Which standards apply to industrial air quality compliance?

Air quality compliance in industrial facilities typically involves multiple frameworks that serve different functions. 

• OSHA establishes legally enforceable permissible exposure limits (PELs) for workplace contaminants; these are the regulatory floor. 
• ACGIH threshold limit values (TLVs) and NIOSH recommended exposure limits (RELs) are not enforceable regulations but are widely used as benchmarks because they reflect current health-based science and are generally more protective than OSHA PELs. 
• EPA standards govern environmental emissions and ambient air quality rather than worker exposure directly. 

The specific combination of standards that applies to your facility depends on your processes, materials and location.