Substances with Skin Notation in the MAC List in Poland
M. Kupczewska-Dobecka*, S.M. Czerczak
Nofer Institut of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland
The use of the Maximum Allowable Concentration (MAC) values to workplace evaluation is limited to instances where a toxic chemical enters into the organism through the respiratory system. Toxic chemicals, however, can enter into the human organism by routes other than the respiratory system. Biological levels of xenobiotics in the organism may be in some instances significantly increased by dermal absorption. The MAC list substances suspected of the ability to increase their contribution to the overall exposure by dermal absorption, i.e. through mucous membranes, eyes, or as a result of the contact of the skin with vapours or liquids, are denoted by symbol Sk in the MAC list.
Since 1982 the MAC values in Poland have been determined as follows: the Group of Experts for Chemical Agents within the Intersectoral Commission for MAC Value Updating performs a critical evaluation of the documentation for the MACs prepared by individual members of the team and establishes MAC values based solely on health criteria and most recent research data. Those proposals, together with the documentation, are presented during a session of the Intersectoral Commission (the Commission including representatives of the ministries of health and labour, and representatives of industry and of scientific institutions), and are then submitted to the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. The Polish MAC value list is published in the Law Gazette as an Ordinance by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 29 November, 2002 on the Maximum Admissible Concentrations of harmful agents in the work environment, Official Gazette No. 217 of 2002, pos. 1833. This is a hygienic standard valid over the whole territory of Poland. The Group of Experts for Chemical Agents in Poland proposes criteria for assigning the Sk symbol (danger of cutaneous absorption) to polish MAC list chemicals. The symbols for assigning the dangerous of cutaneous absorption are not included in the act and are not obligatory. The MAC value list with skin notation symbols is published in Intersectoral Commission publication: “Dangerous substances in workplace environment”.
Current Polish MAC list contains 441 chemical compounds, of which 144 (34,8%) are denoted with Sk. According to the type of biological effects, the following categories of MAC values are used:
NDS – MAC(TWA): MAXIMUM ADMISSIBLE CONCENTRATION:
the time-weighted average concentration for a conventional 8-hour workday and a workweek defined in the Labour Code, to which workers may be exposed during their whole working life, without any adverse effects on their health (also when retired) or that of the next generations.
NDSCh – MAC(STEL): MAXIMUM ADMISSIBLE SHORT-TERM CONCENTRATION:
The short-term exposure limit is an average concentration, to which workers may exposed without any adverse health effects if it does not last longer than 15 minutes and does not occur more than twice during a workday, at intervals not shorter than 1 hour.
NDS – MAC(C): MAXIMUM ADMISSIBLE CEILING CONCENTRATION:
Ceiling concentration, which because of the threat to workers’ health or life, should not be exceeded even instantaneously?
The Sk-noted chemicals are to be handled in a particular way, especially when large surfaces of the skin are subject to prolonged exposures. The symbol Sk attached to a chemical's name indicates that, in order to assess the exposure quantitatively, air sampling only is not sufficient and must be accompanied by determination of dermal absorption. Biological monitoring is recommended for the determination of dermal exposure contribution to the overall absorbed dose.
Here, we present the assignment of skin notation for MAC list in Poland from the viewpoint of the Group of Experts for Chemical Agents.
Content last modified: 20 May 2005
