How to interpret the web pages dealing with individual substances

A number of identifying details are given for each substance, including the ISO substance name, its CAS number and EU number.
To ensure that the database is as accessible as possible, the English names of substances and commonly used synonyms are also given wherever possible.

• All substances for which a statutory OEL has been or will be set (including carcinogens and inhalant allergens for which there is no safe threshold).
• All other substances fall within the private domain.

Fields
Various fields have been filled in for each substance. The content of the fields depends on whether the substance in question falls within the public domain or the private domain.

Working Programme
The year in which the substance was included in a general Working Programme is indicated by the final two digits (e.g., 04 means 2004). If the substance was dealt with in a special programme, the name of that programme is shown, abbreviated as follows:

• EU: The European Commission’s Scientific Committee for Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) 
• Cc: Classification of Carcinogens 
• Cr: Classification of Reproductive Substances 
• H: Reassessment of Administrative OELs (this programme expired in 2006). 

GR/ SCOEL OCR d.d.
The date upon which either the draft report (OCR) of the Dutch Health Council (GR) or draft recommendation of the SCOEL was published

GR/ SCOEL publ.nr.
The publication number of the final advisory report by the Health Council (GR) or SCOEL

Start ABB d.d. 
The date upon which the feasibility study began for the proposed OEL (grassroots consultation). Click to view the letter (PDF, in Dutch only) sent to the industry organisations, Occupational Health & Safety Services, and other organisations that registered an interest in the substance in question or require information about it. 

Reactie voor d.d.
The deadline for receiving contributions (information, reports) to the feasibility study

Grenswaarde advies d.d. 
The date of publication of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment’s advisory report. Click to view the advisory report (PDF, in Dutch only). 

Staatscourant / persbericht SZW
Official publication of the OEL in the Dutch Government Gazette [Staatscourant], including reference, or in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment’s press release regarding the OEL.
 
Invoering per d.d.
Date on which the OEL came into force.

Grenswaarde
The OEL, expressed in mg/m³ and ppm, including TWA (8 hour or 15 minutes), ceiling value and skin absorption (H).

Onderbouwing
The sources of the evidence on which the OEL is based:

 
Classificatie 
The Health Council’s decision regarding the classification of carcinogens or substances that negatively affect reproduction. 

Beoordeling meetmethoden 
The evaluation of the Measurement Methods Working Group concerning available measurement methods, including classification of the substance according to the Group’s evaluation model. 

Algemene opmerkingen
Miscellaneous remarks. 

Following the introduction of the new OEL system on 1 January 2007, a number of OELs expired. That means that they are no longer statutory OELs. The substances in question now fall within the private domain. In fact, the expired OELs remain meaningful in practice. If they are health-based OELs, they can be used as the basis for setting private OELs. The various fields have therefore been filled in for these substances. An entry under Algemene opmerkingen, notes that the OEL in question expired as of 1 January 2007.

Database users must themselves determine whether an expired OEL is a health-based OEL. The database indicates whether the expired OEL is less strict (i.e., whether the values are higher) than the recommendation of the Health Council or SCOEL. 

Foreign lists

For practical reasons, the lists made available in 2010 /2011 by the countries/foreign organisations referred to above have been incorporated into the database.

The publications listed below by country serve as the starting point: 

Each country or organisation amends its OEL list. Some do so regularly, and some not. When a list has been amended, only those OELs that differ from the previous list (the 'starting point’) are altered in the database. In such cases, the new list is cited explicitly. The OELs cited for the other substances on the relevant list naturally remain the same.