Formaldehyde Awareness

12 Formaldehyde Awareness E. How Can We Protect Ourselves? There are several ways to prevent formaldehyde exposure. The most effective method depends on the particular use of the formaldehyde solution. Engineering Controls (Ventilation) Formaldehyde exposure can often be controlled through the use of engineering controls. Ventilation is the primary engineering control used to limit formaldehyde exposure. The most common ventilation control used at Iowa State University (ISU) is the chemical fume hood . Fume hoods enclose contaminants produced in a cabinet and exhaust them out of the building. Past monitoring has shown that exposure is negligible when formaldehyde is used in a properly operating fume hood. Local Exhaust Local ventilation can also help reduce exposures. This type of ventilation includes slot hoods and snorkel exhausts, which are placed at the source of the formaldehyde. Local exhaust moves the vapors away from an employee and exhausts them out of the building. General Exhaust When the formaldehyde source is large or has many locations within a room or area (as in anatomy labs), general exhaust ventilation can be used to remove vapors from the room air. In laboratories, the general exhaust removes potentially contaminated air directly from the rooms and exhausts it out of the building. Personal Protective Equipment Respirators Respiratory protection is required when engineering or work practice controls cannot prevent airborne formaldehyde concentrations from exceeding OSHA limits. When required, the proper respirator and cartridges must be selected. If a full- face respirator is not used, then gas-proof goggles must be worn. Respirator cartridges must be replaced after eight hours of accumulative use. If a respirator is used, employees must participate in the ISU Respiratory Protection Program.