1.6 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO
PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH?
EPA has set a limit of 145 ppb in lakes and streams to protect human
health from the harmful effects of antimony taken in through water and
contaminated fish and shellfish. EPA has also set limits on the amount of
antimony that industry can release.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a limit
of 0.5 mg/m3
of antimony in workroom air to protect workers during an 8-hour
work shift (40-hour workweek). The National Institute of Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) also recommends that the concentration in workroom air be
limited to 0.5 mg/m3
for antimony, averaged over an 8-hour work shift. Further
information on regulations and guidelines pertaining to antimony is provided
in Chapter 7.