Methylene Chloride Standard 1910.1052

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§ 1910.1052

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

§ 1910.1052 Methylene Chloride.
This occupational health standard establishes requirements for employers
to control occupational exposure to
methylene chloride (MC). Employees
exposed to MC are at increased risk of
developing cancer, adverse effects on
the heart, central nervous system and
liver, and skin or eye irritation. Exposure may occur through inhalation, by
absorption through the skin, or
through contact with the skin. MC is a
solvent which is used in many different
types of work activities, such as paint
stripping, polyurethane foam manufacturing, and cleaning and degreasing.
Under the requirements of paragraph
(d) of this section, each covered employer must make an initial determination of each employee’s exposure
to MC. If the employer determines that
employees are exposed below the action level, the only other provisions of
this section that apply are that a
record must be made of the determination, the employees must receive information and training under paragraph
(l) of this section and, where appropriate, employees must be protected
from contact with liquid MC under
paragraph (h) of this section. The provisions of the MC standard are as follows:
(a) Scope and application. This section
applies to all occupational exposures to
methylene chloride (MC), Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number 75–09–
2, in general industry, construction and
shipyard employment.
(b) Definitions. For the purposes of
this section, the following definitions
shall apply:
Action level means a concentration of
airborne MC of 12.5 parts per million
(ppm) calculated as an eight (8)-hour
time-weighted average (TWA).
Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, or designee.
Authorized person means any person
specifically authorized by the employer
and required by work duties to be
present in regulated areas, or any person entering such an area as a designated representative of employees for
the purpose of exercising the right to
observe monitoring and measuring procedures under paragraph (d) of this sec-

tion, or any other person authorized by
the OSH Act or regulations issued
under the Act.
Director means the Director of the
National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, or designee.
Emergency means any occurrence,
such as, but not limited to, equipment
failure, rupture of containers, or failure of control equipment, which results, or is likely to result in an uncontrolled release of MC. If an incidental
release of MC can be controlled by employees such as maintenance personnel
at the time of release and in accordance with the leak/spill provisions required by paragraph (f) of this section,
it is not considered an emergency as
defined by this standard.
Employee exposure means exposure to
airborne MC which occurs or would
occur if the employee were not using
respiratory protection.
Methylene chloride (MC) means an organic compound with chemical formula, CH2 Cl2. Its Chemical Abstracts
Service Registry Number is 75–09–2. Its
molecular weight is 84.9 g/mole.
Physician or other licensed health care
professional is an individual whose legally permitted scope of practice (i.e.,
license, registration, or certification)
allows him or her to independently provide or be delegated the responsibility
to provide some or all of the health
care services required by paragraph (j)
of this section.
Regulated area means an area, demarcated by the employer, where an employee’s exposure to airborne concentrations of MC exceeds or can reasonably be expected to exceed either
the 8-hour TWA PEL or the STEL.
Symptom means central nervous system effects such as headaches, disorientation, dizziness, fatigue, and decreased attention span; skin effects
such as chapping, erythema, cracked
skin, or skin burns; and cardiac effects
such as chest pain or shortness of
breath.
This section means this methylene
chloride standard.
(c) Permissible exposure limits (PELs)—
(1) Eight-hour time-weighted average
(TWA) PEL. The employer shall ensure

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor

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that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of MC in excess of
twenty-five parts of MC per million
parts of air (25 ppm) as an 8-hour TWA.
(2) Short-term exposure limit (STEL).
The employer shall ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of MC in excess of one hundred and twenty-five parts of MC per
million parts of air (125 ppm) as determined over a sampling period of fifteen
minutes.
(d) Exposure monitoring—(1) Characterization of employee exposure. (i) Where
MC is present in the workplace, the
employer shall determine each employee’s exposure by either:
(A) Taking a personal breathing zone
air sample of each employee’s exposure; or
(B) Taking personal breathing zone
air samples that are representative of
each employee’s exposure.
(ii) Representative samples. The employer may consider personal breathing
zone air samples to be representative of
employee exposures when they are
taken as follows:
(A) 8-hour TWA PEL. The employer
has taken one or more personal breathing zone air samples for at least one
employee in each job classification in a
work area during every work shift, and
the employee sampled is expected to
have the highest MC exposure.
(B) Short-term exposure limits. The employer has taken one or more personal
breathing zone air samples which indicate the highest likely 15-minute exposures during such operations for at
least one employee in each job classification in the work area during every
work shift, and the employee sampled
is expected to have the highest MC exposure.
(C) Exception. Personal breathing
zone air samples taken during one
work shift may be used to represent
employee exposures on other work
shifts where the employer can document that the tasks performed and
conditions in the workplace are similar
across shifts.
(iii) Accuracy of monitoring. The employer shall ensure that the methods

§ 1910.1052

used to perform exposure monitoring
produce results that are accurate to a
confidence level of 95 percent, and are:
(A) Within plus or minus 25 percent
for airborne concentrations of MC
above the 8-hour TWA PEL or the
STEL; or
(B) Within plus or minus 35 percent
for airborne concentrations of MC at or
above the action level but at or below
the 8-hour TWA PEL.
(2) Initial determination. Each employer whose employees are exposed to
MC shall perform initial exposure monitoring to determine each affected employee’s exposure, except under the following conditions:
(i) Where objective data demonstrate
that MC cannot be released in the
workplace in airborne concentrations
at or above the action level or above
the STEL. The objective data shall represent the highest MC exposures likely
to occur under reasonably foreseeable
conditions of processing, use, or handling. The employer shall document
the objective data exemption as specified in paragraph (m) of this section;
(ii) Where the employer has performed exposure monitoring within 12
months prior to April 10, 1997 and that
exposure monitoring meets all other
requirements of this section, and was
conducted under conditions substantially equivalent to existing conditions; or
(iii) Where employees are exposed to
MC on fewer than 30 days per year (e.g.,
on a construction site), and the employer has measurements by directreading instruments which give immediate results (such as a detector tube)
and which provide sufficient information regarding employee exposures to
determine what control measures are
necessary to reduce exposures to acceptable levels.
(3) Periodic monitoring. Where the initial determination shows employee exposures at or above the action level or
above the STEL, the employer shall establish an exposure monitoring program for periodic monitoring of employee exposure to MC in accordance
with Table 1:

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§ 1910.1052

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

TABLE 1—INITIAL DETERMINATION EXPOSURE SCENARIOS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED MONITORING
FREQUENCIES
Exposure scenario

Required monitoring activity

Below the action level and at or below the
STEL.
Below the action level and above the STEL
At or above the action level, at or below
the TWA, and at or below the STEL.
At or above the action level, at or below
the TWA, and above the STEL.
Above the TWA and at or below the STEL

Above the TWA and above the STEL ........

No 8-hour TWA or STEL monitoring required.
No 8-hour TWA monitoring required; monitor STEL exposures every three months.
Monitor 8-hour TWA exposures every six months.
Monitor 8-hour TWA exposures every six months and monitor STEL exposures
every three months.
Monitor 8-hour TWA exposures every three months. In addition, without regard to
the last sentence of the note to paragraph (d)(3), the following employers must
monitor STEL exposures every three months until either the date by which they
must achieve the 8-hour TWA PEL under paragraph (n) of this section or the
date by which they in fact achieve the 8-hour TWA PEL, whichever comes first:
employers engaged in polyurethane foam manufacturing; foam fabrication; furniture refinishing; general aviation aircraft stripping; product formulation; use of
MC-based adhesives for boat building and repair, recreational vehicle manufacture, van conversion, or upholstery; and use of MC in construction work for restoration and preservation of buildings, painting and paint removal, cabinet making, or floor refinishing and resurfacing.
Monitor 8-hour TWA exposures and STEL exposures every three months.

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[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (d)(3): The employer
may decrease the frequency of 8-hour TWA
exposure monitoring to every six months
when at least two consecutive measurements
taken at least seven days apart show exposures to be at or below the 8-hour TWA PEL.
The employer may discontinue the periodic
8-hour TWA monitoring for employees where
at least two consecutive measurements
taken at least seven days apart are below the
action level. The employer may discontinue
the periodic STEL monitoring for employees
where at least two consecutive measurements taken at least 7 days apart are at or
below the STEL.]

(4) Additional monitoring. (i) The employer shall perform exposure monitoring when a change in workplace
conditions indicates that employee exposure may have increased. Examples
of situations that may require additional monitoring include changes in
production, process, control equipment, or work practices, or a leak, rupture, or other breakdown.
(ii) Where exposure monitoring is
performed due to a spill, leak, rupture
or equipment breakdown, the employer
shall clean-up the MC and perform the
appropriate repairs before monitoring.
(5) Employee notification of monitoring
results. (i) The employer shall, within
15 working days after the receipt of the
results of any monitoring performed
under this section, notify each affected
employee of these results in writing,
either individually or by posting of results in an appropriate location that is
accessible to affected employees.

(ii) Whenever monitoring results indicate that employee exposure is above
the 8-hour TWA PEL or the STEL, the
employer shall describe in the written
notification the corrective action being
taken to reduce employee exposure to
or below the 8-hour TWA PEL or STEL
and the schedule for completion of this
action.
(6) Observation of monitoring—(i) Employee observation. The employer shall
provide affected employees or their
designated representatives an opportunity to observe any monitoring of
employee exposure to MC conducted in
accordance with this section.
(ii) Observation procedures. When observation of the monitoring of employee exposure to MC requires entry
into an area where the use of protective clothing or equipment is required,
the employer shall provide, at no cost
to the observer(s), and the observer(s)
shall be required to use such clothing
and equipment and shall comply with
all other applicable safety and health
procedures.
(e) Regulated areas. (1) The employer
shall establish a regulated area wherever an employee’s exposure to airborne concentrations of MC exceeds or
can reasonably be expected to exceed
either the 8-hour TWA PEL or the
STEL.
(2) The employer shall limit access to
regulated areas to authorized persons.
(3) The employer shall supply a respirator, selected in accordance with

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
paragraph (h)(3) of this section, to each
person who enters a regulated area and
shall require each affected employee to
use that respirator whenever MC exposures are likely to exceed the 8-hour
TWA PEL or STEL.

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[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (e)(3): An employer
who has implemented all feasible engineering, work practice and administrative controls (as required in paragraph (f) of this section), and who has established a regulated
area (as required by paragraph (e)(1) of this
section) where MC exposure can be reliably
predicted to exceed the 8-hour TWA PEL or
the STEL only on certain days (for example,
because of work or process schedule) would
need to have affected employees use respirators in that regulated area only on those
days.]

(4) The employer shall ensure that,
within a regulated area, employees do
not engage in non-work activities
which may increase dermal or oral MC
exposure.
(5) The employer shall ensure that
while employees are wearing respirators, they do not engage in activities (such as taking medication or
chewing gum or tobacco) which interfere with respirator seal or performance.
(6) The employer shall demarcate
regulated areas from the rest of the
workplace in any manner that adequately establishes and alerts employees to the boundaries of the area and
minimizes the number of authorized
employees exposed to MC within the
regulated area.
(7) An employer at a multi-employer
worksite who establishes a regulated
area shall communicate the access restrictions and locations of these areas
to all other employers with work operations at that worksite.
(f) Methods of compliance—(1) Engineering and work practice controls. The
employer shall institute and maintain
the effectiveness of engineering controls and work practices to reduce employee exposure to or below the PELs
except to the extent that the employer
can demonstrate that such controls are
not feasible. Wherever the feasible engineering controls and work practices
which can be instituted are not sufficient to reduce employee exposure to
or below the 8–TWA PEL or STEL, the
employer shall use them to reduce employee exposure to the lowest levels

§ 1910.1052

achievable by these controls and shall
supplement them by the use of respiratory protection that complies with
the requirements of paragraph (g) of
this section.
(2) Prohibition of rotation. The employer shall not implement a schedule
of employee rotation as a means of
compliance with the PELs.
(3) Leak and spill detection. (i) The employer shall implement procedures to
detect leaks of MC in the workplace. In
work areas where spills may occur, the
employer shall make provisions to contain any spills and to safely dispose of
any MC-contaminated waste materials.
(ii) The employer shall ensure that
all incidental leaks are repaired and
that incidental spills are cleaned
promptly by employees who use the appropriate personal protective equipment and are trained in proper methods of cleanup.
[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (f)(3)(ii): See Appendix A of this section for examples of procedures that satisfy this requirement. Employers covered by this standard may also be subject to the hazardous waste and emergency
response provisions contained in 29 CFR
1910.120 (q).]

(g) Respiratory protection—(1) General.
For employees who use respirators required by this section, the employer
must provide respirators that comply
with the requirements of this paragraph. Respirators must be used during:
(i) Periods when an employee’s exposure to MC exceeds the 8-hour TWA
PEL, or STEL (for example, when an
employee is using MC in a regulated
area).
(ii) Periods necessary to install or
implement feasible engineering and
work-practice controls.
(iii) A few work operations, such as
some maintenance operations and repair activities, for which the employer
demonstrates that engineering and
work-practice controls are infeasible.
(iv) Work operations for which feasible engineering and work-practice
controls are not sufficient to reduce
employee exposures to or below the
PELs.
(v) Emergencies.
(2) Respirator program. (i) The employer must implement a respiratory
protection program in accordance with

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§ 1910.1052

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

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29 CFR 1910.134 (b) through (m) (except
(d)(1)(iii) and (d)(3)(iii)(B) (1) and (2)).
(ii) Employers who provide employees with gas masks with organic-vapor
canisters for the purpose of emergency
escape must replace the canisters after
any emergency use and before the gas
masks are returned to service.
(3) Respirator selection. Employers
must:
(i) Select, and provide to employees,
the appropriate atmosphere-supplying
respirator
specified
in
paragraph
(d)(3)(i)(A) of 29 CFR 1910.134; however,
employers must not select or use half
masks of any type because MC may
cause eye irritation or damage.
(ii) For emergency escape, provide
employees with one of the following
respirator options: A self-contained
breathing apparatus operated in the
continuous-flow or pressure-demand
mode; or a gas mask with an organic
vapor canister.
(4) Medical evaluation. Before having
an employee use a supplied-air respirator in the negative-pressure mode,
or a gas mask with an organic-vapor
canister for emergency escape, the employer must:
(i) Have a physician or other licensed
health-care
professional
(PLHCP)
evaluate the employee’s ability to use
such respiratory protection.
(ii) Ensure that the PLHCP provides
their findings in a written opinion to
the employee and the employer.
(h) Protective Work Clothing and
Equipment. (1) Where needed to prevent
MC-induced skin or eye irritation, the
employer shall provide clean protective
clothing and equipment which is resistant to MC, at no cost to the employee,
and shall ensure that each affected employee uses it. Eye and face protection
shall meet the requirements of 29 CFR
1910.133 or 29 CFR 1915.153, as applicable.
(2) The employer shall clean, launder,
repair and replace all protective clothing and equipment required by this
paragraph as needed to maintain their
effectiveness.
(3) The employer shall be responsible
for the safe disposal of such clothing
and equipment.
[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (h)(4): See Appendix A
for examples of disposal procedures that will
satisfy this requirement.]

(i) Hygiene facilities. (1) If it is reasonably foreseeable that employees’ skin
may contact solutions containing 0.1
percent or greater MC (for example,
through splashes, spills or improper
work practices), the employer shall
provide conveniently located washing
facilities capable of removing the MC,
and shall ensure that affected employees use these facilities as needed.
(2) If it is reasonably foreseeable that
an employee’s eyes may contact solutions containing 0.1 percent or greater
MC (for example through splashes,
spills or improper work practices), the
employer shall provide appropriate
eyewash facilities within the immediate work area for emergency use, and
shall ensure that affected employees
use those facilities when necessary.
(j) Medical surveillance—(1) Affected
employees. The employer shall make
medical surveillance available for employees who are or may be exposed to
MC as follows:
(i) At or above the action level on 30
or more days per year, or above the 8hour TWA PEL or the STEL on 10 or
more days per year;
(ii) Above the 8–TWA PEL or STEL
for any time period where an employee
has been identified by a physician or
other licensed health care professional
as being at risk from cardiac disease or
from some other serious MC-related
health condition and such employee requests inclusion in the medical surveillance program;
(iii) During an emergency.
(2) Costs. The employer shall provide
all required medical surveillance at no
cost to affected employees, without
loss of pay and at a reasonable time
and place.
(3) Medical personnel. The employer
shall ensure that all medical surveillance procedures are performed by a
physician or other licensed health care
professional, as defined in paragraph
(b) of this section.
(4) Frequency of medical surveillance.
The employer shall make medical surveillance available to each affected employee as follows:
(i) Initial surveillance. The employer
shall provide initial medical surveillance under the schedule provided by
paragraph (n)(2)(iii) of this section, or
before the time of initial assignment of

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the employee, whichever is later. The
employer need not provide the initial
surveillance if medical records show
that an affected employee has been
provided with medical surveillance
that complies with this section within
12 months before April 10, 1997.
(ii) Periodic medical surveillance. The
employer shall update the medical and
work history for each affected employee annually. The employer shall
provide periodic physical examinations, including appropriate laboratory
surveillance, as follows:
(A) For employees 45 years of age or
older, within 12 months of the initial
surveillance or any subsequent medical
surveillance; and
(B) For employees younger than 45
years of age, within 36 months of the
initial surveillance or any subsequent
medical surveillance.
(iii) Termination of employment or reassignment. When an employee leaves the
employer’s workplace, or is reassigned
to an area where exposure to MC is
consistently at or below the action
level and STEL, medical surveillance
shall be made available if six months
or more have elapsed since the last
medical surveillance.
(iv) Additional surveillance. The employer shall provide additional medical
surveillance at frequencies other than
those listed above when recommended
in the written medical opinion. (For
example, the physician or other licensed health care professional may
determine an examination is warranted
in less than 36 months for employees
younger than 45 years of age based
upon evaluation of the results of the
annual medical and work history.)
(5) Content of medical surveillance—(i)
Medical and work history. The comprehensive medical and work history
shall emphasize neurological symptoms, skin conditions, history of hematologic or liver disease, signs or symptoms suggestive of heart disease (angina, coronary artery disease), risk factors for cardiac disease, MC exposures,
and work practices and personal protective equipment used during such exposures.
[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (j)(5)(i): See Appendix
B of this section for an example of a medical
and work history format that would satisfy
this requirement.]

§ 1910.1052

(ii) Physical examination. Where physical examinations are provided as required above, the physician or other licensed health care professional shall
accord particular attention to the
lungs, cardiovascular system (including blood pressure and pulse), liver,
nervous system, and skin. The physician or other licensed health care professional shall determine the extent
and nature of the physical examination
based on the health status of the employee and analysis of the medical and
work history.
(iii) Laboratory surveillance. The physician or other licensed health care
professional shall determine the extent
of any required laboratory surveillance
based on the employee’s observed
health status and the medical and
work history.
[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (j)(5)(iii): See Appendix B of this section for information regarding medical tests. Laboratory surveillance
may
include
beforeand
after-shift
carboxyhemoglobin determinations, resting
ECG, hematocrit, liver function tests and
cholesterol levels.]

(iv) Other information or reports. The
medical surveillance shall also include
any other information or reports the
physician or other licensed health care
professional determines are necessary
to assess the employee’s health in relation to MC exposure.
(6) Content of emergency medical surveillance. The employer shall ensure
that medical surveillance made available when an employee has been exposed to MC in emergency situations
includes, at a minimum:
(i) Appropriate emergency treatment
and decontamination of the exposed
employee;
(ii) Comprehensive physical examination with special emphasis on the nervous system, cardiovascular system,
lungs, liver and skin, including blood
pressure and pulse;
(iii) Updated medical and work history, as appropriate for the medical
condition of the employee; and
(iv) Laboratory surveillance, as indicated by the employee’s health status.
[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (j)(6)(iv): See Appendix B for examples of tests which may be appropriate.]

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§ 1910.1052

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

(7) Additional examinations and referrals. Where the physician or other licensed health care professional determines it is necessary, the scope of the
medical examination shall be expanded
and the appropriate additional medical
surveillance, such as referrals for consultation or examination, shall be provided.
(8) Information provided to the physician or other licensed health care professional. The employer shall provide the
following information to a physician or
other licensed health care professional
who is involved in the diagnosis of MCinduced health effects:
(i) A copy of this section including
its applicable appendices;
(ii) A description of the affected employee’s past, current and anticipated
future duties as they relate to the employee’s MC exposure;
(iii) The employee’s former or current exposure levels or, for employees
not yet occupationally exposed to MC,
the employee’s anticipated exposure
levels and the frequency and exposure
levels anticipated to be associated with
emergencies;
(iv) A description of any personal
protective equipment, such as respirators, used or to be used; and
(v) Information from previous employment-related medical surveillance
of the affected employee which is not
otherwise available to the physician or
other licensed health care professional.
(9) Written medical opinions. (i) For
each physical examination required by
this section, the employer shall ensure
that the physician or other licensed
health care professional provides to the
employer and to the affected employee
a written opinion regarding the results
of that examination within 15 days of
completion of the evaluation of medical and laboratory findings, but not
more than 30 days after the examination. The written medical opinion shall
be limited to the following information:
(A) The physician or other licensed
health care professional’s opinion concerning whether exposure to MC may
contribute to or aggravate the employee’s existing cardiac, hepatic, neurological (including stroke) or dermal
disease or whether the employee has
any other medical condition(s) that

would place the employee’s health at
increased risk of material impairment
from exposure to MC.
(B) Any recommended limitations
upon the employee’s exposure to MC,
including removal from MC exposure,
or upon the employee’s use of respirators, protective clothing, or other
protective equipment.
(C) A statement that the employee
has been informed by the physician or
other licensed health care professional
that MC is a potential occupational
carcinogen, of risk factors for heart
disease, and the potential for exacerbation of underlying heart disease by
exposure to MC through its metabolism
to carbon monoxide; and
(D) A statement that the employee
has been informed by the physician or
other licensed health care professional
of the results of the medical examination and any medical conditions resulting from MC exposure which require
further explanation or treatment.
(ii) The employer shall instruct the
physician or other licensed health care
professional not to reveal to the employer, orally or in the written opinion, any specific records, findings, and
diagnoses that have no bearing on occupational exposure to MC.
[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (j)(9)(ii): The written
medical opinion may also include information and opinions generated to comply with
other OSHA health standards.]

(10) Medical presumption. For purposes
of this paragraph (j) of this section, the
physician or other licensed health care
professional shall presume, unless medical evidence indicates to the contrary,
that a medical condition is unlikely to
require medical removal from MC exposure if the employee is not exposed to
MC above the 8-hour TWA PEL. If the
physician or other licensed health care
professional recommends removal for
an employee exposed below the 8-hour
TWA PEL, the physician or other licensed health care professional shall
cite specific medical evidence, sufficient to rebut the presumption that exposure below the 8-hour TWA PEL is
unlikely to require removal, to support
the recommendation. If such evidence
is cited by the physician or other licensed health care professional, the
employer must remove the employee.
If such evidence is not cited by the

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
physician or other licensed health care
professional, the employer is not required to remove the employee.
(11) Medical Removal Protection (MRP).
(i) Temporary medical removal and return of an employee.
(A) Except as provided in paragraph
(j)(10) of this section, when a medical
determination recommends removal
because the employee’s exposure to MC
may contribute to or aggravate the
employee’s existing cardiac, hepatic,
neurological (including stroke), or skin
disease, the employer must provide
medical removal protection benefits to
the employee and either:
(1) Transfer the employee to comparable work where methylene chloride
exposure is below the action level; or
(2) Remove the employee from MC
exposure.
(B) If comparable work is not available and the employer is able to demonstrate that removal and the costs of
extending MRP benefits to an additional employee, considering feasibility in relation to the size of the employer’s business and the other requirements of this standard, make further
reliance on MRP an inappropriate remedy, the employer may retain the additional employee in the existing job
until transfer or removal becomes appropriate, provided:
(1) The employer ensures that the
employee receives additional medical
surveillance, including a physical examination at least every 60 days until
transfer or removal occurs; and
(2) The employer or PLHCP informs
the employee of the risk to the employee’s health from continued MC exposure.
(C) The employer shall maintain in
effect any job-related protective measures or limitations, other than removal, for as long as a medical determination recommends them to be necessary.
(ii) End of MRP benefits and return
of the employee to former job status.
(A) The employer may cease providing MRP benefits at the earliest of
the following:
(1) Six months;
(2) Return of the employee to the employee’s former job status following receipt of a medical determination concluding that the employee’s exposure

§ 1910.1052

to MC no longer will aggravate any
cardiac, hepatic, neurological (including stroke), or dermal disease;
(3) Receipt of a medical determination concluding that the employee can
never return to MC exposure.
(B) For the purposes of this paragraph (j), the requirement that an employer return an employee to the employee’s former job status is not intended to expand upon or restrict any
rights an employee has or would have
had, absent temporary medical removal, to a specific job classification
or position under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement.
(12) Medical removal protection benefits.
(i) For purposes of this paragraph (j),
the term medical removal protection
benefits means that, for each removal,
an employer must maintain for up to
six months the earnings, seniority, and
other employment rights and benefits
of the employee as though the employee had not been removed from MC
exposure or transferred to a comparable job.
(ii) During the period of time that an
employee is removed from exposure to
MC, the employer may condition the
provision of medical removal protection benefits upon the employee’s participation in follow-up medical surveillance made available pursuant to this
section.
(iii) If a removed employee files a
workers’ compensation claim for a MCrelated disability, the employer shall
continue the MRP benefits required by
this paragraph until either the claim is
resolved or the 6-month period for payment f MRP benefits has passed, whichever occurs first. To the extent the employee is entitled to indemnity payments for earnings lost during the period of removal, the employer’s obligation to provide medical removal protection benefits to the employee shall
be reduced by the amount of such indemnity payments.
(iv) The employer’s obligation to provide medical removal protection benefits to a removed employee shall be reduced to the extent that the employee
receives compensation for earnings lost
during the period of removal from either a publicly or an employer-funded
compensation program, or receives income from employment with another

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§ 1910.1052

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employer made possible by virtue of
the employee’s removal.
(13) Voluntary removal or restriction of
an employee. Where an employer, although not required by this section to
do so, removes an employee from exposure to MC or otherwise places any
limitation on an employee due to the
effects of MC exposure on the employee’s medical condition, the employer
shall provide medical removal protection benefits to the employee equal to
those required by paragraph (j)(12) of
this section.
(14) Multiple health care professional
review mechanism. (i) If the employer
selects the initial physician or licensed
health care professional (PLHCP) to
conduct any medical examination or
consultation provided to an employee
under this paragraph (j)(11), the employer shall notify the employee of the
right to seek a second medical opinion
each time the employer provides the
employee with a copy of the written
opinion of that PLHCP.
(ii) If the employee does not agree
with the opinion of the employer-selected PLHCP, notifies the employer of
that fact, and takes steps to make an
appointment with a second PLHCP
within 15 days of receiving a copy of
the written opinion of the initial
PLHCP, the employer shall pay for the
PLHCP chosen by the employee to perform at least the following:
(A) Review any findings, determinations or recommendations of the initial
PLHCP; and
(B) Conduct such examinations, consultations, and laboratory tests as the
PLHCP deems necessary to facilitate
this review.
(iii) If the findings, determinations
or recommendations of the second
PLHCP differ from those of the initial
PLHCP, then the employer and the employee shall instruct the two health
care professionals to resolve the disagreement.
(iv) If the two health care professionals are unable to resolve their disagreement within 15 days, then those
two health care professionals shall
jointly designate a PLHCP who is a
specialist in the field at issue. The employer shall pay for the specialist to
perform at least the following:

(A) Review the findings, determinations, and recommendations of the first
two PLHCPs; and
(B) Conduct such examinations, consultations, laboratory tests and discussions with the prior PLHCPs as the
specialist deems necessary to resolve
the disagreements of the prior health
care professionals.
(v) The written opinion of the specialist shall be the definitive medical
determination. The employer shall act
consistent with the definitive medical
determination, unless the employer
and employee agree that the written
opinion of one of the other two
PLHCPs shall be the definitive medical
determination.
(vi) The employer and the employee
or authorized employee representative
may agree upon the use of any expeditious alternate health care professional
determination mechanism in lieu of
the multiple health care professional
review mechanism provided by this
paragraph so long as the alternate
mechanism otherwise satisfies the requirements contained in this paragraph.
(k) Hazard communication. The employer shall communicate the following hazards associated with MC on
labels and in material safety data
sheets in accordance with the requirements of the Hazard Communication
Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, 29 CFR
1915.1200, or 29 CFR 1926.59, as
appropiate: cancer, cardiac effects (including
elevation
of
carboxyhemoglobin), central nervous
system effects, liver effects, and skin
and eye irritation.
(l) Employee information and training.
(1) The employer shall provide information and training for each affected employee prior to or at the time of initial
assignment to a job involving potential
exposure to MC.
(2) The employer shall ensure that information and training is presented in
a manner that is understandable to the
employees.
(3) In addition to the information required under the Hazard Communication Standard at 29 CFR 1910.1200, 29
CFR 1915.1200, or 29 CFR 1926.59, as
appropiate:
(i) The employer shall inform each
affected employee of the requirements

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
of this section and information available in its appendices, as well as how to
access or obtain a copy of it in the
workplace;
(ii) Wherever an employee’s exposure
to airborne concentrations of MC exceeds or can reasonably be expected to
exceed the action level, the employer
shall inform each affected employee of
the quantity, location, manner of use,
release, and storage of MC and the specific operations in the workplace that
could result in exposure to MC, particularly noting where exposures may
be above the 8-hour TWA PEL or
STEL;
(4) The employer shall train each affected employee as required under the
Hazard Communication standard at 29
CFR 1910.1200, 29 CFR 1915.1200, or 29
CFR 1926.59, as appropiate.
(5) The employer shall re-train each
affected employee as necessary to ensure that each employee exposed above
the action level or the STEL maintains
the requisite understanding of the principles of safe use and handling of MC in
the workplace.
(6) Whenever there are workplace
changes, such as modifications of tasks
or procedures or the institution of new
tasks or procedures, which increase
employee exposure, and where those
exposures exceed or can reasonably be
expected to exceed the action level, the
employer shall update the training as
necessary to ensure that each affected
employee has the requisite proficiency.
(7) An employer whose employees are
exposed to MC at a multi-employer
worksite shall notify the other employers with work operations at that site in
accordance with the requirements of
the Hazard Communication Standard,
29 CFR 1910.1200, 29 CFR 1915.1200, or 29
CFR 1926.59, as appropiate.
(8) The employer shall provide to the
Assistant Secretary or the Director,
upon request, all available materials
relating to employee information and
training.
(m) Recordkeeping—(1) Objective data.
(i) Where an employer seeks to demonstrate that initial monitoring is unnecessary through reasonable reliance
on objective data showing that any materials in the workplace containing MC
will not release MC at levels which exceed the action level or the STEL

§ 1910.1052

under foreseeable conditions of exposure, the employer shall establish and
maintain an accurate record of the objective data relied upon in support of
the exemption.
(ii) This record shall include at least
the following information:
(A) The MC-containing material in
question;
(B) The source of the objective data;
(C) The testing protocol, results of
testing, and/or analysis of the material
for the release of MC;
(D) A description of the operation exempted under paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this
section and how the data support the
exemption; and
(E) Other data relevant to the operations, materials, processing, or employee exposures covered by the exemption.
(iii) The employer shall maintain
this record for the duration of the employer’s reliance upon such objective
data.
(2) Exposure measurements. (i) The employer shall establish and keep an accurate record of all measurements
taken to monitor employee exposure to
MC as prescribed in paragraph (d) of
this section.
(ii) Where the employer has 20 or
more employees, this record shall include at least the following information:
(A) The date of measurement for each
sample taken;
(B) The operation involving exposure
to MC which is being monitored;
(C) Sampling and analytical methods
used and evidence of their accuracy;
(D) Number, duration, and results of
samples taken;
(E) Type of personal protective
equipment, such as respiratory protective devices, worn, if any; and
(F) Name, social security number, job
classification and exposure of all of the
employees represented by monitoring,
indicating which employees were actually monitored.
(iii) Where the employer has fewer
than 20 employees, the record shall include at least the following information:
(A) The date of measurement for each
sample taken;
(B) Number, duration, and results of
samples taken; and

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§ 1910.1052

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

(C) Name, social security number, job
classification and exposure of all of the
employees represented by monitoring,
indicating which employees were actually monitored.
(iv) The employer shall maintain this
record for at least thirty (30) years, in
accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1020.
(3) Medical surveillance. (i) The employer shall establish and maintain an
accurate record for each employee subject to medical surveillance under
paragraph (j) of this section.
(ii) The record shall include at least
the following information:
(A) The name, social security number
and description of the duties of the employee;
(B) Written medical opinions; and
(C) Any employee medical conditions
related to exposure to MC.
(iii) The employer shall ensure that
this record is maintained for the duration of employment plus thirty (30)
years, in accordance with 29 CFR
1910.1020.
(4) Availability. (i) The employer,
upon written request, shall make all
records required to be maintained by
this section available to the Assistant
Secretary and the Director for examination and copying in accordance with
29 CFR 1910.1020.

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[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (m)(4)(i): All records
required to be maintained by this section
may be kept in the most administratively
convenient form (for example, electronic or
computer records would satisfy this requirement).]

(ii) The employer, upon request, shall
make any employee exposure and objective data records required by this
section available for examination and
copying by affected employees, former
employees, and designated representatives in accordance with 29 CFR
1910.1020.
(iii) The employer, upon request,
shall make employee medical records
required to be kept by this section
available for examination and copying
by the subject employee and by anyone
having the specific written consent of
the subject employee in accordance
with 29 CFR 1910.1020.
(5) Transfer of records. The employer
shall comply with the requirements
concerning transfer of records set forth
in 29 CFR 1910.1020(h).

(n) [Reserved]
(o) Appendices. The information contained in the appendices does not, by
itself, create any additional obligations not otherwise imposed or detract
from any existing obligation.
[NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (o): The requirement
of 29 CFR 1910.1052(g)(1) to use respiratory
protection whenever an employee’s exposure
to methylene chloride exceeds or can reasonably be expected to exceed the 8-hour TWA
PEL is hereby stayed until August 31, 1998
for employers engaged in polyurethane foam
manufacturing; foam fabrication; furniture
refinishing; general aviation aircraft stripping; formulation of products containing
methylene chloride; boat building and repair; recreational vehicle manufacture; van
conversion; upholstery; and use of methylene
chloride in construction work for restoration
and preservation of buildings, painting and
paint removal, cabinet making and/or floor
refinishing and resurfacing.
The requirement of 29 CFR 1910.1052(f)(1) to
implement engineering controls to achieve
the 8-hour TWA PEL and STEL is hereby
stayed until December 10, 1998 for employers
with more than 100 employees engaged in
polyurethane foam manufacturing and for
employers with more than 20 employees engaged in foam fabrication; furniture refinishing; general aviation aircraft stripping;
formulation of products containing methylene chloride; boat building and repair; recreational vehicle manufacture; van conversion; upholstery; and use of methylene chloride in construction work for restoration and
preservation of buildings, painting and paint
removal, cabinet making and/or floor refinishing and resurfacing.]
APPENDIX A TO SECTION 1910.1052—SUBSTANCE
SAFETY DATA SHEET AND TECHNICAL GUIDELINES FOR METHYLENE CHLORIDE
I. SUBSTANCE IDENTIFICATION
A. Substance: Methylene chloride (CH2
Cl2).
B.
Synonyms:
MC,
Dichloromethane
(DCM); Methylene dichloride; Methylene bichloride; Methane dichloride; CAS: 75–09–2;
NCI-C50102.
C. Physical data:
1. Molecular weight: 84.9.
2. Boiling point (760 mm Hg): 39.8 °C (104
°F).
3. Specific gravity (water=1): 1.3.
4. Vapor density (air=1 at boiling point):
2.9.
5. Vapor pressure at 20 °C (68 °F): 350 mm
Hg.
6. Solubility in water, g/100 g water at 20 °C
(68 °F)=1.32.
7. Appearance and odor: colorless liquid
with a chloroform-like odor.

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§ 1910.1052

D. Uses:
MC is used as a solvent, especially where
high volatility is required. It is a good solvent for oils, fats, waxes, resins, bitumen,
rubber and cellulose acetate and is a useful
paint stripper and degreaser. It is used in
paint removers, in propellant mixtures for
aerosol containers, as a solvent for plastics,
as a degreasing agent, as an extracting agent
in the pharmaceutical industry and as a
blowing agent in polyurethane foams. Its solvent property is sometimes increased by
mixing with methanol, petroleum naphtha or
tetrachloroethylene.
E. Appearance and odor:
MC is a clear colorless liquid with a chloroform-like odor. It is slightly soluble in water
and completely miscible with most organic
solvents.
F. Permissible exposure:
Exposure may not exceed 25 parts MC per
million parts of air (25 ppm) as an eight-hour
time-weighted average (8-hour TWA PEL) or
125 parts of MC per million parts of air (125
ppm) averaged over a 15-minute period
(STEL).

You should inform your employer if you
develop any signs or symptoms and suspect
that they are caused by exposure to MC.
D. Warning Properties:
1. Odor Threshold:
Different authors have reported varying
odor thresholds for MC. Kirk-Othmer and
Sax both reported 25 to 50 ppm; Summer and
May both reported 150 ppm; Spector reports
320 ppm. Patty, however, states that since
one can become adapted to the odor, MC
should not be considered to have adequate
warning properties.
2. Eye Irritation Level:
Kirk-Othmer reports that ‘‘MC vapor is seriously damaging to the eyes.’’ Sax agrees
with Kirk-Othmer’s statement. The ACGIH
Documentation of TLVs states that irritation of the eyes has been observed in workers
exposed to concentrations up to 5000 ppm.
3. Evaluation of Warning Properties:
Since a wide range of MC odor thresholds
are reported (25–320 ppm), and human adaptation to the odor occurs, MC is considered to
be a material with poor warning properties.

II. HEALTH HAZARD DATA

In the event of emergency, institute first
aid procedures and send for first aid or medical assistance.
A. Eye and Skin Exposures:
If there is a potential for liquid MC to
come in contact with eye or skin, face
shields and skin protective equipment must
be provided and used. If liquid MC comes in
contact with the eye, get medical attention.
Contact lenses should not be worn when
working with this chemical.
B. Breathing:
If a person breathes in large amounts of
MC, move the exposed person to fresh air at
once. If breathing has stopped, perform
cardiopulmorary resuscitation. Keep the affected person warm and at rest. Get medical
attention as soon as possible.
C. Rescue:
Move the affected person from the hazardous exposure immediately. If the exposed
person has been overcome, notify someone
else and put into effect the established emergency rescue procedures. Understand the facility’s emergency rescue procedures and
know the locations of rescue equipment before the need arises. Do not become a casualty yourself.

A. MC can affect the body if it is inhaled or
if the liquid comes in contact with the eyes
or skin. It can also affect the body if it is
swallowed.
B. Effects of overexposure:
1. Short-term Exposure:
MC is an anesthetic. Inhaling the vapor
may
cause
mental
confusion,
lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, and headache.
Continued exposure may cause increased
light-headedness, staggering, unconsciousness, and even death. High vapor concentrations may also cause irritation of the eyes
and respiratory tract. Exposure to MC may
make the symptoms of angina (chest pains)
worse. Skin exposure to liquid MC may cause
irritation. If liquid MC remains on the skin,
it may cause skin burns. Splashes of the liquid into the eyes may cause irritation.
2. Long-term (chronic) exposure:
The best evidence that MC causes cancer is
from laboratory studies in which rats, mice
and hamsters inhaled MC 6 hours per day, 5
days per week for 2 years. MC exposure produced lung and liver tumors in mice and
mammary tumors in rats. No carcinogenic
effects of MC were found in hamsters.
There are also some human epidemiological studies which show an association between occupational exposure to MC and increases in biliary (bile duct) cancer and a
type of brain cancer. Other epidemiological
studies have not observed a relationship between MC exposure and cancer. OSHA interprets these results to mean that there is suggestive (but not absolute) evidence that MC
is a human carcinogen.
C. Reporting signs and symptoms:

III. EMERGENCY FIRST AID PROCEDURES

IV. RESPIRATORS, PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, AND
EYE PROTECTION
A. Respirators:
Good industrial hygiene practices recommend that engineering controls be used to
reduce environmental concentrations to the
permissible exposure level. However, there
are some exceptions where respirators may
be used to control exposure. Respirators may
be used when engineering and work practice

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29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

controls are not feasible, when such controls
are in the process of being installed, or when
these controls fail and need to be supplemented. Respirators may also be used for operations which require entry into tanks or
closed vessels, and in emergency situations.
If the use of respirators is necessary, the
only respirators permitted are those that
have been approved by the Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA) or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH). Supplied-air respirators are
required because air-purifying respirators do
not provide adequate respiratory protection
against MC.
In addition to respirator selection, a complete written respiratory protection program
should be instituted which includes regular
training, maintenance, inspection, cleaning,
and evaluation. If you can smell MC while
wearing a respirator, proceed immediately to
fresh air. If you experience difficulty in
breathing while wearing a respirator, tell
your employer.
B. Protective Clothing:
Employees must be provided with and required to use impervious clothing, gloves,
face shields (eight-inch minimum), and other
appropriate protective clothing necessary to
prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact
with liquid MC or contact with vessels containing liquid MC. Any clothing which becomes wet with liquid MC should be removed
immediately and not reworn until the employer has ensured that the protective clothing is fit for reuse. Contaminated protective
clothing should be placed in a regulated area
designated by the employer for removal of
MC before the clothing is laundered or disposed of. Clothing and equipment should remain in the regulated area until all of the
MC contamination has evaporated; clothing
and equipment should then be laundered or
disposed of as appropriate.
C. Eye Protection:
Employees should be provided with and required to use splash-proof safety goggles
where liquid MC may contact the eyes.

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V. HOUSEKEEPING AND HYGIENE FACILITIES
For purposes of complying with 29 CFR
1910.141, the following items should be emphasized:
A. The workplace should be kept clean, orderly, and in a sanitary condition. The employer should institute a leak and spill detection program for operations involving liquid MC in order to detect sources of fugitive
MC emissions.
B. Emergency drench showers and eyewash
facilities are recommended. These should be
maintained in a sanitary condition. Suitable
cleansing agents should also be provided to
assure the effective removal of MC from the
skin.
C. Because of the hazardous nature of MC,
contaminated protective clothing should be

placed in a regulated area designated by the
employer for removal of MC before the clothing is laundered or disposed of.
VI. PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFE USE, HANDLING,
AND STORAGE
A. Fire and Explosion Hazards:
MC has no flash point in a conventional
closed tester, but it forms flammable vaporair mixtures at approximately 100 °C (212 °F),
or higher. It has a lower explosion limit of
12%, and an upper explosion limit of 19% in
air. It has an autoignition temperature of
556.1 °C (1033 °F), and a boiling point of 39.8
°C (104 °F). It is heavier than water with a
specific gravity of 1.3. It is slightly soluble in
water.
B. Reactivity Hazards:
Conditions contributing to the instability
of MC are heat and moisture. Contact with
strong oxidizers, caustics, and chemically
active metals such as aluminum or magnesium powder, sodium and potassium may
cause fires and explosions.
Special precautions: Liquid MC will attack
some forms of plastics, rubber, and coatings.
C. Toxicity:
Liquid MC is painful and irritating if
splashed in the eyes or if confined on the
skin by gloves, clothing, or shoes. Vapors in
high concentrations may cause narcosis and
death. Prolonged exposure to vapors may
cause cancer or exacerbate cardiac disease.
D. Storage:
Protect against physical damage. Because
of its corrosive properties, and its high vapor
pressure, MC should be stored in plain, galvanized or lead lined, mild steel containers
in a cool, dry, well ventilated area away
from direct sunlight, heat source and acute
fire hazards.
E. Piping Material:
All piping and valves at the loading or unloading station should be of material that is
resistant to MC and should be carefully inspected prior to connection to the transport
vehicle and periodically during the operation.
F. Usual Shipping Containers:
Glass bottles, 5- and 55-gallon steel drums,
tank cars, and tank trucks.
NOTE: This section addresses MC exposure
in marine terminal and longshore employment only where leaking or broken packages
allow MC exposure that is not addressed
through compliance with 29 CFR parts 1917
and 1918, respectively.
G. Electrical Equipment:
Electrical installations in Class I hazardous locations as defined in Article 500 of
the National Electrical Code, should be installed according to Article 501 of the code;
and electrical equipment should be suitable
for use in atmospheres containing MC vapors. See Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code (NFPA No. 325M), Chemical Safety

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Data Sheet SD–86 (Manufacturing Chemists’
Association, Inc.).
H. Fire Fighting:
When involved in fire, MC emits highly
toxic and irritating fumes such as phosgene,
hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide.
Wear breathing apparatus and use water
spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool.
Water spray may be used to flush spills away
from exposures. Extinguishing media are dry
chemical, carbon dioxide, foam. For purposes
of compliance with 29 CFR 1910.307, locations
classified as hazardous due to the presence of
MC shall be Class I.
I. Spills and Leaks:
Persons not wearing protective equipment
and clothing should be restricted from areas
of spills or leaks until cleanup has been completed. If MC has spilled or leaked, the following steps should be taken:
1. Remove all ignition sources.
2. Ventilate area of spill or leak.
3. Collect for reclamation or absorb in
vermiculite, dry sand, earth, or a similar
material.
J. Methods of Waste Disposal:
Small spills should be absorbed onto sand
and taken to a safe area for atmospheric
evaporation. Incineration is the preferred
method for disposal of large quantities by
mixing with a combustible solvent and
spraying into an incinerator equipped with
acid scrubbers to remove hydrogen chloride
gases formed. Complete combustion will convert carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.
Care should be taken for the presence of
phosgene.
K. You should not keep food, beverage, or
smoking materials, or eat or smoke in regulated areas where MC concentrations are
above the permissible exposure limits.
L. Portable heating units should not be
used in confined areas where MC is used.
M. Ask your supervisor where MC is used
in your work area and for any additional
plant safety and health rules.

§ 1910.1052

VIII. MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT
PROCEDURES

VII. MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Exposure above the Permissible Exposure Limit:
1. Eight-hour exposure evaluation: Measurements taken for the purpose of determining employee exposure under this section
are best taken with consecutive samples covering the full shift. Air samples must be
taken in the employee’s breathing zone.
2. Monitoring techniques: The sampling
and analysis under this section may be performed by collection of the MC vapor on two
charcoal adsorption tubes in series or other
composition adsorption tubes, with subsequent chemical analysis. Sampling and analysis may also be performed by instruments
such as real-time continuous monitoring systems, portable direct reading instruments, or
passive dosimeters as long as measurements
taken using these methods accurately evaluate the concentration of MC in employees’’
breathing zones.
OSHA method 80 is an example of a validated method of sampling and analysis of
MC. Copies of this method are available from
OSHA or can be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.osha.gov. The employer has
the obligation of selecting a monitoring
method which meets the accuracy and precision requirements of the standard under his
or her unique field conditions. The standard
requires that the method of monitoring must
be accurate, to a 95 percent confidence level,
to plus or minus 25 percent for concentrations of MC at or above 25 ppm, and to plus
or minus 35 percent for concentrations at or
below 25 ppm. In addition to OSHA method
80, there are numerous other methods available for monitoring for MC in the workplace.
B. Since many of the duties relating to employee exposure are dependent on the results
of measurement procedures, employers must
assure that the evaluation of employee exposure is performed by a technically qualified
person.

Your employer is required to offer you the
opportunity to participate in a medical surveillance program if you are exposed to MC
at concentrations at or above the action
level (12.5 ppm 8-hour TWA) for more than 30
days a year or at concentrations exceeding
the PELs (25 ppm 8-hour TWA or 125 ppm 15minute STEL) for more than 10 days a year.
If you are exposed to MC at concentrations
over either of the PELs, your employer will
also be required to have a physician or other
licensed health care professional ensure that
you are able to wear the respirator that you
are assigned. Your employer must provide all
medical examinations relating to your MC
exposure at a reasonable time and place and
at no cost to you.

Your employer is required to perform
measurements that are representative of
your exposure to MC and you or your designated representative are entitled to observe the monitoring procedure. You are entitled to observe the steps taken in the
measurement procedure, and to record the
results obtained. When the monitoring procedure is taking place in an area where respirators or personal protective clothing and
equipment are required to be worn, you or
your representative must also be provided
with, and must wear, protective clothing and
equipment.

IX. OBSERVATION OF MONITORING

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§ 1910.1052

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

X. ACCESS TO INFORMATION
A. Your employer is required to inform you
of the information contained in this Appendix. In addition, your employer must instruct you in the proper work practices for
using MC, emergency procedures, and the
correct use of protective equipment.
B. Your employer is required to determine
whether you are being exposed to MC. You or
your representative has the right to observe
employee measurements and to record the
results obtained. Your employer is required
to inform you of your exposure. If your employer determines that you are being over
exposed, he or she is required to inform you
of the actions which are being taken to reduce your exposure to within permissible exposure limits.
C. Your employer is required to keep
records of your exposures and medical examinations. These records must be kept by
the employer for at least thirty (30) years.
D. Your employer is required to release
your exposure and medical records to you or
your representative upon your request.
E. Your employee is required to provide labels and material safety data sheets (MSDS)
for all materials, mixtures or solutions composed of greater than 0.1 percent MC. An example of a label that would satisfy these requirements would be:
DANGER CONTAINS METHYLENE CHLORIDE
POTENTIAL CANCER HAZARD
May worsen heart disease because methylene chloride is converted to carbon monoxide in the body.
May cause dizziness, headache, irritation
of the throat and lungs, loss of consciousness
and death at high concentrations (for example, if used in a poorly ventilated room).
Avoid Skin Contact. Contact with liquid
causes skin and eye irritation.
XI. COMMON OPERATIONS AND CONTROLS
The following list includes some common
operations in which exposure to MC may
occur and control methods which may be effective in each case:
Operations

Controls

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Use as solvent in paint and
varnish removers; manufacture of aerosols; cold
cleaning and ultrasonic
cleaning; and as a solvent
in furniture stripping.
Use as solvent in vapor
degreasing.
Use as a secondary refrigerant in air conditioning
and scientific testing.

General dilution ventilation;
local exhaust ventilation;
personal protective equipment; substitution.

Process enclosure; local exhaust ventilation; chilling
coils; substitution.
General dilution ventilation;
local exhaust ventilation;
personal protective equipment.

APPENDIX B TO SECTION 1910.1052—MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE FOR METHYLENE CHLORIDE
I. PRIMARY ROUTE OF ENTRY
Inhalation.
II. TOXICOLOGY
Methylene Chloride (MC) is primarily an
inhalation hazard. The principal acute hazardous effects are the depressant action on
the central nervous system, possible cardiac
toxicity and possible liver toxicity. The
range of CNS effects are from decreased eye/
hand coordination and decreased performance in vigilance tasks to narcosis and even
death of individuals exposed at very high
doses. Cardiac toxicity is due to the metabolism of MC to carbon monoxide, and the effects of carbon monoxide on heart tissue.
Carbon monoxide displaces oxygen in the
blood, decreases the oxygen available to
heart tissue, increasing the risk of damage
to the heart, which may result in heart attacks in susceptible individuals. Susceptible
individuals include persons with heart disease and those with risk factors for heart
disease.
Elevated liver enzymes and irritation to
the respiratory passages and eyes have also
been reported for both humans and experimental animals exposed to MC vapors.
MC is metabolized to carbon monoxide and
carbon dioxide via two separate pathways.
Through the first pathway, MC is metabolized to carbon monoxide as an end-product
via the P–450 mixed function oxidase pathway located in the microsomal fraction of
the cell. This biotransformation of MC to
carbon monoxide occurs through the process
of microsomal oxidative dechlorination
which takes place primarily in the liver. The
amount of conversion to carbon monoxide is
significant as measured by the concentration
of carboxyhemoglobin, up to 12% measured
in the blood following occupational exposure
of up to 610 ppm. Through the second pathway, MC is metabolized to carbon dioxide as
an end product (with formaldehyde and formic acid as metabolic intermediates) via the
glutathione dependent enzyme found in the
cytosolic fraction of the liver cell. Metabolites along this pathway are believed to be
associated with the carcinogenic activity of
MC.
MC has been tested for carcinogenicity in
several laboratory rodents. These rodent
studies indicate that there is clear evidence
that MC is carcinogenic to male and female
mice and female rats. Based on epidemiologic studies, OSHA has concluded that there
is suggestive evidence of increased cancer
risk in MC-related worker populations. The
epidemiological evidence is consistent with
the finding of excess cancer in the experimental animal studies. NIOSH regards MC as
a potential occupational carcinogen and the

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
International Agency for Research Cancer
(IARC) classifies MC as an animal carcinogen. OSHA considers MC as a suspected
human carcinogen.
III. MEDICAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE
EXPOSURE
Skin exposure to liquid MC may cause irritation or skin burns. Liquid MC can also be
irritating to the eyes. MC is also absorbed
through the skin and may contribute to the
MC exposure by inhalation.
At high concentrations in air, MC may
cause nausea, vomiting, light-headedness,
numbness of the extremities, changes in
blood enzyme levels, and breathing problems, leading to bronchitis and pulmonary
edema, unconsciousness and even death.
At lower concentrations in air, MC may
cause irritation to the skin, eye, and respiratory tract and occasionally headache and
nausea. Perhaps the greatest problem from
exposure to low concentrations of MC is the
CNS effects on coordination and alertness
that may cause unsafe operations of machinery and equipment, leading to self-injury or
accidents.
Low levels and short duration exposures do
not seem to produce permanent disability,
but chronic exposures to MC have been demonstrated to produce liver toxicity in animals, and therefore, the evidence is suggestive for liver toxicity in humans after chronic exposure.
Chronic exposure to MC may also cause
cancer.

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IV. SURVEILLANCE AND PREVENTIVE
CONSIDERATIONS
As discussed above, MC is classified as a
suspect or potential human carcinogen. It is
a central nervous system (CNS) depressant
and a skin, eye and respiratory tract irritant. At extremely high concentrations, MC
has caused liver damage in animals.
MC principally affects the CNS, where it
acts as a narcotic. The observation of the
symptoms characteristic of CNS depression,
along with a physical examination, provides
the best detection of early neurological disorders. Since exposure to MC also increases
the carboxyhemoglobin level in the blood,
ambient carbon monoxide levels would have
an
additive
effect
on
that
carboxyhemoglobin level. Based on such information,
a
periodic
post-shift
carboxyhemoglobin test as an index of the
presence of carbon monoxide in the blood is
recommended, but not required, for medical
surveillance.
Based on the animal evidence and three
epidemiologic studies previously mentioned,
OSHA concludes that MC is a suspect human
carcinogen. The medical surveillance program is designed to observe exposed workers
on a regular basis. While the medical surveil-

§ 1910.1052

lance program cannot detect MC-induced
cancer at a preneoplastic stage, OSHA anticipates that, as in the past, early detection
and treatments of cancers leading to enhanced survival rates will continue to
evolve.
A. Medical and Occupational History:
The medical and occupational work history plays an important role in the initial
evaluation of workers exposed to MC. It is
therefore extremely important for the examining physician or other licensed health care
professional to evaluate the MC-exposed
worker carefully and completely and to
focus the examination on MC’s potentially
associated health hazards. The medical evaluation must include an annual detailed work
and medical history with special emphasis
on cardiac history and neurological symptoms.
An important goal of the medical history
is to elicit information from the worker regarding potential signs or symptoms associated
with
increased
levels
of
carboxyhemoglobin due to the presence of
carbon monoxide in the blood. Physicians or
other licensed health care professionals
should ensure that the smoking history of
all MC exposed employees is known. Exposure to MC may cause a significant increase
in carboxyhemoglobin level in all exposed
persons. However, smokers as well as workers with anemia or heart disease and those
concurrently exposed to carbon monoxide
are at especially high risk of toxic effects because of an already reduced oxygen carrying
capacity of the blood.
A comprehensive or interim medical and
work history should also include occurrence
of headache, dizziness, fatigue, chest pain,
shortness of breath, pain in the limbs, and irritation of the skin and eyes.
In addition, it is important for the physician or other licensed health care professional to become familiar with the operating
conditions in which exposure to MC is likely
to occur. The physician or other licensed
health care professional also must become
familiar with the signs and symptoms that
may indicate that a worker is receiving otherwise unrecognized and exceptionally high
exposure levels of MC.
An example of a medical and work history
that would satisfy the requirement for a
comprehensive or interim work history is
represented by the following:
The following is a list of recommended
questions and issues for the self-administered questionnaire for methylene chloride
exposure.
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR METHYLENE CHLORIDE
EXPOSURE
I. Demographic Information
1. Name

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§ 1910.1052
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

Social Security Number
Date
Date of Birth
Age
Present occupation
Sex
Race
II. Occupational History

1. Have you ever worked with methylene
chloride, dichloromethane, methylene dichloride, or CH2 Cl2 (all are different names
for the same chemical)? Please list which on
the occupational history form if you have
not already.
2. If you have worked in any of the following industries and have not listed them
on the occupational history form, please do
so.
Furniture stripping
Polyurethane foam manufacturing
Chemical manufacturing or formulation
Pharmaceutical manufacturing
Any industry in which you used solvents to
clean and degrease equipment or parts
Construction, especially painting and refinishing
Aerosol manufacturing
Any industry in which you used aerosol adhesives
3. If you have not listed hobbies or household projects on the occupational history
form, especially furniture refinishing, spray
painting, or paint stripping, please do so.
III. Medical History
A. General
1. Do you consider yourself to be in good
health? If no, state reason(s).
2. Do you or have you ever had:
a. Persistent thirst
b. Frequent urination (three times or more
at night)
c. Dermatitis or irritated skin
d. Non-healing wounds
3. What prescription or non-prescription
medications do you take, and for what reasons?
4. Are you allergic to any medications, and
what type of reaction do you have?

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B. Respiratory
1. Do you have or have you ever had any
chest illnesses or diseases? Explain.
2. Do you have or have you ever had any of
the following:
a. Asthma
b. Wheezing
c. Shortness of breath
3. Have you ever had an abnormal chest Xray? If so, when, where, and what were the
findings?
4. Have you ever had difficulty using a respirator or breathing apparatus? Explain.

5. Do any chest or lung diseases run in
your family? Explain.
6. Have you ever smoked cigarettes, cigars,
or a pipe? Age started:
7. Do you now smoke?
8. If you have stopped smoking completely,
how old were you when you stopped?
9. On the average of the entire time you
smoked, how many packs of cigarettes, cigars, or bowls of tobacco did you smoke per
day?
C. Cardiovascular
1. Have you ever been diagnosed with any
of the following: Which of the following
apply to you now or did apply to you at some
time in the past, even if the problem is controlled by medication? Please explain any
yes answers (i.e., when problem was diagnosed, length of time on medication).
a. High cholesterol or triglyceride level
b. Hypertension (high blood pressure)
c. Diabetes
d. Family history of heart attack, stroke, or
blocked arteries
2. Have you ever had chest pain? If so, answer the next five questions.
a. What was the quality of the pain (i.e.,
crushing, stabbing, squeezing)?
b. Did the pain go anywhere (i.e., into jaw,
left arm)?
c. What brought the pain out?
d. How long did it last?
e. What made the pain go away?
3. Have you ever had heart disease, a heart
attack, stroke, aneurysm, or blocked arteries anywhere in you body? Explain (when,
treatment).
4. Have you ever had bypass surgery for
blocked arteries in your heart or anywhere
else? Explain.
5. Have you ever had any other procedures
done to open up a blocked artery (balloon
angioplasty, carotid endarterectomy, clotdissolving drug)?
6. Do you have or have you ever had (explain each):
a. Heart murmur
b. Irregular heartbeat
c. Shortness of breath while lying flat
d. Congestive heart failure
e. Ankle swelling
f. Recurrent pain anywhere below the waist
while walking
7. Have you ever had an electrocardiogram
(EKG)? When?
8. Have you ever had an abnormal EKG? If
so, when, where, and what were the findings?
9. Do any heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or high
triglycerides run in your family? Explain.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
D. Hepatobiliary and Pancreas
1. Do you now or have you ever drunk alcoholic beverages? Age started: llll Age
stopped: llll.
2. Average numbers per week:
a. Beers: llll, ounces in usual container:
b. Glasses of wine: llll, ounces per glass:
c. Drinks: llll, ounces in usual container:
3. Do you have or have you ever had (explain each):
a. Hepatitis (infectious, autoimmune, druginduced, or chemical)
b. Jaundice
c. Elevated liver enzymes or elevated bilirubin
d. Liver disease or cancer
E. Central Nervous System
1. Do you or have you ever had (explain
each):
a. Headache
b. Dizziness
c. Fainting
d. Loss of consciousness
e. Garbled speech
f. Lack of balance
g. Mental/psychiatric illness
h. Forgetfulness
F. Hematologic
1. Do you have, or have you ever had (explain each):
a. Anemia
b. Sickle cell disease or trait
c. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
d. Bleeding tendency disorder
2. If not already mentioned previously,
have you ever had a reaction to sulfa drugs
or to drugs used to prevent or treat malaria?
What was the drug? Describe the reaction.

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B. Physical Examination
The complete physical examination, when
coupled with the medical and occupational
history, assists the physician or other licensed health care professional in detecting
pre-existing conditions that might place the
employee at increased risk, and establishes a
baseline for future health monitoring. These
examinations should include:
1. Clinical impressions of the nervous system, cardiovascular function and pulmonary
function, with additional tests conducted
where indicated or determined by the examining physician or other licensed health care
professional to be necessary.
2. An evaluation of the advisability of the
worker using a respirator, because the use of
certain respirators places an additional burden on the cardiopulmonary system. It is
necessary for the attending physician or
other licensed health care professional to

§ 1910.1052

evaluate the cardiopulmonary function of
these workers, in order to inform the employer in a written medical opinion of the
worker’s ability or fitness to work in an area
requiring the use of certain types of respiratory protective equipment. The presence
of facial hair or scars that might interfere
with the worker’s ability to wear certain
types of respirators should also be noted during the examination and in the written medical opinion.
Because of the importance of lung function
to workers required to wear certain types of
respirators to protect themselves from MC
exposure, these workers must receive an assessment of pulmonary function before they
begin to wear a negative pressure respirator
and at least annually thereafter. The recommended pulmonary function tests include
measurement of the employee’s forced vital
capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at
one second (FEV1), as well as calculation of
the ratios of FEV1 to FVC, and the ratios of
measured FVC and measured FEV1 to expected respective values corrected for variation due to age, sex, race, and height. Pulmonary function evaluation must be conducted by a physician or other licensed
health care professional experienced in pulmonary function tests.
The following is a summary of the elements of a physical exam which would fulfill
the requirements under the MC standard:
PHYSICAL EXAM
I. Skin and appendages
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Irritated or broken skin
Jaundice
Clubbing cyanosis, edema
Capillary refill time
Pallor
II. Head

1. Facial deformities
2. Scars
3. Hair growth
III. Eyes
1.
2.
3.
4.

Scleral icterus
Corneal arcus
Pupillary size and response
Fundoscopic exam
IV. Chest

1. Standard exam
V. Heart
1. Standard exam
2. Jugular vein distension
3. Peripheral pulses
VI. Abdomen
1. Liver span

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§ 1910.1052

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

VII. Nervous System
1. Complete standard neurologic exam
VIII. Laboratory
1. Hemoglobin and hematocrit
2. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT, SGPT)
3. Post-shift carboxyhemoglobin
IX. Studies
1. Pulmonary function testing
2. Electrocardiogram
An evaluation of the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood of employees (for example by measured red blood cell volume) is
considered useful, especially for workers
acutely exposed to MC.
It is also recommended, but not required,
that end of shift carboxyhemoglobin levels
be determined periodically, and any level
above 3% for non-smokers and above 10% for
smokers should prompt an investigation of
the worker and his workplace. This test is
recommended because MC is metabolized to
CO, which combines strongly with hemoglobin, resulting in a reduced capacity of the
blood to transport oxygen in the body. This
is of particular concern for cigarette smokers because they already have a diminished
hemoglobin capacity due to the presence of
CO in cigarette smoke.

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C. Additional Examinations and Referrals
1. Examination by a Specialist
When a worker examination reveals unexplained symptoms or signs (i.e. in the physical examination or in the laboratory tests),
follow-up medical examinations are necessary to assure that MC exposure is not adversely affecting the worker’s health. When
the examining physician or other licensed
health care professional finds it necessary,
additional tests should be included to determine the nature of the medical problem and
the underlying cause. Where relevant, the
worker should be sent to a specialist for further testing and treatment as deemed necessary.
The final rule requires additional investigations to be covered and it also permits
physicians or other licensed health care professionals to add appropriate or necessary
tests to improve the diagnosis of disease
should such tests become available in the future.
2. Emergencies
The examination of workers exposed to MC
in an emergency should be directed at the
organ systems most likely to be affected. If
the worker has received a severe acute exposure, hospitalization may be required to assure proper medical intervention. It is not
possible to precisely define ‘‘severe,’’ but the
physician or other licensed health care professional’s judgement should not merely rest
on hospitalization. If the worker has suffered

significant conjunctival, oral, or nasal irritation, respiratory distress, or discomfort,
the physician or other licensed health care
professional should instigate appropriate follow-up procedures. These include attention
to the eyes, lungs and the neurological system. The frequency of follow-up examinations should be determined by the attending
physician or other licensed health care professional. This testing permits the early
identification essential to proper medical
management of such workers.
D. Employer Obligations
The employer is required to provide the responsible physician or other licensed health
care professional and any specialists involved in a diagnosis with the following information: a copy of the MC standard including relevant appendices, a description of the
affected employee’s duties as they relate to
his or her exposure to MC; an estimate of the
employee’s exposure including duration (e.g.,
15hr/wk, three 8-hour shifts/wk, full time); a
description of any personal protective equipment used by the employee, including respirators; and the results of any previous
medical determinations for the affected employee related to MC exposure to the extent
that this information is within the employer’s control.
E. Physicians’ or Other Licensed Health Care
Professionals’ Obligations
The standard requires the employer to ensure that the physician or other licensed
health care professional provides a written
statement to the employee and the employer. This statement should contain the
physician’s or licensed health care professional’s opinion as to whether the employee
has any medical condition placing him or her
at increased risk of impaired health from exposure to MC or use of respirators, as appropriate. The physician or other licensed
health care professional should also state his
or her opinion regarding any restrictions
that should be placed on the employee’s exposure to MC or upon the use of protective
clothing or equipment such as respirators. If
the employee wears a respirator as a result
of his or her exposure to MC, the physician
or other licensed health care professional’s
opinion should also contain a statement regarding the suitability of the employee to
wear the type of respirator assigned. Furthermore, the employee should be informed
by the physician or other licensed health
care professional about the cancer risk of MC
and about risk factors for heart disease, and
the potential for exacerbation of underlying
heart disease by exposure to MC through its
metabolism to carbon monoxide. Finally, the
physician or other licensed health care professional should inform the employer that
the employee has been told the results of the

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
medical examination and of any medical
conditions which require further explanation
or treatment. This written opinion must not
contain any information on specific findings
or diagnosis unrelated to employee’s occupational exposures.
The purpose in requiring the examining
physician or other licensed health care pro-

§ 1910.1052

fessional to supply the employer with a written opinion is to provide the employer with
a medical basis to assist the employer in
placing employees initially, in assuring that
their health is not being impaired by exposure to MC, and to assess the employee’s
ability to use any required protective equipment.

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APPENDIX C TO SECTION 1910.1052—QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS—METHYLENE
CHLORIDE CONTROL IN FURNITURE STRIPPING

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–07 Edition)

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§ 1910.1052

§ 1910.1052

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§ 1910.1052

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor

§ 1910.1052

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[62 FR 1601, Jan. 10, 1997, as amended at 62 FR 42667, Aug. 8, 1997; 62 FR 54383, Oct. 20, 1997;
62 FR 66277, Dec. 18, 1997; 63 FR 1295, Jan. 8, 1998; 63 FR 20099, Apr. 23, 1998; 63 FR 50729, Sept.
22, 1998; 71 FR 16674, Apr. 3, 2006; 71 FR 50190, Aug. 24, 2006]