Classification and labeling
Harmonized C&L
Following REGULATION (EC) No 1272/2008 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, amending and repealing Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.
Arsenic and arsenic compounds:
Gallium arsenide:
Self-classification of Arsenic metal
Following the REACH registration of As metal, industry came to a more severe self-classification for arsenic metal. See attached pdf for more details.
Current OELs (Occupational Exposure Limits)
An occupational exposure limit is an upper limit on the acceptable concentration of a hazardous substance in workplace air for a particular material or class of materials. It is typically set by competent national authorities and enforced by legislation to protect occupational safety and health. It is an important tool in risk assessment and in the management of activities involving handling of dangerous substances.
| Country/ Organisation | Arsenic Compound | Level (mg/m3) | Time-relation | Remarks |
| The Netherlands | Arsenic acid salts (insoluble, as As)
Arsenic acid and its salts (soluble, as As) |
0.05
0.1
0.025 0.05 |
TWA value (8hr) Short-term value (15min)
TWA value (8hr) Short-term value (15min) |
C1 |
| UK | Arsenic and compounds (as As) (except lead arsenate) | 0.1 | TWA value (8hr) | C |
| Denmark | Arsenic and inorganic compounds, (as As)
Calcium arsenate |
0.01
1 |
TWA value
TWA value |
C |
| Germany | Arsenic and Compounds, except arsine (as As) and except GaAs | 0.00083
(inhalable)
0.0083 (inhalable)
and 0.066 |
corresponding short term value (15 min) |
C
4 :10 000
4 : 1 000 |
| Sweden | Arsenic and inorganic compounds, as As | 0.03
(total dust) |
TWA value (8hr) | C |
| Austria | Arsenic acids and its salts | 0.1
(inhalable)
0.4 (inhalable) |
TWA value (8hr)
Short term value (15 min) |
TRK value |
| Finland | Arsenic acids and its salts | 0.01 as As | TWA value (8hr) | |
| France | Arsenic acids and its salts | 0.2 | TWA value (8hr) | |
| Latvia | Arsenic acids and its salts | 0.01
0.04 mg/m3 |
TWA value (8hr) Short term value (15 min) | |
| Spain | Arsenic acids and its salts | 0.1 | TWA value (8hr) | |
| Switzerland | Arsenic acids and its salts | 0.1
(inhalable) |
TWA value (8hr) | |
| ACGIH (TLV) | Arsenic and inorganic compounds, as As | 0.01 | TWA value (8hr) | C |
| OSHA | Arsenic and inorganic compounds | 0.01
(total dust) |
TWA value (8hr) | C |
| NIOSH | Arsenic (inorganic compounds, as As) | 0.002
(total dust) |
Short-term value (15min ceiling) | C |
| Japan – JSOH | Arsenic (inorganic and organic compounds, as As) | 0.003 | TWA value (8hr) | Reference value for an individual excess lifetime risk of 1 : 1 000 |
Notes:
1 C: the substance is considered carcinogenic
2 DECOS originally referred to TRK values, which are no longer used in DE (since 2005)
Biological limit values have been issued by ACGIH (BEI) and MAK Commission for the sum of inorganic arsenic (As3+ and As5+) and methylated metabolites (MMA and DMA). These are 35 and 50 µg/l, respectively. In Finland, a BLV of 70 nmol/l has been set for the inorganic arsenic (sum of As3+ and As5+) in urine. This corresponds the 8 h TWA exposure to arsenic at the level of Finnish OEL of 0.01 mg/m3.