New Lower Formaldehyde Exposure Limits – 2017

The current occupational exposure limits (OELs) for formaldehyde in Ontario, as provided in O. Reg. 833, includes a short-term exposure level (STEL) of 1 ppm and a ceiling limit of 1.5 ppm.

Due to the notice of intended changes by ACGIH to introduce new OELs for formaldehyde of 0.1 ppm for an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) and 0.3 ppm for the STEL, an extensive monitoring program was undertaken by Airzone to sample airborne formaldehyde concentrations for a client that has Canadian and American facilities and wished to pursue a pro-active approach to meet the proposed new OELs. A total of about 40 samples were collected at about 30 locations where formaldehyde was a potential air contaminant. All samples were personal samples collected with passive badges. While all airborne formaldehyde concentrations were below the current permissible limits of the Ontario jurisdiction, the results were able to identify several locations that were above the proposed new ACGIH limit, thus allowing the client to target specific areas and processes for improvement.

If you require assistance with similar projects, or have questions, contact: