Abstract

In Québec, Schedule I of the Regulation respecting occupational health and safety (RROHS) gives the permissible workplace exposure values for chemical substances. Section 44 stipulates that these contaminants “shall be sampled and analyzed to obtain an accuracy equivalent to that obtained by applying the methods described in the Sampling Guide for Air Contaminants published by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et sécurité du travail du Québec.” In January 2007, a new version of the RROHS came into effect. For 18 of these substances, the changes have no impact on the methods; the changes will be to the information in the database. For 22 substances, the actual method’s performance will have to be verified in order to ensure that it properly quantifies the new proposed concentrations. For 12 substances (3 of which belong to the previous group), new methods will have to be established. In addition to the modifications resulting from the changes to the RROHS, other changes are necessary in order to take into account the technical developments in the laboratory, the new computer-based tools available, and the users’ requests for clarification.
The work will help to update knowledge on evaluating exposure to the substances mentioned in the most recent RROHS; the IRSST will thus assume its reference role with Québec’s francophone OHS clientele.