Setting Occupational Exposure Limits: Are

Setting limits for safe exposure to toxic agents in the workplace is a complex process involving science, law, and policy. Development and use of occupational exposure limits (OELs) transcends national interests and international borders. Even though OELs have a lengthy history, and they form the cornerstone of most occupational risk assessment and risk management plans, their effectiveness in protecting worker health is increasingly being questioned. To better understand the current state of the OEL-setting process both in the United States and internationally, we need to understand what OELs are; how they are used in the workplace; how OELs are developed and why there are so many different OEL-setting entities; how often they are updated; whether OELs are effective; and whether there are newer approaches which are more effective in protecting worker health than traditional ones that use OELs.