Rank: Super forum user 
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I’m currently doing a CoSHH assessment for some pretty nasty stuff of which the MSDS indicates toxic. When recording the TWA8 AND STEL’s such as TWA8 -154 mg/m3 or STEL15 - 231mg/m3, it crossed my mind as how do I describe to a person on the shop floor what in physical quantity a 154 mg/m3 would look like
Any suggestions?
Badger
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Badger
If your 'nasty stuff' is present as a vapour, 154 mg/m3 won't look like anything as it will be invisible. If it is a dust or fume, you probably wouldn't be able to see across a room full of the stuff.
What is the nasty stuff anyway?
LB
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Rank: Super forum user
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Leadbelly
Of all things its paint and paint thinners. Fine dusts and vapours aside just to give them an idea in physical form would it look like a teaspoon ful of fluid or grains of salt heaped?
By the way quantities used are small, generally touching paint sctatches.
Badger
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Rank: Super forum user
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Badger
If we assume that your solvent is isobutanol (sg 0.806), then a teaspoon of it would weigh about 4 g. Therefore, 154 mg would be about 1/25 of a teaspoon.
LB
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Rank: Super forum user
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An alternative could be to explain briefly how potential exposure could occur (inhalation/skin), the health effects of such exposure and how you, as their employer are actually mitigating against the risk of exposure.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Jay mentions skin. There are no exposure limits for skin. Indeed the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has stated that:
“However, there is no scientific method of measuring the results of the body’s exposure to risk through dermal contact. Consequently no dermal exposure standards have been set.”
from “Occupational skin diseases and dermal exposure in the European Union (EU-25):policy and practice overview - European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
The employer has to 'adequately control' exposure but nowhere is it clearly defined what adequately controlled means.
So the employer is faced with a regulation that he must comply with but no indication of what he has to do to achieve compliance. I always think this is a bit like a speed limit sign, but no figure!
Chris
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