Manufacturing Program

The Manufacturing Program includes representatives of different NIOSH divisions and external organizations (academia, trade/professional organizations, industry, insurers, unions and government). These diverse parties collaborate to identify and address the most critical issues in workplace safety and health in manufacturing, through research and non-research activities.
NIOSH announces the release of The NIOSH Occupational Exposure Banding Process for Chemical Risk Management Resource
Occupational exposure banding is a process to quickly and accurately assign chemical substances into “categories” or “bands” based on their health outcomes and potency considerations. The NIOSH occupational exposure banding process is not meant to replace occupational exposure limits (OELs); rather it is a starting point to inform risk management decisions to control chemical substances that do not have OELs. The NIOSH occupational exposure banding process is a resource intended to serve as the foundation or starting point for control banding because it provides the hazard and potency information needed to make control decisions. This document fully details the use and application of the NIOSH occupational exposure banding process and provides a summary of efforts taken to evaluate its effectiveness and usability.