R614-1-12B. Appendix B to R614-1-12 Availability of NIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS)

R614-1-12 applies to all employee exposure and medical records, and analysis thereof, of employees exposed to toxic substances or harmful physical agents (see R614-1-12.B.2.). The term "toxic substance" or "harmful physical agent" is defined by paragraph R614-1-3.FF. to encompass chemical substances, biological agents, and physical stresses for which there is evidence of harmful health effects. The standard uses the latest printed edition of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) as one of the chief sources of information as to whether evidence of harmful health effects exists. If a substance is listed in the latest printed RTECS, the standard applies to exposure and medical records (and analysis of these records) relevant to employees exposed to the substances.

It is appropriate to note that the final standard does not require that employers purchase a copy of RTECS and many employers need not consult RTECS to ascertain whether their employee exposure or medical records are subject to the standard. Employers who do not currently have the latest printed edition of the NIOSH RTECS, however, may desire to obtain a copy. The RTECS is issued in an annual printed edition as mandated by Rule 20(a)(6) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C. 669 (a)(6)). The 1978 edition is the most recent printed edition as of May 1, 1980. Its Forward and Introduction describes the RTECS as follows:

"The annual publication of a list of known toxic substances is a NIOSH mandate under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. It is intended to provide basic information on the known toxic and biological effects of chemical substances for the use of employers, employees, physicians, industrial hygienists, toxicologists, researchers, and, in general, anyone concerned with the proper and safe handling of chemicals. In turn, this information may contribute to a better understanding of potential occupational hazards by everyone involved and ultimately may help to bring about a more healthful workplace environment.

"This registry contains 142,247 listings of chemical substances: 33,929 are names of different chemicals with their associated toxicity data and 90,318 are synonyms. This edition includes approximately 7,500 new chemical compounds that did not appear in the 1977 Registry.

"The Registry's purposes are many, and it serves a variety of users. It is a single source document for basic toxicity information and for other data, such as chemical identifiers and information necessary for the preparation of safety directives and hazard evaluations for chemical substances. The various types of toxic effects linked to literature citations provide researchers and occupational health scientists with an introduction to the toxicological literature, making their own review of the toxic hazards of a given substance easier. By presenting data on the lowest reported doses that produce effects by several routes of entry in various species, the Registry furnishes valuable information to those responsible for preparing safety data sheets for chemical substances in the workplace. Chemical and production engineers can use the Registry to identify the hazards which may be associated with chemical intermediates in the development of final products, and thus can more readily select substitutes or alternate processes which may be less hazardous.

"In this edition of the Registry, the editors intend to identify "all known toxic substances" which may exist in the environment and to provide pertinent data on the toxic effects from known does entering an organism by any route described. Data may be used for the evaluation of chemical hazards in the environment, whether they be in the workplace, recreation area, or living quarters.

"It must be reemphasized that the entry of a substance in the Registry does not automatically mean that it must be avoided. A listing does mean, however, that the substance has the documented potential of being harmful if misused, and care must be exercised to prevent tragic consequences."

The RTECS 1978 printed edition may be purchased for $13.00 from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, D.C. 20402 (202-783-3238) (GPO Stock No. 017-033-00346-7). The 1979 printed edition is anticipated to be issued in the summer of 1980. Some employers may also desire to subscribe to the quarterly update to the RTECS which is published in a microfiche edition. An annual subscription to the quarterly microfiche may be purchase from the GPO for $14.00 (Order the "Microfiche Edition. Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances"). Both the printed edition and the microfiche edition of RTECS are available for review at many university and public libraries throughout the country. The latest RTECS editions may also be examined at OSHA Technical Data Center, Room N2439-Rear, United States Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210 (202-523-9700), or any OSHA Regional or Area Office (See major city telephone directories under United States Government-Labor Department).