(Last modified: SEPRT Ordinance No. 6.735, of March 10, 2020)
(Effective date: January 3, 2022 – SEPRT Ordinance No. 8.873, of July 23, 2021)
SUMMARY
9.1 Objective
9.2 Scope
9.3 Identification of occupational exposures to physical, chemical and biological agents
9.4 Assessment of occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents
9.5 Measures to prevent and control occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents
9.6 Temporary provisions
9.1 Objective
9.1.1 This Regulatory Standard (NR) establishes the requirements for the assessment of occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents, when identified in the Risk Management Program (RMP), provided for in NR-1, and to support the prevention of occupational risks.
9.2 Scope
9.2.1 The prevention measures in this standard apply wherever there is occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents.
9.2.1.1 The scope and extent of the preventive measures depend on the characteristics of the exposures and the control requirements.
9.2.2 This NR and its annexes shall be used to prevent and control occupational risks caused by physical, chemical and biological agents.
9.2.2.1 For the purpose of characterizing unhealthy or hazardous activities or operations, the provisions of NR-15 – Unhealthy Activities and Operations and NR-16 – Hazardous Activities and Operations shall be applied.
9.3 Identification of occupational exposures to physical, chemical and biological agents
9.3.1 The identification of occupational exposures to physical, chemical and biological agents shall consider:
a) description of the activities
b) identification of the agent and the forms of exposure;
c) possible injuries or health problems associated with the identified exposures;
d) factors determining exposure;
e) existing preventive measures; and
f) identification of groups of exposed workers.
9.4 Assessment of occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents
9.4.1 A preliminary analysis of the work activities and the data already available on physical, chemical and biological agents shall be carried out to determine the need for direct adoption of preventive measures or to carry out qualitative or, where appropriate, quantitative assessments.
9.4.2 The quantitative assessment of occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents shall be carried out, where necessary, to:
a) demonstrate that occupational exposure to the identified agents has been controlled;
b) measure the occupational exposure of groups of workers;
c) support the development of preventive measures.
9.4.2.1 The quantitative assessment shall be representative of occupational exposure and shall cover the organizational aspects and environmental conditions to which the worker is exposed in the course of his work.
9.4.3 The results of the assessment of occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents shall be included in the risk register of the RMP.
9.4.4 Occupational exposure assessments shall be recorded by the organization in accordance with the specific aspects set out in the Annexes to this NR.
9.5 Measures to Prevent and Control Occupational Exposure to Physical, Chemical and Biological Agents
9.5.1 The measures to prevent and control occupational exposure to each physical, chemical and biological agent are specified in the Annexes to this NR.
9.5.2 The necessary measures shall be taken to eliminate or control occupational exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents in accordance with the criteria set out in the Annexes to this NR and in accordance with the RMP.
9.5.3 Measures to prevent and control occupational exposure are part of the risk controls in the RMP and shall be included in the action plan.
9.6 Temporary Provisions
9.6.1 Until the Annexes to this Standard are established, the following shall be used for preventive measures:
a) the criteria and tolerance limits contained in NR-15 and its Annexes;
b) half the tolerance limits as the action level for chemical agents;
c) half the dose as the action level for physical agent noise.
9.6.1.1 In the absence of tolerance limits specified in NR-15 and its annexes, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) tolerance limits shall be used as a reference for the adoption of preventive measures.
9.6.1.2 The action level is the value above which systematic control measures must be implemented to minimize the likelihood of occupational exposures exceeding the exposure limits.