Simply put, formaldehyde is one of the nastiest chemicals around.  It’s a flammable, colorless gas with a pungent, suffocating odor. Potentially serious health effects can result from formaldehyde exposures.  Formaldehyde is listed by EPA, NIOSH, OSHA and others as a suspect human carcinogen. Long-term exposure may increase risk of upper respiratory tract cancers including those of the nasal cavity and sinuses.

 

First and foremost you should determine where and how formaldehyde is use in your facility. Inspect all those areas while activities are on-going. Note any odors. Interview employees on their procedures. Note the type of formaldehyde products used. Now, with this information it is time to evaluate the exposure hazards.

 

As usual, we turn to the OSHA standards, 29CFR1910.1048, for formaldehyde. This standard covers all occupational exposures to formaldehyde including gas, solutions, and any materials that release formaldehyde.

 

The first step is to determine employee exposures by conducting appropriate monitoring. If in-house capability is not available a competent industrial hygienist or similar professional can handle the job. OSHA has established an action level of 0.5 ppm and a permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.75 ppm, both based on eight-hour time weighted averages (TWA). There is also a short term exposure limit (STEL) of 2.0 ppm, a 15-minute average that employees shall never exceed. Periodic monitoring is conducted every six months for employees exposed at or above the action level.

 

Following the monitoring, employees potentially exposed above the limits should enter a medical surveillance program. An initial medical history is documented by use of a questionnaire and a baseline physical is conducted. OSHA provides much guidance in the rule appendices and on their website.

 

Safety and health training is essential for all employees falling under this standard. Training should focus on the signs and symptoms of exposure, the possible health effects of formaldehyde exposure, proper personal protective equipment, medical surveillance, monitoring, exposure controls, and first aid.

 

The essential exposure control is properly designed and adequately maintained engineering systems, i.e. ventilation. Review ventilation in all formaldehyde use areas. Ensure adequate exhaust and proper design. Ideally, capture vapors as close to the source as possible though use of snorkel exhaust or fume hoods. Provide sufficient room air changes, dilution, and mixing. Most importantly, make sure formaldehyde use areas are on dedicated single-pass ventilation systems; no re-circulation allowed.

 

From Sterilze This! by the Safety Guys