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| Occupational Safety & Health Administration |

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| Fact Sheets (Program Highlights)01/01/1997 - Highlights of OSHA 1,3-Butadiene Standard |
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| Fact Sheets (Program Highlights) - Table of Contents |
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| **U.S. Department of Labor Program Highlights**

Fact Sheet No. OSHA 97-55
**Editorial Note:** This fact sheet was originally printed as 54. Due to the fact that 54 is 'Silica Dust Exposures Can Cause Silicosis' this was changed to 55.
**HIGHLIGHTS OF OSHA 1,3-BUTADIENE STANDARD**
1,3-butadiene (BD) is a colorless, highly flammable, reactive gas. Domestic production totaled 3.0 billion pounds in1991. It is a probable human carcinogen believed to increase the risk of leukemia lung tumors and possibly othercancers as well as possible reproductive harm. Approximately 9,700 workers are potentially exposed to BD, with7,600 facing significantly high exposures.
**Scope and Effective dates**--covers all occupational exposures; mixtures with less than 0.1% butadiene are excluded.Storage, transportation, distribution or sale of BD in sealed pipelines is excluded except for labeling and emergencyresponse requirements. Most provisions take effect in 180 days, except employers have two years to implementengineering controls and three years to establish the exposure goal program.
**Exposure Limits**--8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure limit (PEL of 1 part BD per million partsair (ppm)); short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 5 ppm over a 15-minute period; and as action level of 0.5 ppm.
**Exposure Monitoring**--mandates monitoring every 12 months if samples register at or above the action level but at orbelow both PEL and the STEL; every three months if above the PEL or the STEL for eight samples within a two yearperiod, then every six months. Initial monitoring (or similar monitoring conducted within the two years before theeffective date of the monitoring requirement) must be completed within 60 days after the effectivedate of the standard or the introduction of BD into the workplace. If the initial monitoring is below the action level orobjective data indicate exposures below the action level and at or below the STEL, no further monitoring would benecessary unless there is a change in production, control equipment, personnel or work practices that might alterexposures. Additional monitoring needed for spills, leaks, ruptures or breakdowns.
Employees have the opportunity to observe exposure monitoring with employer provision of any needed protectivegear. Affected workers are to receive notification of monitoring results within 5 business days of employer receipt andnotice of corrective action within 15 business days after learning that exposures exceed PEL or STEL.
**Regulated Areas**--calls for employer to set aside and mark areas wherever airborne exposure exceed PEL or STELto limit access to authorized persons only. At multi-employer worksites, must notify other employers of hazard.
**Methods of Compliance**--requires employer to use feasible engineering and work practice controls to achieve PELand STEL or reduce exposures as much as possible. Respirators used for supplemental protection. Writtencompliance plan, revised every 12 months, for situations involving exposures over the PEL or STEL. Plan to includeschedule for developing and implementing engineering and work practice controls, Employee rotation prohibited to comply with PEL/STEL.
**Exposure Goal Program**--calls for employers todevelop written goals to reduce exposures to belowthe action level during normal operations, updatedas necessary. Must include leak prevention,detection and repair; local exhaust ventilationmaintenance; pump exposure control technology;gauging devices; unloading devices; andengineering controls for control rooms.
**Respiratory Protection**--to be used duringinstallation of engineering controls, in nonroutinework operations performed infrequently withlimited duration exposures and where engineeringcontrol are insufficient. Employer must provideNIOSH-approved respirators and ensure proper fitand use in line as outlined in the company'srespirator program. Employees must be allowed toleave regulated area to wash their faces andrespirator face pieces to prevent skin irritation or tochange filters as needed.
**Protective Clothing**--requires employer to provideprotective clothing, where necessary to prevent eyecontact and limit dermal exposure.
**Emergency Situations**--prescribes a written plan inline with requirements in OSHA's fire protectionand hazardous waste standards.
**Medical Screening and Surveillance**--mandatesand annual medical screening for (1) all employeesexposed at or above the action level for 30 days ormore; (2) employees exposed for 10-92 days at orabove the PEL or STEL; (3) employees who havehad exposure at or above the PEL or STEL 30 ormore days a year for 10 or more years; (4)employees who have had exposures at or above theaction level for 60 or more days a year; and (5)employees exposed to BD following an emergencysituation (within 48 hours). Medical surveillance:employer is to review aggregate medical screeningdata to explore whether the health of employeepopulation is adversely affected by exposure to BD.
Physical exams to be performed by physician orother licensed health care professional who is to beprovided a copy of the BD standard and detailedinformation about the employee's duties andexposures along with information on protectiveequipment used and information from previousmedical evaluations, if available. Exams to takeplace at reasonable time and place, without cost orloss of pay to employee.
Covered employees will fill out a healthquestionnaire each year that includes acomprehensive occupational and health history withparticular emphasis on blood and skin. They willundergo a complete blood count annually with testsconducted by an accredited laboratory. Employeeswill receive exams initially; before taking on dutiesinvolving BD exposure; every 3 years after initialexam; additionally as recommended by thephysician or licensed health care professional; whentransferred to another job not involving BDexposure; and upon termination, if more than 12months have elapsed since the last physical. Examswill focus particularly on the liver, spleen, Lymphnodes and skin and may include additional testsdeemed necessary by the health professionalconducting the exam, and employees may bereferred to specialists for further evaluation. Thehealth care professional conducting the evaluationmust provide a written opinion to the employer.
**Hazard Communicaiton**-- calls for initial andannual training inline with OSHA's hazardcommunicaiton standard.
**Recordkeeping**-- specifies that objective data usedinplace of monitoring exposures be maintained.Records of monitoring to be kept for 30 years,respirator fit test records maintained until the nextfit test, medical screening and surveillance recordsto be kept for the duration of employment plus 30years.
# # #This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a generaldescription only and does not carry the force of legal opinion. This information will be made available to sensoryimpaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 219-8151.Fact Sheets (Program Highlights) - Table of ContentsBack to Topwww.osha.govwww.dol.govContact Us |Freedom of Information Act |Customer SurveyPrivacy and Security Statement |DisclaimersOccupational Safety & Health Administration200 Constitution Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20210  |
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