Health and Safety Commission consults on new MELS

HSC press release C019:03 - 2 June 2003

A consultation document proposing two new maximum exposure limits (MELs) for substances hazardous to health was published by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) today.

HSC is proposing MELs for Refractory Ceramic Fibres (RCFs) and for Subtilisins. Employers have a duty under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 to control workplace exposures to hazardous substances. HSC sets MELs and Occupational Exposure Standards (OESs) to help them do this. HSC is consulting on whether the MEL for RCFs should be set at either 1 fibre/millilitre (f/ml), or at 0.5 f/ml (8-hour time-weighted average), and is particularly interested in the views of small firms as to whether the lower limit would be feasible.

RCFs are used as furnace and kiln linings and exposure to these fibres is currently covered under the general term of 'Machine-made mineral fibres' (MMMFs). Recently these two have been classified as Category 2 carcinogens because they may cause cancer in humans and therefore the HSC believes that RCFs should have a lower exposure limit than other MMMFs.

Subtilisins are enzymes, which are chiefly used in the manufacture of detergents and animal feeds. They are known to cause asthma. Up until January this year, they were subject to an OES of 0.00006 mg.m-3 (60 ng.m-3). HSC is seeking the views of consultees on the establishment of a MEL for subtilisins set at 0.00004 mg.m-3 (40 ng.m-3) (8-hour time-weighted average), and a Short Term Exposure Limit (15 minute reference period) set at the same level. Both limits are set on the basis of personal monitoring rather than, as previously, on static sampling.

Copies of the Consultation Document COSHH Regulations 2002 - Proposals for new Maximum Exposure Limits are available online at http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/.

Notes to editors

1. There are two types of occupational exposure limits, MELs and OESs. A MEL is set for substances which may cause the most serious health effects, such as cancer and occupational asthma. COSHH requires that exposure should be reduced as far below the MEL as is reasonably practicable and must never exceed the MEL. An OES is set at a level which based on an average eight hour exposure (based on current scientific knowledge) there is no indication of risk to the health of workers who breathe it in.

2. The text of the COSHH Regulations 2002 (which replaced the COSHH Regulations 1999 on 21 November 2002) can be found in Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (Fourth edition), The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, Approved Code of Practice and guidance, L5, HSE Books 2002, ISBN 0 7176 2534 6, price £10.50, available from HSE Books.

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