Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)RegulationsRegulations for Hazardous Chemical Agents, 2020AnnexuresAnnexure 3 : Hazardous Chemical Agent GuidelinesPrevention and control of exposure |
| 1. | Exposure of employees to agents hazardous to health should be prevented or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled. This is a fundamental requirement of the Regulations for Hazardous Chemical Agents (HCA), 2020. Exposure can occur by inhalation, ingestion or absorption through the skin, but inhalation is usually the main route of entry into the body. Tables 2 and 3 of Annexure 2 list the OELs which should be used in determining the adequacy of control of exposure by inhalation, as required by the HCA Regulations. |
| 2. | The advice in this document should be taken in the context of the requirements of the HCA Regulations, especially regulation 5 (Assessment of exposure) regulation 10 (Control of exposure), regulation 12 (Maintenance of control measures) and regulation 6 (Air monitoring). Agents hazardous to health are defined in regulation 1. There is separate legislation for lead and asbestos and these agents are not covered in detail in this document. This document also does not apply to exposure below ground in mines or exposure to hazardous biological agents. |
| 3. | Adequate control of exposure (when prevention is not reasonably practicable) should be achieved by one or more of a range of control measures described in regulation 10 of the HCA Regulations. Control by personal protective equipment should be applied only when other means are not reasonably practicable. |