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”).

The Board of Directors approved a new occupational exposure limit (“OEL”) review and adoption procedure. Under the new procedure, WorkSafeBC will review and stakeholders will be consulted on potential implementation issues prior to the adoption of the annual new or revised ACGIH TLVs. Until the Board makes a decision on which of the annual new or revised ACGIH TLVs are adopted as BC OELs, the existing OELs for these substances continue to be in effect.

WorkSafeBC requested stakeholder feedback on whether the changes to the 2011 ACGIH TLVs should be adopted as BC OELs:

1. Exposure limit changes for the following substances (some with notation changes):

• Acetic anhydride
• Carbon black
• Ethyl benzene
• Maleic anhydride
• Methyl isopropyl ketone
• 2,4-Pentanedione
• 4,4’-Thiobis(6-tert-butyl-m-cresol)

2. Notation changes for the following substances (no exposure limit changes):

• Allyl chloride
• Methylacrylonitrile

3. Specific exposure limit to be withdrawn for the following substance:

• Soapstone

Consultation closed May 31, 2011.