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Over a half-million workers are exposed to fumes from asphalt, a petroleum product used extensively in road paving, roofing, siding, and concrete work. Health effects from exposure to asphalt fumes include headache, skin rash, sensitization, fatigue, reduced appetite, throat and eye irritation, cough, and skin cancer.

There are currently no specific OSHA standards for asphalt fumes. Exposures to various chemical components of asphalt fumes are addressed in specific standards for the general and construction industries, such as personal protective equipment (PPE).

OSHA Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, preambles to final rules (background to final rules), standard interpretations (offical letters of interpretation of the standards), and compliance examples related to asphalt fumes.

Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

• 1910 Subpart I, Personal protective equipment 
• 1910.132, General requirements [related topic page]
• 1910.134, Respiratory protection [related topic page]
• Appendix A, Fit testing procedures (Mandatory)
• Appendix B-1, User seal check procedures (Mandatory)
• Appendix B-2, Respirator cleaning procedures (Mandatory)
• Appendix C, OSHA respirator medical evaluation questionnaire (Mandatory)
• Appendix D, Information for employees using respirators when not required under standard (Mandatory)

Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926)

• 1926 Subpart E, Personal protective and life saving equipment

Preambles to Final Rules

• Air Contaminants (1989)
• VII. Feasibility and Regulatory Analyses. Because the scope of this rulemaking is restricted exclusively to the general industry, OSHA has determined that it is most appropriate at this time to defer regulation of asphalt fumes until the agency has had sufficient time to address the complex health issues associated with this substance and to analyze the impact on the construction industry of establishing a permissible exposure limit (PEL) for this substance.
  
  
• Search all available preambles to final rules.

Standard Interpretations

• Natural or mined asphalts do not fall within the scope of the Coal Tar Pitch Volatiles Standard. (1983, May 26). Natural or mined asphalts do not fall within the scope of the Coal Tar Pitch Volatiles (CTPV) Standard. Again, the CTVP Standard, as stated in 29 CFR 1910.1002, applies to emissions only from products that are residues of distillation processes. Thus, "natural" or mined asphalts, which are not distillation residues, do not fall under the CTPV standard.
  
  
• Petroleum asphalt removed from coverage under the Coal Tar Pitch Volatiles Standard. (1983, April 8). OSHA believes that removal of petroleum asphalt from coverage under the Coal Tar Pitch Volatiles (CTPV) Standard was appropriate based on both scientific and technical considerations. Data indicate that there are qualitative and quantitative chemical differences between the volatiles arising from coal tar and asphalt. OSHA does recognize, however, that asphalt fumes can present a health hazard to employees.
  
  
• Citations for the wearing of short pants engaged in hot tar and asphalt construction work. (1997, April 17). Compliance officers will be instructed to balance the need for personal protective clothing, such as long pants, during hot asphalt operations against the need for clothing that is appropriate for severe environmental conditions such as extremely warm weather.


• Search all available standard interpretations.

Hazard Recognition

Exposure to asphalt fumes can cause serious injury and permanent damage. Workers that may be exposed to asphalt fumes need to be aware of the potential hazards in their work environment. The following references aid in recognizing asphalt fume hazards in the workplace.

Characteristics and Properties

• Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Asphalt. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-110, (2000, December). Reviews current scientific data on health effects related to occupational exposures to asphalt, describes further research needs in this area, and suggests measures to minimize worker exposures while studies continue.
• Asphalt Modifiers and Additives. [see Section 3.3, Table 3-5]
  
  
• NIOSHTC-2. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSHTIC-2 is a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH. Contains a list of references pertaining to asphalt fumes.
  
  
• Asphalt Fumes. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Safety and Health Topic. Links to resources that provide safety and health information relevant to asphalt fumes.
  
  
• Mineral Products Industry. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission factors AP-42, 5th ed., Volume I, Chapter 11. Contains information and process overviews of hot mix asphalt and roofing material plants and the emissions and controls associated with these processes.

Hazard Recognition

• Asphalt Fume Exposures During the Manufacture of Asphalt Roofing Products. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-127, (2001, August). Also available as a 1 MB PDF, 48 pages. Increases awareness among plant managers, safety and health professionals, and engineers of the potential for occupational exposure to asphalt and asphalt fumes during the manufacture of asphalt roofing products.
  
  
• Asphalt fumes. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards Publication No. 2005-149, (2005, September). Contains information on synonyms and trade names, exposure limits, immediately dangerous to life or health concentrations (IDLH's), physical description, incompatibilities and reactivities, measurement method, personal protection and sanitation, first aid, respirator recommendations, exposure routes, symptoms, and target organs.
  
  
• Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Asphalt Fumes. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 78-106, (1977, September). Provides links to documents containing information on occupational exposure to asphalt fumes.
  
  
• Reducing Roofers' Exposure to Asphalt Fumes. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2003-107, (2003, September). Provides a guide for roofers and contractors who work with hot asphalt on roofs, including steps for reducing exposure to asphalt fumes.
  
  
• ToxFAQs for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), (1996, September). Provides answers to the most frequently asked health questions about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a component of concern in asphalt.
  
  
• Coal Tar Pitch Volatiles. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.

Health Effects

• Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Asphalt. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-110, (2000, December). Reviews current scientific data on health effects related to occupational exposures to asphalt, describes further research needs in this area, and suggests measures to minimize worker exposures while studies continue.
  
  
• Literature Review of Health Effects Caused by Occupational Exposure to Asphalt Fumes. National Toxicology Program (NTP), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), (1997, June 23). Provides an extensive review on paving asphalt and roofing asphalt exposure limits.
  
  
• Jane Y. C. Ma, et al. "Inhalation Exposure of Rats to Asphalt Fumes Generated at Paving Temperatures Alters Pulmonary Xenobiotic Metabolism Pathways without Lung Injury." Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) 111.9(2003, July).
  
  
• Crumb-Rubber Modified Asphalt Paving: Occupational Exposure and Acute Health Effects [615 KB PDF, 51 pages]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Report No. HETA-2001-0536-2864, (2001). The study protocol included the following objectives: develop and field test new methods to assess asphalt fume exposures, characterize and compare occupational exposures to crumb-rubber modified (CRM) asphalt and conventional (CONV) asphalt and evaluate potential health effects associated with CRM asphalt and CONV asphalt. Seven site evaluations were completed between 1994 and 1997. These have been reported separately in individual HHE Reports. The numerous paving jobs were evaluated for exposure concentrations and worker health symptoms, comparing CRM asphalt paving with CONV paving.

Chemical Concerns

• Cleaning of Asphalt Truck Hopper with Diesel Fuel. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (1995, December 6). Compliance and consultation personnel should  be aware of the recommended procedure checklist to control the hazards of  improper cleaning of asphalt trucks which can result in an explosion.
  
  
• Solvents. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.

Possible Solutions

After performing an exposure assessment, measures of control for worker safety can be put into the right places. Controlling exposures to asphalt fumes can be done through engineering controls, administrative actions, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Engineering controls include heating systems that maintain a constant asphalt temperature and emission capture and destruction devices consisting of a vent or exhaust system that evacuates fumes from the headspace inside the kettle. Administrative actions include substituting low-fuming asphalt and limiting the worker's exposure time. Personal protective equipment includes following all applicable OSHA requirements for wearing the proper respiratory protection and clothing. The following references aid in controlling and preventing asphalt fumes in the workplace.

Exposure Evaluation

• Chemical Sampling Information (CSI)
• Asphalt Fumes (Petroleum). OSHA Chemical Sampling Information (CSI), (1998). Contains information on exposure limits to various chemical components of asphalt fumes, health factors, and monitoring.


• Development of Analytical Methods for PACs and Sulfur Compounds in Asphalt Fumes. American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, Abstract #71, (1996).


• Asphalt Fume Exposures During the Manufacture of Asphalt Roofing Products. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-127, (2001, August). Increases awareness among plant managers, safety and health professionals, and engineers of the potential for occupational exposure to asphalt and asphalt fumes during the manufacturing of asphalt roofing products.
  
  
• Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, Total (PACs) [27 KB PDF, 5 pages]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM) Method 5800, (1998, January 15). The latest method for monitoring PACs in asphalt fume. Previously researchers attempted to analyze polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in asphalt fumes using chromatographic techniques. Because many other of these compounds co-elute, the resulting data was ambiguous. For these reasons, this method was devised for monitoring PACs as a chemical class in asphalt fumes. Asphalt fume samples were collected on a PTFE filter backed by an XAD-2 sorbent tube, extracted with hexane, and prepared to isolate the PACs from the polar and aliphatic compounds. The PACs were analyzed using a flow injection technique and two fluorescence detectors. The first detector (wavelength settings: 254-nm excitation, 370-nm emission) was more sensitive to 2- to 4-ring PACs. The second detector (wavelength settings: 254-nm excitation, 400-nm emission) was more sensitive to 4- and higher-ring PACs.


• An Explosion in an Asphalt Patching Truck. Professional and Specialized Services, Ministry of Labour, (1996, January). Describes an explosion that occurred while an operator was cleaning an asphalt patching truck. Control measures and precautions to prevent similar incidents are discussed.

Possible Solutions

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
  
  
• Respiratory Protection. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
  
  
• Asphalt Fume Exposures During the Application of Hot Asphalt to Roofs. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2003-112, (2003, October). Represents the collaborative efforts of industry, labor, and government to reduce worker exposures to asphalt fumes during the application of hot asphalt to roofs. Also, describes the application of hot asphalt to roofs, identifies steps in the process that may involve worker exposure to asphalt fumes, and identifies current engineering controls and work practices used to reduce exposures.
  
  
• Reducing Roofers' Exposure to Asphalt Fumes. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2003-107, (2003, September). Provides a guide for roofers and contractors who work with hot asphalt on roofs, including steps for reducing exposure to asphalt fumes.
  
  
• Engineering Control Guidelines for Hot Mix Asphalt Pavers. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-105, (1997, January). Also available as a 508 KB PDF, 31 pages. Presents guidelines for implementing engineering controls that reduce highway asphalt fumes at the source.
  
  
• Asphalt Training Guide. Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health (eLCOSH), (1994, June). Provides questions to train workers who work with hot asphalt.
  
  
• Asphalt Roofing [255 KB PDF, 12 pages]. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (1995, January). Contains an overview of the manufacturing process of asphalt roofing materials and the emissions and controls associated with the industry.
  
  
• Asphalt Fumes [38 KB PDF, 6 pages]. New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet, (1994, May). Contains a variety of information including acute and chronic health effects, workplace controls and practices, personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, questions and answers, and emergency response information.

Case Studies

• Spartan Paving Company, Lansing, Michigan [517 KB PDF, 51 pages]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Report No. HETA-94-0365-2563, (1996, March). As part of a study on occupational exposure to crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt and conventional asphalt, an investigation was conducted. Asphalt fume emissions were below current NIOSH recommended exposure limits or other relevant criteria, however during the CRM asphalt paving, the workers reported an eight-fold increase in the number of health symptoms and a 14-fold increase in symptoms per hours, compared with conventional asphalt.
  
  
• West Virginia University Medical Center, Morgantown, West Virginia. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Report No. HETA-82-253-1301, (1982, May). Area samples were collected for asphalt fumes and fractions at a roofing project. Some employees had complained of odors and were concerned about possible health effects. Based on the sample analysis, NIOSH concluded that a significant asphalt fume hazard did not exist for the employees of the medical center; however, headaches, coughing, and hoarseness reported by employees are consistent with exposure to asphalt fumes. A specific area should be designated for the placement of the asphalt cauldron to minimize contamination of the fresh air ventilation intake by asphalt fumes.

Additional Information

Related Safety and Health Topics Pages

• Construction Industry

Other Resources

• Occupational Safety and Health Guideline for Benzo[b]fluoranthene. OSHA.
  
  
• Occupational Safety and Health Guideline for Ethylenediamine. OSHA.
  
  
• Asphalt Fumes References. OSHA. Provides a list of technical journal articles and government documents related to asphalt fumes.


• Working Outdoors in Warm Climates [26 KB PDF^*, 2 pages]. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005, September).

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