Ethylene Ethylene OxideOxide

Regulated areasRegulated areas

Regulated areas must be created if Regulated areas must be created if employees may be exposed to employees may be exposed to ethylene oxide above the ethylene oxide above the excursion limitexcursion limit

1a

RequirementsRequirements

Substance safety data sheet Substance safety data sheet (Appendix A)(Appendix A)

Substance Technical Guidelines Substance Technical Guidelines (Appendix B)(Appendix B)

2a

RequirementsRequirements

Definitions:Definitions:• Ethylene oxideEthylene oxide• Permissible exposure limitPermissible exposure limit• Action levelAction level• Excursion limitExcursion limit• Engineering controlsEngineering controls• Work practicesWork practices

2b

Detecting the presence of Detecting the presence of ethylene oxideethylene oxide

On-going monitoring depends upon On-going monitoring depends upon contaminant levels above the:contaminant levels above the:• excursion limitexcursion limit• action levelaction level• 8-hour TWA8-hour TWA

3a

Detecting the presence of Detecting the presence of ethylene oxideethylene oxide

Monitoring may be stopped under Monitoring may be stopped under some conditionssome conditions

Employees must be told of Employees must be told of monitoring results within 15 monitoring results within 15 working days in one of two ways:working days in one of two ways:• in personin person• through group postingsthrough group postings

3b

Detecting the presence of Detecting the presence of ethylene oxideethylene oxide

Written notification must include Written notification must include corrective actionscorrective actions

3c

Detecting the presence of Detecting the presence of ethylene oxideethylene oxide

Additional monitoring may be done Additional monitoring may be done whenever there is a change in:whenever there is a change in:• processesprocesses• equipmentequipment• personnelpersonnel• work practiceswork practices

3d

Detecting the presence of Detecting the presence of ethylene oxideethylene oxide

Written plans must be in place if Written plans must be in place if an employee is exposed at or an employee is exposed at or above the TWA or excursion limitabove the TWA or excursion limit

3e

Physical hazardsPhysical hazards

Highly flammableHighly flammable

Highly explosiveHighly explosive

Heavier than airHeavier than air

4a

Physical hazardsPhysical hazards

Immediate (acute) health hazardsImmediate (acute) health hazards• eye irritationeye irritation• skin irritantskin irritant• ingestioningestion• inhalationinhalation

4b

Physical hazardsPhysical hazards

Observable effects:Observable effects:• headacheheadache• nauseanausea• vomitingvomiting• shortness of breathshortness of breath• cyanosiscyanosis

4c

Health hazardsHealth hazards

Long-term (chronic) health hazardsLong-term (chronic) health hazards• carcinogencarcinogen• reproductive health changesreproductive health changes• mutagenicmutagenic

4d

Work practicesWork practices

You should not wear contact lenses You should not wear contact lenses when working with ethylene oxidewhen working with ethylene oxide

Do not store or use cosmetics, lip Do not store or use cosmetics, lip balm, food items, beverages, or balm, food items, beverages, or smoking items in regulated areassmoking items in regulated areas

5a

Work practicesWork practices

Storage proceduresStorage procedures

Prohibit sources Prohibit sources of ignitionof ignition

Use non-sparking Use non-sparking toolstools

5b

Work practicesWork practices

Do not incinerate ethylene oxide Do not incinerate ethylene oxide cartridges, tanks, containerscartridges, tanks, containers

Flammable and combustible liquid Flammable and combustible liquid regulations under 29 CFR regulations under 29 CFR 1910.1061910.106

5c

Work practicesWork practices

Locations with ethylene oxide must Locations with ethylene oxide must follow Class I electrical safety follow Class I electrical safety practicespractices

5d

Emergency proceduresEmergency procedures

Fire extinguishers and emergency Fire extinguishers and emergency showers must be readily availableshowers must be readily available

First aid measuresFirst aid measures• EyesEyes• SkinSkin• BreathingBreathing• SwallowingSwallowing

6a

Emergency proceduresEmergency procedures

Remove ignition sourcesRemove ignition sources

Evacuate the areaEvacuate the area

Persons must wear appropriate Persons must wear appropriate PPE to enter clean-up areaPPE to enter clean-up area

Properly dispose of wasteProperly dispose of waste

6b

Personal protective Personal protective equipmentequipment

PPE requires special attentionPPE requires special attention

Impermeable clothing may be Impermeable clothing may be necessarynecessary

Decontamination proceduresDecontamination procedures

7a

Personal protective Personal protective equipmentequipment

Splashproof goggles are required Splashproof goggles are required in areas where liquid ethylene in areas where liquid ethylene oxide is presentoxide is present

Training for hospitals and Training for hospitals and healthcare facilitieshealthcare facilities

7b

Proper use and limitations Proper use and limitations of respiratorsof respirators

Respirators are required whenever Respirators are required whenever engineering controls and work engineering controls and work practices do not keep exposure practices do not keep exposure levels below the TWAlevels below the TWA

Donning, use, limitations, doffing, Donning, use, limitations, doffing, decontamination, and storagedecontamination, and storage

8a

Proper use and limitations Proper use and limitations of respiratorsof respirators

Ethylene oxide is odorless until the Ethylene oxide is odorless until the exposure limit has been exceeded exposure limit has been exceeded by approximately 700 percentby approximately 700 percent

8b

Medical surveillanceMedical surveillance

Medical surveillance is required for Medical surveillance is required for all employees who are exposed at all employees who are exposed at or above the action level for at or above the action level for at least 30 daysleast 30 days

9a

Medical surveillanceMedical surveillance

Examinations will be:Examinations will be:• prior to assignment to an area where prior to assignment to an area where

exposure may be at or above the exposure may be at or above the action level for at least 30 days a yearaction level for at least 30 days a year

• at least annually where exposure may at least annually where exposure may be at or above the action level for at be at or above the action level for at least 30 days a yearleast 30 days a year

9b

Medical surveillanceMedical surveillance

Examinations will be:Examinations will be:• at termination of employment or at termination of employment or

transfer to an area where exposure is transfer to an area where exposure is not at or above the action level for at not at or above the action level for at least 30 days a yearleast 30 days a year

• as appropriate for an emergency as appropriate for an emergency exposureexposure

9c

Medical surveillanceMedical surveillance

Examinations will be:Examinations will be:• on employee requeston employee request

• at intervals recommended by the at intervals recommended by the company physiciancompany physician

9d

Medical surveillanceMedical surveillance

Examinations will have, at a Examinations will have, at a minimum:minimum:• medical and work historiesmedical and work histories• physical examinationsphysical examinations• complete blood countcomplete blood count• tests deemed necessary by the tests deemed necessary by the

physicianphysician

9e

Medical surveillanceMedical surveillance

Workers may request pregnancy Workers may request pregnancy testing or fertility evaluation at no testing or fertility evaluation at no costcost

Related physical conditions not Related physical conditions not directly related to ethylene oxide directly related to ethylene oxide may be included in examinationsmay be included in examinations

9f

Medical surveillanceMedical surveillance

Employees will receive a copy of Employees will receive a copy of the physician’s written opinion the physician’s written opinion within 15 working dayswithin 15 working days

Records are kept for the duration Records are kept for the duration of employment plus 30 yearsof employment plus 30 years

9g

Hazard communicationHazard communication

Signs around regulated areas must Signs around regulated areas must read:read:

10a

Hazard communicationHazard communication

Report any faded or missing signsReport any faded or missing signs

Labels on containers should read:Labels on containers should read:

10b

Hazard communicationHazard communication

Labels must have warning Labels must have warning statements against breathing statements against breathing ethylene oxideethylene oxide

Know where to get copies of Know where to get copies of MSDSsMSDSs

10c

Copies of the regulationCopies of the regulation

Know where to get a copy of the Know where to get a copy of the ethylene oxide regulationethylene oxide regulation

11a