The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides multiple recommendations and requirements for American businesses to keep their employees and their workplaces safe. For many facilities this means minimizing the exposure for air contaminants that can become hazardous to staff. Here is a quick look at the basics regarding air contaminants. It is important to recognize that there are many possibilities so you will need to look into the specifics for your industry and follow the recommended requirements.

Ceiling Values

The ceiling values of air quality depend on the contaminants which are found in the air and how long they linger. The exact calculations for these are available on the OSHA website in a table form and can be used to determine the safety of your facility in regards to air quality.

Time Limits

Your employees’ time within these environments must be regulated according to OSHA’s recommendations. The tables available on the OSHA website provide information about the concentration of contaminants and the amount of time employees can spend in those areas.

Acceptable Concentrations

The OSHA tables and requirements do provide information on the acceptable concentrations for manufacturing facilities and other workplace environments. If your company is able to stay below the threshold for air contaminants your employees are considered safe.

Employee Work Shifts

Since the length of time an employee can work in this environment is dependent on the air quality you may wish you create work shifts that allow for all employees to transition to another area or end their shift completely before the allotted time. To determine how long your shifts should be, consult the tables on the OSHA website.

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