Specific Chemical Hazards
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is used as a fixative and is commonly found in most laboratories.
The employer must ensure that no worker is exposed to an airborne concentration of formaldehyde which exceeds 0.75 parts formaldehyde per million parts of air (0.75 ppm) in an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA), see 29 CFR 1910.1048(c)(1).
The Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to maintain a SDS, which manufacturers or distributors of formaldehyde are required to provide. The SDS must be kept in an area that is accessible to workers that may be exposed to formaldehyde.
Employers must provide the following to workers to prevent exposure:
- Appropriate PPE.
- Acceptable eye wash stations within the immediate work area for emergency use, if there is any possibility that a worker's eyes may be splashed with solutions containing 0.1 percent or greater formaldehyde.
For more information on formaldehyde, visit the CDC Toxic Substance Portal .
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4-5. What must the employer provide if there is a possibility that a worker's eyes are splashed with solutions containing formaldehyde?
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