Syensqo Acceptable Exposure Limits (SAEL)

Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) are being used for a long time as upper acceptable air concentrations for workplace exposures to hazardous substances with the aim to protect workers against adverse effects. 

OELs are maximum air concentrations of substances below which it is assumed that workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse health effects.  OELs have been elaborated by scientific committees and they have been adopted by authorities in many countries for many years.

Syensqo Acceptable Exposure Limits (SAELs) are voluntary occupational exposure limits established for substances manufactured or used by Syensqo because :

• certain substances do not have an existing OEL, or 
• OELs may outdated, and do not sufficiently protect the health of workers

SAEL procedure

A specific procedure has been developed for Syensqo Acceptable Exposure Limits (SAELs). It describes the different OELs and SAELs used within Syensqo and particularly the general approach to establish SAELs and also their use and implementation.

Compliance with SAELs and other OELs

In order to ensure an appropriate control of occupational health risk to workers, HSE, GBUs and industrial sites worldwide shall ensure compliance of their facilities and operations with the established SAELs and the applicable OELs according to the HSE Industrial Hygiene policy and related standards. 

Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) are established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). To guarantee the same level of protection of all workers throughout the Group, Syensqo is committed, to comply with those limits as well. 

If the national OEL is more stringent (lower than TLV or SAEL), Syensqo must show compliance with this lower limit in the country where this national OEL is applicable.

SAELs and other OELs in Safety Data Sheets

SAELs and the ACGIH-TLVs are included inspection 8.1 of the Syensqo Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) in all countries. National OELs are only mentioned in the safety data sheets of countries where they are applicable.

Documents:

SAEL Committee

SAELs are developed by an internal multidisciplinary SAEL Committee which includes toxicologists, industrial hygienists and occupational physicians (all are members of IND-HSE department).

The current members of the SAEL Committee are:

• Blandine Doornaert (SAEL chairman - toxicologist)
• Maryse Chalendard (toxicologist)
• Jim Asbury (industrial hygienist)
• Aline Huge (occupational physician)
• Ilaria Colombo (Corporate Industrial Hygiene Officer)

 For any questions of additional documents please contact Blandine Doornaert

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