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Safety and Health Topics
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Surface Contamination

Surface Contamination

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Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, letters of interpretation (official letters of interpretation of the standards), other federal standards and national consensus standards related to surface contamination.

OSHA

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

1910 Subpart H, Hazardous materials
- 1910.120, Hazardous waste operations and emergency response [related topic page]
1910 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous substances [related topic page]
- 1910.1001, Asbestos [related topic page]
- 1910.1018, Inorganic arsenic [related topic page]
- 1910.1025, Lead [related topic page]
- 1910.1026, Chromium (VI) [related topic page]
- 1910.1027, Cadmium [related topic page]
- 1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens [related topic page]
- 1910.1044, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane
- 1910.1045, Acrylonitrile
- 1910.1050, Methylenedianiline

Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926)

1926 Subpart D, Occupational health and environmental controls
- 1926.55, Gases, vapor, fumes, dusts, and mists
- 1926.60, Methylenedianiline
- 1926.62, Lead
1926 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous substances
- 1926.1101, Asbestos
- 1926.1127, Cadmium

Letters of Interpretation

OSHA standards do not include surface contamination criteria or quantifications for skin absorption. (June 21, 1985). Currently there are no OSHA standards that specify surface contamination exposure limits. However, do require appropriate provision of personal protective equipment, housekeeping, decontamination, and related procedures to control surface contamination hazards.

Other Federal

Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Standards

40 CFR 761.125, Requirements for PCB spill cleanup. Sections (c)(3) and (c)(4) contain information pertinent to surface contamination.

National Consensus

Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards

E1216-99, Standard Practice for Sampling for Surface Particulate Contamination by Tape Lift. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Provides a procedure for sampling surfaces with pressure sensitive tape to determine the presence of particulate contamination, 5 µm and larger.

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