Glutaraldehyde; Health-based recommended occupational exposure limit

At the request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, the Health Council of the Netherlands sets Health-Based Recommended Occupational Exposure Limits (HBR-OELs) for chemical substances in air at the workplace. These recommendations are made by the Council’s Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Standards (DECOS). They constitute the first step in a three-step procedure that leads to legally binding occupational exposure limits.
In this report the committee discusses the consequences of occupational exposure to glutaraldehyde and recommends a health-based occupational exposure limit. In 1997, the Nordic Expert Group (NEG) published an evaluation of the harmful health effects of glutaraldehyde. This evaluation is included in part 2 of this document. In part 1, a brief summary of relevant effects is given and additional data are described. DECOS assessment of the HBROEL is based on all presented data in part 1 and 2. The committee’s conclusions are based on scientific publications prior to February 2004.

Committee

• GJ Mulder, professor of toxicology; Leiden University, Leiden, chairman
• RB Beems, toxicologic pathologist; National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven
• LJNGM Bloemen, epidemiologist; Environ Netherlands BV, Zeist
• PJ Boogaard, toxicologist; Shell International BV, The Hague
• PJ Borm, toxicologist; Centre of Expertise in Life Sciences, Hogeschool Zuyd, Heerlen
• JJAM Brokamp, Social and Economic Council, The Hague, advisor
• DJJ Heederik, professor of risk assessment in occupational health; IRAS, Utrecht University, Utrecht
• TM Pal, occupational physician; Netherlands Center for Occupational Diseases, Amsterdam
• IMCM Rietjens, professor of toxicology; Wageningen University, Wageningen.
• H Roelfzema, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague, advisor
• T Smid, occupational hygienist; KLM Health Safety & Environment, Schiphol and professor of working conditions, Free University, Amsterdam
• GMH Swaen, epidemiologist; Dow Chemical, Terneuzen
• RA Woutersen, toxicologic pathologist; TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist
• P Wulp, occupational physician; Labour Inspectorate, Groningen
• ASAM van der Burght, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, scientific secretary
• TMM Coenen, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, scientific secretary
• JM Rijnkels, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, scientific secretary