Control banding is a strategy to assess and control occupational exposures to
chemicals for which no occupational exposure limits exist. A new report,
published by the US-American National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH), reviews the published literature on "control banding,"
describes potential control-banding strategies, and suggests areas where
additional research is needed.

The report concludes:

• Control banding is a potentially valuable tool for risk management of source
  chemical agents and other occupational hazards.


• Despite limitations, in the absence of OELs, it may be a useful strategy for
  assessing and controling risks


• It is not meant to be a substitute for OELs.


• The use of control banding does not alleviate the need for environmental
  monitoring and industrial hygiene expertise.


• Control banding strategies may be useful for providing hazard control
  guidance to small and medium size enterprises (SMEs); larger businesses may
  find CB strategies of greatest utility for prioritizing hazards and for hazard
  communication.


• Additional development, evaluation, and discussion are required before
  widespread implementation in the United States can be recommended.

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AplusA-online.de - Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health