| The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) community of professionals advance
worker safety and health through education and the
development and dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge.
History
The independent National Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (NCGIH) convened on June 27, 1938, in Washington, D.C.. NCGIH originally
limited its full membership to two representatives from each governmental industrial hygiene agency. In 1946, the organization changed its name to the ACGIH and offered full membership to all industrial hygiene personnel within the agencies as well as to
governmental industrial hygiene professionals in other countries.
Today, 12 ACGIH committees focus their energies on a range of topics: agricultural safety and health, air sampling
instruments, bioaerosols, biological exposure indices, computer, construction, industrial ventilation, infectious agents,
international, small business, chemical substance TLVs, and physical agent TLVs.
TLVs and BEIs
The ACGIH establishes the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for chemical
substances and physical agents and Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs).
Undoubtedly the best known of ACGIH's activities, the Threshold Limit Values (TLV) for Chemical Substances Committee was
established in 1941. This group was charged with investigating, recommending, and annually reviewing exposure limits for chemical
substances. It became a standing committee in 1944. Two years later, the organization adopted its first list of 148 exposure
limits, then referred to as Maximum Allowable Concentrations. The term "Threshold Limit Values (TLV)" was introduced in 1956. The first Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values was published in 1962 and is now in its seventh edition. Today's list of TLVs includes 642 chemical substances and physical
agents, as well as 38 Biological Exposure Indices for selected chemicals.
The TLVs and BEI are developed as guidelines to assist in the control of health hazards. These recommendations or guidelines are intended for use in the practice of industrial
hygiene, to be interpreted and applied only by a person trained in this discipline.
In certain circumstances individuals or organizations may wish to make use of these recommendations or guidelines as a
supplement to their occupational safety and health program. ACGIH does not oppose their use in this manner, if the use of TLVs
and BEIs in these instances will contribute to the overall improvement in worker protection.
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