not specified9 |
Not specified9 |
Not specified9 |
- Objective data can be used in lieu of
monitoring to demonstrate exposures below the
Action Level or STEL.
- Monitoring should be repeated each time
there is a change in Production, Process,
Equipment, Personnel or Controls which may
result in new or additional exposure to
Formaldehyde. Periodic monitoring can be
discontinued when at least two consecutive
monitoring determinations, made at least 7
days apart, show exposure less than the Action
Level.
- Respirators do not need to be required for
use below the TWA or STEL unless you choose to
do so. A written Respiratory Protection
Program is not required for exposures below
the PEL unless there is voluntary or required
use of tight fitting respirators. If filtering
face pieces selected for nuisance levels of
organic vapors are provided for voluntary use,
information should be provided for those
employees from Appendix D of 1910.134.
- Skin protection is required to prevent
contact with solutions containing Formaldehyde
at or above 1%, regardless of the airborne
concentration. Contaminated protective
equipment should be laundered or cleaned
before reuse by personnel trained to recognize
the hazards of Formaldehyde. Containers for
Formaldehyde contaminated clothing should be
labeled with appropriate warning signs.
Workers should be prohibited from taking
Formaldehyde contaminated clothing home.
- Change rooms should be provided for anyone
required to change from work clothing to
prevent skin contact.
- Quick drench showers are required where
there is a possibility for skin splashes with
solutions containing 1% Formaldehyde. Eye washes should be provided
where eye contact is possible with solutions
³ 0.1% Formaldehyde.
- Baseline medical evaluations are not
required for Formaldehyde exposures below the
Action Level. It may be prudent to obtain
baseline medical information as a matter of
good safety and health practice. Your company
physician should be consulted for guidance on
this matter.
- Hazard communication is not required where
air concentrations are less than 0.1 ppm
Formaldehyde.
- Records should be transferred according to
requirements established in 1910.1020.
The information provided in this document is
believed to be accurate and is provided for
guidance on requirements for working with
Formaldehyde. Your local OSHA office should be
consulted for interpretations of this or any
OSHA standard.
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