Hydrogen sulphide; Health-based recommended occupatioanl exposure limit

At request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, The Health Council of the Netherlands sets health-based recommended occupational exposure limits (HBR-OEL) for toxic substances in the workplace air. These recommendations are made by the Council’s Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Standards (DECOS). It constitutes the first step in a three step procedure which leads to legally binding occupational exposure limits.  The present report on hydrogen sulphide was prepared in cooperation with the Nordic Expert Group (NEG). The joint report on the consequences of occupational exposure to hydrogen sulphide, published in Sweden in 2001 (Arbete och Hälsa 2001:14), is included in part two of this document. Part 1 mainly consists of a summary of the most important health effects and a health hazard assessment by DECOS.  The committee’s conclusions are based on scientific publications obtained from data retrieval systems from prior to August 2004.

Committee

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