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815 Demolition Safety
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Permissible Exposure

Action level: The action level is the degree of employee exposure, without regard to the use of respirators, to an airborne concentration of lead of 30 micrograms per cubic meter of air (30 ug/m3) calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Employers must determine if their employees performing manual demolition may be exposed to lead at or above the action level.

Permissible exposure limit (PEL): Employers must make sure that employees are not exposed to lead at concentrations greater than fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 ug/m3) averaged over an 8-hour period.

If employees are exposed to lead for more than 8 hours in any work day, the permissible exposure limit, as a time weighted average (TWA) for that day, must be reduced according to the following formula:

Maximum permissible limit (in ug/m3) = 400 divided by hours worked in the day.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

8-2. Who is responsible for determining if employees performing manual demolition may be exposed to lead at or above the action level?