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NIOSH Safety and Health Topic:

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Tetrachloroethylene

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NIOSH Resources

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140
Exposure limits, Respirator Recommendations, First Aid, more...
The Pocket Guide is a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes found in the work environment. Key data provided for each chemical/substance includes name (including synonyms/trade names), structure/formula, CAS/RTECS Numbers, DOT ID, conversion factors, exposure limits, IDLH, chemical and physical properties, measurement methods, personal protection, respirator recommendations, symptoms, and first aid.

International Chemical Safety Cards
An ICSC summarizes essential health and safety information on chemicals for their use at the "shop floor" level by workers and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other work places.

Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
The IDLH documents the criteria and information sources that have been used by NIOSH to determine immediately dangerous to life or health concentrations.

NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM)
NMAM is a collection of methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air, and in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed.

  • Hydrocarbons, Halogenated (No. 1003) PDF Icon PDF only 113 kb (7 pages)
  • Perchloroethylene (port GC) in exhaled breath and air (No. 3704) PDF Icon PDF only 47 kb (5 pages)

The free Adobe Acrobat Reader software is required to view the methods linked above.

NIOSH Worker Notification Program
NIOSH conducts research to prevent illnesses and injuries in the workplace. The NIOSH worker Notification Program notifies workers and other stakeholders about the findings of these research studies.

NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Drycleaning
Provides a collection of resources focused upon identifying and controlling the exposure of workers to tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), as well as other hazards.

NIOSH Criteria Documents: Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Tetrachloroethylene
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 76-185 (1976)  
Presents a standard to prevent the adverse effects of exposure to tetrachloroethylene over a working lifetime.

Current Intelligence Bulletin No. 20: Tetrachloroethylene
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 78-111 (1978)  
This Bulletin is to advise you of the findings of the NCI study, other pertinent data, their implications for occupational health, and precautions for handling tetrachloroethylene.

Related Resources

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): ToxFAQs™ for Tetrachloroethylene
This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions about tetrachloroethylene.
External Link:http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts18.html

Toxicological Profile for Tetrachloroethylene (ATSDR)
External Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp18.html

OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Tetrachloroethylene
Provides information about the physical properties, health factors, exposure limits, and monitoring methods used by OSHA for tetrachloroethylene.
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_270620.html

Consumer Factsheet on: Tetrachloroethylene (EPA)
This is a factsheet about a chemical that may be found in some public or private drinking water supplies. It may cause health problems if found in amounts greater than the health standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
External Link:http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/dw_contamfs/tetrachl.html

Toxnet
A search engine accessing several databases provided by the National Library of Medicine.
External Link: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov