Occupational exposure limit (OEL)

The new Ordinance on Hazardous Substances converts the former MAK values into Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs). These are an important instrument for protecting employees from health and safety hazards caused by hazardous substances.
According to § 3 para. 6 of the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances (GefStoffV), the occupational exposure limit value indicates the concentration of a substance at which acute or chronic harmful effects on health in general are not to be expected. The occupational exposure limit values are based on a generally eight-hour exposure five days a week during working life. The occupational exposure limit value is expressed in mg/m³ for dust and in ml/m³ (ppm) for gases.
Compliance with the AGW protects employees from hazardous substances in the air. During many activities, several harmful substances can be found in the breathing air at the workplace. TRGS 403 must be applied to such mixtures of substances in order to assess the health hazard.