Porównanie wartości dopuszczalnych stężeń czynników szkodliwych dla zdrowia w środowisku pracy ustalonych w Polsce z wartościami ustalonymi w innych państwach

Tha paper presents the system of setting hygienic standards in the USA (OSHA, ACGIH), Germany, Sweden and Poland. In Poland the system of establishing Maximum Allowable Concentrartions (MAC) values for chemical substances in the working environment was introduced in 1983. The Interdepartmental Commission for Maximum Allowable Concentrations and Intensities for Harmful to Health Agents in the Working Environment is responsible for submitting exposure limits for chemical and physical agents to the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. The Minister introduces those values into legislation. At present, the Polish MAC list contains 352 chemical agents and 17 dusts. These are hygienic standards valid for all branches of the national economy. The authors point out differences between definitions of hygienic standards, methodology and philosophy adopted in these countries. A brief analysis of occupational hygienic standards in Poland and the USA or Germany shows that the selection of chemicals for the establishment of MAC values depends on the country and that the transposition of the health-based recommendations of exposure limits varies from country to country due to technological and socio-economic factors.