The OSHA PEL for PAHs in the workplace is 0.2 milligram/cubic meter (mg/m3).
The OSHA-mandated PAH workroom air standard is an 8–hour time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.2 mg/m3, measured as the benzene-soluble fraction of coal tar pitch volatiles. The OSHA standard for coke oven emissions is 0.15 mg/m3. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recommended that the workplace exposure limit for PAHs be set at the lowest detectable concentration, which was 0.1 mg/m3 for coal tar pitch volatile agents at the time of the recommendation. Table 1 summarizes relevant exposure criteria for PAHs.