California State-OSHA Plan First to Have Diacetyl Standard
Cal/OSHA has implemented a new standard to further protect workers in the state. The Diacetyl Standard, the first of its kind, requires employers covered by the standard to take special precautions to ensure worker safety. Employers are required to do the following:
- Create a regulated area for each process using diacetyl (unless the process is enclosed)
- Provide safeguards for employees who work with diacetyl in certain specified concentrations
- Create a written diacetyl control program
- Periodically monitor exposure levels
- Provide personal protective equipment, respirators, training, and medical surveillance at no cost to employees.
Diacety is a natural byproduct of fermentation and synthesized by chemical manufacturers. This chemical gives butter and other food flavorings a distinct butter flavor and smell. Food flavorings containing diacetyl are commonly used in microwave popcorn and various other products including pet foods, candies and baked goods, to name a few. Cal/OSHA Chief Len Welsh had this to say about the flavoring chemical, “Diacetyl, a chemical that is harmless when it occurs naturally or as an ingredient in many of the foods we eat, can be dangerous in industrial settings where flavorings or foods are manufactured because it is used in much higher concentrations that allow it to get into the air that workers breathe.” Workers who are exposed to the flavoring chemical can suffer from inflammation and scarring of the small airways that can result in permanent and life threatening narrowing of the airways among other complications.
The Diacetyl Standard went into effect December 2, 2010. Visit www.complianceposter.com for continued information on this important topic.