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OSHA released new Guidance Document for Monitoring Ethylene Oxide

In OSHA’s recently published work ‘Small Business Guide for Ethylene Oxide’, you can read the requirements of ethylene oxide exposure levels and monitoring. This guideline has been especially documented to help employees understand the standard of ethylene oxide and how to monitor air quality in job site where ethylene oxide is processed, used and handled.

In the document, various types of ethylene oxide exposure monitoring and lists have been clarified. The exposure level used by OSHA has also been explained and an outline for the employers is provided to tell what they can do while monitoring. It also shows the exposure levels of ethylene that exceed the allowance limits.

Workers are often exposed to dangerous level of ethylene oxide as they are very hard to detect by smell or sight. Acting to this serious threat, OSHA had released the new standard which is very vital for the employees to know how they can measure the exposure level and avoid potential serious illnesses.

Ethylene oxide is an odorless and colorless gas which is widely used in hospitals for sterilizing the surgical equipment. You can also find it in antifreeze, adhesives, detergents and spices. When people are exposed to ethylene oxide for short term it can cause nausea and difficulty in breathing, among other symptoms. If exposed for a long tern then, more severe conditions like cancer and damage to the nervous system may occur.

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