The development and regulation of occupational exposure limits in China

Of the 700 million workers in China, approximately 200 million workers are potentially exposed to industrial hazards. Although the promulgation and implementation of occupational exposure limits (OELs) in China began in the mid-1950, a systematic approach was not formalized until the formation of the Subcommittee of Occupational Health Standards Setting (SOHSS) in 1981. More recently, the 2002 Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Act of the People’s Republic of China crated the legislative framework for the development and enforcement of OELs. The SOHSS, whose members are primarily health professionals, is the organization responsible for the development of recommended standards, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health. The philosophy of OEL development of the SOHSS consists of a two-step approach: (1) an initial health-based recommended standard is established based on scientific data, and (2) a final law-based standard takes into consideration both socioeconomic and technological feasibility. Governmental agencies such as the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention and the Institutes of Public Health Supervision at the state, provincial or municipal levels are charged with the responsibilities of the enforcement of OELs. The process and challenges in the enforcement of OELs are discussed. A comparison is made between selected Chinese OELs and those in other countries. The OELs for benzene and industrial dusts (including silica) are discussed in some detail.