Each year, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) publishes a list of substances for which they have set new or revised Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). A TLV is the airborne concentration of a chemical substance where it is believed that nearly all workers may be exposed over a working lifetime and experience no adverse health effects. TLVs may be expressed as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA), 15-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL), or ceiling limit.

Before adopting new or revised TLVs published by the ACGIH, WorkSafeBC reviews relevant data on health effects and the availability of validated sampling methods. WorkSafeBC also consults with stakeholders on potential implementation issues. WorkSafeBC’s existing B.C. Exposure Limits (ELs) continue to be in effect until the Board of Directors makes a decision on which new or revised ACGIH TLVs to adopt as B.C. ELs. See additional information on WorkSafeBC’s EL review process.

We are requesting stakeholder feedback on the proposed ELs for 24 substances.

(1) WorkSafeBC is proposing new or revised B.C. ELs for the following substances:

• Chromium and inorganic compounds: Metallic Chromium, as Cr(0)
• Cobalt and inorganic compounds, as Co
• Cyclopentadiene
• Dicyclopentadiene
• Dicyclopentadiene, including Cyclopentadiene (8-hour TWA only)
• Manganese, elemental and inorganic compounds, as Mn
• Resin acids, as total Resin acids
• Rosin core solder thermal decomposition products (colophony)
• Styrene
• 1,1,2,2-Tetrabromoethane
• Tin and inorganic compounds, excluding Tin hydride, as Sn, Metal
• Tin and inorganic compounds, excluding Tin hydride, as Sn, Oxide and Inorganic compounds
• Tin and inorganic compounds, excluding Tin hydride and Indium tin oxide, as Sn

(2) WorkSafeBC is proposing to retain the existing B.C. ELs for the following substances:

• Dicyclopentadiene, including Cyclopentadiene (15-minute STEL only)
• Formamide
• Indium tin oxide, as In
• Isobutyl nitrite
• Methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride isomers
• Methyl vinyl ketone
• Monomethylformamide
• o-Phthalaldehyde
• Propylene glycol ethyl ether
• Styrene oxide
• Sulfur pentafluoride
• m-Xylene α,α’-diamine

Providing feedback

Feedback can be provided online or via email, or mail as follows:

The consultation period ended February 2, 2024.

Please include the following information in your comments:

• Your name
• Whether you’re submitting on your own behalf or on behalf of an organization (name of your organization if you’re authorized to speak on its behalf; note that this information will be published)
• Whether you’re commenting from a worker’s perspective, an employer’s perspective, or an “other” perspective (representing a group such as a licensing or regulatory body, or a professional or industry association)
• Your level of support for the adoption of the proposed new or revised B.C. ELs in Tables 1 and 2, as well as your level of support for the retention of B.C. ELs in Table 3 — whether you generally agree, are generally neutral, or generally disagree
• The reasons for your level of support for the substances you are commenting on

We will send you an acknowledgment of receipt of your feedback.

Unless clarification is needed, we will not contact you about the contents of your submission.

Publication and disclosure of personal information

Please note that all comments become part of the Policy, Regulation and Research Department’s database and may be published, including the identity of organizations and those participating on behalf of organizations. The identity of those who have participated on their own behalf will be kept confidential according to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Publication by WorkSafeBC does not mean WorkSafeBC endorses the view(s) of the person making the submission.