Niosh Control Banding

Qualitative Risk Characterization and
Management of Occupational Hazards:

Control Banding (CB)
A Literature Review and Critical Analysis
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
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DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009152
August 2009
SAFER HEALTHIER PEOPLE
ii
FOREWORD
When the U.S. Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Public
Law 91596), it established the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH). Through the Act, Congress charged NIOSH with recommending occupational
safety and health standards and describing exposure levels that are safe for various
periods of employment, including but not limited to the exposures at which no worker
will suffer diminished health, functional capacity, or life expectancy as a result of his
or her work experience. NIOSH communicates recommended standards to regulatory
agencies (including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA]),
health professionals in academic institutions, industry, organized labor, public interest
groups, and others in the occupational safety and health community through criteria
documents. Yet limited resources, incomplete data, and the ever-expanding inventory
of chemical hazards in the workplace and global commerce make it infeasible to develop
standards for all possible hazards. Consequently, NIOSH has also been tasked with
assessing and providing technical solutions and promising intervention strategies to
protect the safety and health of workers.
One such emerging strategy has gained increasing attention among safety and health
practitioners: a qualitative risk characterization and management strategy, also referred
to as control banding (CB). This strategy groups workplace risks into control bands
based on evaluations of hazard and exposure information. The utility of CB is recognized
by a number of international organizations, and widening interest can be gauged by the
growing literature describing qualitative risk assessment and management strategies.
Despite limitations, in the absence of recommended standards, CB may be a useful
strategy for assessing and controlling occupational hazards as part of a comprehensive
safety and health program.
This document is generated from literature reviews of recent developments describing
such exposure-characterization and risk-management strategies in occupational
settings. In particular, this document summarizes the literature describing qualitative
risk assessment and strategies of risk management. The intent of this review is to provide
a broad description of qualitative strategies to reduce risk of exposure to occupational
hazards, recognizing that a deliberate and extensive review of the literature on this
topic will help guide decisions for where CB applications may be most effective. Also
important is finding where limitations in our understanding may require additional
research or modification or may preclude the use of CB strategies altogether. In meeting
these objectives, this document intends to inform its audiencemostly occupational
safety and health practitioners, researchers, policy and decision makers, employers, and
iii
workers in potentially hazardous work placesof the concepts of CB and the promise
it holds as a tool for use within a broader comprehensive occupational safety and health
program.
Christine M. Branche, Ph.D.

Acting Director, National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
iv
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The majority of chemical substances in commerce have no established occupational
exposure limits (OELs). In the absence of established OELs, employers and workers
often lack the necessary guidance on the extent to which occupational exposures
should be controlled. A strategy to control occupational exposures that may have value
when there are no relevant OELs is known as control banding (CB). CB is a qualitative
strategy for assessing and managing hazards associated with chemical exposures in the
workplace. The question about the utility of the CB strategy for workplaces in the United
States has been raised, warranting a critical review of its concepts and applications. This
report is the result of a review of the published literature and related proceedings on CB.
The conceptual basis for CB is the grouping of chemical exposures according to similar
physical and chemical characteristics, intended processes/handling, and anticipated
exposure scenarios (amount of chemical used and how workers would be exposed).
Based on these factors, appropriate control strategies (that is, risk management options)
are determined for each of these groupings. In one of the least complex forms, a four-level
hierarchy of risk management options for controlling exposures to chemicals includes
1. good occupational hygiene practices, which may be supplemented by use of
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
2. engineering controls, including local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
3. containment
4. seeking specialist advice
To determine the appropriate control strategy, one must consider the characteristics of
a particular chemical substance and the potential for exposure (based on quantity in
use, volatility [for liquids], or dustiness [for solids], and the relative hazard as described
in what is known as a risk phrase, or R-phrase). Determining potential exposures for
airborne particulates or vapors involves characterizing the process or activity in which
the chemical substance is used. Work processes help in assigning the chemical substance
to a CB. These CBs provide guidance for various control options and recommendations
for PPE based on a qualitative assessment of the chemical exposure.
The published literature on CB revealed different models, each with varying levels
of complexity and applicability. The utility of qualitative risk management strategies
such as CB has been recognized by a number of international organizations. Widening
interest in this strategy can be gauged by the growing literature describing elements of
qualitative risk assessment and management strategies and in some cases, very welldeveloped models of practice. This report attempts to capture the state-of-the-science of
CB as reflected in research and practice. From the published literature and information
gleaned from proceedings of recent international workshops, symposia, and conferences
on this subject, the following major themes related to CB have emerged:
v
Factors influencing the evolution of qualitative risk characterization and

management of occupational hazards
Strategies of practice
Applicability and limitations of practice
Needs for future research, evaluation, and validation
These themes are based on interpretations of current studies and an understanding of
the topic. By providing the appropriate background information and resources, this
literature review can serve as a means to educate employers, workers, safety and health
practitioners, and other audiences about the concepts of CB and to stimulate further
dialogue about its potential usefulness in the United States.
The scope of this document includes CB strategies, presented within the context of
qualitative occupational risk management concepts. The risk management strategy
associated with CB is characterized by selection and implementation of appropriate
control solutions, often in the absence of OELs, to reduce work-related exposures
that may lead to occupational disease, illness, and injury. The use of R-phrases or
their equivalents in the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for Classification and
Labeling of chemicals in CB is a useful practice, but it is not intended to replace OELs,
exposure assessment, or classic Industrial Hygiene protocol (i.e., hierarchy of controls)
on which CB is based. This review indicates that CB is a potentially valuable tool for
risk management of some chemical agents and other occupational hazards; however,
continued research and validation efforts are needed. Investigation and application of
CB principles to other hazardous agents also appear warranted. If CB is to be useful in
the United States, it is recommended that the following actions occur:
1. Increase awareness and standardization of concepts associated with CB.
2. Ensure validation of qualitative risk assessment and management strategies,
tools, and control-focused solutions.
3. Coordinate efforts for developing, implementing, evaluating, and
disseminating qualitative risk assessment and risk management strategies to
improve awareness and utility of task-specific, hazard-control guidance.
4. Foster national and international coordination on applications for controlfocused solutions for high-risk tasks, industries, and small businesses.
5. Consider CB models for broader application to address additional workplace
hazards (e.g., more complex chemical exposures, dermal exposure hazards,
ergonomic hazards, other physical hazards). The CB process should be expanded
to include occupational safety components to address injury and illness prevention.
6. Incorporate economic analyses into the process of selecting exposure control
methods, with the goal of developing a more complete understanding of the
relationship between the hierarchy of controls and their cost effectiveness.
vi
In summary, this review and analysis have led to recognition of the following key
messages:
Control banding is a potentially valuable tool for risk management of source
chemical agents and other occupational hazards.
Despite limitations, in the absence of OELs, CB may be a useful strategy for
assessing and controling occupational hazards as part of a comprehensive
safety and health program.
CB is not meant to be a substitute for OELs.
The use of CB does not alleviate the need for environmental monitoring and
industrial hygiene expertise.
CB strategies may be useful for providing hazard control guidance to small and
medium size enterprises (SMEs); larger businesses may find CB strategies of
greatest utility for prioritizing hazards and for hazard communication.
Additional development, evaluation, and discussion are required before widespread
implementation of CB in the United States can be recommended. This document is
intended to set the stage for that discussion. At this time, the existing toolkits for CB may
not be appropriate for the United States and will need modification before being applied.
Critical is the need for a dynamic system that incorporates changing factors over time
for both control implementation and managerial oversight. It is recommended that a
taskforce of safety and health professionals, labor and management, and government
representatives be established to advance the research and development needs for CB
in the United States.
vii
CONTENTS
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvi
1 | Challenges of Traditional Risk Management Using Occupational
Exposure Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 | Problems Implementing Measures to Limit Workplace Exposures . . . . . . . . . 3
3 | The Origins of Control Banding for Chemical Agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.1 Core Principles of Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2 Possible Components of Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2.1 Hazard Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2.2 Hazard Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2.3 R-Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
8
9
9
9
3.3 Early Models of Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.3.1 COSHH Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.2 France (Risk Potential Hierarchy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.3 Germany (Chemical Management Guide) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.4 The Netherlands (Stoffenmanager) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.5 Norway (KjemiRisk) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.6 Belgium (Regetox and SOBANE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.7 Singapore (SQRA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.8 Korea (KCT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
11
13
14
16
16
17
18
19
4 | The Architecture on Which Control Banding is Based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4.1 Occupational Exposure Bands and Occupational Exposure Limits . . . .
4.2 Levels of Facility Design and Construction Based on Carcinogenicity
of Chemicals to Be Used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3 Exposure Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.4 Toxicologic Considerations (Brooke 1998) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.5 Occupational Control Considerations (Maidment 1998) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.6 Providing Control Guidance to Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21
23
24
24
27
30
5 | Validation and Verification of Control Banding Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

5.1 Variables for Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
ix
5.1.1
5.1.2
5.1.3
5.1.4
5.1.5
Exposure Prediction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hazard Prediction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Control Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Control Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
33
33
33
34
34
5.2 Studies Performed for Validation of Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5.2.1 Tischer et al. 2003; Brooke 1998; Kromhout 2002a,b;
Topping 2002a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.2.2 U.K. Health and Safety Executive Studies (Maidment 1998) . . . .
5.2.3 German Bundestalt fr Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin
Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.2.4 University of CaliforniaBerkeley Study (Jones and
Nicas 2004, 2006a,b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.3 Expert Opinions on Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
34
34
35
36
36
38
6 | Specific Issues in Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
Dermal Absorption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Silica (HSE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asthmagens (HSE, NIOSH, OSHA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asbestos Essentials (HSE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
41
43
44
44
7 | Special Events Surrounding Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
First International Control Banding Workshop (ICBW1) . . . . . . . . . . . .

Second International Control Banding Workshop (ICBW2) . . . . . . . . . .
Third International Control Banding Workshop (ICBW3) . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fourth International Control Banding Workshop (ICBW4) . . . . . . . . . .
International Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
45
46
46
47
47
8 | Critical Analysis of Control Banding Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

8.1 A Discussion of Weaknesses and Strengths of CB Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.1.1 General Control Banding v. COSHH Essentials . . . . . . . . . . .
8.1.2 Estimated Controls v. Specific Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.1.3 Control Banding Strategies v. Full-time Industrial
Hygiene Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.1.4 Control Banding v. Reliance on OELs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.1.5 Not Monitoring v. Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.1.6 Qualitative Output v. Quantitative Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.1.7 Static Control v. Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49
49
51
51
51
52
52
53
8.2 Determine the Barriers to, and Considerations for, Implementing Control
Banding to Address Safety and Health Hazards in U.S. Workplaces . . . .
8.2.1 Use of Standardized Hazard Statements in Control Banding . . .
8.2.2 Considerations for Implementing control Banding . . . . . . . . .
8.2.3 OSHA and Its Voluntary Consultative Services . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.3 Implementation of a Risk Management System in the United States that
Includes CB Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.3.1 Can Toolkits and Toolboxes Reduce Occupational Exposures
to Protect the Health of Workers on a National Basis? . . . . .
8.3.2 Implementation in Small Businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.3.3 Expanding to an ORM for Chemical Control . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.3.4 Develop Ergonomic Toolkits Based on Existing
National Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.3.5 Investigate Expansion to Safety and Environmental
Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.3.6 Investigate Expansion to Psychosocial Toolkits . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.3.7 Implementing a National Control Banding Strategy . . . . . . . .
8.4 How Can International Cooperation Assist in the Creation of
Toolkits and ORM Toolboxes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.4.1 Twinning Developed Countries with Developing
Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.4.2 Americas Silica Control Banding Effort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.4.3 Expanding to an ORM Toolbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.4.4 Fitting Control Banding into Occupational Safety and
Health Management Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.4.5 Control Banding Compatibility with the Globally
Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of
Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.5 Recognition of Specific Industries or Activities Where CB May
Be Adopted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.6 Additional Applications of CB in Ergonomics, Noise, and
Traumatic Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.6.1 Control Banding for Ergonomics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.6.2 Control Banding for Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.6.3 Control Banding for Traumatic Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.6.4 Control Banding for Nanotechnology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
53
54
55
56
57
57
58
58
59
59
60
60
61
61
61
62
62
63
65
66
66
67
67
68
8.7 Current Collaborations to Explore CB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

9 | Discussion and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
xi
10 | Recomendations to Facilitate the Implementation of CB Strategies
in the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

10.1 Recommendations for Improving Awareness and Standardization
of Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
10.2 Recommendations for Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
10.3 Recommendations for Expanding the Control Banding Model . . . . . . . . 74
10.4 Recommendations for Disseminating Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
10.5 Recommendations for Coordination and Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Appendix A. Related Publications with Selected Annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Appendix B. Allocation of Hazard Bands for Vapors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Appendix C. International Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
xii
ABBREVIATIONS
ABPI
ACGIH
AIHA
ANSI
BAuA

BOHS
CB
CEFIC

CGS
CHIP
CIA
COSHH
CS
dB
DREAM
EASE
ECETOC
EMKG
EPA
EPL
EPS
ES&H
EU
GHS

GTZ
HCS
HSE
ICBW
ICCT
IH
ILO
INRS
IOHA
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
American Industrial Hygiene Association
American National Standards Institute
Bundesanstalt fr Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (German
Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
British Occupational Hygiene Society
control banding
Conseil Europen de lIndustrie Chimique (European Chemical
Industry Council)
control guidance sheet
Chemical Hazard Information and Packaging
Chemical Industry Association
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
control strategy
decibels
Dermal Exposure Assessment Method
Estimation and Assessment of Substances Exposure
European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals
easy-to-use workplace control scheme for hazardous substances
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
exposure predictor bands for liquids
exposure predictor bands for solids
Environmental Safety and Health
European Union
Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of
chemicals
Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit
Hazard Communication Standard
Health and Safety Executive (of the United Kingdom)
International Control Banding Workshop
International Chemical Control Toolkit
industrial hygiene
International Labor Office
Institut National de Recherche et de Scurit
International Occupational Hygiene Association
xiii
IPCS
ISO
ITG
KCT
KOSHA
LEV
LOAEL
MAK

MSDS
NIOSH
NOAEL
OEB
OEH
OEL
OHSAS
ORM
OSHA
PPE
ppm
PRIMAT
R-phrases
REACH

RSC
S-phrase
SME
SOBANE
SQRA
TLV
TWA
U.K.
WHO
WHOCC
WIND
WISE
xiv
International Programme on Chemical Safety

International Organization for Standardization
International Technical Group
Korean Control Toolkit
Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency
local exhaust ventilation
lowest observed adverse effect level
Maximale Arbeitsplatzkonzentration (maximum concentration of a
substance in the ambient air in the workplace)
Material Safety Data Sheet
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
no observed adverse effect level
occupational exposure band
Occupational and Environmental Health
occupational exposure limit
Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series
Occupational Risk Management
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
personal protective equipment
parts per million
Psychosocial Risk Management toolkit
risk phrases
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of
Chemicals
Royal Society of Chemistry
safety phrase
small and medium enterprise
Screening, Observation, Analysis, Expertise
Singapores Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment
Threshold Limit Value
time-weighted average
United Kingdom
World Health Organization
WHO Collaborating Centers
Work Improvement in Neighborhood Development
Work Improvement in Small Enterprises
GLOSSARY
control banding (CB): A strategy that groups workplace risks into control categories or
bands based on combinations of hazard and exposure information. The following four
main CBs have been developed for exposure to chemicals by inhalation:
Band 1: Use good industrial hygiene (IH) practice and general ventilation.
Band 2: Use local exhaust ventilation.
Band 3: Enclose the process.
Band 4: Seek expert advice.
This qualitative strategy to assess and manage risk focuses resources on exposure
controls and describes how strictly a risk needs to be managed.
COSHH Essentials: A CB strategy developed by the British Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) to assist small- and medium-sized enterprises in complying with Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations. The COSHH Essentials
guidance is available in both a published document and in a Web-based model known
as eCOSHH Essentials [www.coshh-essentials.org.uk].
KjemiRisk: Assessment of chemical health risk based on experience and practice in the
Norwegian oil industry.
Occupational Risk Management (ORM): The process of using a combination of
knowledge, training, and resources of IH practice to address hazards in the workplace.
This process may encompass the use of a variety of toolbox strategies, which are defined
below, (and within these, toolkits), including qualitative risk assessment and controlfocused strategies to minimize hazardous exposures.
Toolbox: A collection of strategies for the control of worker exposures and may be
comprised of multiple toolkits. The toolbox concept is presented as a receptacle of
various toolkits used to address various workplace hazards associated with specific
industries and tasks. As such, the toolbox provides a mechanism for managing
occupational risk and is currently referenced as an ORM or CB toolbox. Toolboxes with
relevance for ORM in the United States include the broad (Environmental Safety and
Health Toolbox), the industry-specific (Construction Toolbox), and the occupationspecific (Hair Dressers Toolbox).
Toolkit: A narrowly defined, solutions-based strategy for the control of worker
exposures that is focused to a discrete task or series of tasks.
xv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This document was developed by the Education and Information Division (EID), Paul
Schulte,Ph.D., Director. Thomas Lentz, Ph.D., was the project officer for this document,
assisted in great part by Richard Niemeier, Ph.D., and Charles Geraci, Ph.D. The basis
for this document was a report contracted by NIOSH and prepared by Deborah Imel
Nelson, Ph.D. (University of Colorado, Boulder) and David M. Zalk (Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory). The following persons and organizations were especially helpful
in providing information for the initial report: Jennifer Silk (OSHA, retired), Andrew
Garrod (HSE), Paul Evans (HSE), the National Control Banding Workshop Organizing
Committee, and the Risk Assessment Committee of the American Industrial Hygiene
Association.
For review and contributions to the technical content of this document, the authors
gratefully acknowledge the following NIOSH personnel:
Education and Information Division
Catherine Beaucham
Donna Heidel
Alan Weinrich
Ralph Zumwalde
Division of Applied Research and

Technology
Duane R. Hammond
Stephen D. Hudock, Ph.D.
Andrew Maynard, Ph.D.
Larry Reed
John W. Sheehy
Division of Respiratory Disease Studies

Randy Boylstein
Mark Hoover, Ph.D.
Greg J. Kullman
Chris Piacitelli
Division of Safety Research

Alfred A. Amendola, Ph.D.
Division of Surveillance, Hazard

Evaluations, and Field Studies
Chandran Achutan
Eric J. Esswein
Aaron Sussell, Ph.D.
Health Effects Laboratory Division

Omur Cinar Elci, M.D.
Martin Harper, Ph.D.
National Personal Protective

Technology Laboratory
Heinz W. Ahlers, J.D.
Office of the Director

Marilyn Fingerhut, Ph.D.
Matt Gillen
Paul Middendorf, Ph.D.
Spokane Research Laboratory

Thomas M. Brady
Pamela L. Drake
xvi
The authors thank Jane Weber, Sue Afanuh, Anne Hamilton, Elizabeth Fryer, Vanessa
Becks, Gino Fazio, and Jackie Rogers for their editorial support and contributions to
the design and layout of this document. Clerical and information resources support in
preparing this document was provided by Lucy Schoolfield, Norma Helton, Rosmarie
Hagedorn, and Laurel Jones.
Finally, special appreciation is expressed to the following individuals for serving as
independent, external reviewers and providing comments that contributed to the
development or improvement of this document:
Anne Bracker, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
Patrick Breysse, Ph.D., School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Maryland
Warren Brown, American Society of Safety Engineers, Des Plaines, Illinois
Alberto Camacho, Ph.D., Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit
(GTZ) GmbH, Germany
Paul Evans, Health and Safety Executive, Bootle, United Kingdom
Ho Sweet Far, Ph.D., Ministry of Manpower, Singapore
Henri Heussen, Ph.D., Arbo Unie Expert Centre for Chemical Risk Management,
the Netherlands
Paul Hewett, Ph.D., EAS Solutions, Inc., Morgantown, West Virginia
Walter Jones, Laborers Health and Safety Fund of North America,
Washington, DC
Byung Gyu Kim, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Republic of Korea
Jacques Malchaire, Universit catholique de Louvain, Belgium
Rolf Packroff, Ph.D., Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
Dortmund, Germany
Carolyn Vickers, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Dee Woodhull, ORC Worldwide, Washington, DC
xvii
1
Challenges of Traditional Risk Management Using
Occupational Exposure Limits
The traditional approach to protecting
worker health was pioneered in the late
19th century when the first occupational
exposure limits (OELs) were established
in Germany [Jayjock et al. 2000]. Sampling and analysis of airborne contaminants was performed, and results were
compared with OELs. In 1946 the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) published its
first list of exposure limits for 148 chemicals, then referred to as Maximum Allowable Concentrations and renamed to
Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) in 1956
[ACGIH 2007]. In the following decades,
this sampling-and-analysis approach to
risk management was adopted by many
of the industrialized nations and, as a result, contributed to the improvement of
working conditions, increased span and
quality of life for workers, and decreased
compensation costs. As a case in point, for
the years 1972 and 2000, records from the
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicate a reduction in occupational injuries and illnesses per 100
workers from 10.9 cases to 6.1 [Swuste and
Hale 1994; NIOSH 2002, 2004]. However,
the proportion of injuries and illnesses related to chemical hazards is not known.
Strict reliance upon sampling and analyzing airborne contaminants and comparing results with OELs has become increasingly difficult in recent decades because of
the growing number of hazardous chemicals. The increasing number far outweighs
the ability and resourcesof government
and other agencies external to chemical
manufacturersto determine associated
OELs. To address this concern, the European Commission promulgated regulations known as the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of
Chemicals (REACH), which would shift
the burden of proof of chemical safety to
manufacturers and would apply to most
chemicals in commerce [EC 2001].
Also contributing to the increasing difficulty
to protect worker health is the large variability in exposure measurements, both within
and between workers. Because of these
challenges, individual companies, trade associations, and government agencies have
developed innovative strategies to protect
both worker health and the environment.
2
Problems Implementing Measures to Limit
Workplace Exposures
To control workplace exposures to hazardous chemicals, in the late 1980s the
United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (HSE) developed a simplified strategy to assess health risks in the workplace
called Control of Substances Hazardous
to Health (COSHH). Despite much optimism that these regulations would bring
greater emphasis on the assessment of
risks to health in industry [Parker 1989],
their effective implementation met many
challenges [Winterbottom 1987]. An unpublished survey of 2,000 companies,
taken shortly after COSHH promulgation, showed widespread ignorance of
the new regulations and their implications
among smaller concerns [Seaton 1989].
Through the 1990s, there were many reports of deficiencies and needs of many
workplaces in complying with COSHH
regulations, particularly in healthcare settings [Hutt 1994; Menzies 1995; Fraise
1999; Barker and Abdelatti 1997; Cooke
et al. 1991; Harrison 1991; Waldron 1989;
Aw 1989].
In an effort to understand better the problems with implementation of COSHH,
HSE conducted market research to characterize industrys perception of OELs
and the degree to which decisions on control measures were affected by OELs [Topping et al. 1998; Tischer 2001b]. Telephone
interviews were conducted about chemical use, sources of information, risk management, and understanding of COSHH
and OELs among 1,000 randomly selected
chemical users and 150 safety and health
representatives of trade unions. The majority (75%) of respondents worked at
facilities with fewer than 10 full-time
workers, mirroring the makeup of British
industry, although the majority of trade
union representatives worked at companies employing more than 100 workers.
The findings follow:
Decisions on control measures were
based largely on information from
suppliers and on personal experience.
Most respondents took measures
to protect workers, primarily by
making personal protective equipment (PPE) available, followed by
process controls. This finding indicates that failure to comply results more from lack of knowledge
than from unwillingness to meet
the requirements.
Only 35% of the respondents were
aware of COSHH; only 19% truly
understood OELs.
Trade union representatives tended to have greater understanding
3
Qualitative Risk Characterization and Management of Occupational Hazards: Control Banding (CB)
of COSHH and its requirements

than the chemical users from small
firms.
Larger chemical companies and
occupational safety and health professionals understand the COSHH
requirements, yet many small firms
wanted to be told exactly what they
need and do not need to do [Topping 2001].
According to Oldershaw [2003], the problem of failing to understand and comply
with COSHH regulations and OELs was
greater for microenterprises (<5 workers).
Microbusinesses are not just smaller versions of larger businesses; unlike big business, they cannot afford
occupational safety and health specialists.
OELs may be of no practical use to
microbusinesses.
Measurement of workers exposure

to chemicals is usually not possible
because of cost, lack of availability,
and difficulty in interpretation and
application to microbusinesses.
These findings likely apply in the United
States because the employment composition of U.S. businesses is similar to that of
the United Kingdom.
Topping et al. [1998] concluded that, given the widespread lack of understanding
about OELs, generation of additional lists
of OELs would not be cost effective and
that OELs should be limited to widely used
substances of concern. Consequently, recognizing that OELs and other information
about the chemical (e.g., physical properties, use) could be used to recommend appropriate control measures, these authors
suggested a reappraisal of the traditional
OEL system. Thus the birth of control
banding.
3
The Origins of Control Banding for Chemical Agents
In the late 1990s the advancements made
since the 1970s in risk and control strategies were combined to result in a simple
but powerful concept:
Health Hazard + Exposure Potential Generic
Risk Assessment Control Strategy
This equation indicates that information

about the health hazard and exposure associated with a chemical substance and its
use can be used to perform a qualitative
risk assessment and determine the appropriate risk management or control strategy.
Control banding (CB) is a strategy for
qualitative risk assessment and management of hazards in the workplace. The
strategy involves a process to group workplace risks into control bands based on
combinations of hazard and exposure information. CB strategies are not intended
to be predictive exposure models.
The earliest CB strategies evolved based
on the premise that, although workers
may be exposed to a number of chemicals, only a few (generally four or five)
categorical approaches exist to protect
them (e.g., occupational exposure limits
[OELs]). These strategies linked the hazard of a chemical substance, usually determined by a simple measure of toxicity, to
a suite of control measures. Though this
literature review focuses on chemical risk,
CB strategies are expanding into other
areas, such as physical hazards, ergonomics, and psychosocial factors.

CB has grown from a number of qualitative and semi-quantitative risk assessment
strategies that began to appear in the 1970s
[Money 2003; Lewis 1980; AIChE 1994;
Nauman et al. 1996]. Examples of key elements in evolution of relevant strategies
are presented in Table 1. Similarities are
evident in these strategies because they
borrowed elements from each other and
built upon previous efforts [Money 2003]
and because ideas were exchanged among
occupational health practitioners and scientists in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, governmental agencies, and
professional and trade associations.
The influence of the pioneering efforts of
the U.S. pharamaceutical industry in the
1980s and 1990s, including the origins of
the concept of performance based exposure
control limits (PBECLs) [Naumann et al.
1996], are undeniably tied to the evolution
of CB strategies. Because such concepts
were also quickly taking hold at the same
time elsewhere among groups like the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chemical
Industry Association, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the sources of additional
advances. The professional interactions
were such that CB concepts were evolving
rapidly through technical exchanges of U.S.
and European groups.
5
Table 1. Key elements in the evolution of qualitative occupational risk management and
CB* concepts and their references in the literature
Element(s)
References
Safety risks from major facilities: risk matrices combining severity

and frequency of event
ICE 1985; AIChE 1992
Simplified strategy for workplace health risk assessment (COSHH)
HMSO 1988
Application of safety risk concepts to workplace health (in laboratories): (1) categorization of hazard using R-phrases, (2) simple strategy to estimate exposure in laboratories or a workplace risk matrix
using both to identify appropriate control solutions
RSC 2003; Money 2003
Health risk assessment for laboratories
RSC 2003, 1996
Use of hazard ratings (e.g., for prioritizing IH monitoring, installing Henry and Schaper 1990
engineering controls, selecting PPE)
Relationship between risk phrases (R-phrases) and OELs
Gardner and Oldershaw 1991
Use of carcinogenic ranking of aromatic amines and nitro compounds to suggest practical workplace controls
Gardner and Oldershaw 1991;

Crabtree et al. 1991; Money
1992a; CIA 1993
Application of the RSC strategy beyond laboratories (e.g., the phar- Naumann et al. 1996; Money
maceutical industry); these strategies use R-phrases and simple algo- 1992a; CIA 1993
rithms to estimate exposures and combine both to suggest controls,
representing the first use of CB concepts for wider use in industry
[Money 2003]. These sector-specific strategies led to the idea that
hazard classification could provide a basis for generic exposure
control standards [Money 2003] and went beyond original categorization of carcinogens to include other toxic endpoints (e.g., CIA
[1993]). (Note: Strategies used in the pharmaceutical industry now
include lacrymators, highly toxic substances, reproductive hazards,
irritants, sensitizers, and mutagens [Tait 2004].)
Application for specific product classes and families, allowing more
detail in a more limited setting (ranking of carcinogens and linking
with facility design and safe handling guidelines)
CIA 1992; Money 1992b
Health risk assessment for product classes and families. The CIA
[1993] includes a table for colorants that includes hazard category
(14), hazard classification (e.g., toxic, corrosive), associated Rphrase, guideline control level (8-hour TWA), and a separate set of
recommendations for each hazard category.
Naumann et al. 1996; CIA 1993;

HSE 2001
(Continued)
Chapter 3 | The Origins of Control Banding for Chemical Agents
Table 1 (Continued). Key elements in the evolution of qualitative occupational risk management and CB* concepts and their references in the literature
Element(s)
References
Setting OELs and OEBs for pharmaceutical agents
ABPI 1995
Further development of RSC strategy
RSC 2003
Additional proposals for generic OELs or control strategies based

on hazard categorization
ABPI 1995; CIA 1997; TRG 1996
Marketed chemicals in general
Russell et al. 1998; Brooke 1998;

Maidment 1998; HSE 1999, 2000,
2001
Health risk assessment for industry
HSE 1999; IOM 2005
Safety, health, and environmental risk assessment for users of chemi- UIC 1999
cals
Strategies for the tiered and targeted risk assessment of chemicals
ECETOC 2002
Work Improvement in Small Enterprises (WISE)
ECETOC 2002
Work Improvement in Neighborhood Development (WIND)
ECETOC 2002
Adapted from Money 2003.

*CB=control banding
COSHH= Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
IH=industrial hygiene
PPE=personal protective equipment
OEL=occupational exposure limit

**RSC= Royal Society of Chemistry
CIA=Chemical Industry Association
TWA=time weighted average
OEB=occupational exposure band
Development and implementation of a

CB strategy requires five actions: creation
of the strategy, its application, the installation and operation/maintenance of controls, postcontrol monitoring, and failure
analyses at each step of the CB process, as
follows:
Suppliers
Assign risk phrase (R-phrase) (see
Section 3.2.3) or other toxicologic
rating to a substance.
Assign R-phrase to appropriate hazard band (see Table 4).
Report R-phrase on safety data sheets.
Consider hazard statements of the
Globally Harmonized System for
Classification and Labeling (GHS)
of chemicals.
Determine boiling point for liquid
substances and preparations.
Establish better terms to discriminate low, medium, and high potential exposures for airborne particulates.
Users
Acquire complete understanding
of the strategy, including R-phrases, quantity of substance in use, and
dustiness/volatility of substance.
Construct strategy to combine
quantity in use, dustiness/volatility,
and other determinants, to predict
exposure band.
Install/operate controls to reduce

exposures.
Validation of a CB model will require that
these activities be considered.
3.1 Core Principles of

Control Banding
According to Money [2003], one basic
tenet for CB is the need for a method
that will return consistent, accurate results even when performed by nonexperts.
Identifying key exposure determinants
without relying on sophisticated sampling
methods is an important step towards satisfying this requirement. Other core CB
principles follow:
The strategy must be understandable by workers to facilitate risk
evaluation and communication.
The strategy must be user-friendly.
Required information (e.g., material safety data sheets [MSDSs])
must be readily available to workers, particularly at small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Guidance on how to apply the strategy must be practical.
Workers must have confidence in
the strategy and the output advice
it provides.
Presentation of advice must be
transparent and consistent.
Use hazard information with task

activities to determine the control
guidance level.
3.2 Possible Components

of Control Banding
Select Control Guidance Sheet

(CGS).
A key component of a CB strategy is the

ability to categorize easily the toxicity of
substances using information that is

readily available, linking hazard category
(14), hazard classification (e.g., toxic,
corrosive), associated R-phrase, guideline
control level (8-hour TWA), and recommendations for each hazard category.
The hazard posed by exposure to a chemical via a given route was ranked according
to the chemicals European Union (EU)
risk phrases (R-phrases), and potential for
exposure was estimated by the quantity in
use and the volatility of liquids or, for solids, potential for airborne particulates.
3.2.1 Hazard Category
Gardner and Oldershaw [1991] presented a comparison of the American (ACGIH TLVs) and German OELs to the
designated R-phrases for volatile organic
substances [EEC 1987]. They found (1)
that the distributions of the OELs for
substances consistent with grouping by
R-phrase 23 (toxic by inhalation) and Rphrase 26 (very toxic by inhalation) best
fit a log-normal distribution and (2) that
the means for both R-phrase groups were
not significantly different. They concluded that the R-phrases, though not OELs,
could be referenced as Pragmatic Exposure-Control Concentrations and applied
as guides to control inhalation exposure
when other information was lacking. The
authors suggested that such CB would be
useful in cases where toxicologic data on
substances were incomplete or the ability
to understand such data was limited.
Traditionally, the pharmaceutical industry

has established OELs for active ingredients using risk assessment methods. However, Naumann et al. [1996] investigated a
new strategy because of (1) the increasing
potency of these chemicals, (2) difficulties
in establishing no effect levels for certain
products, and (3) challenges in sampling
and analyzing contaminants at very low
exposure levels.
3.2.2 Hazard Classification

Based on biosafety-level concepts used
in laboratories and on toxicologic and
pharmacologic properties of chemicals
used for various operations, Naumann
et al. [1996] distinguished five hazard
categories (performance-based exposure
control limits). Compounds were placed
into these categories based on the pharmaceutical active ingredients and on the
engineering controls and administrative
procedures known to be effective in controlling exposures to the necessary level.
3.2.3 R-Phrases
In 1998 the Annals of Occupational Hygiene published a series of papers outlining a CB strategy in which the hazard categorization, or hazard band, was combined
with the potential exposure to determine
a recommended level of control strategy.
Tischer [2001a] noted that the assignment

of R-phrases to hazard bands, described
in Table 4, was still being debated in Germany in 2001 and might well result in a
different model than the HSE characterization.
3.3 Early Models of Control

Banding
Interest in CB strategies on the part of the
European occupational hygiene community was spurred by the introduction of
9
the Chemical Agents Directive in 1998

[Money 2003; EC 1998]. Several CB strategies resulted [Money 2003], along with
other developments noted for their impact on chemical risk management:
1. REACH would shift the burden of
proof of chemical safety to industry and would apply to most chemicals in commerce [EC 2001].
2. The European Chemical Industry
Council (CEFIC) exposure management system [Money 2001] provides
a guidance tool for SMEs to collect
workplace exposure data that, when
coupled with hazard information,
delivers advice on risks and risk management, recommending whether
exposure monitoring should be

conducted (see Figure 1).
3. European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals
(ECETOC) tiered and targeted
risk assessment [ECETOC 2002]
could aid in the registration of a
large number of chemicals under REACH (see Figure 2). Tier
0 screens out chemicals not presenting an immediate risk to humans or the environment. Tier 1
identifies uses of a chemical that
may present further risks to be investigated in greater depth in Tier
2. In Tier 1, margins of exposure
are compared with generic OELs
for the chemicals hazard category.
Figure 1. The CEFIC exposure management system. Source: Money 2003 (with permission
from Oxford University Press, British Occupational Hygiene Society, and the author).
10
Figure 2. Key elements of the ECETOC strategy for the tiered and targeted risk assessment
of chemicals. Source: Money 2003 (with permission from Oxford University Press, British Occupational Hygiene Society, and the author).
Tier 2 assessments are conducted

in accordance with EU risk assessment principles.
3.3.1 COSHH Essentials

In the United Kingdom, the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) was faced with
the reality that OELs would never be developed for a large number of chemical
substances and that users at the majority of SMEs did not understand and did
not have the resources to meet COSHH
requirements to conduct risk assessments for chemicals used in the workplace [Topping et al. 1998; Menzies 1995;
Palmer and Freegard 1996]. In response,
HSE established a working group of key
stakeholdersthe U.K. Health and Safety
Commissions Advisory Committee on

Toxic Substancesto develop a simple
system of generic risk assessment [Topping 2001]. This strategy, which leads to
selection of appropriate controls, was first
published as COSHH Essentials: Easy Steps
To Control Chemicals [HSE 1999].
HSE was faced with developing guidance
that was practical for SMEs, based on readily available hazard information, and that
was easy to use and understand. Figure 3
illustrates the general pattern of processing
hazard information to derive appropriate
control approaches, a pattern associated
with the HSE model [Russell et al. 1998].
The model describes using R-phrases and
simple predictors of exposure to conduct
a generic risk assessment, which leads to
11
Health Hazard
Substances allocated to a
hazard band using R-phrases
Exposure Potential
Substances allocated to dustiness or volatility band and a
band for the scale of use
Control Approach
Type of approach needed to
achieve adequate control
Generic Risk Assessment

Combination of health hazard and exposure potential
factors determined desired
level of control
Figure 3. Factors used in HSE's core model [Russell et al. 1988].

straightforward recommendations on risk
management (i.e., control strategies).
Because COSHH Essentials is limited
to substances classified under Chemical Hazard Information and Packaging
(CHIP) regulations, the model is not applicable to pesticides and pharmaceuticals
nor is it applicable to process-generated
hazards such as wood particulate and
welding fumes. (Silica dust is also excluded, but has been addressed more recently
with the HSE development of the silica
hazard and task-specific guidance sheets.)
Hazard banding, exposure potential, and
control methods are the key components
of the COSHH Essentials strategy (see
Figure 4).
12
COSHH Essentials is the most fully developed CB strategy for chemical assessment, and guides users in selecting the
appropriate level of management based on
the following:
The type of task being performed
(12 general levels)
The assignment of the chemical
substance to Hazard Band AE (see
Section 4.4 and Table 4), based on
its hazard
The volatility (3 levels) or potential for generation of airborne particulate (3 levels) of the chemical
substance
The quantity of the chemical substance used in the task (3 levels)
Control Approach 1General ventilation. Good standard of general ventilation and

good working practices.
Control Approach 2Engineering control. Ranging from local exhaust ventilation

to ventilated partial enclosure.
Control Approach 3Containment. Containment or enclosure, allowing for limited, small scale breaches of containments.
Control Approach 4Special. Seek expert advice.

Figure 4. Control approaches used COSHH Essentials [Russell et al. 1988].
COSHH Essentials then provides specific

guidance in the form of a CGS for specific
workplace procedures and the recommended CB. Hudspith and Hay [1998]
agree with HSE to provide guidance in the
form of CGSs, but they point out an additional obstacle to worker protection: communication barriers within companies.
They recommend that HSE continue to
stress the value of workforce involvement
in safety and health issues. CGSs are available in paper format or in electronic database format on the Web at www.coshhessentials.org.uk.
After an introductory passage titled The
sunset of exposure limitsand the dawn
of something better? [Ogden 1998], the
Annals of Occupational Hygiene ran a series of articles [Russell et al. 1998; Brooke
1998; Maidment 1998] explaining the basic concepts of COSHH Essentials, toxicologic considerations, and occupational
hygiene considerations.
COSHH Essentials is a valuable toolkit for

protecting workers from airborne contaminants. In its original form it was limited to the inhalation route of exposure
and to certain chemicals used in manufacturing (others being regulated in specific
statutes). Work is ongoing to expand applications to other topics, including dermal hazards, process-generated hazards
such as airborne crystalline silica, and
asthmagens (see Section 6.0).
The COSHH Essentials builds on earlier
strategies (as described below) [Naumann
et al. 1996; CIA 1992, 1997; RSC 2003;
Gardner and Oldershaw 1991; Money
1992a,b] but adds two significant developments: it is specifically developed for
SMEs and it includes control advice.
3.3.2 France (Risk Potential

Hierarchy)
The Institut National de Recherche et de
Scurit (INRS) research center in France
13
reported on a system that uses simple and

available information to prioritize risk assessment of chemicals at the company level, taking into consideration hazard and
exposure factors (translated from French):
This risk results from the conjunction
of a hazard and an exposure. In the
case of a chemical product, the risk
corresponds to the toxicological properties of the product; the exposure is
linked to a number of factors such
as the quantity used, the conditions
of use, the physical characteristics of
the product, the means of prevention
utilized, and the duration of exposure
[Vincent and Bonthoux 2000].
Based on information derived from MSDSs and labels, chemicals are assigned to
categories based on (1) hazard classification and labeling (IV), (2) frequency of
use (IIV), and (3) quantity used (IV).
Quantity and frequency of use scores
are combined to create a classification
by potential exposure (IV, based on expert opinion). The scores for hazard (D)
and potential exposure (E) are combined
based on the following equation:
Product score = 10(D1) 3.16(E1)
The resulting scores have been ranked by
experts into three priority classifications
(A=elevated, B=middle, and C=weak)
that can be used at the plant level to prioritize chemical substances for further
risk assessment. Internal validation of the
model indicated overestimation in 19%
of the cases and underestimation in only
1%. The authors concluded that another
method of evaluation of the real risks at
the workplace should be developed to
complement this method.
14
3.3.3 Germany (Chemical

Management Guide)
Germany is the third largest chemical producing nation in the world, and the largest chemical exporting nation [Adelmann
2001]. As such, it has taken measures to
assist developing countries in managing
chemicals by supporting implementation
of the Rotterdam (prior-informed-consent) and Stockholm (Persistent Organic
Pollutants) Conventions by building capacity and by conducting demonstration projects [Tischer 2002; Tischer and
Scholaen 2003; Scholaen 2003]. Under its
Convention Project on Chemical Safety,
the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische
Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) has developed a
Chemical Management Guide as part of
its Pilot Project on Chemical Safety. The
Chemical Management Guide describes
a method to demonstrate and document
how chemical safety in developing countries and SMEs can be improved and sustainability implemented in line with international standards. The guiding principles
of the Chemical Management Guide include practicing sound management of
chemicals, reducing company production
costs, increasing product quality, protecting the environment, and ultimately reducing the risk to worker health. Its use
has been implemented at sites in Argentina, Indonesia, and EU countries. (The
guide is available via the Internet at www.
gtz.de/en in English, French, and Spanish.) The GTZ Chemical Management
Guide and training were also introduced
as a pilot project in the United States in
2006 through a collaborative effort between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), OSHA,
the Kentucky Safety and Health Network,
Murray State and Eastern Kentucky Universities, and local businesses in the Commonwealth of Kentucky [AIHA 2007].
Within the GTZ Chemical Management
Guide, the first of three steps is to identify
hot spots in a companys manufacturing
processes (e.g., places where inefficient
storage, handling, use, and disposal can be
observed). Preparing a detailed chemical
inventory is the second step. The last step
is use of one or more of the following resources: basic risk assessment, description
of control strategies, MSDSs, safety phrases for hazardous substances, and symbols
for labeling hazardous substances. This
strategy has been ground-tested in Indonesia and proved successful. Although CB
may be too sophisticated for many small
enterprises, field observations suggest that
since the medium and larger enterprises
have more MSDSs on site, they have a
greater potential for conducting risk assessments using the International Labor
Office (ILO) Chemical Control Toolkit
(ICCT) [Tischer and Scholaen 2003].
Since 2005, another effort in Germany
led by the German Bundesanstalt fr Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (BAuA)
has offered an easy-to-use workplace
control scheme for hazardous substances
(EMKG) as practical guidance for workplace risk assessment in SMEs [Packroff et
al. 2006]. Applying information obtained
from MSDSs to basic workplace conditions, the user of EMKG can derive control strategies to minimize exposure via
inhalation or skin contact.
EMKG is similar to COSHH Essentials.
The main differences between the two are
some divergent allocations of R-phrases to
hazard bands [German FMLS 2008] and
a more detailed tool to assess dermal exposure [German FMLS 2006]. CGSs for
typical tasks give guidance on precise
control measures within the control strategy determined with the generic tool. In
2007 the generic control guidance sheets
were supplemented with specific sheets
for activities with chemicals in the rubber
industry. Currently 36 CGSs offered on
BAuAs Web page are consistent with the
analagous topics in COSHH Essentials.
The EMKG offers nonregulatory guidance, but, like COSHH Essentials, is well
supported by legal obligations and Codes
of Practice from the tripartite Hazardous Substances Committee in Germany.
In May 2008 an enhanced version ofthe
scheme (EMKG 2.0) was launched on the
BAuA Web site [Kahl et al. 2008]. EMKG
2.0 includes 300 additional substances
with legal OELs in Germany. Users of the
scheme begin the risk assessment with the
OEL, which is aligned with a corresponding hazard band. Two possible practical
implementations of the scheme are (1) to
use the hazard group that directly relates
to the target airborne concentration range
that covers the OEL or (2) to use the hazard band below the OEL and the corresponding control strategy. In the first case
the employer has to improve the observance of the OEL by applying workplace
measurements, and in the second case the
employer can waive workplace measurements.
The expansion of EMKG 2.0 to substances
with OELs makes it adaptable for additional applications.EMKG can be used as
a simple tool to derive exposure scenarios
for substances to be registrated under the
REACH regulation by using the derived no
effect level, which is the REACH surrogate
15
for an OEL.A more specific EMKG-based

online tool is under development at BAuA
to help producers and importers of chemicals to fullfil the REACH requirement to
derive control strategies (CSs) and to recommend management measures (e.g., the
corresponding CGSs).
Additional work in Germany relates to
the GHS. A guideline to assist implementation of the chemical directive 98/24/EC
[EC 1998] has been elaborated by a contractor of the European Commission and
has been reviewed by an ad hoc working
group on chemicals of the tripartite advisory board to German employment.This
guideline is a recommendation to member states for implementation of 98/24/
EC and is not mandatory. As of publication date of this review, the guideline was
awaiting its final approval by the advisory
body and then publication.
3.3.4 The Netherlands

(Stoffenmanager)
Stoffenmanager, a Web-based tool for
SMEs for working safely with chemical
substances, factors exposure potential into
its strategy through the use of an interactive chemical risk management method.
It is available in English and Dutch at
www.stoffenmanager.nl. Stoffenmanager
was developed by ArboUnie and TNO
Chemistry, a Dutch contract research organization. This tool was constructed by
using parts of methods from Germany,
Austria, the United Kingdom, Sweden,
and Finland [Tijssen et al. 2004]. Stoffenmanager supports the requirements for
maintaining inventory of hazardous substances, assessing and controlling risks in
16
a risk inventory, obtaining a plan for control measures, making instruction sheets
for the workplace, and helping to store
chemicals according to guidelines. For
the risk inventory, the employer uses Rphrases categorized according to COSHH
Essentials. Then the employer completes
a qualitative exposure assessment by responding to questions to determine the
chemicals exposure class. The tool automatically calculates a risk score to complete the initial assessment of the health
risk. The employer reviews the selection
of various control measures based on the
risk score, and chooses the most appropriate and effective one accordingly [Tijssen
et al. 2004]. Stoffenmanager is currently
generic, but the Dutch have plans to adapt
it to fit into various industry sectors at a
later date. Industry sector-specific tools
would be very helpful and enhance its use
[Tijssen et al. 2004].
3.3.5 Norway (KjemiRisk)

Developed through the cooperation of
corporations within the Norwegian oil
industry, KjemiRisk, based on experience
and practice in this industry, is a strategy
for the assessment of chemical health risk.
The tool takes the following into account:
physical properties of the chemical; the
handling of the chemical; the appropriateness of the technical, organizational, and
personal barriers established to control
the chemical exposure; and the duration
and frequency of the work task, using Rand S-phrases (safety phrases) as its bases.
Chemicals are grouped into one of five
health hazard categories based on R- and
S-phrases. As part of the KjemiRisk application, 15 common tasks are defined, and
the handling of the chemical, its physical

state, duration and frequency of use, potential for exposure, and the appropriateness of controls in place are used in the
conceptual strategy. The risk assessment
is divided into two phases: the potential
risk and the final risk. These are adjusted
based on the reliability and appropriateness of the established controls. The risk
assessment provides an evaluation of taskbased work procedures that have the potential to cause illness related to lungs, internal organs, and skin [Smedbold 2004].
KjemiRisk is a rough risk assessment tool
when used by line managers or safety and
health generalists, and it is an expert tool
when used by industrial hygienists. It
is currently available in Norwegian and
English as an individual or a network application when integrated with an appropriate server. Expansion of Web applications, increased reporting functionalities,
and substitution of capabilities are currently being considered for improvement.
3.3.6 Belgium (Regetox and

SOBANE)
A two-stage risk assessment strategy (Regetox) was developed and tested in Belgium [Balsat et al. 2002a,b, 2003] in response to the European Chemical Agents
Directive 98/24/EC [EC 1998], which
requires companies to assess and manage chemical risks in the workplace. To
minimize the number of chemicals for
which risk assessment must be conducted
(and thus reduce costs), the first stage of
the strategy uses the French (INRS) ranking of potential risk based on R-phrase,
annual quantity in use, and frequency of
use [Vincent and Bonthoux 2000], as de-
scribed in Section 3.3.2. Only products

receiving a rating of medium or high are
carried forward to the second stage, which
uses COSHH Essentials. When mixtures
are being used, the risks are evaluated for
each harmful component of the mixture
by weight. For cases in which contaminants are generated during the process
(e.g., aerosols generated during spray
painting), the EASE (Estimation and Assessment of Substances Exposure) model
is used. Feasibility studies conducted at
two facilities revealed lacking or inadequate MSDSs. There was only one case in
the two companies in which the strategy
failed to reveal need for improvement in
the work situation. The authors felt that
simple examination of the work situation
would have indicated the need for semiquantitative risk assessment. Furthermore, they concluded that for companies
not prepared to comply with the European Chemical Agents Directive the use of
the Regetox strategy can be helpful; however, the Regetox strategy requires training of prevention advisors and planning
to involve employers, staff members, and
workers to assist in collecting basic information for the risk assessment.
The Screening, Observation, Analysis, Expertise (SOBANE) method is a four-level
risk prevention strategy developed around
2004 by Professor Jacques Malchaire at
the Universit catholique de Louvain, Occupational Hygiene and Work Physiology
Unit in Brussels, Belgium.
The objective of the screening stage is to
identify the main problems at the worksite
and solve the simple ones immediately.
During the observation stage, the more
complex problems from the screening
17
stage are examined in more detail. Workers and management are assisted through
the observation process by a nine-page
guide. In analysis, if the problems remain
after the first two stages, an occupational
health practitioner carries out appropriate measurements to develop proper solutions. An expert is called in for the final
stage to design a more sophisticated solution or improve an existing one.
3.3.7 Singapore (SQRA)

The Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment
(SQRA) was developed in Singapore by
the Ministry of Manpower. The purpose
of the SQRA is to help identify chemical hazards, evaluation exposure and its
potential, determine risk level, and prioritize appropriate controls to address the
identified risks. As the foundation for the
SQRA, three methods are recognized for
exposure evaluation: monitoring personal
exposure, selecting exposure factors and
parameters, and applying empirical and
theoretical formulas to estimate exposures
at the plant- or process-design stage. The
ICCT, based on COSHH Essentials, was
tested in parallel with applications of the
SQRA to evaluate their utility and to perform comparisons based on theoretical
and empirical aspects [Yap 2004]. Direct
comparison of the two strategies can be
stratified by their respective control strategies based on risk levels. The first control
strategy of the ICCT (general ventilation)
fits with SQRA risk level 1 (negligible risk)
and level 2 (low risk), suggesting periodic
reassessment and personal air monitoring requirements. The ICCT second engineering control strategy aligns with the
SQRA level 3 (medium risk), indicating
18
a need to implement and maintain controls, review the assessment every 3 years,
and determine if training and personal air
monitoring are necessary. The third control strategy for the ICCT (containment)
is comparable with the SQRA level 4 (high
risk), suggesting implementation of engineering controls, personal air monitoring and training, PPE requirements, and
reassessment of risk after all controls are
put into place. The ICCT fourth control
strategy (special circumstances) aligns
with the SQRA level 5 (very high risk),
which directs users to consult specialists
for advice, to comply with requirements
for risk level 4, and reassess after controls
are implemented.
In the theoretical comparison of the CB
strategies, risk is calculated using variables
of vapor pressure or particle size, ratio of
the odor threshold to the applicable OEL,
amount of chemical used and duration
of work per week, and control measures.
This result is then compared with the control strategy determined by the ICCT, given a direct evaluation of the consistency
of the models because the ICCT does not
take into account existing hazard control
measures. To assess against the Toolkits
control strategy, the empirical comparison of the models uses actual personal air
monitoring data that the SQRA methods
risk level was based on. Selected processes
at 27 SMEs received this comparison. The
processes included metal working, paint
manufacturing, chemical processing,
printing, dry cleaning, and electronics
industries. The results of the theoretical
comparison indicate that the Toolkit and
the SQRA method are somewhat consistent with a difference between the control
strategy and risk level being one to two
bands. In the majority of cases using the

empirical comparison, it was determined
that the ICCT estimates a higher risk than
the SQRA, thereby suggesting a higher
level of control [Yap 2004].
3.3.8 Korea (KCT)

The Korean Control Toolkit (KCT) for
chemicals has been developed into a Webbased tool for SMEs by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). It is currently available through the
KOSHA Web site at www.kosha.net/index.
jsp; however, access is limited to members
only. The KCT is a semi-quantitative assessment strategy that provides advice on
controlling the hazards associated with
specific chemicals. Currently the KCT is
available for 12 chemicals, with plans to
expand coverage to 30 chemicals that have
frequently caused occupational diseases
in Korea based on industrial disease statistics and epidemiologic investigations by
KOSHA. The first survey effort on which
the KCT is based took place in 516 systematically selected companies in 2006
for n-hexane, trichloroethylene, methyl
bromide, dimethylformamide and n,ndimethylacetamide, toluene diisocyanate
and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, and

crystalline silica. Another set of six chemicals and 513 companies were surveyed in
2007. The chemicals were toluene, styrene,
formaldehyde, acrylamide, lead, and nickel. Based on the results of these surveys,
high-risk processes have been selected
and appropriate controls developed.
The KCT was created by modifying the
COSHH Essentials and the ICCT. To use
the ICCT, the user may select 1 of the 12
chemicals from a display menu. The user
will then enter the workplace conditions
such as the R-phrase, quantity used, duration and frequency of use, and physiochemical properties. Based on the algorithm from the COSHH Essentials, the
results will be displayed as a grade of risk
(AE) and a band class (14). The user selects the specific control tool, and the process-specific control suggestions are then
provided. KOSHA has discovered that
the current MSDSs do not communicate
well the hazard information to employees
because they are written in scientific and
technical terminology rather than in simplified language. Therefore, the final component of the KCT project is to modify
the MSDSs.
19
4
The Architecture on Which Control Banding is Based
The concept of CB grew out of the qualitative and semi-quantitative approaches
that have been practiced as a complement
to the traditional model of air sampling
and analysis.
4.1 Occupational Exposure

Bands and Occupational

Exposure Limits
In their guidelines for safe handling of
colorants (second version), the Chemical Industry Association (CIA) explored
the five elements of CB: hazard category
(14), hazard classification (e.g., toxic,
corrosive), associated R-phrase, guideline
control level (e.g., 8-hour TWA, OEL),
and recommendations for each hazard
category [CIA 1993] and took the concept forward to link hazard categorization
and exposure banding with structured
guidelines for control of occupational exposure [Guest 1998].
For chemicals without official OELs, the
COSHH Approved Code of Practice advises facilities to set self-imposed working standards, but neither industry nor
government could follow the recommendation. Three reasons for this inability include (1) the technical complexity of establishing OELs, (2) the lack of adequate
toxicologic databases and experts, and (3)
the sheer volume of substances covered
in the European Inventory of Existing

Commercial chemical Substances [Guest
1998]. Because industry and government
could not follow the recommendations,
the CIA developed chemical categorization guidelines [CIA 1997] for their member organizations.
Built on the 1993 CIA guidance and the
work of Gardner and Oldershaw [1991],
the new guidelines [CIA 1997] incorporate
the CHIP R-phrases, guideline control levels, and data on adverse effects in humans
(see Table 2). The purpose of these guidelines was to provide a simple, broad-based,
integrated strategy for use by CIA members
in classifying hazards. The categories were
to be called occupational exposure bands
(OEBs) and would only be developed when
there were no other in-house, national, or
international OELs. They would define the
upper limit of acceptable exposure. Because
the number of CSs is usually limited to perhaps three or four levels, this strategy was
designed to cover six orders of magnitude
plus a special category (shown in Table 3).
The upper limits (OEB C for particulates,
OEB D for gases/vapors) were designed to
reflect good occupational hygiene practice
and a threshold of particulate concentration: 10 mg/m3. If not classified elsewhere,
a particulate concentration equal to or
greater than 10 mg/m is defined as a substance hazardous to health, and COSHH
applies.
21
Table 2. Selected criteria for assignment of particulate to OEBs*

OEB
Selected criteria for substances
Category X
Should be handled according to COSHH carcinogens ACoP (R45, R46, R49)
(Special considerations)
Respiratory and skin sensitizers (R42, 43)

Substances showing adverse effects in humans at
low dose: <0.05 mg/m3 by inhalation or <0.01mg/
kg/day
OEB A
Toxic to reproduction (R60, R61)

Very toxic (R26, R27, R28)
OEB B
Toxic to reproduction (R62, R63)

Toxic (R23, R24, R25, R48)
Unknown toxicity not assigned to higher OEB
OEB C
Harmful (R20, R21, R22, R48)

Dust not allocated to higher OEB
Source: Based on Guest 1998

* OEB=occupational exposure band.
This rating system is opposite that used in the COSHH Essentials rating.
COSHH=Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Approved Code of Practice, current edition is from HSE 2002.
kg body weight
Table 3. OEB* and corresponding concentrations for gases and vapors (ppm)
and dust (mg/m3)
Category X
OEB A
OEB B
OEB C
OEB D
Gases and vapors (ppm)
Dusts (mg/m3)
Special considerations
<0.5
0.55
550
50500
<0.1
0.11
110
Not applicable
Source: Derived from Guest 1998; CIA 1997

*OEB=occupational exposure bands
ppm=parts per million
22
Chapter 4 | The Architecture on Which Control Banding is Based
The main selection criteria for assignment

to the bands were information about adverse effects in humans and the CHIP Rphrases, which were readily available in
the United Kingdom. Classification was
based on the most sensitive endpoint for
which data are available. Table 3 summarizes the criteria.
Table 3 is based on a more comprehensive
table from Guest [1998], in which three
considerations are stressed: (1) reclassification of substances if/when more data
become available, (2) other routes of exposure, and (3) requirements for health
surveillance and occupational hygiene
measurements for substances with limited toxicologic data. Guest says testing
is necessary to provide a high degree of
confidence in the OEBs predicted. The
relationship between OEBs and OELs
shows that the majority of substances .
. . were correct to an order of magnitude
and that, for approximately five percent of
the substances reviewed, the OEB was less
stringent than the OEL. Guest suggested
that the possibility of the latter observation was acceptable due to the margin of
safety built into most OELs and that the
OEB guideline values were preferable to
inadequate standards of control.
COSHH regulations on inhaled substances that do not have Workplace Exposure
Limits require employers in the United
Kingdom to control exposures to a level
to which nearly all the population could
be exposed, day after day, without adverse
effects on health [ABPI 1995;HSE 2002].
The pharmaceutical industry, especially
during product development, typically encounters many substances for which data
to develop OELs are insufficient [ABPI
1995]. Thus the level of exposure recommended varies with the stage of product
development and toxicity testing.
4.2 Levels of Facility Design

and Construction Based

on Carcinogenicity of

Chemicals to Be Used
In an early report linking toxicologic data
to an appropriate level of control, Money
[1992b] presented a structured approach
to design and operation of a chemical
plant based on a carcinogenic ranking system for aromatic amines and nitro compounds. This broad approach ensures that
appropriate measures are in place to control risks of exposure to these chemicals
from both routine and abnormal operations; however, the report does not provide
specific solutions and controls. The author
suggests that the strategy, appropriate for
both inhalation and skin contact, should
be applicable to similar strategies ranking
relative hazards of chemicals [Henry and
Schaper 1990; Gardner and Oldershaw
1991; Woodward et al. 1991].
Moneys system described by four categories of carcinogenic potential is based
on a system of six developed by Crabtree
et al. [1991] for which they considered
both carcinogenic potency and weight of
evidence. (Money argued that although
distinguishing the potencies of different
substances is important, in reality such
a separation is artificial and impractical.) For these four levels of carcinogenic
potency, Money identified four levels of
controls, with each level building on the
previous in its complexity and stringency.
23
After he considered eliminating known

carcinogenic substances or substituting
with safer alternatives, Money decided on
the following levels for design and construction of facilities based on considerations of carcinogenicity.
Level 1 For all chemicals (regardless of carcinogenic potential), good
basic IH practice, with a plant built
to sound industrial standards.
Level 2 For suspected animal carcinogens of low to moderate potency, greater reliability and integrity than Level 1, plus containment
of the plant (or isolation of specific
processes) by physical or procedural measures, and possibly with
health management systems.
Level 3 For moderate levels of suspected human carcinogens with
slight carcinogenicity to animals,
or low doses of proven or suspect
animal carcinogens, a segregated
plant with detoxification, high
reliability and containment, and
regular technical audits.
Level 4 For low levels of proven
human carcinogens, suspect human/highly carcinogenic to animals carcinogens, or very low levels of proven or suspected animal
carcinogens, an automated plant
with bulk or semi-bulk transfers,
process control, and plant audits.
4.3 Exposure Assessment

Among the considerable amount of research involving exposure prediction which
occurred throughout the 1990s, Burstyn
and Teschke [1999] reviewed 13 experimental and 32 observational studies describing
24
methods for studying exposure determinants. Exposure determinants identified

in the studies included work tasks, equipment used, environmental conditions, and
existing controls. Volume of product used
received little attention, and even less was
devoted to physical characteristics of chemicals in use. The exposure determinants were
classified as factors that
1. Directly increase exposure (e.g., processes producing airborne contaminants)
2. Directly decrease exposure (e.g.,
local exhaust)
3. Indirectly increase or decrease exposure (e.g., work location)
Another example of early consideration of
exposure determinants in a risk management model is the Stoffenmanager (Section 3.3.4), which approaches the use of
exposure assessment in a banding strategy [Tijssen et al. 2004]. Incorporating a
systematic consideration of descriptive
workplace activities and environment, an
exposure model [Cherrie and Schneider
1999] is used to estimate exposure; the resulting exposure estimate correlates with
analytical exposure measurements across
63 jobs and different agents (asbestos, toluene, mixed particulate, and man-made
mineral fibers).
4.4 Toxicologic Consider

ations [Brooke 1998]
Brooke outlined the following criteria for
the toxicologic basis of the U.K. strategy:
1. It had to be simple and transparent
so that SMEs would be able to understand and consistently use it.
2. It had to make the best use of available hazard information.

3. The control strategies it recommended had to vary according to
degree of health hazard of a substance.
The R-phrases that are agreed upon throughout the European Union facilitated these criteria as they address all relevant toxicologic
endpoints. Such an idea had been proposed
previously [Gardner and Oldershaw 1991]
and formed the basis of similar strategies
[ABPI 1995; CIA 1997; RSC 2003]. Brooke
noted three differences between the previous strategies (i.e., ABPI, CIA, and RSC)
and that of HSE:
1. COSHH Essentials includes alignment between particulate and vapor target exposure ranges, and
the strategy taken to relate target
exposure ranges to dose-level cutoff values ensures adequate margins between exposure and health
effect levels for particulates and
vapors.
2. COSHH Essentials is based on
achievement of exposure levels anywhere in the target range,
whereas the CIA recommends
that exposures should be maintained as low as reasonably practicable [ABPI 1995; Guest 1998;
CIA 1997].
3. The COSHH Essentials strategy
was compared with health-based
OELs (the CIA strategy was also
evaluated per Guest [1998]).
Brookes article [1998] achieved two goals: (1)
it explained the assignment of R-phrases to
the Hazard Bands AE used in the COSHH
Essentials and (2) it compared these assignments with health-based OELs. Each
hazard band, which is based on toxicologic considerations, covers a log (10-fold)
concentration range. Because the relationship between the ppm (parts per million)
concentration and the mg/m3 concentration of a vapor is a function of its molecular weight (and also temperature and pressure, though not discussed in this article),
the working group that oversaw development of this chemical classification decided to adopt a pragmatic strategy and to
align the exposure bands as seen in Table
4. However, it must be noted that due to
this alignment, in mg/m3 terms, the concentration range for substances in vapor
form is substantially higher than that for
the substance in particulate form, for the
same toxicologic hazard band.
In general, allocation of substances into
hazard bands is influenced by presence of
an identifiable dose threshold, seriousness
of the resultant health effect, and relative
exposure level at which toxic effects occur.
If a substance has more than one R-phrase,
the R-phrase leading to the highest level
of control governs. See Appendix B for a
more detailed explanation of allocation of
vapors to hazard bands.
To evaluate COSHH Essentials, the Rphrases and resulting target airborne concentrations and the relevant health-based
OELs were compared (U.K. and German
MAK [Maximale Arbeitsplatzkonzentration (maximum concentration of a substance in the ambient air in the workplace)]
values). This comparison was conducted
for 111 substances with recent, scientificbased OELs from the U.K. and MAK and
with identifiable thresholds (thus excluding
25
Table 4. Allocation of Risk phrases to hazard bands
Hazard band
Target airborne
concentration range (Note 1)
Risk phrases
>110 mg/m3 particulate;

>50500 ppm vapor
R36, R38, all particulates and vapors not allocated to another band
(Note 2)
>0.11 mg/m3 particulate;

>550 ppm vapor
R20/21/22, R40/20/21/22
>0.010.1 mg/m3 particulate; >0.55 ppm vapor
R48/20/21/22, R23/24/25, R34,

R35, R37, R39/23/24/25, R41, R43
<0.01 mg/m3 particulate;

<0.5 ppm vapor
R48/23/24/25, R26/27/28,
R39/26/27/28, R40 Carc. Cat. 3,
R60, R61, R62, R63
See specialist advice
R40 Muta. Cat. 3, R42, R45, R46,

R49
Prevention or reduction of
skin and/or eye exposure
R34, R35, R36, R38, R41, R43, Sk

(Note 3)
S: skin and eye

contact
Note: COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Essentials is regularly reviewed to reflect any
changes to risk phrases.
Source: Brooke 1998
Hazard Band E, see Table 5.) Regarding

particulates, for 33 substances (100%), the
OEL was within or higher than the target
airborne concentration range of the hazard band. For vapors, for 76 substances
(97%), the OEL was within or higher than
the target airborne concentration range.
Only two vapors had target ranges above
the OEL. For one (dipropylene glycol
monomethyl ether), the OEL of 50 ppm
was on the border between Hazard Bands
A and B. The second (methyl ethyl ketone
peroxide) had a very small toxicologic database, and the OEL was established based
on analogy. Although concluding that the
R-phrases can be used effectively to allocate substances to hazard bands, Brooke
26
[1998] stresses that the process is not intended as a replacement for the healthbased OEL-setting process.
Concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the EU classification of chemical
substances [Ruden and Hansson 2003].
In a comparison of EU classifications for
acute oral toxicity for 992 substances with
those available in the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances, Ruden and
Hansson found that 15% were assigned
too low a danger class and 8% too high.
They were unable to determine the cause
because of insufficient transparency of the
process. It should be noted that Registry
of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances is
Table 5. Overall results for comparison of COSHH* Essentials hazard bands with
health-based OELs, using all hazard bands
Dusts
Vapors
Total
Number of substances
33
78
111
Number for which OEL lies within target airborne

concentration range of hazard band
14 (42%)
44 (56%)
58 (52%)
Number for which OEL is higher than target airborne concentration range of hazard band
19 (58%)
32 (41%)
51 (46%)
Number for which OEL is lower than target airborne concentration range of hazard band
0 (0%)
2 (3%)
2 (2%)
Number for which scheme recommends control

equivalent to or better than that required by OEL
33 (100%)
76 (97%)
109 (98%)
Source: Brooke 1998

*COSHH=Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
OEL=occupational exposure limit
merely a registry and does not necessarily

provide an evaluation of chemical toxicity.
Brooke describes an important point regarding the proper use of the COSHH Essentials strategy:
Given that the toxicologic basis which
underpins the scheme relies on the use
of R-phrases as the indicator of toxicologic hazard, the success of the scheme
is crucially dependent on the accurate
classification of substances by suppliers. It is the R-phrases applied to a
substance or preparation which determine its allocation to a hazard band
and thus the intended target airborne
concentration range. Therefore, a responsible strategy to classification for
all toxicologic endpoints is a key factor
for the scheme to be used successfully
to recommend control strategies which
should, as far as possible, be appropriate to ensure that the hazardous properties of a substance are not expressed.
Equally important and essential to the
successful implementation of CB strategies is the effort to standardize the categorization of hazards, a primary objective of
the global harmonization initiative discussed in a later section.
4.5 Occupational Control

Considerations

[Maidment 1998]
In writing about the development of the
control predictive strategy, Maidment
stresses that, to control its complexity and
applicability, the number of factors considered should be limited. The steps thus
undertaken in developing the control predictive strategy are described below.
27
1. Characterize Control Strategies

Control strategies can be collapsed
into four main categories: general
ventilation, engineering controls,
industrial closed systems, and special controls.
2. Characterize exposure potential
Characteristics of exposure potential can be summarized as those
related to physical properties and
those related to substance handling.
With many parameters to consider,
Maidment [1998] focused on the
dustiness of solids and the volatility
of liquids. The working group felt
that three dustiness bands would
adequately describe the properties of particulates and maintain
the simplicity of the strategy: low,
medium, and high. The volatility of
liquids also can be in three bands
low, medium, and high. Placement
into the appropriate band is accomplished by consulting a graph
of boiling point versus operating
temperature. Operational factors,
or quantities used, were captured
as the scale of the operation: small-,

medium-, and large-scale.
3. Develop exposure predictive strategy This strategy was developed by
combining bands for operational
and physical exposure potential.
They found that all combinations
could be collapsed into four bands
each for solids and liquids, as described in Tables 6 and 7.
4. Establish relationship between exposure potential and hazard band
The working group then integrated the exposure predictor bands
for solids (EPSs) and exposure
predictor bands for liquids (EPLs)
with the CSs 13, producing Tables 8 and 9.
Because the strategy does not suggest the highest concentrations (i.e.,
>10 mg/m3 for particulates, 500
ppm for vapors, which is near the
highest HSE exposure limit of 1,000
ppm), the remaining five bands can
be aligned with the five toxicologic
hazard bands, as shown in Table 10.
Table 6. Definitions of EPS*

EPS
EPS1
EPS2
EPS3
EPS4
Description
Gram quantities of medium/low dusty material
Gram quantities of high dusty material; kilogram/ton quantities of low
dusty material
Kilogram quantities of medium/high dusty materials
Ton quantities of medium/high dusty material
*EPS=exposure predictor bands for solids

Source: Maidment 1998
28
Table 7. Definitions of EPL*

EPL
Description
EPL1
EPL2
Millimeter quantities of low volatility material

Millimeter quantities of medium/high volatility material; m3/liter quantities of low volatility material
Cubic meter quantities of medium volatility material; liter quantities of medium/high volatility material
Cubic meter quantities of high volatility material
EPL3
EPL4
*EPL=exposure predictor bands for liquids

Table 8. Predicted airborne particulate exposure ranges (mg/m3)

Engineering CSs*
CS1
CS2
CS3
EPS4
>10
110
0.11
EPS3
EPS2
110
0.11
0.010.1
0.11
0.010.1
0.0010.01
EPS1
0.010.1
0.0010.01
<0.001

*CS=control strategy
EPS=exposure predictor band for solids
Table 9. Predicted vapor-in-air exposure ranges (ppm)

Engineering CSs*
EPL4
EPL3
EPL2
EPL1
CS1
CS2
CS3
>500
50500
550
50500
550
0.55
550
0.55
0.050.5
<5
<0.5
<0.05

EPL=exposure predictor bands for liquids
29
Table 10. Relationship between exposure and hazard band

Exposure bandsolid
(mg/m3)
Exposure bandliquid
(ppm*)
Hazard band
>500
50500
550
0.55
0.050.5
<0.05
Not recommended
A
B
C
D
E
>10
110
0.11
0.010.1
0.0010.01
<0.001
*ppm=parts per million
5. Substitute hazard band for exposure potential and invert strategy to produce control predictive strategy. This produces an
empirical model that can be used
to predict the appropriate CS to
achieve adequate control based on
the hazard and the exposure bands
(Tables 11 and 12).
In applying this strategy for truly short exposures (i.e., <30 minutes), the CS could be
dropped by one level (e.g., from CS2 to CS1).
Even though this last strategy leans heavily
on the work of previous models and strategies, it has a number of unique features,
including an electronic version accessible
via the Internet. In addition, it theoretically meets all six of Moneys [2003] core
principles: understandability, availability,
practicality, user-friendliness, confidence
on the part of users, and transparent, consistent output. Despite its attributes, validation and verification remain important
requirements. Oldershaw [2003] has cautioned that the COSHH Essentials strategy
could not be adopted uncritically by other
countries; further, the strategy must be
30
considered as a component supplemental

to PPE, training, health surveillance, and
other elements of a comprehensive safety
and health program.
4.6 Providing Control

Guidance to Users
CGSs form a key component of COSHH
Essentials. The number of CGSs continues to grow to address the need for practical and effective guidance on control
for COSHH Essentials users, particularly
those in SMEs. Solbase, a databank of control solutions for occupational hazards,
shows potential as a source from which
CGSs could be developed. Using 535 new
and existing solutions, Solbase has been
tested throughout Europe, both for usability of the software and for suitability of the
recommendations yielded [Swuste et al.
2003; Swuste 2002]. Most solutions relate
to manual or material handling, noise and
vibration, machine guarding, and other
safety issues, with few addressing air contaminants. The databank can be queried
either by production process or by hazard.
Table 11. Prediction of CS* from hazard band and exposure potential (solids)
Hazard band
EPS4
EPS3
EPS2
EPS1
A
B
C
D
E
CS2
CS3
Special
Special
Special
CS1
CS2
CS3
Special
Special
CS1
CS1
CS2
CS3
Special
CS1
CS1
CS1
CS2
Special

EPS=exposure predictor bands for solids
Table 12. Prediction of CS* from hazard band and exposure potential
band for liquids
Hazard band
A
B
C
D
E
EPL4
EPL3
EPL2
EPL1
CS2
CS2
CS3
Special
Special
CS1
CS2
CS3
Special
Special
CS1
CS1
CS2
CS3
Special
CS1
CS1
CS1
CS2
Special

EP=exposure predictor bands for liquids..
31
5
Validation and Verification of Control Banding
Strategies
A significant issue for the implementation
of CB is the accuracy of the decision logic.
Underprescription of control could lead
to serious illness, even death, and overprescription could lead to unnecessary expense. Future identification of either case
could lead to a loss of confidence in the
system as a whole. Assurance can be provided by validation. Each step of the CB
strategy may be validated independently
of the others.
5.1 Variables for Validation

5.1.1 Exposure Prediction
The data used to calibrate the exposure
prediction methodology probably came
from workplaces that had at least general
dilution ventilation. It is therefore reasonable to assume that exposures measured
where general dilution ventilation exists
can be used to test the system. In cases
where engineering controls are already
in use, they could be discontinued for the
purpose of this test as long as workers are
not put at risk. In order to characterize
properly the entire range of workers exposures for the task or process under study,
measurements must be taken to assess interworker, intraworker, and interworksite
variation. Repeated measurements involving several randomly selected workers are
required, generally around 20 measurements on each of 10 workers when establishing the average and range. If it is
considered necessary to focus on the top
5% or 10% of exposures, then larger numbers may be required, or perhaps a model
can be introduced to evaluate the extreme
range of the potentially log-normal distribution.
5.1.2 Hazard Prediction

Hazard is generally described in terms of
the toxicologic endpoint of concern (e.g.,
the description associated with specific
R-phrases). Such phrases give the critical
endpoints of disease but say little about
the relative severity of equivalent exposures to different chemicals with the same
hazard identification. For example, acetic
acid and trichloroacetic acid are both corrosive, and classified R35 (causes severe
burns) by the European Union, but their
ACGIH TLVs vary by an order of magnitude. Where additional toxicologic data
exist, they can be used for further assessment of the hazard ranking methodology.
5.1.3 Control Recommendations

The accuracy of the outcome regarding
control determinations derives from recommendations of subject matter experts.
33
The CB control recommendations can be

tested by matching them against expert
recommendations. This is best done using
scenarios where the exposure predictions
and hazard predictions have already been
tested and found to be appropriate.
5.1.4 Training
A goal of CB is to provide a system that
can be used by nonexperts in the field of
IH practice, so training in the use of the
methodology is an essential part of many
CB strategies. Training programs should
be evaluated with respect to the following: target (e.g., was the training provided
to those with authority to recommend
or make changes?), reception (e.g., was
the training offered sufficiently often, by
a source considered trustworthy, in an
environment conducive to processing?),
and outcome (e.g., was the training implemented, and was the system used in the
correct manner?). Evaluation of training
effectiveness is an important step to provide feedback addressing these and other
relevant questions.
5.1.5 Control Implementation

Once controls have been implemented,
it is necessary to discover whether they
were correctly implemented and whether
sufficient knowledge and expertise exist to
maintain them and to evaluate their efficacy when necessary (e.g., when processes
change). Routinely scheduled maintenance and evaluation can ensure this.
Validation of all proposed CB strategies is
essential for determining credibility. Besides in-depth studies in the United Kingdom, researchers in Germany, University
34
of CaliforniaBerkeley, and elsewhere have

been examining the worth of CB strategies.
5.2 Studies Performed for

Validation of Control

Banding
5.2.1 Tischer et al. 2003; Brooke

1998; Kromhout 2002a,b;

Topping 2002a
According to Tischer et al. [2003], three
aspects of evaluation can be applied to
COSHH Essentials:
1. Internal (conceptual) validation
Are the underlying assumptions plausible and consistent
with established theories?
How uncertain are the strategy
assumptions?
Are all relevant parameters considered?
Does the strategy correctly reflect the relationship between
its parameters?
Does the conceptual structure
of the model reflect the structure of the real phenomenon?
2. External (performance) validation
Do the strategys estimates correspond to monitoring data or
to the outcome of other strategies?
What is the accuracy and precision of the predictions?
3. Operational analysis
How can it be ensured that the
target group uses the strategy
correctly?
Chapter 5 | Validation and Verification of Control Banding Strategies
Is the strategy understandable

by, and of practicable value to,
the target group?
Does documentation of the resulting recommendations meet
the needs of the target group
(language, skills, background
knowledge)?
Brookes work [1998] in comparing the Rphrases and resulting target airborne concentrations with the relevant health-based
OELs on national lists (U.K. and German
MAK) begins to address the first evaluation category on internal validation.
The work of Tischer et al. [2003], Maidment [1998], and Jones and Nicas [2004,
2006a,b], which is reported below, focuses
on the external validation category and
begins to answer some of the questions regarding external (operational) validation.
However, many questions still need to be
answered in all three categories.
Kromhout [2002a] took strong exception
to the lack of exposure monitoring in generic risk assessment tools like COSHH
Essentials and expert systems like the Estimation and Assessment of Substances
Exposure (EASE) . . . as these . . . are
known to be inaccurate and they do not
take into account the various components
of variability in exposure levels . . . Kromhout built a strong case, estimating the
variability in 8-hour shifts to be between
3,000- and 4,000-fold and identifying
the sources of variability as spatial, both
among workers and among groups. He
argued that although providing exposure
controls without having measured exposure concentrations would save money in
the short term, in the long run it would be
penny wise but pound foolish.
Topping [2002a] responded that these arguments ignored the range of competencies in the workplace, and the number of
firms handling chemicals. He stated that
COSHH Essentials is not intended to replace monitoring but rather to provide
needed help to SMEs, pointing out that
the cost of conducting the extensive monitoring suggested by Kromhout would be
astronomical and that the capacity to
do so does not exist. He allowed that the
COSHH Essentials were designed to err
on the side of caution, that the strategy
had been peer reviewed by the British
Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS),
and that there had been no complaints
about the recommended controls being
too stringent. Kromhout [2002b] replied
that he and the editor of Annals of Occupational Hygiene questioned the role of
tools like COSHH Essentials in contributing to a collapse of full time training
of occupational hygiene professionals in
Britain through lack of demand for expertise. Kromhouts strongest criticism
was that COSHH Essentials and EASE
had not been properly evaluated prior to
release and that BOHS review could not
replace the rigorous evaluation of testing
for reproducibility and validity. He recommended that COSHH and EASE be
used in the initial screening process.
5.2.2 U.K. Health and Safety

Executive Studies

[Maidment 1998]
The core model was validated by comparisons with exposure predictor bands
for solids and for liquids (Tables 9 and
10), comparisons with measured data,
and extensive peer review of the logic and
35
content. According to the author, finding

quality data for comparisons was extremely difficult, and, further, the information
describing CSs often seemed to indicate
that several were in use.
5.2.3 German Bundesanstalt

fr Arbeitsschutz und

Arbeitsmedizin Study
Researchers at the BAuA examined the
external validity of COSHH Essentials
and found that, in the majority of cases,
compared with OELs, it provides equal or
greater worker protection; however, the
number of exposure scenarios compared
was limited. Tischer et al. [2002, 2003] at
the BAuA conducted the first complete
evaluation of the COSHH Essentials based
on independent measurement data. The
primary empirical basis for their analysis
was measurement data collected during
BAuA field studies within the preceding
decade. The chemical industry provided
additional data. Given that the data were
not descriptive of all possible exposure
scenarios covered by COSHH Essentials,
the BAuA researchers were unable to evaluate the full range of the strategy.
BAuA data were obtained from BAuA laboratories, and all workplace measurements
were conducted according to the German
Technical Rules. Sampling durations were
usually 14 hours and were task-based
(i.e., corresponding to a specific scenario).
More than 95% were personal samples.
Sources of uncertainty considered were
volatility/dustiness, scale of use, and CS.
For example, the uncertainty associated
with volatility (of pure substances) was
judged to be low, but quite complicated
when mixtures were considered. Dustiness
36
was considered to be a problem that requires additional attention. Scale of use was
judged to be straightforward. (Most of the
available data corresponded to the medium
scale of use, with very little in the milliliter or ton ranges.) Based on data available
(i.e., 958 data points732 for liquids and
226 for solids), the researchers limited their
analyses to scenarios in which the CS could
be determined from the historical reports,
assigning one of the four CSs.
Comparisons indicated that most of the
measured exposures fell within the predicted ranges. The 95th percentile of data
from different operations fit within the
ranges predicted by the COSHH Essentials model [Balsat et al. 2003; Tischer
2001b]. Exceptions were noted where
some of the limited data points were
above the predicted range: activities associated with carpentry workshops and application of adhesives, both of which represent small-scale, dispersive operations;
and handling of powdery substances in
kilogram quantities under local exhaust
ventilation (LEV).
Tischer et al. [2003] note that limited data,
representing a limited number of possible combinations of Exposure Predictor
Bands and CSs, were available for evaluation. In particular their data lacked description of scenarios involving the handling of milliliter or ton quantities of low
or high volatility/dustiness substances.
5.2.4 University of California

Berkeley Study [Jones and

Nicas 2004, 2006a,b]
Also receiving attention is the ICCT, produced as a result of collaboration among
HSE, International Occupational Hygiene

Association (IOHA), and ILO. ICCT is
based on the HSE COSHH Essentials and
is adapted for use worldwide [Jones and
Nicas 2004, 2006a]. This version incorporates the GHS.
Researchers at the University of California
Berkeley [Jones and Nicas 2004, 2006a]
evaluated the ICCT and have three major
objections to it:
1. Determined of safety margins
(No Observed Adverse Effect Level [NOAEL] or Lowest
Observed Adverse Effect Level
(LOAEL), divided by the high air
concentration of the hazard band)
resulted in values less than 100
for Hazard Bands B and C, and
less than 250 for Hazard Band D
for vapors. They noted that these
values should be in the range of
1,00010,000 for R48/20 (Danger
of serious damage to health by
prolonged (inhalation) exposure),
depending on if either of the
adverse effect levels (NOAEL or
LOAEL) was used as the basis of
calculation.
These calculations are based on
the generic COSHH criteria to
avoid any errors caused by incorrect assignments of hazard bands.
Brooke [1998] reported that some
categories of materials were arbitrarily assigned to a higher hazard category based on their toxicity characteristics, and this would
provide an extra factor of 10. Also,
it must be pointed out that the
hazard band values are generally
in the same order of magnitude as
OELs (see Brooke 1998) and also

that it is not uncommon for acceptable risk levels of OELs to be
in the range of 10-410-3, in contrast to acceptable risk values in
environmental settings of 10-610-5
[Jayjock et al. 2000].
2. A comparison of the R-phrases
(taken from the HSE Approved
Supply List [National Chemical
Emergency Centre at www.thencec/cselite]) assigned to commonly used solvents indicated
that the hazard group ratings
assigned by the ICCT were lower
than in the COSHH Essentials
for 12 of 16 solvents. In five cases,
the ICCT included an S notation
(skin hazard) that was not on the
R-phrases. Jones and Nicas [2004,
2006a] suggested that the authors
of the ICCT should reconsider the
hazard classification plan as the
variations among CB strategies
reduce confidence in the toolkit
among its users.
3. Jones and Nicas determined the
appropriate control strategy and
compared the actual measured
exposures with the maximum
value of the exposure band of the
recommended exposure band.
This comparison resulted in two
types of control errors: situations
in which insufficient exposure
control occurred in the presence
of LEV (under-control errors)
and situations in which sufficient
exposure control occurred in the
absence of LEV (over-control errors). They found under-control
errors in 96% of the 163 cases
37
where LEV was present in vapor

degreasing operations, and in 55%
of the 49 cases where LEV was
present in bag filling operations.
Besides the three objections listed above,
Jones and Nicas formed multiple conclusions from their evaluation:
1. Recommended exposure bands
do not provide consistent, or adequate, margins of safety.
2. The high rate of under-control
errors highlights the need to
evaluate the effectiveness of installed LEV systems using capture
efficiency and/or air monitoring
techniques.
3. The limited assignment of dustiness ratings to particulates complicates the process.
4. Specific guidance must be provided in cases where there is insufficient or inappropriate hazard
information.
5. The R-phrase procedures criteria
(specifically the use of minimum
concentration values below which
classification using the R-phrase
values would not be applicable)
are not compatible with U.S. regulatory practice.
6. Guidance about contacting professional assistance for engineering controls should be included
on CGSs.
5.3 Expert Opinions on

Control Banding
According to Money [2003]
38
No systematic assessment has been

undertaken of the impact that control
banding approaches have had on the
management of risk at the workplace
or other levels. Thus, in terms of future
developments in the area, it would appear that before further refinements
are considered, there needs to be an
extensive and systematic evaluation of
the uptake and impact of a number of
the key approaches.
Swuste et al. [2003], referencing Kromhout [2002b], state
The COSHH Essentials has met some
criticism in the literature, focusing on
the lack of a proper evaluation before
its introduction into the occupational
arena, as well as the generic nature of
the tool, which will lacks [sic] precision and accuracy in situations where
these are required.
Tischer et al. [2003] have said that in the
German occupational hygiene community
there was consensus that the scheme
(COSHH Essentials) had great potential for further development. On the
other hand, with respect to the exposure predictive model it has been
argued that, due to its generic character, reliability and accuracy (safety)
may have been sacrificed for the sake
of simplicity and transparency. However, this assumption is not based on
real measurement but reflects the low
degree of confidence generally associated with generic models.
Oldershaw [2003] has cautioned that the
COSHH Essentials strategy cannot be
adopted uncritically by other countries;

further, the strategy must be seen in the
context of personal protection, training,
and health surveillance as elements of a
comprehensive safety and health program.
With regard to assessing the impressions
about general usability of a CB model,
a telephone survey of 500 purchasers
of the paper version of COSHH Essentials revealed that 80% of the purchasers had used it, and only 5% had found it
fairly difficult to use. Three-quarters had
enough confidence in the model to take
action based upon its guidance, and 94%
would recommend it to other businesses
[Topping 2002b].
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) convened a Control
Banding Working Group to research and
document the evolution and potential
contributions of CB within the practice
of IH. The resulting publication, titled
Guidance for Conducting Control Banding
Analyses [AIHA 2007], describes the development of methods based on controlfocused strategies initially pioneered by
pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
This positive treatment of the topic describes the foundations and major elements of Control Banding approaches in
use today, and provides case studies and
hazard-specific applications, as well as a
glimpse of the futurea discussion of
the challenges and opportunities presented by domestic and international developments. It emphasizes that CB focuses
primarily on initial risk characterization.
Consequently, the authors acknowledge
that CB outcomes (i.e., specific controls)
should be reviewed by an industrial hygienist or other qualified professional to
ensure that controls are appropriate, effective, and maintained.

Like the AIHA, the ACGIH also commissioned an Exposure/Control Banding
Task Force to assess and document the
CB topic for its membership. The resulting document, titled Control Banding: Issues and Opportunities [ACGIH 2008],
focuses primarily on the COSHH Essentials and the ICCT and examines the four
main components of CB: Hazard Group
Prediction Model, Exposure Limit Prediction Model, Exposure Prediction Model,
and Predefined Control Strategies. The
document illustrates how varying information on health hazards and exposure
characterization affect identification of
CSs and their usefulness. The assessment
of the Task Force is more critical of CB,
cautioning that users should not rely on
Control Banding as it currently exists to
identify the controls required to provide
adequate protection to workers. The task
force makes recommendations to address
the shortcomings it identifies for each of
the four main components of CB. Among
these is the advice that users should recognize the critical role that occupational
health professionals must play in the risk
management process. This is a universal
theme in critiques of CB strategies. Also,
as with the AIHA document, the ACGIH
recommends that CB represent an initial
qualitative assessment as part of a more
formal exposure assessment and control
program.
Zalk and Nelson [2008] published a more
recent review of the history and evolution of CB, citing and summarizing many
of the resources recognized throughout
this NIOSH document. They recognize
39
that for CB strategies like COSHH Essentials, exposure bands do not always provide adequate margins of safety, there is
a high rate of under-control errors, they
work better with particulates than with
vapors, an inherent inaccuracy in estimating variability exists, and outcomes of this
model, taken together, may lead to potentially inappropriate workplace confidence
in chemical exposure reduction. With the
accuracy of the toxicologic ratings and
hazard band classification currently in
question, the proper reevaluation of exposure bands will be of great benefit to the
reliability of existing and future CB models. The authors also suggest that a more
40
comprehensive prospective research process will be important in understanding

implications of the models overall effectiveness. Consequently, they recommend
further research to refine results and to
build users confidence in the utility of CB
strategies.
These studies and expert comments presented in this section emphasize the need
for collection of data under controlled
scenarios to validate the predictions of the
model. This validation must be seen as a
separate activity from the verification of
proper installation and maintenance of
controls prescribed by a CB strategy.
6
Specific Issues in Control Banding
Most CB strategies are limited to the inhalation route of exposure and to certain
chemicals used in manufacturing (others
being regulated in specific statutes). Work
is ongoing to expand applications to other
topics, including dermal hazards, processgenerated hazards such as airborne crystalline silica, asthmagens, and asbestos.
6.1 Dermal Absorption

The challenge for application of CB for
dermal hazards lies in the banding of dermal exposures. Much research has been
devoted in recent years to developing
methodologies for risk assessment of dermal contact with chemicals, with the focus on dermal exposure assessment. The
Dermal Exposure Assessment Method
(DREAMa method for semi-quantitative dermal exposure assessment) [VanWendel-de-Joode et al. 2003] is a systematic and structured strategy for dermal
exposure assessment; however, in its present form, it is highly complex. In DREAM,
the models 33 exposure determinants are
mostly assigned by educated assumptions; it is time-consuming to conduct,
and requires an occupational health professional to complete a questionnaire for
model inputs. Garrod and Rajan-Sithamparanadarajah [2003] explored some of
the issues involved in developing a dermal
module in COSHH Essentials and pro-
posed alterations to the control strategies

(Bands 13). The current COSHH Essentials strategy does not differentiate between substances that affect the skin (e.g.,
corrosives) and those that are absorbed
through the skin. This may be because the
EU system classified many chemicals before extensive data were available to rank
the risk of skin uptake. Other complicating factors include that some chemicals
can act as carriers for poorly penetrating substances and that some R-phrases
do not have exposure route indicators
for systemic toxicity endpoints. Because
of these limitations, Garrod and RajanSithamparanadarajah [2003] suggest that
most chemicals be considered as having
the potential for skin uptake. In proposing three skin hazard bands (see Table 13),
they considered the following questions:
1. Is there an identifiable dose threshold for the toxicologic endpoint?
2. How serious is the health effect?
3. At what exposure levels do health
effects occur?
Most of the chemicals in COSHH Essentials Hazard Bands A, B, and C are considered in the lower skin hazard band.
Compared with the inhalation hazard
rankings of chemicals, those that cause
burns (R34), severe burns (R35), and skin
sensitizers (R43) are moved to higher hazard bands.
41
Table 13. Skin hazard bands
Skin hazard bands

1 Lower skin
hazard group
Included risk phrases

All risk phrases in
COSHH* Essentials hazard
groups A, B, and C except
Total daily skin

burden of concern
Dust: 500 mg
Liquid: 10 mg
R34 = causes burns

R37 = respiratory tract
irritation
R43 = may cause sensitization by skin contact
All R-phrases in hazard
group D, plus R34, R35
Process: process modification, substitution of physical form

Procedure: segregation,
cleaning routines, training,
hygiene procedures, laundry, skin care programs,
PPE (disposable gloves),
skin condition reporting
R35 = causes severe burns
2 Higher skin
hazard group
Advice
Dust: 50 mg
Liquid: 1 mg
Process: full containment

(except small amounts of
certain substances)
Procedure: as above, plus
controls (e.g., biological
monitoring, permits to
breath containment)
Advice: selecting gloves and
other PPE, skin surveillance
3 Highest skin
hazard group
All R-phrases in hazard

group E, plus R43
Any amount of particulate or liquid
Seek specialist advice.
*COSHH=Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
PPE=personal protective equipment

Adapted from Garrod et al. 2004
Regarding dermal exposure, Garrod et al.

[2004] present a strong case against considering duration of exposure as a factor
influencing uptake. Their argument is
that skin can act as a reservoir, and thus
contribute to uptake of contaminants
even after exposure has ceased. Additional arguments for this position include
documented penetration and retention of
42
contaminants by gloves, contamination of

the inside of gloves when contaminated
hands are put in them, and inevitable
dermal contamination when working outside containment. They allowed for the
possibility of two durations when considering exposure banding: a single splash
that is immediately removed and all other
scenarios. These authors conclude that
Chapter 6 | Specific Issues in Control Banding
dermal exposure cannot currently be

banded in the way that inhalation exposures are banded and offer recommendations for altering COSHH Essentials to account for dermal exposures:
Providing guidance for actions to
take if containment is breached
Raising the control strategy in certain cases
Disallowing any reductions in control strategy based on short-term
usage
Using skin surveillance when skin
sensitizers are used more often
than once per month
Taking into consideration the concentration of liquid mixtures and
the specific body area in contact
with chemicals.
Protecting skin from exposure to occupational hazards is a pervasive challenge
in many industries. Because the level of
control cannot be quantified as increasing
levels of 10-fold protection (as can be done
with inhalation exposure control), Garrod et al. [2004] recommend biological
monitoring to assess adequacy of control.
They conclude that . . . hazard banding
is feasible, exposure banding is not, and
control banding for skin cannot at present
be done with any rigour [sic], but it is feasible to provide suitable control guidance
sheets for dermal exposure control.
RISKOFDERM is an EU-funded project
formed with the aim of providing a validated predictive model for occupational
dermal exposure assessment that could be
adapted into a practical dermal exposure
toolkit for SMEs [EC 2004; van Hemmen
et al. 2003; Marquart et al. 2003; Goede
et al. 2003; Warren et al. 2003; Oppl et al.

2003; Schuhmacher-Wolz et al. 2003]. In
March 2004, the RISKOFDERM Toolkit
became available on the Internet. RISKOFDERM was intended to raise awareness, estimate exposures, identify control
actions, recognize hazard potential, and
recommend control actions in hierarchical order [van Hemmen et al. 2003]. The
Toolkit was evaluated by a panel of international industrial hygienists and revised
according to findings of then ongoing
RISKOFDERM research. Both paper and
electronic formats are available online,
which are now available for use by educated nonexperts, who would ask fairly simple questions and be guided to qualitative
scales for dermal exposure, resulting risk,
and possible control measures. As this
project includes several key persons from
HSE, the outcome of RISKOFDERM may
very well support a relatively simple dermal exposure banding concept that could
be incorporated into COSHH Essentials
or other toolkits that are in the development process.
6.2 Silica (HSE)

HSE has developed CGSs for silica
Silica Essentialswhich can be accessed
through the individual industry sectors at
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance. These
sheets are part of a new phase of COSHH
Essentials where the guidance is taskspecific and targeted to specific industry
sectors, such as foundries, construction,
quarries, brick making, and ceramics. The
Web page was launched in 2006 and provides practical standards that industry
can apply to reduce exposure to silica. Silica Essentials is a good example of a CB
43
strategy where, based on good controlpractice recommendations, users access

direct advice from industry experts. They
require no detailed data input from the
user and do not rely on R-phrases. The appropriate CGS can be determined by identifying the appropriate activity for which
guidance is sought, such as rock drilling,
fettling castings, tile pressing, or abrasive
blasting. The work to develop the CGSs is
complementary to other initiatives from
HSE to raise awareness of industry hazards and the importance of adequate control to reduce ill health. Such initiatives on
silica include the silica information sheets
and a strategy to control exposure to silica
dust in small potteries.
CB strategies. In 2003, HSE included in

their Strategic Outlook the intention to
build collaborations with international
technical and scientific organizations such
as NIOSH. This collaborative HSE and
NIOSH work includes a focus on asthmagens in relation to their inclusion within
CB strategies. Although no conclusive
CGSs are currently available relating to
this cooperative research, this strategy is
an example of international organizations
belief that occupational exposures in the
workplace are worthy of consideration in
a CB strategy.
6.3 Asthmagens (HSE, NIOSH,

OSHA)
The guidance manual Asbestos Essentials:

Task guidance sheets for the building maintenance and allied trades [HSE 2001] includes
eight Equipment and Method Guidance
Sheets on topics such as training, building enclosures, use of a Type H vacuum
cleaner, and wet methods. R-phrases are
not included; rather, the guidance is presented by task. The 25 Task Guidance
Sheets cover tasks such as painting insulation boards and removing gaskets and
floor tiles. Each Task Guidance Sheet is
structured according to description of
task, PPE, preparing the work area, repair,
cleaning, personal decontamination, and
clearance procedures.
In the United Kingdom, an estimated

1,5003,000 new cases of occupational
asthma occur each year. This increases to
7,000 cases a year if asthma-made-worseby-work (work-related asthma) is included. In the United States, it is estimated that
occupational asthma incidences range
from 6.344.1 per 100,000 [Henneberger
et al. 1999], and task-related exposures
associated with occupational asthma are
considered to be an appropriate focus for
preventive strategies [Wagner and Wegman 1998]. HSE and NIOSH are working
collaboratively to include asthmagens in
44
6.4 Asbestos Essentials (HSE)
7
Special Events Surrounding Control Banding
CB is currently the subject of much interest, both nationally and internationally.
International workshops have been held
in London (2002), Cincinnati (2004),
concurrently in Pilanesburg, South Africa and Orlando (2005), and South Korea
(2008). International collaborative agreements have been forged to coordinate the
work of international agencies and their
partners, and a global implementation
strategy has been developed.
7.1 First International

Control Banding

Workshop (ICBW1)
The first International Control Banding
Workshop (ICBW1) was held in London
on November 4 and 5, 2002, with the
sponsorship of BOHS, the British Institute
of Occupational Hygienists, HSE, IOHA,
the World Health Organization (WHO),
and the ILO. In addition to providing a
clear description of the CB process, significant outcomes of the workshop include
HSE, IOHA, and ILO collaborated to
produce the ICCT, which was based
on the HSE COSHH Essentials,
adapted for use internationally. This
version incorporates the GHS.
Participants agreed that any version
of the CB strategy must be simple
to use and compatible with existing

work methods.
Adapted versions range from the
sophisticated strategies pioneered
by the pharmaceutical industry, to
the holistic GTZ strategy (Chemical Management Guide) [Adelmann
2001]. The GTZ strategy has been
implemented by employers in Indonesia, on the premise that the control of chemicals reduces waste and
loss in addition to protecting worker
health and environmental quality.
Valuable in a large variety of workplaces, the wide range in versions of
CB is necessary for broad application. In particular SMEs in mostly
developed countries and SMEs in
developing countries may require
separate strategies.
The role of the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS)
International Chemical Safety Cards
in providing relevant information
was acknowledged, with the possibility of these cards being updated
to include the necessary data (e.g.,
GHS, to support CB being considered) [Jackson 2002; Jackson and
Vickers 2003].
During the workshop representatives of
national and international organizations
attended a strategic planning meeting.
45
It was agreed that a (now named) International Technical Group (ITG) on CB

would be organized, with the IPCS serving as secretariat. The major purposes of
the ITG are to share the knowledge gained
from trials and demonstration projects,
maintain the integrity of the ICCT, and
ensure that the technical aspects of the
system are maintained and updated (e.g.,
to reflect changing national legislation
and implementation of the GHS). (See
Appendix C for the ITGs Global Implementation Strategy. Also, see Zalk 2002b.)
All the presentations from ICBW1 can
be viewed at w w w.bohs.org/mod.
php?mod=fileman&op=view_cat&id=14.
7.2 Second International

CB Workshop (ICBW2)
The ICBW2, subtitled Validation and Effectiveness of Control Banding was held
March 1 and 2, 2004, in Cincinnati, OH.
Attendees from 13 countries shared their
views regarding challenges currently facing CB. Presenters from Europe, the United States, Asia, and South America spoke
of their specific research and experiences.
During breakout sessions priority issues
emerged, including cost-effectiveness and
efficiency to expand the reach of CB concepts while minding the largely volunteer
effort bringing this forward. Presentations
and discussions of CB topics covered the
multiple tools and CB strategies for consideration. Most of the presentations from the
ICBW2 can be viewed at www.acgih.org/
events/course/controlbandwkshp.htm.
Significant outcomes of ICBW2 were the
framework for a research agenda for
46
developed and developing countries and

the creation of a National Control Banding Workshop Organizing Committee.
Also at ICBW2 was formed a consensus
Global Implementation Strategy from the
ITG on CB.
The ITG on CB, led by WHO, IPCS, and
ILO, had the opportunity to meet before,
during, and after ICBW2 to finalize the
Global Implementation Strategy for release after the event. The complete implementation plan is contained in Appendix
C of this document. The National Control
Banding Workshop convened in March
2005 in Washington D.C. to review an
early draft, which became the foundation
of this document, and to discuss proposed
U.S. strategies to employ CB concepts.
7.3 Third International

Control Banding

Workshop (ICBW3)
The Third International CB Workshop
(ICBW3) was held in September 2005 at
the Pilanesberg National Park in South
Africa in conjunction with the 6th International Scientific Conference of Occupational Hygiene. For the first time an ICBW
convened outside the developed nations,
solidifying the inextricable involvement of
developing countries. The three focus topics for ICBW3 included Global Trends in
CB Collaborations, a Silica Workshop, and
CBs Expansion of Range beyond chemicals. The last two highlighted the future
context of the ICBWs: to further develop
specific professional areas of practical prevention needs. Areas considered for expanding CB applications included psychosocial factors and safety management, and
Chapter 7 | Special Events Surrounding Control Banding
specifically, the possibility of creating an

ergonomic toolkit, an effort initially presented at ICBW2, which has increased to
involve additional partners and activities
[Zalk 2003].
7.4 Fourth International

Control Banding

Workshop (ICBW4)
ICBW4 was held in Seoul, South Korea at
the XVIII World Congress on Safety and
Health at Work in July 2008. At that venue, the CB discussions emphasized safety
applications and exploration into the latest national programs (India, South Korea, and Japan).
7.5 International

Agreements
ILO and WHO agreed to work together
under the auspices of the IPCS on January
23, 2003. The roles of each organization
were spelled out in the agreement [Vickers and Fingerhut 2002].
The Global Implementation Strategy for
the Occupational Risk Management Toolbox was outlined by the ITG at ICBW2
and approved on May 28, 2004. This
strategy, which discusses partners, stakeholders, the ICCT, key elements, terms of
reference, and the international research
agenda, can be found in Appendix C.
47
8
Critical Analysis of Control Banding Strategies
The core of this review is a discussion of the
strengths and weaknesses of CB strategies.
Much of the literature on these characteristics describes concepts and misperceptions
about CB and its potential applications,
similarities to other occupational safety
and health interventions, potential conflict
with OEL development, and the need for
environmental sampling and IH expertise.
This section also contains a critical analysis
of the barriers and catalysts for implementing CB in the United States. In addition,
consideration is given to the areas where
expansion of CB concepts or development
of new control-focused solutions and guidance might be explored.
In the broadest scope, the CB strategies and
related guidance for addressing occupational hazards are recognized for their potential to facilitate occupational safety and
health knowledge management. Knowledge management is an emerging field focusing on assessing the creation, transfer,
and use of knowledge to address specific
challenges [Schulte et al. 2004]. Effective
knowledge management can be accomplished through the development of guidance materials for hazard control and the
application of CB strategies.
8.1 A Discussion of

Weaknesses and

Strengths of CB Efforts
In evaluating the weaknesses and strengths of
the CB strategy, it is useful to refer to an outline of common issues, as shown in Table 14.
8.1.1 General Control Banding

v. COSHH Essentials
COSHH Essentials has met criticism in the
literature for its generic nature that does
not adequately or accurately take into account the environment and parameters
within which the exposure occurs [Swuste
et al. 2003; Harrison and Sepai 2000]. And,
because presenters of the CB concept have
highlighted COSHH Essentials, some mistakenly believe that the two are the same.
Confusion stems from the misunderstanding that the nature of COSHH Essentials
is to use refined parameters to offer a best
estimate of personal exposures; however,
predicting exposure is not the primary aim
of COSHH Essentials or CB. Rather, CB is
qualitative and is an overarching strategy
for managing hazards in the workplace. A
benefit of the comparison is that critiques
of COSHH Essentials have led to improved
revisions of the CB concept.
49
Table 14. Issues relating to the strengths and weaknesses of the CB* strategy
CB Strategy Issues
Weakness summary
Strength summary
General CB vs.
COSHH Essentials
Highlighting COSHH Essentials

within CB presentations led to misunderstanding that the two are the
same. Research critical of COSHH
is therefore critical of CB.
Current CB publications and events

are clarifying that CB is an overarching strategy and not a single toolkit.
COSHH Essentials critique led to improved revisions.
Estimated controls vs.

specific science
IH practice in the United States is

based on solid scientific protocols,
so why replace them with potentially underprotective CB outcomes?
Traditional IH practice is expensive,

and options are necessary so all U.S.
workers are protected. CB strategies
reduce costs and promote IH expertise
as needed.
CB strategies vs. fulltime IH professionals
Implementation of CB strategies
will reduce the need for IH consultants and move profession toward
ES&H generalists.
CB strategy indicates thresholds that

require IH expertise. With CB implementation employers will be educated
about IH concepts and practices.
CB vs. reliance on
OELs
Some professionals believe that

moving CB forward in the absence
of OELs will strengthen the argument to eliminate them.
CB strategies will not serve as a replacement for OELs in the United States. CB
validation protocol will include personal monitoring for OEL use.
Not monitoring vs. monitoring
Traditional exposure assessment

relies heavily on personal IH monitoring. Some perceive CB as eliminating this crucial step.
CB requires IH personal monitoring for

validation and maintenance. Task-based
control solutions are appropriate given
sufficient historical data.
Qualitative output vs.

quantitative input
COSHH Essentials interim step

of predicting exposures is an area
estimate, offering controls in the
absence of workplace variations.
COSHH Essentials criticisms are assisting in perfecting the strategy. Taskbased point source models do not require exposure prediction.
Static controls vs. dynamic controls
Current CB strategies implement

static controls. Validation needs to
include dynamic aspects of initial
accuracy, process change, and control degradation.
CB validation protocol will include

evaluating dynamic implementation
strategies. The database resulting from
this process will offer a useful taskbased CB solutions database.
*CB=control banding
COSHH=Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
IH=industrial hygiene
ES&H=Environmental Safety and Health
OEL=occupational exposure limit.
50
Chapter 8 | Critical Analysis of Control Banding Strategies
8.1.2 Estimated Controls v.

Specific Science
Because the known and scientifically
founded parameters of a perfect system
may not be economically viable or available at small companies, managers offer
CB as a means of achieving the best exposure reduction process affordable. Research indicates that in some cases the
guidance from CB models will likely either underprotect the worker or prescribe
overprotective controls [Jones and Nicas
2004, 2006b]. Some believe these potentially underprotective recommendations
will replace the solid scientific protocols
of IH practice, that is, the introduction of
qualitative strategies could lead management to consider replacing Environmental Safety and Health (ES&H) staff with
CB strategies and tools, justifying the latter as being more economically efficient.
The resulting control guidance obtained
using the CB strategy could be less useful
and protective than that recommended by
a professional. Most IH experts admit that
many workers are left unprotected, despite
available controls [Kalisz 2000]. Although
introducing a CB system might seem relatively easy in theory, ensuring controls
are properly implemented and evaluated for their effectiveness is a difficult
and economically challenging endeavor.
Therefore, CB strategies benefit industry
because they reduce costs and promote
IH expertise as needed. In workplaces
where IH support may never extend, alternative strategies and mechanisms for
providing control-focused guidance hold
great promise for reducing occupational
disease and illness.
8.1.3 Control Banding Strategies

v. Full-time Industrial

Hygiene Professionals
The above paragraph mentions that management may decide to eliminate the need
for full-time IH staff in favor of qualitative
strategies; however, the CB strategy indicates thresholds that require IH expertise.
With CB implementation, employers will
be educated about IH concepts and practices. The CB strategy, should it reach a
point that it is viable for the nations industries, may provide an opportunity to
strengthen and promote the IH profession. Specifically, IH professionals can use
CB as a tool to improve hazard awareness
and promote hazard communication and
control [Money 2003].
8.1.4 Control Banding v. Reliance

on OELs
Some professionals believe that moving
CB forward in the absence of OELs will
strengthen the argument to eliminate
them. To those with the scientific understanding of the processes at work to derive
appropriate exposure limits to protect the
health of the workforce, the possibility of
eliminating the OELs is unconscionable.
However, in the United States, CB strategies will not serve as a replacement for
OELs. CB validation protocol will include
personal monitoring for OEL use. The value of the CB strategy to the OEL-setting
systems is two-tiered: (1) supplemental to
the concept of OELs, a successful CB strategy will give a newly educated (by the IH
professional as described above), broadspectrum audience a better understanding
and respect for exposure prevention [Guest
51
1998; Russell et al. 1998] and (2) the CB

strategy will assist users in managing the
increasing numbers of chemicals [Balsat et al. 2003; Swuste et al. 2003; Money
2001; EC 2001; Vincent and Bonthoux
2000; UIC 1999].
8.1.5 Not Monitoring v.

Monitoring
Exposure assessment and risk assessment
rely on personal exposure measurements as
a link to establish the probability of illness
related to work or the environment. The
CB strategy recommends a minimal level
of protection for the worker performing a
common task, but this may be at the risk
of ignoring the variability between workers. Monitoring results are essential for the
prioritization and organization of occupational and public health budgets and deriving which strategies are most effective and
economically viable [Kromhout 2002b].
Though CB does not require personal
monitoring for implementation, validation and maintenance of the strategies
do. IH personal monitoring is a necessary
part of the validation of toolkits to ensure controls are appropriate [Tischer and
Scholaen 2003; Money 2003; Swuste et al.
2003]. Developing a particular toolkit requires established emissions assessments
for specific point sources. And, since further exposure assessment will be required
for CB validation, it can be argued that
this process will contribute to the number of completed task-related exposure
assessments available for reference [Jones
and Nicas 2004, 2006a; Kromhout 2002a;
Maidment 1998].
52
8.1.6 Qualitative Output v.

Quantitative Input
The emphasis of the CB concept on simplicity and transparency may result in
reliability and accuracy being sacrificed.
The majority of toolkits currently in development do not account for work-area
exposure. Yet, a work-area exposure estimate has been technically and scientifically proven to be a poor surrogate for an actual personal monitoring result obtained
within a workers breathing zone [Kolanz
et al. 2001]. In addition, such estimates
may not account for the dimensions of
the work space; whether the chemical will
be sprayed, rolled on, or poured in; how
much time is required for transfer; how
much is applied at each manufacturing
step over time; and, whether there is an
extraneous step such as welding or treating of the chemical after its application
[Tischer and Scholaen 2003].
For point source exposures, toolkits will
either use exposure prediction for the
task-related controls they suggest or show
that implemented controls are effective for
reducing exposure regardless of predicted
exposure. The parameters of a particular
task performed by a single person are important, but more important is the reduction of exposure even if the end result may
be above established OELs [Jones and
Nicas 2004, 2006a; Kromhout 2002b]. To
validate the CB, further exposure assessment will be an essential confirmation and
will also serve to improve the given toolkits information basis to be applied in its
subsequent toolkit revisions [Oldershaw
2003]. Exposure assessment would then
not only benefit the individual worker but
would also provide scientific and technical
information to practicing IH professionals.

The lack of data for validation may cause
problems with toolkits aimed at estimating qualitative exposures for bulk chemical
processors [Money 2003]. The validation
protocol within the CB strategy may then
provide more professional judgment for
SMEs than already exists.
8.1.7 Static Controls v. Dynamic

If businesses do not have full-time IH professionals on staff, the recommended controls that result from CB strategies may not
be implemented for the long-term and
may not be periodically assessed for effectiveness. The dynamic nature of industry
and manufacturing does not quite fit with
brief managerial consideration of safety and
health in the absence of onsite consultation.
How is the IH profession to oversee that
PPE recommendations are implemented
appropriately? If the wrong glove material
is recommended or an inappropriate respirator type is chosen, protection may be insufficient, and the toolkit would not detect
the error [Guest 1998]. The consequence
of such scenarios is to render a false level
of safety [Jones and Nicas 2004, 2006a]. In
such a case, workers assume that they are
protected from hazardous exposures while
at work though current NIOSH research
shows that is not the case for a portion of
them. To protect themselves, workers in
facilities managed with a strategy other
than CB, who are unsure of exposure levels, must rely on their own knowledge and
awareness of hazards to protect themselves.
Relying on personal knowledge may seem
a better alternative than being incorrectly
informed that their workplace is safe based
on CB determinations. The overall CB
concept relies on the goodwill of nontechnical overseers, who are likely to be undertrained and ill-equipped with appropriate
information to validate and maintain the
best controls [Tischer and Scholaen 2003;
Maidment 1998].
A limitation of the current CB strategy is
that it is static, whereas a system that is
reviewed and updated periodically would
ensure that the controls implemented and
the managerial oversight are maintained
over time. Consequently, part of validation is comparison among the possible
methods of implementing controls and
the construct within which these methods
are introducedto employers and workers. The validation effort supports development of task-specific guidance that integrally involves CB strategies in effective
control solutions.
8.2 Determine the Barriers

to, and Considerations for,

Implementing Control

Banding to Address

Safety and Health

Hazards in U.S.

Workplaces
Among potential barriers to the implementation of CB strategies in the United States are
legal implications, concerns about devaluation of worker protection, and application of
R-phrases. The creation of a dynamic process to ensure quality of implementation
over time and the use of CB strategies
within U.S. regulatory and management
schemes could facilitate the implementation of CB.
53
It is impossible to discuss any new system that seeks to protect workers in the
United States without addressing legal
considerations. One challenge relates to
implementing a generic CB system that
may provide practical tools for managing
and reducing hazardous exposures, yet
may not be applicable or provide appropriate protection in all cases [Jones and
Nicas 2004, 2006b; Money 2003; Kromhout 2002b]. It is essential to recognize
these limitations and to address information gaps to ensure that use of CB strategies
achieve the appropriate levels of workplace
protection, rather than contribute to occupational illness and injury, as well as to
employer liability.
8.2.1 Use of Standardized

Hazard Statements in

Control Banding
Under the CB strategy used in COSHH Essentials, the hazard and degree of severity
of hazard are obtained from the R-phrases
given on EU labels and MSDSs. The U.S.
classification and labeling system in the
workplace is the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). The HCS
requires classification of chemicals according to the hazard criteria in the standard and also requires the label preparer
to include appropriate hazard warnings
on the chemical label. It does not specify
the language to be used to convey the hazard information since it is a performanceoriented standard. It also does not require
that the label phrases appear on the MSDS
for the chemical. The U.S. definitions of
hazard are similar to the EUs but not identical. Thus the R-phrases assigned to particular chemicals may or may not accurately
54
reflect the hazard of the chemical under

U.S. law. Therefore, one cannot simply use
the R-phrases for a chemical to apply CB in
a U.S. workplace.
In order for CB to work, the use of standard hazard statements linked to specific
criteria is necessary for consistency and
the determination of the proper level of
control. Many companies in the United
States have developed their own databases
of standard phrases that they use to convey hazards for their products. Some companies in the United States have used the
hazard information on U.S. MSDSs and
applied their professional interpretation of
the data to link it to an EU R-phrase and
then used the phrase to apply CB. Doing
this successfully would require a level of
professional expertise and judgment in
toxicology and other disciplines that would
be limited to larger North American companies in most situations. The lack of this
piece of informationthe standard hazard
statementfor the CB equation is a significant impediment to successful implementation of CB in the United States. Ready
availability of standardized phrases linked
to U.S. hazard criteria is necessary to ensure the possibility of widespread application of CB, particularly in small businesses.
The GHS is intended to resolve some of
the challenges associated with hazard classification, labeling, and communication.
The GHS is a common and coherent strategy to classifying the health, physical, and
environmental hazards of chemicals and
to communicating the hazards through
labels and MSDSs. GHS includes a core
set of label elements and has harmonized
hazard statements for each category and
class of chemicals covered. It also has a
harmonized strategy for classifying mixtures of these chemicals. The United Nations adopted the GHS strategy in 2003.
The United States, the European Union,
Canada, and many other countries are
now considering its use. In the United
States, four agencies have primary responsibility for its implementationConsumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC),
Department of Transportation (DOT),
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA has proposed rulemaking activity (first published
as a draft in 2005, with an update expected
in 2009) for revising its hazard communication standard to incorporate the GHS
elements. The revised hazard communication standard will require use of standard
hazard statements on U.S. labels as well as
on MSDSs.
Global implementation of the GHS would
provide an international system upon
which to base CB. In recognition of this,
the ILO has included the GHS hazard categories in its ICCT. Action is also being
taken to modify the roughly 1,600 International Chemical Safety Cards prepared
under the IPCS to follow the GHS criteria for classification and the harmonized
hazard statements for the most commonly
used chemicals.
8.2.2 Considerations for Imple

menting Control Banding
Current efforts for creating a CB strategy
have focused almost entirely on evaluating and perfecting existing toolkits. Yet,
NIOSH research shows that this focus may
be flawed for national implementation
at this time because it is a static strategy

without consideration for the multiple
factors that consistently affect change
in U.S. manufacturing and other industrial sectors. Therefore, a parallel effort is
necessary to create a dynamic system for
the CB strategy that seeks to incorporate
changing factors over time for both the
controls implemented and the managerial
oversight to ensure CB does not fall into
misuse, improper application, or lack of
implementation entirely. Essential to the
utility of a dynamic system is the protocol
for validation to ensure that assessments
and resulting control recommendations
are appropriate and effective and the ability to identify exceptions and areas requiring further evaluation and improvement
[Guest 1998; Yap 2004; Tischer and Scholaen 2003; Jones and Nicas 2004, 2006a,b;
Brooke 1998; Loughney and Harrison
1998; Palmer and Freegard 1996].
Under the current static CB strategy, it is
anticipated that some employers will recognize the benefits of CB without being
in a position to implement or enforce its
use. An alternative dynamic CB strategy
should incorporate management considerations that would facilitate putting the
CB strategy into practice. This strategy
should be accompanied by a method of
measurement for the extent of institutional implementation, for its ability to adapt
to changes over time, and for determination of the level of successes and reduction of exposure potentials. This dynamic
strategy should be developed with a theoretical strategy that involves consideration
of costs and benefits. It should ensure that
all tasks, chemicals, and exposures involved are considered so the properties,
toxicity, application, and conditions during
55
Table 15. Current documented input to the ANSI* Z10 review committee for
pertinent sections
3.2 Employee participation (Identify tasks, risks, and possible controls)
no mention of evaluating exposures
5.4 Document and Record Control Process
if CB in an OHSAS, it becomes part of the process
6.1 Monitoring and Measurement: F. Other methods
does not rule out semi-quantitative/qualitative
6.3 System Audits: evaluating activities and corrective actionsrecordable CB
process fits audits
6.4 Track actions for effective implementation
possible weak point with CB, needs strengthening
*ANSI=American National Standards Institute
CB=control banding
OHSAS= Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series
applications are part of the decision matrix. Creating this system with a task force
of safety and health professionals working
in concert with managerial oversight and
workplace employee representatives will
facilitate the best use of CB to maximize
its effectiveness, consistent application,
and economic efficiency. An example of
a vehicle for this strategy is the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z10
committee (Table 15). A major premise
on which a dynamic strategy should rely
is the understanding that industry specific, worker-influenced solutions have the
best possibility of being applied, achieving
success, remaining in place over time, and
having a mechanism for ensuring commensurate controls are in place regardless
of changes in tasks, processes, products,
and the inevitable workplace rotation of
affected worker populations.
56
8.2.3 OSHA and Its Voluntary

Consultative Services
The U.S. OSHA Consultation Program
to Small Businesses was first promulgated more than 30 years ago and has since
served as an effective mechanism for promoting safety and health guidance and
solutions for the small business audience
since. However, fear of government intervention and penalties prevents many small
businesses from using this service [Kalisz
2000]. As a means to overcome this reluctance among small businesses, introducing
practical, qualitative risk assessment and
management tools, such as a CB strategy,
may provide opportunity for OSHA to
form strategic partnerships, possibly recognizing and rewarding successful control
implementations in the process. Results of
effective partnerships might contribute to
a solutions database and provide effective
advertising of services focusing on worker
safety and health education [Topping

2001]. OSHA could assist in accomplishing compliance by helping businesses develop guidelines. This could create a larger
demand and respect for these consultative
services, emphasizing the assistance to
businesses and working toward cooperative solutions [Money 2003]. In building
support for the partnerships and exploration of CB applications, the involvement
of organized labor representatives is paramount.
This envisioned CB strategy for implementation synchronizes well with the existing
OSHA Consultation Program offering free
consultation services.This program offers
employers the opportunity to find out about
potential hazards at their worksites, improve their occupational safety and health
management systems, and even qualify for
a 1-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. In the year 2000, 20 CFR* Part
1908 was amended to reflect many of the
underlying tenets of the CB strategy: (1)
provide for greater worker involvement
in site visits, (2) require that workers be
informed of the results of these visits, (3)
provide for the confidential treatment of
information concerning workplace consultation visits, and (4) update the procedures
for conducting consultation visits. Specific
task-based hazard guidance concepts associated with CB might also have utility for
the OSHA Consultation Program for providing guidance to target smaller businesses. This can be accomplished while communicating the distinction between OSHA
safety and health consultation services and
enforcement efforts.
*Code of Federal Regulations. See CFR in references.
8.3 Implementation of a

Risk Management

System in the United

States that Includes

CB Strategies
The implementation of CB strategies in
the United States for qualitative risk assessment and management requires additional
research and development. Topic areas for
further exploration include the provision
of national-level guidance and coordination, pilot projects at the state level, and
expansion of the ORM (Occupational Risk
Management) Toolbox to include more
chemicals and ergonomic, safety, and environmental concerns. Cooperation with
international efforts to implement CB can
strengthen efforts in the United States
through bilateral sharing of research and
experience. Linking CB strategies with Occupational Safety and Health Management
Systems and the GHS will add value.
8.3.1 Can Toolkits and Toolboxes

Reduce Occupational

Exposures to Protect the

Health of Workers

on a National Basis?
At present, data are not available to allow
appropriate validation of CB toolkit models [Jones and Nicas 2004, 2006a,b; Money
2003; Tischer et al. 2003; Kromhout 2002b;
Maidment 1998]. Yet, such a task could be
addressed through priorities established
by the appropriate task force or working
group. Such a National Control Banding
Working Group would be charged with
creating a validation process for evaluating
the existing toolkits, focusing on strategies
57
within selected industrial sectors and specific trades. One objective of the validation process would be to emphasize field
IH input for identifying needs for improving toolkits and determining the scope of
their implementation. This working group
will decide which measurable parameters
for ranking hazards to consider in choosing the appropriate CB, the prioritization
of controls, and the effectiveness of their
application. Because personal sampling
requirements are essential to validation
of the CB strategy, the validation strategy
should be developed using statistically
supported bases and be coordinated with
research that focuses on prospective and
retrospective epidemiologic studies. Validation efforts should simultaneously compare and contrast the success rates of different methods of implementing a given
CB strategy.
8.3.2 Implementation in Small

Businesses
During development of a validation process, toolkits can still provide hazard
guidance in small business trades and
industrial sectors. A practical validation
effort could involve comparison of existing toolkits and the type of system within which it is implemented [Oldershaw
2003]. The different state OSHA plan systems may provide opportunities to apply
a toolkit through demonstration or pilot
programs. If a state OSHA strategy can integrate partnerships with trade organizations, organized labor groups, educational
institutions, and government agencies, then
a pathway would exist to build this model
with a participatory strategy by including
58
both workers and employers in its development [Money 2003]. This strategy
fits well with the intent of the OSHA Alliance Program created in 2002 to enable
organizations committed to safety and
health to work cooperatively with OSHA
to prevent illnesses, injuries, and fatalities
in the workplace. Seeking and providing
end-user input as part of this focus on
the workforce will help improve the final
CB product and determine when its use
is most practical and how best to implement it.
8.3.3 Expanding to an ORM

Toolbox for Chemical

Control
This effort should begin by including point
source emissions that do not involve the
use of bulk chemicals, such as silica exposures relating to construction work. Construction work is an important example
for showing how an application moving
directly to exposure controls based on the
task performed is the best use of the CB
strategy. Stoffenmanager (discussed earlier in Section 3.3.4) has evolved to include
a Construction Stoffenmanager, developed
by Arbouw, under commission from the
Dutch Association of Employers in the
Finishing Sector of the Construction Industry and the Association of Contractors
of Tiling Work in the Netherlands. The
demonstration modules for this instrument are intended to help employers of
plasterers and tilers to assess and control
the risks of hazardous substances. Using
the construction industry as an important
emphasis area would allow expansion of
IH aspects to include other chemical and
physical exposures and perhaps to address

biological exposures such as mold initially.
Validation of controls tied to specific construction tasks that have an established
exposure assessment would be linked to
achieving target reductions in exposure
on a task-by-task basis. The development
of a complete ORM Toolbox will enable
applications for addressing hazards that
cut across industry barriers. For example,
silica dust exposures in construction have
some similarity to conditions and activities
in some mining processes. Experience
with exposure characteristics, processes,
and controls in both industries may be
transferable and could contribute to development of a solutions database with
established toolkit and toolbox controls
[Jones and Nicas 2004, 2006a,b; Guest
1998; Brooke 1998].
8.3.4 Develop Ergonomics

Toolkits Based on

Existing National Models
One potential application of the CB strategy
in the early stages of exploration is the reduction of musculoskeletal disorders resulting from ergonomic exposures. The more
traditional applications for chemical toolkits seek to address an extremely large and
growing inventory of chemical substances.
Chemical production involves the introduction of new constituents that may never be
fully researched or adequately characterized
with regard to exposures, toxicity, and control options. In contrast, ergonomics has a
finite group of well-researched and defined
risk factors and effective programs [Stewart
et al. 2005; Zalk 2003]. In theory, a comprehensive collection of ergonomics toolkits
could be developed, validated, and implemented prior to creation of a parallel chemical-agents strategy. For applications in
this arena, the CB strategy could promote
the use of practical tools for assessing and
reducing risk based on recent advances
in participatory ergonomics. Compiling
a repository of well-researched, validated, existing work practices in the United
States could lead to a solutions database
for musculoskeletal hazards and ergonomic control options. Initial discussions
of expanding CB strategies to include ergonomics were first raised at the ICBW2,
and subsequently the International Ergonomics Association has become involved
through participation at both the ICBW3
and ICBW4.
8.3.5 Investigate Expansion to

Safety and Environmental

Parameters
Expansion of the ORM Toolbox could also
encompass the ES&H multidisciplinary
concepts that affect U.S. business establishments. The example of creating a construction ORM Toolbox could serve as an appropriate initiation for a system that would
incorporate occupational safety and health
requirements at a given worksite and include an additional focus on traumatic injuries. In this system an appropriate context
for a safety-related toolkit would probably
emphasize integrated training that offers
a simplified strategy to lessons learned by
accumulated tasks within a given trade. As
an additional application, an environmental toolkit could be developed to assist employers and educate workers on the benefits of waste management for improving
59
the air, soil, wastewater, and waste disposal streams. It is essential to involve stakeholders to define minimum performance
standards, and to include this input in the
creation of simplified training programs.
For implementation in the United States
and other countries, it would be progressive to incorporate pictorial training consistent with the GHS symbology to reduce
the need for multiple translations. A challenge facing industrial hygienists in communicating exposure reduction successes
is the dearth of appropriate yardsticks for
measuring program benefits of a disease
prevented. Possible solutions to address this
challenge include better surveillance and
use of appropriate metrics to track the effectiveness of hazard control interventions.
8.3.6 Investigate Expansion to

Psychosocial Toolkits
The development of the Psychosocial Risk
Management toolkit (PRIMAT) started
with the definition of key principles and a
framework of best practice for psychosocial risk management [Leka 2005]. Riskreduction interventions and evaluation of
those interventions will be developed for
organizations as part of the framework
guidelines on risk assessment. The framework also considers key indicators and
aspects of corporate social responsibility,
identification of key stakeholders, cost effectiveness, and societal learning. It goes
a step further to consider policy level and
its link to practice, both at the enterprise
level and the national context. The next
steps of the project will include the development of toolkits for the enterprise and
the national levels as well as training materials. More information on the status of
60
PRIMAT and associated products can be

found at www.prima-ef.org.
8.3.7 Implementing a National

Control Banding Strategy
To coordinate multiple activities supporting a control-focused risk management
initiative, each requiring field research,
validation, feedback, and improvement,
would require coordination to oversee the
process and track progress. Participation
in this effort by stakeholders, labor organizations, and the ES&H organizations
would be integral to its success. Part of
this strategy would involve education for
national ES&H and labor organizations
to provide them with the foundation for
a CB strategy and their role in its development, validation, and implementation.
Insurance companies, workers compensation agencies, and multinational companies could also contribute by sharing
expertise, resources, and communication
networks to prioritize efforts and promote
the application of control-focused solutions to occupational hazards.
The scope of such a strategy requires linking with other similar committees and CB
strategy entities internationally. A coordinated, consistent effort could maximize
utility of limited resources and encourage
harmonization in an increasingly global
economy. As part of this strategy, exploring the twinning and regional partnering
of developed countries with developing
countries for trial implementation, with
a focus on communicating and sharing of
successes, may also assist in limiting the
need for translating programs that are developed in native languages.
8.4 How Can International

Cooperation Assist in

the Creation of Toolkits

and ORM Toolboxes?
8.4.1 Twinning Developed

Countries with Developing

Countries
An effort to investigate twinning concepts
was begun at the Control Banding Practical Applications Workshop, held June 13
16, 2004, in Utrecht, The Netherlands. This
meeting was coordinated as part of the
WHO Collaborating Centers (WHOCC)
Occupational Health Network 20012005
Work Plans Task Force 10 on Preventive Technologies. This event resulted in
planning to create and implement twinning strategies for pilot projects with CB
for South Africa, Benin, and India. Developing and overseeing these twinning
strategies and training protocols would
be coordinated with and economically
assisted by more established programs
in developed countries, such as those in
the United Kingdom, the United States,
and The Netherlands. Attendees included
leadership and representatives from the
International Technical Group on CB and
attendees from The Netherlands, Switzerland, India, Benin, South Africa, Brazil,
Central America, Canada, Great Britain,
and the United States. This cooperative effort is a model for future cooperative work
between developed and for developing
countries. International collaboration can
appreciably strengthen national capabilities for the protection of workers health
and the environment. Sharing knowledge
and experiences will also limit duplication
of efforts and instead will build capacity

by combining resources. It can also serve
as the best method to test and improve
existing toolkits, to identify the steps necessary to successfully build new toolkits,
and eventually to create the blueprint for
developing complete ORM Toolboxes.
8.4.2 Americas Silica Control

Banding Effort
Since 2005, NIOSH has been exploring the utility of CB in its response to a
request for assistance to address silica
exposures in South American countries.
Specifically, a multidisciplinary, interdivisional NIOSH team of researchers has
traveled to Santiago, Chile to provide
training and technical assistance to the
Occupational Health Department, Instituto de Salud Publica de Chile (Chile Public Health Institute) and the Ministerio del
Salud de Chile (Chile Ministry of Health)
as part of the Multinational Program for
Elimination of Silicosis in the Americas.
These technical assistance visits to Chile
have involved meetings with public health
officials and training on occupational
safety and health issues, including several
intensive courses focusing on CB tools
and applications. Courses have included
live translation during classroom sessions
and field visits to quartz quarries and rock
crushing plants. Chilean participants received training on strategies for assessing
and controlling exposures to silica-containing dust in mines and other high-risk
workplaces. In conjunction with the visits,
NIOSH researchers participated in joint
field site visits to a large underground
and surface copper mine in the Andes
and a rock crushing small enterprise in
61
the Santiago region. The purpose of the

field visits was to observe work activities
and tasks associated with potentially high
exposures to crystalline silica dust and
whether control-focused, task-specific
hazard guidance sheets (such as Silica Essentials and NIOSH mining engineering
reports) might provide relevant information to reduce hazards. This cooperative
effort has been formalized through a letter
of agreement with NIOSH, the Chile Public Health Institute, the Chilean Ministry
of Health, and the Pan-American Health
Organization (PAHO) in September 2006.
Plans are also being made for continued
collaboration and expansion to include
additional South American countries of
Brazil and Peru.
8.4.3 Expanding to an ORM

Toolbox
For cooperative efforts internationally,
eventually a focus on large scale industries or sectors in developing countries
will be necessary to link ORM Toolbox
needs in developed countries. Selection of appropriate industries will help
determine the effectiveness of exposure
prediction related to some existing toolkit applications. For practical purposes,
activities and progress-implementing
elements of CB should consider the
guidance presented in the International
Technical Groups Implementation Plan
(Appendix C). Such efforts would be consistent with the activities of the WHOCC
in their 20062010 Work Plan, which includes 25 risk management (CB) projects
(www.who.int/occupational_health).
The initial draft of the 20062010 Work
Plan was drafted as part of the IOHA 6th
International Scientific Conference on
62
Occupational Hygiene, which was held

in September 2005, in South Africa.
8.4.4 Fitting Control Banding

into Occupational Safety

and Health Management

Systems
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an existing network
of the national standards institutes in 147
countries which could facilitate further
development of an appropriate CB strategy with international relevance. With the
success of ISO 9000 for working with quality management and ISO 14000 for working with environmental management, a
natural extension of this concept would
be to include safety and health. The Occupational Health and Safety Assessment
Series (OHSAS), the OHSAS 180012, is
a management system that seeks to help
organizations control occupational safety
and health risks. Similar to the objectives
of the CB strategy, OHSAS 18000 series is
a method of assuring conformance with
an occupational safety and health policy.
IOHA performed a critique of the OHSAS
18001 for the ILO. (The resulting report
can be accessed at the IOHA Online Library for WHO and ILO documents at
www.ioha.net.) Strengths identified within
the critique include long-term employer
savings by using risk assessments for cost
avoidance, reducing workers compensation and medical costs, focusing on proactive prevention to reduce safety and health
liabilities, and setting safety and health
dedication apart from other traditional
areas of business and trade. Linking the
CB strategy within an existing system like
OHSAS could provide a mechanism for
toolkit and toolbox implementation to ensure it is maintained and improved within

a management system that can be assessed
at appropriate intervals.
Part of integrating CB into a business model is overcoming the difficulties safety and
health professionals have in communicating the value of their services. The collective professions of environmental and occupational safety and health generally have
limited understanding of the language of
businesses, which converts issues directly
into financial terms [Schulte et al. 2004].
One possible exception is the pharmaceutical industry, where this strategy has been
successful and, consequently, could serve
as a model to be followed as a formal means
of communication in other industrial sectors. In addition, further benefit could be
derived if workers compensation and insurance organizations could promote and
lead the education efforts for learning how
best to speak the language of business
[Schulte et al. 2004; Ennals 2002]. Selfinsured multinational organizations have
already learned the value of this process by
investing in research in improving returnto-work rates [ILO 1998]. Therefore, harmonizing CB strategies with the development of the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) Z10 version of OHSAS in
the United States could potentially improve
the effectiveness of both efforts.
The GHS was developed as the result of

an international mandate adopted at the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. The goal
was to have such a system developed by
the year 2000, including criteria for the
classification of hazards, labels, and MSDSs. The work was to build on existing
systems in the United States, Europe,
Canada, and the United Nations transport systems. Classification and labeling
laws are based on countries recognizing
that the quantity of chemicals in commerce is so extensive that no country can
effectively regulate each one individually.
Having laws that require information to
be transmitted to users regarding these
chemicals is one way to ensure that steps
can be taken to provide protection from
their hazards. Although similarities exist among international hazard classification systems, the national, regional, and
international requirements are different
enough to require multiple classifications
and multiple labels and MSDSs of a chemical to be shipped to different countries.
Therefore, the mandate from the United
Nations Conference on Environment and
Development was to encourage countries
to work together to eliminate these differences by harmonizing their requirements,
maintaining or enhancing protections in
the process, and eventually providing the
opportunity to eliminate technical barriers to trade in this area.
8.4.5 Control Banding

Compatibility with the

Globally Harmonized

System for Classification

and Labeling of Chemicals
Development of the GHS involved 10

years of effort by multiple countries and
international organizations. Completed in
2002, the maintenance, updating, and implementation of the GHS are assigned to a
new United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the GHS. The United States was
63
an active participant in the development

of the GHS, through contributions from
both the government and relevant stakeholders, and is a member of the United
Nations Subcommittee. An international
goal to have as many countries as possible implement the GHS by 2008 was established by both the Intergovernmental
Forum of Chemical Safety and the World
Summit on Sustainable Development.
Some countries have been successful in
meeting this goal, while the United States
and other countries are still involved in
efforts (described below) to implement
GHS requirements.
The United States lacks a system of standardization, analogous to that used in the
European Union, for hazard statements
on labels and MSDSs. As emphasized
earlier, the United States cannot move
forward with the GHS because of this obstacle. Nevertheless, the availability of an
internationally approved system to classify chemicals and prepare harmonized
labels and MSDSs provides a strong impetus for adoption. The additional impetus to adopt the GHS is provided by the
potential widespread applications for CB
in the United States.
Despite the barriers to adapting concepts
of the GHS in the United States, there is
considerable interest in the system and
some activities related to its implementation. The four regulatory agencies potentially affected by the GHS are all actively
engaged in considering adoption (EPA,
DOT, OSHA, and CPSC). OSHA has prepared an analysis comparing the GHS to
its HCS requirements, and in September
2006 the Administration published an
advanced notice of proposed rulemaking
64
to incorporate elements of the GHS into

the HCS. Both the OSHA analysis and advanced notice are available on the OSHA
Web site with links to the official text of
the GHS as well. GHS implementation has
also been a subject of discussion in OSHA
meetings with its North American Free
Trade Agreement partners on handling of
hazardous substances, and the three countries (Canada, Mexico, United States) have
exchanged information about implementation activities on a regular basis. There
is also an existing U.S./EU pilot project to
link the GHS with CB in order to implement the GHS seamlessly across the Atlantic, with CB as an integral part of this
process that seeks to control exposures
related to the international distribution of
chemical inventory. Information relating
to this pilot project is at www.useuosh.org
with many useful discussions and subtopics linked to the concepts presented. By
2006, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation established a goal of implementation. The United States also participates in
this trade-related organization.
The GHS is seen by international organizations as a significant tool to ensure the
sound management of chemicals worldwide. The GHS provides the informational framework upon which comprehensive
programs to address chemical safety and
health can be based in countries that do
not have the infrastructure to create such
a system. The additional benefit of having
the system updated and maintained by an
international body rather than by each individual country is significant in the context of global chemical safety and health.
Thus, WHO, ILO, IPCS, Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and
other international organizations continue
to promote its adoption and implementation

worldwide. The United Nations Institute for
Training and Research is also working with
ILO to promote implementation through
pilot projects in various countries as well as
other capacity-building activities. The United
States is a partner in this work, having provided some funding to the United Nations
Institute for Training and Research to promote implementation of the GHS. The ability
to use CB in countries that have adopted the
GHS has already been recognized as a potentially powerful tool to achieve chemical control in economies in transition.
On a grander scale, efforts to implement
the GHS also provide opportunities to work
with and cultivate multinational cooperation with private enterprises. Partnerships
are established by investing time, experts,
and financing for the necessary field implementation, validation, and development of
long-term occupational safety and health
management systems essential for CB strategies. It should be emphasized that the best
CB product, including toolkits and toolboxes, will be one that is transcendent of
borders for implementation yet adaptable to
the specific legal and sociocultural features
of the countries in which it will be applied.
8.5 Recognition of Specific

Industries or Activities

Where CB May Be

Adopted
Small chemical manufacturing facilities and trades that use chemicals within
their processes and procedures are the
primary focus of existing toolkits. This
focused effort should be structured to
allow comparisons based on utility for

medium and large chemical industries.
This effort has already begun with the
testing of COSHH Essentials against existing personal monitoring exposure assessments in India. Beyond risk assessments per COSHH Essentials and the
ICCT, work could begin by focusing on
point source emissions with known solutions databases such as the inclusion of attributable portions of the Silica Essentials
within a Construction Toolbox that seeks
to incorporate silica dust, wood particulate, noise, safety, traumatic injuries, and
other well-documented control solutions.
NIOSH has initiated projects that account
for a strategy of qualitative risk assessment and management (CB) and the development of task-specific hazard control
guidance. Because rates of illness and injury for specific industries are higher than
for general industry, they are already being targeted: pallet manufacturing; concrete products industries; roofing, siding,
and sheetmetal; plumbing, heating, and
air conditioning; auto and home supply
stores; eating establishments; and medical offices and clinics. Additional systems
are in place to evaluate CB use with glutaraldehyde in healthcare facilities, metal
working fluids, and silica exposure potential across all trades.
Multidisciplinary CB models for workrelated risk reduction in construction could
address the variety of hazards (chemical,
ergonomic, safety, and environmental) in
that industry. Thus, the incorporation of
individual toolkits into a Construction
Toolbox is an appropriate next step. The
ICBWs have facilitated toolkit strategies for
ergonomics, silica, and safety in a manner
that includes the provision of national-level
65
guidance and coordination of pilot projects at the state level. An ORM Toolbox
concept has become a byproduct of this
coordination, which has broadened the
CB model to include a more comprehensive exposure control basis for universal
industries such as construction and agriculture. Working to further develop this
multidisciplinary effort is an international, informal working group that includes
the United States, United Kingdom, and
the Netherlands that is seeking occupational health and safety professional input
toward the development of a task-specific
Construction Toolbox framework [Zalk
2008; van Thienen and Spee 2008].
8.6 Additional Applications

of CB in Ergonomics,

Noise, and Traumatic

Injuries
Ergonomics is a promising area for adaptation and adoption of CB strategies. Additional research and development is required before the utility of CB strategies in
noise, traumatic injuries, and nanotechnology can be evaluated.
8.6.1 Control Banding for

Ergonomics
Ergonomics hazards are an area where a CB
strategy could provide practical solutions
to physical agents that may cause musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace. Whereas chemical inventories and applications
continue to expand, with many substances lacking data on toxicity, exposure
characteristics, and potential adverse
66
health impacts, ergonomics has a finite

group of well-researched and defined risk
factors and effective programs. For applications in this arena the CB strategy could
promote the use of practical tools for assessing and reducing local risks, some
of which have been derived from recent
achievements in participatory ergonomics in developing countries. Participatorybased programs in developing countries
support low cost improvements in small
enterprises, such as Work Improvement
in Neighborhood Development, which
focuses on agriculture, Work Improvement in Small Enterprises [Muchiri 1995],
and Participation-Oriented Safety Improvement by Trade union Initiative. To
tie these concepts together, an intercountry network has been formed to exchange
positive experiences and collaborate in
educating trainers and developing training tools, which, in Asia, are called Work
Improvement Network. These can be accessed at www.win-asia.org.
A reduction in work-related musculoskeletal disorders is essential to the improvement
of occupational health in both industrialized and developing countries. Currently
40% of the worlds occupational and workrelated health costs are attributed to musculoskeletal diseases [ILO 1999]. With industrialization taking root in developing
countries, ergonomic interventions need to
be adaptable in order to span several industries and work sectors. Ultimately, this will
require a programmatic process that is low
cost, easy to understand, and sensitive and
adaptable to the social, cultural, and political considerations of each targeted industry.
One part of this process is putting in place
a permanent ergonomic infrastructure to
train and disseminate information to the

internal groups and organizations in need.
Within the process of training, a combination of ergonomic hazard assessment
tools should be presented. These tools, or
toolkits in development, could include a
brief manual that leads to checklists for
direct use by managers and workers of
small enterprises in a manner that puts
into practice the ILO Ergonomic Checkpoints document published in 1996 and
currently being revised and updated. Initial toolkit versions could be implemented
and assessed according to the usefulness
of the strategies recommended. Examples
of industry- and task-specific guidance
that could be developed include an agricultural ergonomics toolkit, a construction ergonomics toolkit, and a human/
computer interaction toolkit [Zalk 2003].
Essential in this toolkit development
strategy will be a follow-up mechanism to
ensure that the newly trained individuals
(infrastructure) receive some expert guidance when employing their new skills. Finally, an economic evaluation of expected
improvements should become an integral
part of the process. This would help facilitate managements acceptance of the
proposed ergonomic interventions, providing justification for control development to eliminate or mitigate the hazards
with supporting business case models and
simple cost/benefit analyses [Zalk 2003;
Stewart et al. 2005].
8.6.2 Control Banding for Noise

An example of the difficulties in applying the CB strategy to physical agents is
in controlling exposures to noise. Unlike
the above strategies for chemical risks and
ergonomics, an appropriate delineation

for control needs and effectiveness would
require precise exposure measuring
equipment. There are too many factors,
almost all specific to workplace and worker, beyond the current concept for simple toolkit-related strategies that render
simplification impractical. The key field
guideline that can be used is the distance
required for understandable, normal conversation. This guideline, common in field
practice, is approximately 23 feet from
the speaker. If a persons voice needs to be
raised for communication, then the noise
exposure level is most likely at or above a
key 85 dBA threshold. Above this threshold, the use of hearing protection for affected workers is advised. Any further
recommendations above this level are directly tied to 3 dB (ACGIH TLV) or 5 dB
(OSHA
permissible exposure limit
) exchange rates that halve the time of exposure with each elevation of exchange rate.
This precision would be difficult at best,
and truly impractical in concept, to offer
appropriate worker exposure times.

Traumatic Injuries
In the year 2005, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported almost 5,734 fatal
occupational injuries (http://stats.bls.gov/
iifwc/cfoi/cfoi_revised05.htm). Within
these injury statistics are specific industries and activities associated with higher
rates of injuries (both fatal and nonfatal).
An example of this is in the manufactured wood pallet industry, which has
an overall increase of 245% in injury
rates compared with general industry,
including more than a 1,300% increase
67
in amputations and more than an 800%

increase in cuts and punctures. Many
industrial sectors (e.g., agriculture, construction) with hazards (e.g., confined
spaces, electrical hazards, fall hazards)
that contribute to occupational injuries
could benefit from control-focused solutions and guidance. Traumatic injuries
can be addressed within a Construction
Toolbox through task-specific hazard
guidance provided in training and included as control solutions. In addition,
control solutions and guidance developed for one industry sector (e.g., construction) often have relevance to other
industries, such as agriculture and mining, and can be applied to address similar
hazards.
Similar to the banding of chemicals by toxicity, classifications already exist for different variables of accident causation. Banding safety risks for selection of appropriate
barriers for injury prevention is similar to
selecting appropriate engineering controls
based on chemical hazard bands in CB.
Barriers to injury, including management
factors, are strongly related to the quality of safety management systems and are
important parameters for risk prevention
[Swuste and Zalk (in press); Swuste 2007;
Zalk 2006].

Nanotechnology
Also being considered is the potential for
applying CB strategies for the qualitative
risk assessment and management of exposures to nanomaterials. Researchers have
explored the concepts of a Nanotool
with simplified solutions for controlling
68
worker exposures to constituents that are

found in the workplace in the absence of
firm toxicologic and exposure data [Paik
et al. 2008]. These strategies may be particularly useful in nanotechnology applications, considering
The overwhelming level of uncertainty concerning which nanomaterials and nanotechnologies
present as potential work-related
health risks
Characteristics of these materials
that might lead to adverse toxicologic activity
Possible strategies for assessing related risk
Management of these issues in the
absence of this information
A pilot CB tool, or CB Nanotool, was developed specifically for characterizing the
health aspects of working with engineered
nanoparticles and determining the level
of risk and associated controls for five
ongoing nanotechnology-related operations being conducted at two Department
of Energy research laboratories. Four of
the five operations evaluated in the study
were found to have implemented controls
consistent with what was recommended
by the CB Nanotool, with one operation
even exceeding the required controls for
that activity. The one remaining operation
was determined to require an upgrade in
controls. The authors conclude that application of CB appears to be a useful strategy for assessing the risk of nanomaterial
operations, providing recommendations
for appropriate engineering controls, and
facilitating the allocation of resources to
the activities that most need them.
8.7 Current Collaborations

to Explore CB
Collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including national and international
agencies, organized labor, trade groups,
academic institutions, and professional
societies can build capacity and maximize
resources, contributing to improved toolkits to protect worker health globally. The
interest in CB strategies has grown and led
to improvements based on partnerships to
explore its utility for multiple applications
and a variety of workplace settings. One
organization instrumental in bringing
forth the modern incarnation of CB is the
IOHA, which is comprised of established
IH organizations worldwide. The concept
is currently housed within the WHOCC
Occupational Health Network Work Plan
20062010 (www.who.int/occupational_
health). The WHOCC is a collective effort
that also maximizes partnerships with 65
Collaborating Centres around the globe,
working in concert with the ILO and the
major occupational health Non-Governmental Organizations of IOHA, the International Commission on Occupational
Health, and the International Ergonomics
Association. With the CB strategy having
strong support within the development
and dissemination protocol of the GHS
discussed in this document, it is also intricately tied to the WHO/ILO IPCS office. Under the auspices of the IPCS, an
ITG has been established to facilitate the
further development and implementation
of the greater encompassing ORM Toolbox. ITG has developed a Global Implementation Strategy (see Appendix C) to
ensure that national CB Work Plans are

developed and implemented by relevant
stakeholders. In addition to the multiple
organizations discussed above, ITG is also
partnering with HSE, NIOSH, and the
GTZ.
Building upon international coordination
efforts of the ITG and its Global Implementation Plan, NIOSH and other organizations within the United States have
initiated activities to explore CB options,
research needs, and potential applications.
The first effort to create greater awareness
of this concept involved planning and coordinating the ICBW2. Although international in concept, this workshop was
supported by an essential U.S. partnership
matrix including ACGIH, AIHA, OSHA,
NIOSH, and the U.S. National Safety
Council, in addition to the above global
organizations of ILO, IOHA, and WHO.
In fact, the current ITG Global Implementation Plan was initially drafted at this
workshop. An outcome of this event was
the need to consider U.S.-specific parameters for developing a national CB effort.
This led to the National Control Banding
Working Group meeting in March 2005,
in Washington, D.C. For this event, the
U.S. partnership matrix was expanded
to include representatives from the EPA,
trade unions, corporations, and academia.
These partnerships have allowed for continued discussion and consideration of
CB strategies, in cooperative efforts to
address research needs, barriers to implementation, validation concerns, and creation of awareness of control-focused solutions and guidance.
69
9
Discussion and Conclusions
CB strategies can be used effectively for
performing workplace risk assessments
and implementing control solutions for
many, but not all, occupational hazards.
COSHH Essentials is a popular toolkit
model that has been well researchedalthough further validation is important
with narrowed applications in the larger
scale of CB. CB strategies will not eliminate the need for personal monitoring and
should lead to an increased appreciation
for the role of the IH professional and useful solutions-based databases.
A review of the literature and the brief
history of CB evolution, applications, and
evaluation indicates that CB strategies
cannot provide appropriate solutions for
the assessment and management of all occupational hazards. There are situations
in which CB cannot provide the precision
and accuracy necessary to protect worker
health; alternatively, there are undoubtedly situations in which CB will provide
a higher level of control than is necessary.
Despite these concerns, CB strategies have
the potential to be entry-level tools for occupational risk management. They can
be an integral part of a tiered strategy for
risk assessment, in which simpler tools
are used at a screening level, followed by a
more complex strategy as needed or as indicated by the particular situation [Nelson
et al. 2003; Mulhausen et al. 2004].
The COSHH Essentials strategy from HSE

was designed to help SMEs perform risk
assessments for all chemicals and mixtures of chemicals indicated under the
COSHH regulations. The United States
does not have any similar regulation that
requires risk assessments for all chemicals in use. However, the basic premise
is of value to industries in the United
Statesthousands of chemicals are in use
and only a few levels of risk management
(i.e., CB strategies) are available to control
worker exposures to these chemicals. As
an underlying principle, the COSHH Essentials toolkit is valuable for CB strategies because it meets all six of Moneys
[2003] core principles (understandability,
availability, practicality, user-friendliness,
confidence on the part of users, and transparent, consistent output). The COSHH
Essentials model must be viewed as a
supplemental tool in a comprehensive
program that also accounts for personal
protection, training, health surveillance,
hazard communication, and worker participation, and not as an unconditional replacement for a comprehensive risk management program [Oldershaw 2003].
In addition, the process of applying Rphrases to hazard bands is a useful practice but is not intended to replace OELs
[Brooke 1998]. With regard to applications of the CB strategy, Russell et al.
[1998] point out that when performing
71
risk assessments, employers should still

consider other factors such as the need for
health surveillance and the need to monitor exposure to ensure adequacy of control. Similarly, employers will want to consider recommending controls appropriate
for the processes within their particular
workplace. CB strategies ideally have utility in providing guidance for performing
risk assessments and in selecting appropriate control measures; CB strategies are
not a replacement for traditional exposure
monitoring and use of OELS.
As described previously, the validity of
the exposure assessment component is essential to the effectiveness of the CB strategy. An additional critical component is
the establishment of a uniform and standardized toxicologic characterization for
a chemical by the supplier, using either
R-phrases or similarly recognized categorical designations. It is the R-phrases
that are applied to a substance or chemical mixture that determine its allocation
to a hazard band and thus the intended
target airborne concentration range. A
continuing concern with most CB strategies, including COSHH Essentials, is
the fact that they are primarily focused
72
on the inhalation route of exposure.

Consideration of other potential routes
of exposure and anticipated toxicologic
endpoints could strengthen the utility of
CB strategies and broaden the scope for
recommending control options [Brooke
1998]. Further refinement of CB strategies should include consideration of procedures for ensuring adequate margins of
safety and a schedule for frequent updates
of information as it becomes available.
One potential benefit of CB implementation could be increased use of exposureassessment applications for field practice, providing additional information
for surveillance of exposures and control
effectiveness. As a consequence, the CB
strategy could also have the effect of raising the profile of the industrial hygienist
while maximizing public health resources
for the benefit of the profession and the
population at large. As part of the CB validation plan, increased practice of exposure assessment will serve as the basis for
evaluation of implemented controls and
will provide the feedback to improve hazard control guidance for subsequent revisions of the given toolkit.
10
Recommendations to Facilitate the Implementation
of CB Strategies in the United States
Based on the potential utility of CB and the
fact that most chemical substances do not
have established OELs, it seems appropriate to explore applications and implementation of CB strategies in the United States.
These recommendations are made under
the categories of improving awareness of
concepts, validation considerations, expansion of the CB model, dissemination,
coordination, and collaboration. From the
review of the literature and of recent workshops (including the U.S. National Control
Banding Workshop in 2005), symposia,
and conferences exploring the utility and
potential applications of qualitative risk assessment and management (i.e., CB) strategies, the following recommendations have
been identified with potential activities and
programs to facilitate the implementation
of CB in the United States.
10.1 Recommendations for

Improving Awareness

and Standardization of

Concepts
1. Coordinate terminology to ensure
a singular CB vocabulary is established, adopted, understood, and
communicated for practical purposes such as training, professional
discussions, and application of concepts.

2. Following application of CB strategies, carefully consider the exposure
scenarios under which personal
monitoring should be required, using specific R-phrases or other appropriate communication language.
3. Adopt the GHS to work toward ensuring standardized hazard statements are available on U.S. chemical
labels and MSDSs to promote widespread CB applications. Include a
procedure for frequent updates of
information. Educate the wider occupational and ES&H community
on this change.
4. Develop a resource so that SMEs
can obtain additional assistance
on implementing control measures that are more protective.
Perhaps the CGSs could include
a link to professional associations
(e.g., AIHA, ACGIH), accredited
labs and services, or provide a link
to companies that provide technical services (e.g., accredited labs,
consultants).
5. Continue to develop and offer training for professionals and for SME
operators on the implementation
73
of CB strategies and the toolbox

and toolkits available. Emphasize
the role of CB in the context of
tiered risk assessment (i.e., selection of the appropriate tool for a
specific risk scenario).
6. Develop an incentive system based
on input from broader groups of
stakeholders, including insurance,
financial, trade, and legal interests.
74

Validation
1. Make sure that a validation protocol accounts for the effectiveness
of a given toolkit and its controls.
2. Use validation protocols to validate
and compare various implementation methods and the construct in
which they are introduced with
both employers and workers.
7. Incorporate economic analyses

into the process of selecting exposure control methods, with the
goal of developing a more complete understanding of the relationship between the hierarchy of
controls and their cost effectiveness. A key assumption underlying
CB appears to be that a higher degree of control (e.g., containment,
followed by engineering control)
is generally expensive and may be
overprotective against exposure
to substances in the lower risk categories. This assumption has driven the idea that CBs should be rigidly tied to specific risk levels. This
assumption may be inaccurate in
many cases and may complicate
the CB strategy unnecessarily. In
addition, for many substances
there is less than complete information concerning their longterm human health effects, making R-phrases inadequate to fully
describe the risk persons in the
workplace face if they are exposed.
In such situations, a higher level of
control would be prudent rather
than overprotective.
10.3 Recommendations

for Expanding the

Control Banding Model
8. Conduct research on the utility of CB

to SMEs and the barriers to using it.
3. Include guidance and controlfocused solutions for additional
3. Validate each step of the CB strategy independently: exposure prediction, hazard prediction, control
recommendations, training, and
control implementation.
4. Assess errors associated with CB
hazard classification, exposure assessment, and control recommendations to determine the accuracy
of the model.
1. Develop a comprehensive, easy-touse set of ergonomic hazard- and

risk-assessment tools. These ergonomics toolkits should begin with
a brief manual leading to checklists for use by SME employers and
workers.
2. Consider dermal absorption as a
factor that might make an impact
on hazard classification, exposure
assessment, and control solutions
in a CB risk management model.
Chapter 10 | Recommendations to Facilitate the Implementation of CB Strategies in the United States
substances, specifically those

that were excluded by HSE because they were regulated under other codes (e.g., pesticides,
lead, asbestos).
4. Include processes that address
combined chemicals use, mixtures, and compounds of variable composition that can have
additive or synergistic safety and
health consequences.
5. Convert existing guides and solutions documents to toolkits by
beginning the documents with
instructions on how to do a qualitative risk assessment of the workplace.
6. Develop sector specific toolkits
(e.g., construction, healthcare, and
manufacturing).
10.4 Recommendations

for Disseminating

Control Banding
1. Develop public sector (governmental) and private sector (trade
association, industry, organized
labor, academic consortia) strategies to coordinate efforts for developing, implementing, and evaluating qualitative risk assessment
and risk management strategies
and task-specific, hazard-control
guidance.
2. Create awareness, implementation, and dissemination strategies
among the regulatory, consultative, professional, and trade associations consistent with research
to practice concepts.
3. Identify strategies for promoting

the value and utility of CB using
business case models and examples of broader workplace protections despite limited resources.

Coordination and

Collaboration
National Coordination and
Collaboration
1. Encourage NIOSH and OSHA cooperation in focusing on CB utility for special emphasis areas, such
as hazard communication and
guidance for small businesses. The
State OSHA plans, fitting within
the OSHA Alliance, may provide
mechanisms to implement CB
strategies and demonstration projects for control-focused solutions
and guidance.
2. Develop task-based CB toolkits
that focus on point-source exposures related to specific tasks and
controls that have been validated.
Guidance can be developed and
provided in a practical, applicable
format when historical data exist
to characterize exposure for a particular task (e.g., silica in mining
or construction).
3. Include worker involvement as
part of a tripartite strategy within
a participatory process for any
implemented CB strategy. Provide
for assessment and feedback for
this process using medical surveillance, with risk assessment based
on health measures.
75
4. Coordinate resources and curricula for training professionals and

SME audiences on the implementation of CB strategies and models
available.
International Coordination and

Collaborations
1. Coordinate the development and
creation of an integrated system
for both national and international databases. This database system
should also include a component
that tracks voluntary submission
of data for the validation of various toolkits.
76
2. Adopt the ITG implementation

strategy to coordinate occupational risk management concepts with
international collaborative efforts,
such as those within the WHOCC,
in order to harmonize efforts and
build capacity.
3. Link the CB strategies to an existing system of Occupational Safety
and Health Management Systems
for implementation. This will help
to ensure it is maintained and improved within a management system that can be assessed at appropriate intervals and modified as
necessary.
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Appendix A Related Publications with

Selected Annotations
Falconer K [2002]. Pesticide environmental indicators and environmental
policy. J Environ Manage 65:285300.
Money CD [2002]. European chemical

regulation and occupational hygiene.
Ann Occup Hyg 46:275277.
Falconer assesses the feasibility of developing environmental banding for more

effective pesticide policy, specifically, developing pesticide groupings. Groupings
would be formed on the basis of broad
similarities and differences rather than of
precise individual ordering. However, because of the complexity of pesticides, their
usage, and impacts, no single ecotoxicological parameter can be used to define and
quantify policy issues. Rather than using
impact assessments, which must be conducted for each site, to define the grouping, Falconer suggests using hazard-based
indicators. Enhanced pesticide labeling
could be useful in decision-making by users. He concludes that pesticide groupings
would be more feasible and useful than
ranking of individual products.
This source describes the drivers for risk

assessment of chemicals in the EU:
Kirkwood P, Trenchard PJ, Uzel AR,

Colby PJ [1991]. SARAH (System for
Advising on the Regulations for Assessing Hazards): an expert system for
training non-hygienists in carrying out
occupational hygiene assessments. Ann
Occup Hyg 35:233237.
Similar to COSHH Essentials, the SARAH expert system can ease the workload
of occupational hygienists by providing
nonexperts with the tools to solve simpler
occupational safety and health problems.
It was designed for use by British Gas to
assist in meeting COSHH requirements.
In 1998, the third largest manufacturing industry was chemical manufacturing, employing 1.7 million
people directly.
Several leading multinationals and
36,000 SMEs were involved.
Known adverse human health effects of many chemicals, and lack
of knowledge about the impacts of
many chemicals.
The number and volume of chemicals are
also driving chemical risk assessment in
the EU:
400 million tons of chemicals produced globally in 2001
100,000 substances registered in
the EU
10,000 chemicals marketed in volumes >10 tons and 20,000 marketed at 110 tons
The article describes the REACH system,
which is a regulatory system for chemical
control. The REACH system uses a tiered
approach to registration, triggered by production volumes. The proposed system
would result in critical information about
most chemicals being registered in a central database. Higher anticipated risks
would trigger higher levels of required information.
85
Northage C, Marquart H [2001]. Occupational exposure information needs

for regulatory risk assessment of existing chemicals. Appl Occup Environ Hyg
16:315318.
The authors describe the information required to conduct a risk assessment per
EU Regulation 1488/99, which requires
risk assessments be conducted on existing
priority chemicals. Assessments should
include human health and environmental
concerns and are carried out at the national level. Data requirements for exposure assessment include the following:
Description of work activities
Percentage of substance in product
and amounts used
More international collaboration
Distinction between different exposure scenarios
Assessment with an eye to international needs
Measurement methods
Better understanding on the part of

users
Raw sampling data and statistical

descriptors
Task information
Controls information
Number of sites to which data apply
Year
Explanation of outliers
Explanation of changes in exposures
Oldershaw P, Fairhurst S [2001]. Sharing
toxicological information on industrial
chemicals. Ann Occup Hyg 45:291294.
Sound risk management relies on regulatory standards, and development of a
chemicals standard requires its complete
toxicological profile. Some of the barriers
to global access to robust toxicological
86
profiles are the shortage of data, conflicting positions on data interpretation, poor
transfer of toxicological information, inefficiencies in the use of available resources, and inadequate understanding of the
science. Indications of progress include
increasing quantities of data (e.g., the
International Council of Chemical Associations commitment to baseline data on
the High Production Volume substances,
harmonizing positions on data interpretation, better transfer of toxicological data
to those exposed, more efficient use of
available resources, and improved understanding of the science). Oldershaw and
Fairhurst called for several elements to
improve data quality:
Clear establishment of the state of

available knowledge
A pragmatic approach
Agreement/codification/expression of scientific terminology
Clear descriptions of extrapolation
procedures
Tischer M [2001a]. What does low exposure mean? Exposure considerations in
the testing of notified new substances.
Appl Occup Environ Hyg 16:228232.
Tischer suggests that, when notifying the
EU of new substances, risk assessors use
R-phrases and the hazard banding model
developed by the U.K. HSE to aid in decision-making on chemicals with no NOAEL.
Appendix A | Related Publications with Selected Annotations
Zalk DM [2001]. Grassroots ergonomics: initiating an ergonomics program

utilizing participatory techniques. Ann
Occup Hyg 45:283289.
Zalk emphasizes the important role of

worker participation in developing effective ergonomics programs, in both industrialized and newly industrializing nations.
Such an approach could be very valuable in
worldwide application of CB techniques.
87
Appendix B Allocation of Hazard Bands for Vapors

A substances identifiable dose threshold
influences its classification into Hazard
Bands AE, as used in the COSHH Essentials. Classification also depends on relative exposure level at which toxic effects
occur and on seriousness of the health
effect resulting from exposure. The governing R-phrase, for substance with more
than one, is the R-phrase leading to the
highest level of control. Along with that
explanation, the R-phrase assignments
were compared to health-based OELs for
a selection of chemical substances. Each
hazard band, which is based on toxicological considerations, covers a log (10-fold)
concentration range[Brooke 1998].
Because the relationship between the ppm
concentration and the mg/m3 concentration of a vapor is a function of its molecular weight (and also temperature and pressure, though not discussed in this article),
the working group that oversaw development of this chemical classification decided to align the exposure bands. However,
because of this alignment, if vapors and
particulates are in the same hazard band,
the concentration range for vapors, in mg/
m3, is substantially higher than that for
particulates.
Because of concern about this alignment
procedure, R-phrases for vapors are allocated based on additional considerations.
For example, the classification of R48 indicates danger of serious damage to health
by prolonged exposure. If severe effects
occur in animal-inhalation toxicological
studies at 0.0250.25 mg/L for 6 hours/
day of exposure for 90 days, the substance

is rated R48/20Harmful. (0.025 mg/L
represents the lower cut-off value; severe
effects at a lower concentration would result in a rating of R23Toxic.) Adjusting
to a time period of 8 hours (and converting units) results in an equivalent 8-hour
TWA of 19190 mg/m3. For three hypothetical vapors with molecular weights of
50, 100, and 150, the equivalent 8-hour
airborne concentrations are converted
from mg/m3 to ppm, for the lower (<19
mg/m3), mid (19190 mg/m3), and upper (>190 mg/m3) concentrations from
the R48 range, resulting in a range of concentrations from 390 ppm. The resulting
ppm concentrations are compared with
the concentrations that would be experienced in Hazard Band B (>550 ppm).
These comparisons showed in safety margins well below a value of 1.0 in the worst
cases (generally involving high molecular
weight compounds). Best-case comparisons, e.g., higher R48 cut-off values compared with the lower airborne concentrations for Hazard Band B (associated with
lower molecular weight compounds), resulted in safety margins ranging up to 18.
R48/20 was allocated to Hazard Band C
because the results of this analysis indicated that allocating Hazard Band B for
vapors could result in significant concern
for potential health effects under worstcase scenarios.
A similar analysis for particulates indicated higher margins of safety for them than
for vapors. The analysis resulted in an
89
even greater safety factor for particulates

than for vapors. This logic was extended
to toxic substances based on repeated exposures, assigning them to Hazard Band
D. Similar logic resulted in the assignment
of compounds to hazard bands based on
effects resulting from single exposures
(Harmful to Hazard Band B, Toxic to C,
and Very Toxic to D).
For compounds with no identifiable dose
threshold and potentially serious health
effects, e.g., R40 Muta. Category 3, R46
Muta. Category 1 or 2, and R42 (respiratory sensitization), the appropriate allocation was Hazard Band E, which is always
referred to expert advice. R-phrases for
reproductive toxicity and carcinogens
90
with nongenotoxic mechanisms and identifiable thresholds were allocated to Hazard Band D. Category 3 carcinogens with
genotoxic mechanisms were assigned to
Hazard Band E, as were Category 1 or 2
carcinogens, based on the EU Carcinogens
Directive. Substances with skin sensitizers and corrosive or severe irritant effects
were assigned to Hazard Band C based on
their identifiable threshold. Moderate eye
and skin irritants were assigned to Hazard
Band A.
Note: Only after a substances toxicological data are completely considered is it
assigned to a hazard band. A substance
should not be assigned to Hazard Band A
simply because of lacking data.
Appendix C Global Implementation Strategy

Occupational Risk Management Toolbox
(Agreed by the IPCS International Technical Group on May 28, 2004)
This Global Implementation Strategy
aims to build and implement an Occupational Risk Management Toolbox
(Toolbox), containing toolkits to manage different workplace hazards. The first
such toolkit, the International Chemical
Control Toolkit (Chemical Toolkit), is
based on an approach to risk assessment
and management called control banding
(CB). This approach groups workplace
risks into control bands based on combinations of hazard and exposure information. It can also be applied to non-chemical workplace hazards. As this banding
technique is semi-quantitative or qualitative depending on the application, it is
particularly relevant for use in small and
medium-sized enterprises, developing nations, and, in the case of chemicals, where
no occupational exposure standard has
been set. It may also be useful for environmental risk assessment and management,
as health and environment controls are
complementary, and often inseparable, at
the workplace level.
Aim of the Global

Implementation Strategy
and Implementation
Partners
Under the auspices of the International
Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS),
an International Technical Group (ITG)
has been established to facilitate the further development and implementation

of the Toolbox. This Global Implementation Strategy provides key high-level
approaches to achieve this aim. It is intended that work plans, focusing on particular applications, countries or regions,
would be developed and implemented by
relevant stakeholders. A particular focus
of this Strategy is implementation of the
Chemical Toolkit.
Partners in this international effort include: IPCS (International Labour Organization and World Health Organization);
International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA); The Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) in Great Britain; US National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH); and the German
Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). As this Strategy is implemented, new partnerships will be encouraged. The ITG Terms of Reference and
Membership List are provided in Annex
1, which will be updated as needed.
Stakeholders
Stakeholders include implementers (including employers), researchers and workers/users of chemicals. Bodies that may
be involved in the implementation of this
Strategy include: intergovernmental and
91
international non-governmental organizations (such as IOHA); government agencies; industry, including associations of
chemical producers and suppliers; employer and employee associations; industrial hygienists; labour unions; labour
inspectors; researchers; and training professionals.
The International Chemical

Control Toolkit
The Chemical Toolkit (adapted from the
HSEs COSHH Essentials) is available on
the internet through the ILO SafeWork
Website. It is undergoing further development, which will include technical improvement and additions. This process
will also include translation and piloting
in selected countries. The hazard information employed by the Toolkit is either
the European Union (EU) label Risk (R)
phrases, or the hazard statements of the
Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling (GHS). The target
for global implementation of the GHS was
2008, individual country implementation
dates could vary. Hence implementation
of the Chemical Toolkit will need to be
phased, initially focusing on building the
necessary skills, knowledge and mechanisms for implementation, development
and testing of guidance sheets, translation
into other languages, and application of
more generic approaches, such as the GTZ
Chemical Management Guide (which
is based on a simplified control banding
technique). Implementation of the full
Chemical Toolkit will be dependent on
that countrys use of EU risk phrases and/
or GHS hazard statements.
92
Key Elements of the

Implementation Strategy
Key elements are listed below, with lead
bodies in parenthesis where relevant. At
the work plan level, detailed actions taken
must take into account the different needs
of developing countries, economies in
transition and developed countries. However harmonized approaches should be
used where possible to avoid unnecessary
duplication of effort.
1. Further develop the Chemical Toolkit, including the following:
Development of new control
guidance sheets based on experience, to meet the needs of
developing countries in particular (ILO with the input of
others including GTZ; IOHA).
This includes piloting, testing, evaluating, and revising.
The need for country-specific
sheets will be explored. However, unnecessary differences
in the technical materials
should be avoided. Some guidance sheets should be trade
and/or task specific.
As guidance sheets begin to
be developed by implementers
(e.g. country-specific sheets),
a mechanism for peer review,
including peer review criteria.
will be developed and the guidance sheets shared through an
international Clearing House
(see key strategy ) (ILO, WHO).
Development of sheets for workplace processes that generate chemical exposures (ILO,
IOHA).
Appendix C | Global Implementation Strategy
Addition of the skin route of

exposure (the Chemical Toolkit currently focuses on inhalation exposure) (ILO with the
input of HSE).
Translation in local languages (WHOCC [Collaborating
Centers], ILO, others).
2. Enhance links between the GHS,
the Chemical Toolkit and other
workplace tools.
3. Include GHS phrases in the IPCS
International Chemical Safety
Cards (WHO-IPCS, ILO).
4. Build and promote the Occupational Risk Management Toolbox,
through the following:
Development of toolkits for
workplace hazards other than
chemicals (lead group ILO,
WHO, IOHA, NIOSH, linking to an expanded network
of other international and national bodies).
Integration of other toolkits in
WHO CC Workplan (WHO CC
[Collaborating Centers] Task
Force on Preventive Technology).
Adaptation of existing participatory processes that have
effectively engaged local communities (e.g., WISE, WIND
programme) (ILO).
5. Explore new partnerships for implementation, including the following:
International bodies involved
in implementation of the GHS,
for example to tap into GHS
implementation and training
workshops (ILO).
The International Association

of Labour Inspectors (IALI)
(ILO to lead).
Identify potential donors and
granting bodies.
Use country to country partnerships (twinning), for example between a developed and
developing country.
6. Foster the development of work
plans in support of this Strategy, focusing on specific applications, industry/occupation situations, countries or regions and
maintain links with national and
other working groups established
to implement work plans. Work
plans will aim to influence local
decision-makers and effect local implementation. Information
about work plans will be included
in the Clearing House (see key below strategy).
Identify ways to influence national
decision-makers, including through:
WHO CC network activities
ILO-CIS Network
ILO and WHO offices
The EU
Agenda of inter-governmental
meetings, e.g. on EU-US Cooperation.
Promotion at international and
national Occupational Safety
and Health/Industrial Hygiene
Conferences.
Holding annual or biannual
international CB workshops
(1st workshop held November 2002; 2nd workshop held
93
March 2004). The 3rd workshop was held in September

2005 at the IOHA 6th International Scientific Conference
(South Africa) and concurrently the XVII World Congress on Safety and Health
(Orlando, FL). IOHA meeting
was conducted back-to-back
with WHO CC meeting.
WHO CC Network meeting
(Milan, June 2006) back-toback with ICOH meeting provides an option for CB planning meeting and training.
7. Develop and publish a research
agenda (lead: University of Oklahoma, working with other leading
agencies, for the ITG), including
sector-specific research (construction, agriculture, mining). This
would include the areas listed below and would be updated regularly based on technical progress.
A current research agenda will be
maintained on the Web site (refer
below), and at Annex 2. Research
agenda will need to include application of the CB technique to
different hazards, e.g., chemical,
biological, physical, ergonomic
exposures, etc.; different industry
situations, e.g., SMEs, large industries, multi-nationals; developing
countries; developed countries.
8. Collect and communicate research and information, including
the following:
Maintenance of the Web site,
hosted by ILO, with links to
other relevant websites (lead:
ILO).
94
Augment the Web site with

a Clearing House including
a web-based directory of research and validation studies
(researchers list their ongoing studies and references for
completed work).
Include other activities in the
Clearing House, such as work
plans developed by countries,
etc.
Include a repository of guidance sheets in the Clearing
House. Centers could be identified (regional, languagebased) to maintain these (e.g.,
NIOSH), linked to the ILO
Web site.
Publish regular update/topical articles in newsletters by
email/net. Use existing vehicles and meetings to distribute (IOHA, NIOSH, Global
Occupational Health Network
Newsletter, etc).
9. Develop and maintain a capacity
building and training plan, focusing
on developing countries (WHOOEH [Occupational and Environmental Health]). This will be needed
for piloting work, then during the
full-scale implementation. It would
include the following:
Explore use of the GTZ Chemical Management Guide to
build capacities and prepare
countries for implementation
of the Chemical Toolkit.
Cultivate regional train-thetrainer core groups.
Conduct train-the-trainer
workshops in conjunction
Appendix C | Global Implementation Strategy
with other international/regional events.

Provide generic, translatable
training materials.
10. Maintain an ITG to oversee the
Global Implementation Strategy
(quarterly telephone conferences,
with face-to-face meetings occurring back-to-back with other events
where possible) (WHO-IPCS).
International Technical
Group (ITG) Terms of
Reference and Membership
Terms of Reference
1. The functions of the ITG are:
2. The ITG makes its recommendations and decisions by consensus

of those members present at a
meeting.
3. The roles of Chair and Rapporteur
alternate between the IPCS partners, i.e. ILO and WHO.
4. The ITG normally meets quarterly
by teleconference. The ITG may
agree to hold face-to-face meetings from time to time, and in
these circumstances, participants
make their own arrangements for
bearing the cost of attendance.
Membership
The members of the ITG are experts from
the following organizations:
To facilitate the further development and implementation

of an Occupational Risk Management Toolbox, in particular the International Chemical
Control Toolkit.
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
To maintain a Global Implementation Strategy, including

identifying lead bodies for key
actions.
International Occupational Hygiene

Association (IOHA)
To provide guidance to the relevant lead body/bodies concerning the collection and dissemination of information on
activities.
GTZ Convention Project on Chemical

Safety, Germany
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Health and Safety Executive (HSE),

Great Britain
National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH), United
States
World Health Organization ((OEH)
and( PCS))
To coordinate other activities

undertaken in support of the
Global Implementation Strategy, in particular, those of its
members.
International Research
Agenda
To measure and communicate

progress against the Strategy.
An international research agenda will be

developed and published (see key strategy
95
element 7). Proposals that have come forward to date are listed below.
1. Chemical Toolkit Applications in
Developing Countries
Investigate applications within
large enterprises.
Develop tools for SMEs.
Effectiveness of predicting exposures.
Validation of controlling exposures.
Field test of current product.
Translation of concepts and
common phrases.
2. Other Applications in Developing
Countries
Focus on large scale industries, select appropriate industries and hazards.
Develop other toolkits for the
Occupational Risk Management
Toolbox.
Adapt existing approaches (e.g.,
WIND Program), build on successes.
Develop an ergonomics toolkit based on existing models.
3. Chemical Control Toolkit Applications in Developed Countries
96
Further validation studies.

Validate controlling exposures
in selected small business trades.
Field industrial hygiene input
on expanding, ranking hazards, prioritizing controls.
Focus on small business trades
and define success.
4. Other Applications in Developed
Countries
Develop Ergonomics Toolkit based on existing national
models.
Expand industrial hygiene aspects to include physical and
biological exposures.
Investigate Occupational Risk
Management Toolbox concept
for SMEs.
5. Research to Fill Gaps in the Chemical Toolkit
Investigate applications to the
skin route of exposure.
Integration of skin and inhalation routes of exposure.
Integration of useful elements
from comparable tools, e.g. the
German Column Model.

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Qualitative Risk Characterization and

Management of Occupational Hazards:

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Christine M. Branche, Ph.D.

Factors influencing the evolution of qualitative risk characterization and

1 | Challenges of Traditional Risk Management Using Occupational

3 | The Origins of Control Banding for Chemical Agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.3 Early Models of Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 | The Architecture on Which Control Banding is Based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

5 | Validation and Verification of Control Banding Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

5.2 Studies Performed for Validation of Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 | Specific Issues in Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

7 | Special Events Surrounding Control Banding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

First International Control Banding Workshop (ICBW1) . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 | Critical Analysis of Control Banding Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

8.7 Current Collaborations to Explore CB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

10 | Recomendations to Facilitate the Implementation of CB Strategies

in the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

International Programme on Chemical Safety

Division of Applied Research and

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies

Division of Safety Research

Division of Surveillance, Hazard

Health Effects Laboratory Division

National Personal Protective

Office of the Director

Spokane Research Laboratory

of COSHH and its requirements

Measurement of workers exposure

This equation indicates that information

areas, such as physical hazards, ergonomics, and psychosocial factors.

Safety risks from major facilities: risk matrices combining severity

ICE 1985; AIChE 1992

Simplified strategy for workplace health risk assessment (COSHH)

RSC 2003; Money 2003

Health risk assessment for laboratories

RSC 2003, 1996

Gardner and Oldershaw 1991

Gardner and Oldershaw 1991;

CIA 1992; Money 1992b

Naumann et al. 1996; CIA 1993;

Chapter 3 | The Origins of Control Banding for Chemical Agents

Setting OELs and OEBs for pharmaceutical agents

Further development of RSC strategy

Additional proposals for generic OELs or control strategies based

ABPI 1995; CIA 1997; TRG 1996

Marketed chemicals in general

Russell et al. 1998; Brooke 1998;

Health risk assessment for industry

HSE 1999; IOM 2005

Work Improvement in Small Enterprises (WISE)

Work Improvement in Neighborhood Development (WIND)

Adapted from Money 2003.

COSHH= Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

PPE=personal protective equipment

OEL=occupational exposure limit

CIA=Chemical Industry Association

TWA=time weighted average

OEB=occupational exposure band