Occupational Exposure to Grain Dust Change

[vickyp]

#102589

Forum: Community

Does OHS have any insight into when the occupational exposure limits on Grain and flour dust will come into effect in 2018′    I have copied below information we have received stating the exposure limits are changing from 10mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3 but wanted to ask you if OHS had any information on the upcoming change/articles relating to grain dust. 
Labour Program Forward Regulatory Plan from 2017 to 2019
Occupational exposure limits – Grain and flour dust
Description of the objective
Regulations under Part II of the Canada Labour Code prescribe the exposure limits for hazardous substances including grain and flour dust.
The objective of amending the occupational exposure limits is to lower the occupational exposure limits for grain dust from 10 mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3 and to increase the occupational exposure limits for flour dust from 0.5 mg/m3 to 3 mg/m3 to establish practicable and enforceable levels that protect employee health and safety. Corresponding amendments would be made to the following regulations:

• Part X of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
• Part VII of the On Board Trains Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
• Part XX of the Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
• Part XI of the Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations

Identification of business impacts
There are no expected business impacts.
Public consultation opportunities
Federally regulated employers and employees were consulted through the Hazardous Substances Working Group. Consultations with federally regulated employers and employees were completed on May 15, 2014. Since February 2009, 18 meetings of the Hazardous Substances Working Group were held.
The proposed regulations were pre-published in Part I of the Canada Gazette on June 10, 2017 and the public comment period closed on July 10, 2017. It is anticipated that the regulations will be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette in 2018.
Departmental contact
Brenda Baxter
Director General
Workplace Directorate, Labour Program
819-654-4410
brenda.baxter@labour-travail.gc.ca

[vickyp]

#102956

Sounds like you’re right on top of things. As you note, public consultations were held last July on reducing the OEL for grain dust from of 10 mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3; and increasing the OEL for flour dust from 0.5 mg/m3 to 3 mg/m3. The current OHS Regs have been in effect since June 2017–a month before the consultations. https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/regu/sor-86-304/latest/sor-86-304.html  .
Accordingly, Part X (Section 10.19(1)(b)) still lists the OEL for airborne grain dust as 10 mg/m3.  (the OEL for flour dust is based on the ACGIH TLV, presumably, 0.5 mg/m3
In other words, the OEL changes have apparently NOT YET TAKEN EFFECT. That probably goes not just for grain and flour dust but all proposed OEL changes for 2018. As you also indicate, the revised Regs will take effect when they are published in Part II of the Canada Gazette–which is probably going to happen very soon. We’ll keep an eye on the situation and follow up if and when that happens.
Thx, Glenn Demby, 203 354-4532

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