Metalworking fluids; occupational exposure limits for oil mists

Citation

(1999), "Metalworking fluids; occupational exposure limits for oil mists", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 51 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.1999.01851aab.002

Metalworking fluids; occupational exposure limits for oil mists

Metalworking fluids ­ occupational exposure limits for oil mists

Keywords Exposure, Metal working fluids, Oils

The occupational exposure limit (OEL) for mineral oil has been under review for some time. The current figure in the HSE Guidance Note EH40 is based on an original American TLV figure which is rather old. The Americans themselves have recently reviewed their limit and are now proposing a two-stage limit depending on the polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content. It is likely that the proposals will be for a limit of 3 mg/m³ for mineral oils with no PAHs present and a limit of one tenth of that if PAHs are present. It is not known at this stage whether the UK will go down a similar route. It is expected that WATCH, the independent, tripartite, subcommittee of the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances, which makes limit recommendations to the Health and Safety Commission, will consider proposals during 1999, probably September. The same subcommittee have been requested to consider whether it would be possible and appropriate to set a limit for water-based metalworking fluids. Consideration of this issue will go on within the same timescale.