Air contaminants

Overview

Air contaminants are particles, liquids, and gases in the air that can be harmful to your health if you breathe them in, swallow them, or get them on your skin.

Oregon OSHA requires employers to set exposure limits for many air contaminants; you’ll find them in three “Z tables” in Oregon Rules for Air Contaminants (437-002-0382). Table Z-1 includes all of the air contaminants that have Oregon OSHA exposure limits. Notes for some air contaminants in Table Z-1 refer you to Table Z-2, Table Z-3, or other Oregon OSHA requirements.

There are similar tables in Oregon OSHA’s construction rules and agriculture rules.

All available content

Publications

Brochures/Guides
- ¡No se trata solo de polvo! Qué debe saber acerca de la sílice cristalina, la silicosis y las normas sobre sílice de Oregon OSHA
  It's not just dust! What you should know about silicosis and crystalline silica
  Describe los peligros de la sílice cristalina, qué causa la silicosis y cómo prevenirla.
  Spanish Order printed copy 04/04/2019
- Comprender la Tabla 1 y los métodos de control especificados de exposición al polvo de sílice
  Understanding Table 1 and the specified exposure control methods for silica dust
  Esta guía pretende ayudar a los empleados de la construcción a comprender los métodos que se incluyen en la Tabla 1 para controlar la exposición al polvo de sílice.
  Spanish 05/19/2022
- It's not just dust! What you should know about silicosis and crystalline silica
  Describes the hazards of crystalline silica, what causes silicosis, and how to prevent it.
  English Order printed copy 08/13/2020
- Nail salons: How to be safe at work
  Explains how nail technicians can avoid harmful chemical exposure at work.
  English Order printed copy 01/31/2008
- Nail salons: How to be safe at work
  tiệm Nail: Làm thế nào để được an toàn tại nơi làm việc
  Explains how nail products can harm you, as a nail technician, and what you can do to be safe at work.
  Vietnamese Order printed copy 05/16/2008
- Occupational safety for the death care industry
  Developed in partnership with the Oregon Mortuary and Cemetery Board to emphasize industry hazards, provide recommendations, and highlight related Oregon OSHA standards.
  English 09/23/2014
- Understanding Table 1 and the specified exposure control methods for silica dust
  This guide helps construction employers understand the methods listed in Table 1 for controlling exposures to silica dust.
  English Order printed copy 05/19/2022
Checklists
- Ventilation for indoor air quality
  Checklist for ventilation for indoor air quality.
  English
Fact sheets
- Airborne Exposure Limit for Manganese
  This factsheet highlights Oregon OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) for manganese compounds and fumes and describes Oregon OSHA’s manganese rule, which gives employers the option to use two different levels of respiratory protection based on assigned protective factors during common welding and welding-related tasks.
  English 07/21/2022
- Isocyanates
  Describes what isocyanates are, why they're extreme health hazards, and how employees can protect themselves.
  English 12/08/2014
- Mold
  Describes effects and dangers of mold in buildings, with information on evaluating buildings for mold growth, sampling, and subsequent remediation.
  English 02/26/2008
- Nail salon safety and health hazards
  Explains that prolonged exposure to chemicals in nail polish, polish removers, and nail hardeners can be harmful if not used properly.
  English 10/25/2022
- Sulfur dioxide use when sanitizing wine barrels and corks
  Sulfur dioxide is legally classified as a pesticide under federal and Oregon laws when it is used to sanitize wine barrels and wine corks. This fact sheet explains how to properly sanitize wine barrels and wine corks.
  English 05/19/2017
- Wood dust
  Describes health and safety hazards of wood dust
  English 02/15/2008
Quick facts
- Diisocianatos
  Diisocyanates
  Datos rápidos para trabajadores sobre los diisocianatos. Los diisocianatos son productos químicos que se usan para hacer el poliuretano. Si usa productos que contienen poliuretano donde trabaja, debería saber acerca de los diisocianatos, quienes pueden irritar sus ojos, garganta, nariz, y piel. - | - Quick facts for employees about diisocyanates. Diisocyanates are chemicals used to make polyurethane. If you use products that contain polyurethane where you work, you should know about diisocyanates, which can irritate your eyes, throat, nose, and skin.
  Spanish 09/11/2012
References
- Rules with requirements
  We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
  English 05/10/2019

Education and training

Online course
- Curso en línea sobre el humo por incendios forestales
  Wildfire Smoke online course
  Este curso en línea está diseñado para satisfacer 5 de los 10 requisitos de capacitación que se encuentran en las reglas de Oregon OSHA para abordar la exposición al humo causado por incendios forestales.
  Spanish Online course 06/15/2022
- Wildfire Smoke online course
  This online course is designed to satisfy 5 of the 10 training requirements found in Oregon OSHA’s rules to address exposure to wildfire smoke.
  English Online course 06/10/2022

Rules and rule-related

Advisory group

Permissible Exposure Limits

Adopted Rules
- Adopted Rules Addressing Employee Exposure to Wildfire Smoke
  Administrative Order 4-2022 Rule text
- Adoption of Federal SIP IV Amendments and Oregon-Initiated Changes to Administrative, General Industry, Construction, and Maritime Activity Standards.
  Administrative Order 3-2019 Rule text
- Heat and Wildfire Smoke Rules Summary
Final Rules
- Division 2, Subdivision Z, 437-002-0382, Oregon Rules for Air Contaminants
  Administrative Order 11-2021 Word version
- Division 2, Subdivision Z, 437-002-1081 Protection from Wildfire Smoke
  Administrative Order 4-2022 Word version
- Division 2, Subdivision Z, Beryllium
  3-2019 Word version
- Division 3, Subdivision Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances
  Administrative Order 11-2021 Word version
- Division 4, Subdivision Z, Chemical/Toxins
  Administrative Order 4-2022 Word version
Interpretations
- Carbon monoxide gas formation in closed dairy equipment
  05/14/2015
- H2S exposure
  04/07/2003
- Wildfire Smoke and 2024 AQI Update
  Policy Guidance: Oregon OSHA’s rules establishing limits for workers’ exposure to wildfire smoke particulate matter became permanent in May 2022, calculated based on EPA particulate matter (PM) standards. In May 2024, the EPA modified how the AQI is calculated based on 24-hour exposure to PM2.5. While the EPA modified how it calculates AQI, neither the process for measuring PM2.5 exposure or the actual concentrations adopted by Oregon OSHA changed.
  06/13/2024
Program Directives
- Anesthetic Gases
  Purpose: To notify and provide guidance to hospital administrators, operating room personnel, dental office personnel, and Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (OR-OSHA) personnel regarding a potential hazard to operating room and dental office personnel due to chronic exposures to waste anesthetic gases.
  A-205 06/29/2000
- Wood Preservatives Containing Chlorinated Phenols
  Purpose: This directive provides information and guidelines for evaluating personal protective measures and safe handling practices for employees exposed to wood preservatives containing chlorinated phenols.
  A-203 09/14/2000
Summary of comments and decisions

Video Resources

Borrow from the Resource Center

Watch Online

English
- Respirator Safety
  When you must wear a respirator to protect yourself against airborne contaminants in your workplace, it is very important to follow proper procedures for putting it on and taking it off.
  Language: English Length: 9:16 minutes
- Wildfire smoke protection
  Videos from Wildfire Smoke online course
  Language: English Length: 5 minutes
Spanish
- Protección contra el humo por incendios forestales
  Wildfire smoke protection videos
  Videos del curso en línea Wildfire Smoke Protection de Oregon OSHA.
  Language: Spanish Length: 5 minutes