Authoritative Risk Assessment - Information from U.S. Government Agencies

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have performed extensive risk assessments more recently than OSHA for many of the chemicals regulated by OSHA in the occupational environment, including toluene.

Additional Resources

• Preventing Occupational Illnesses through Safer Chemical Management. OSHA.
• Toluene Infosheet. OSHA. Gives information on the harmful effects of toluene on workers and how employers can protect them.

Related Safety and Health Topics Pages

Health Hazards and Protective Measures

Employers are required to train all workers who use materials containing toluene about the health and safety hazards of toluene, how to recognize exposure to toluene, and the protective measures that apply to the use of toluene in the specific work area.

Health Hazards of Toluene

You can be exposed to toluene by breathing it in, getting it on your skin, getting it splashed into your eyes, or swallowing it.

Occupational Exposure Limits

The amount of toluene that a worker breathes over a work day is determined by the concentration in air, and the length of time the worker is in that atmosphere. Enforceable limits in the United States for the concentration in air have been established by Federal OSHA. Certain OSHA State Plan states, such as the California OSHA program, have limits as well.

Overview

Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid which becomes a vapor when exposed to air at room temperature. Toluene vapor has a sharp or sweet odor, which is a sign of exposure.