Hazardous Chemical Substances Regulations, 1995

Exposure in mines

33.  The HCS Regulations and the occupational exposure limits in this publication do not apply to exposure to substances hazardous to health in mines.

Lead and asbestos

34.  Work with asbestos or lead is not subject to the HCS Regulations. The exposure limits for various types of asbestos and lead are specified in the Asbestos Regulations and the Lead Regulations.

Pesticides

35.  Substances used as active ingredients in pesticides are listed under their chemical names and/or their common (ISO) names. These names may sometimes be used as parts of the names of proprietary pesticide formulations. In all cases the exposure limit applies to the specific active ingredients and not to the formulation as a whole.

Dusts

36.  The general approach necessary to control occupational exposure to dusts is as follows: not all dusts have been assigned occupational exposure limits but the lack of such limits should not be taken to imply an absence of hazard. In the absence of a specific exposure limit for a particular dust, exposure should be adequately controlled. Where there is no indication of the need for a lower value, personal exposure should be kept below both 10 mg/m³ 8-hour time-weighted average total inhalable dust and 5 mg/m³ time-weighted average respirable dust. Such, or greater, dust concentrations should be taken as the substantial concentrations. A substantial concentration of dust should be taken as a concentration of 10 mg/m³, 8-hour time-weighted average, of respirable dust, where there is no indication of the need for a lower value, and as such they are referred to as substances hazardous to health.