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NIOSH Safety and Health Topic:

Formaldehyde

NIOSH Resources

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-149
Exposure limits, Respirator Recommendations, First Aid, more...
The Pocket Guide is a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes found in the work environment. Key data provided for each chemical/substance includes name (including synonyms/trade names), structure/formula, CAS/RTECS Numbers, DOT ID, conversion factors, exposure limits, IDLH, chemical and physical properties, measurement methods, personal protection, respirator recommendations, symptoms, and first aid.

International Chemical Safety Cards
An ICSC summarizes essential health and safety information on chemicals for their use at the "shop floor" level by workers and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other work places.

Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
The IDLH documents the criteria and information sources that have been used by NIOSH to determine immediately dangerous to life or health concentrations.

NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM)
NMAM is a collection of methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air, and in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed.

  • Formaldehyde (No. 2016)PDF Icon PDF only 176 KB (7 pages)
  • Formaldehyde (No. 2541) PDF Icon PDF only 30 KB (5 pages)
  • Formaldehyde (No. 3500) PDF Icon PDF only 31 KB (5 pages)
  • Aldehydes, screening (No. 2539) PDF Icon PDF only 255 KB (10 pages)
  • Formaldehyde on dust (No. 5700) PDF Icon PDF only 31 KB (5 pages)

NIOSH Worker Notification Program

NIOSH conducts research to prevent illnesses and injuries in the workplace. The NIOSH Worker Notification Program notifies workers and other stakeholders about the findings of these research studies.

NIOSH Hazard Control No.26: Controlling Formaldehyde Exposures During Embalming
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-149 (1998)
NIOSH engineers designed and evaluated a local exhaust ventilation [LEV] system that effectively reduces embalmer's exposure to formaldehyde below the OSHA permissible limit of 0.75 ppm.

Current Intelligence Bulletin 34: Formaldehyde: Evidence of Carcinogenicity
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 81-111 (1981, updated 1997)
Presents information about formaldehyde as well as recommendation to treat formaldehyde as a carcinogen.

NIOSH Criteria Documents: Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 77-126 (1976)
Contains a standard for mitigation of exposure to formaldehyde to prevent adverse effects over a working lifetime.

Occupational Safety and Health Guideline for Formaldehyde:
this document in PDF PDF only   42.5 KB (2 pages)
External Link: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0293.pdf

Related Resources

ATSDR's Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs): Formaldehyde
External Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg111.html

Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry - ToxFAQs: Formaldehyde
External Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts111.html

Toxicological Profile for Fomaldehyde (ATSDR)
External Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp111.html

OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Formaldehyde
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/formaldehyde/index.html

OSHA Hazard Recognition: Formaldehyde
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/formaldehyde/recognition.html

OSHA Fact Sheet: Formaldehyde
this document in PDF PDF only   42.5 KB (2 pages)
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/formaldehyde-factsheet.pdf

OSHA Formaldehyde: 1910.1048
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10075

New Jersey Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets: Formaldehyde
this document in PDF PDF only   75.1 KB (6 pages)
External Link: http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0946.pdf

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Formaldehyde
External Link: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/formaldehyde/health_for.html?print

Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) (EPA): Formaldehyde
External Link: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/aegl/pubs/results68.htm

EPA (Air Toxics): Formaldehyde
External Link: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/formalde.html

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution - Formaldehyde (EPA)
External Link: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html

NLM (Hazardous Substance Data Bank): Formaldehyde
External Link: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/r?dbs+hsdb:@term+@rn+@rel+50-00-0

NLM (Haz-Map): Formaldehyde
External Link: http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/hazmap_generic?tbl=TblAgents&id=271

NLM (Haz-Map): Formalin
External Link: http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/hazmap_generic?tbl=TblAgents&id=760

NLM (Household Products Database): Formaldehyde
External Link: http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/search?queryx=50-00-0&tbl=TblChemicals&prodcat=all

National Toxicology Program (Substance Profiles): Formaldehyde
this document in PDF PDF only   210.6 KB (2 pages)
External Link: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s089form.pdf

IARC Monograph Summary: Formaldehyde
this document in PDF PDF only   39 KB (7 pages)
External Link: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Meetings/88-formaldehyde.pdf

FEMA Trailer Study (CDC): Formaldehyde
External link: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/trailerstudy/

European Chemical Substance Information System (ESIS): Formaldehyde
External link: http://ecb.jrc.ec.europa.eu/esis/index.php?GENRE=CASNO&ENTREE=50-00-0

WHO (HSG 57): Formaldehyde
External link: http://www.inchem.org/documents/hsg/hsg/hsg057.htm

WHO (Environmental Health Criteria 89): Formaldehyde
External link: http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc89.htm

WHO (CICADS 40): Formaldehyde
External link: http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad40.htm

INCHEM (Screening Information Data Set-SIDS): Formaldehyde
this document in PDF PDF only   39 KB (7 pages)
External Link: http://www.inchem.org/documents/sids/sids/FORMALDEHYDE.pdf

Page last updated: July 14, 2009
Page last reviewed: July 14, 2008
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Education and Information Division

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde

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