According to the material, what does OSHA care about?

According to the material, what does OSHA care about?

• A. The total number of workers
• B. The duration of exposure
• C. How much air is in the air
• D. The color of the dust

Answer: (C)

OSHA cares about how much lead is present in the air workers breathe—the concentration of the contaminant in workplace air over time. The health risk comes from exposure, which is determined by how much lead per unit volume of air is inhaled, typically averaged over a work shift. This focus on air concentration (not the number of workers, not just how long someone is near dust, and not the color of the dust) is why exposure limits are set as a concentration in air. A high concentration for a short period can exceed the limit just as a lower concentration over a longer period can, so regulating the amount of lead in the air addresses the actual exposure risk.

OSHA cares about how much lead is present in the air workers breathe—the concentration of the contaminant in workplace air over time. The health risk comes from exposure, which is determined by how much lead per unit volume of air is inhaled, typically averaged over a work shift. This focus on air concentration (not the number of workers, not just how long someone is near dust, and not the color of the dust) is why exposure limits are set as a concentration in air. A high concentration for a short period can exceed the limit just as a lower concentration over a longer period can, so regulating the amount of lead in the air addresses the actual exposure risk.