In the fourth phase of the National Programme “Improvement of safety and working conditions”, 10 meetings of the Commission took place, during which the following items were discussed:

       - 37 documentations for recommended exposure limits of chemical substances prepared by the Expert Group for Chemical and Dust Agents

       - the position of the Interdepartmental Commission for MAC and MAI regarding: smog, nitric oxide limit value in the underground mining and tunneling sector, binding value for 1,2-dichloroethane and the introduction of the „skin” label (absorption of the substance through the skin may be just as important, as if inhaled)

      - rules for determining occupational exposure limits of chemical and dust harmful to health in the working environment and for active substances of cytostatics

       - programmes for improving working conditions in KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. copper mines in order to limit exposure to nitric oxide at workstations to the value of 2.5 mg/m³ adopted in Directive 2017/164/EU with a transitional period until August 21, 2023 (Official Journal of the EU L 27 of 1.2.2017, p. 115)

        - adaptation of the Polish list of MAC values to Directive 2017/164/EU establishing the 4th list of indicative occupational exposure values, to the draft directive establishing the 5th list of indicative occupational exposure values and to directives 2017/2398 /EU, 2019/130/EU and 2019/983/EU amending Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work

         - the position of the Economic Chamber of Non-Ferrous Metals and Recycling regarding the reduction of the MAC value for cadmium and its compounds

         - the notations in the draft ordinance of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy amending the ordinance on maximum admissible concentrations and intensities of agents harmful to health in the working environment for wood dust and chromium (VI) compounds in relation to transitional measures included in Directive 2019/130/EU of January 16, 2019.

The Interdepartmental Commission for MAC and MAI adopted 10 proposals and presented them to the minister responsible for work on a revision of the list of maximum admissible concentrations and intensity of agents harmful to health in the working environment in the following areas: introduction to Annex 1 „Chemical substances” of records on dusts,  the introduction of the „skin” notation for 195 chemicals,  introduction to Annex No. 1 maximum admissible concentrations for 11 new chemicals and changes for 22 chemicals.

The work carried out by the Interdepartmental Committee of MAC and MAI in 2017-2019 made it possible to adaptat to national law the EU directive in this field within the period provided for in the directives.

Two ordinances of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy were prepared and published, including the provisions of the abovementioned directives and added concentration limits for 11 new chemical agents harmful to health in the working environment.

The results of the Commission’s work in 2017-2019 were disseminated in 12 issues of Principles and Methods of Assessing the Working Environment.

This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.

Doxorubicin (CAS: 23214-92-8) and its hydrochloride (CAS: 25136 40 9) are organic chemicals soluble in water. It is a cytostatic drug from the group of anthracycline antibiotics, used in antimitotic antitumor chemotherapy, primarily by intravenous, intravesical, and also in the case of lung cancer in the form of an aerosol for inhalation. In Poland, according to data from the Central Data Register on Exposure to Chemicals, Mixtures Thereof, Factors or Technological Processes with Carcinogenic or Mutagenic Effect, conducted at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Łódź, the number of people exposed to doxorubicin and its hydrochloride in 2016 totaled 587. Administration of doxorubicin or its hydrochloride to patients at therapeutic doses may lead to myelosuppression, cardiomyopathy and myocardial fibrosis as well as neurotoxicity. Adverse effects of doxorubicin administration included cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing, hoarseness, hemoptysis, and bronchospasm. Systemic toxicity was defined as mild and transient and included sore throat, anorexia, dysgeusia, fatigue, nausea, tongue pain, tachycardia. Doxorubicin manufacturers state in their safety data sheets that inhalation of dust or aerosol is hazardous to health, may cause discomfort and nuisance, nausea, vomiting, bone marrow suppression, stomatitis, hair loss, and cardiotoxicity. Animal carcinogenicity studies have shown that doxorubicin was carcinogenic to rats after intravenous and subcutaneous administration, mainly causing mammary gland tumors. Doxorubicin has been shown to have genotoxic effects on somatic and embryonic mouse cells. Doxorubicin is toxic for reproduction. It may damage fertility and the unborn child. In Poland and in other countries, the highest permissible concentrations of doxorubicin and its hydrochloride in the work environment have not yet been determined. Occupational exposure limits are recommended by its manufacturers: FormuMax Scientific, Inc. and Pfizer at 0.0005 mg/m3. It was proposed to set up the MAC value for doxorubicin and its hydrochloride at the equivalent concentration level up to 0.1% of the lowest inhalational therapeutic dose found in the literature Dw = 0.04 mg/kg, i.e., 0.0003 mg/m3 – inhalable fraction. There are no substantive grounds to determine the STEL value. It is recommended to label the substance with the notation “skin” – the absorption of the substance through the skin may be just as important as when inhaled. The letters “Ft” should also be used – toxic for reproduction, Carc. 1B – carcinogen category 1B and Muta. 1B – germ cell mutagen category 1B. This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), commonly known as „dioxins” are compo­unds with similar structure, physicochemical and toxicological properties. They are not used commercially, they are formed as by-products during certain industrial processes, combustion, failures, etc.

LD50 values (0.002–300 mg/kg) depend on the species of the animal tested and the chemical structure of the particular compound. Information on chronic toxicity mainly relates to 2,3,7,8-TCDD and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF.

Potential routes of human exposure are the digestive system, lungs and skin. These compounds are accumulated mainly in the liver and adipose tissue. Their polar metabolites may undergo conjugation with glucuronic acid and glutathione. The main routes of excretion are bile and feces. In mammals, PCDDs/PCDFs are also eliminated in breast milk.

The results of mutagenicity and genotoxicity tests of PCDDs (mainly 2,3,7,8-TCDD) and PCDFs and their effects on fertility and reproduction are inconsistent. Among PCDDs and PCDFs, the compound that most strongly affects fertility, reproduction and fetal development is 2,3,7,8-TCDD.

Epidemiological studies are the basis for assessing the carcinogenic potential of dioxins (including 2,3,7,8-TCDD) and furans in humans. Cohorts include those occupationally exposed to chlorophenols, phenoxyacetic herbicides and a mi­xture of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans.

PCDDs/PCDFs have a common mechanism of toxic action associated with activation of the Ah receptor. PCDDs/ PCDFs are considered to be inducers of several enzymes (e.g. CYP1A) and modulators of hormones and growth factors. CYP1A1 activity is one of the most sensitive indicators of exposure to 2,3,7,8-TCDD.

Adenocarcinomas and hepatocellular carcinomas as well as bile ducts have been found in rats and mice exposed to 2,3,7,8-TCDD. Tumor changes have also been observed in other organs. NTP studies also showed carcinogenic effects of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF. According to IARC, sufficient evidence of a carcinogenic effect on humans exists only for 2,3,7,8-TCDD (CAS: 1746-01-6) and 2,3,4,7,8 PeCDF (CAS: 57117-31-4). Other PCDDs / PCDFs cannot be classified as The basis for determining the MAC value for the mixture of PCDDs and PCDFs was the results of the assessment of the risk of developing additional liver cancer in people exposed in the work environment for 2,3,7,8-TCDD perfomed in 2017. This risk was estimated at level of 1 · 10^-4 for 40 years of exposure to the compound at a concentration of 18 pg/m³.

In the case of combined exposure, the content of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans in the tested samples as well as their maximum acceptable levels are expressed in the form of the so-called toxicity equivalent (TEQ).

For the PCDDs and PCDFs mixture, it is propose to set the value of 18 pg WHO₂₀₀₆-TEQ/m³. The result expressed as pg WHO-TEQ / m3 is not de facto concentration, but a determination of the toxicity of the mixture of dioxin and furan congeners contained in the sample in relation to TCDD.

This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environ­mental engineering.

2-Nitroanisole is a colourless or slightly yellowish liquid. This substance is mainly used in the production of o-anisidine (2-methoxyaniline), which is directly or indirectly used for the production of more than 100 azo dyes. 2-Nitroanisole may cause cancer to humans. The aim of this study was to develop a method for determining concentrations of 2-nitroanisole in workplace air in the range from 1/10 to 2 of maximum admissible concentration (MAC) values. The developed method is based on the adsorption of 2-nitroanisole on a silica gel, extraction with methanol and chromatographic analysis of the resulting solution. The tests were performed using a liquid chromatograph (HPLC) 1200 series of Agilent Technologies with a diode array detector (DAD). Determinations were performed using an Ultra C18 column (25 cm × 4.6 mm, dp = 5 μm). The procedure was validated according to Standard No. EN 482. The method can be used to determine 2-nitroanisole in workplace air in the concentration range from 0.16 to 3.2 mg/m³, i.e., from 1/10 to 2 MAC values. In that range, the obtained calibration curve was linear, as evidenced by the regression coefficient of 1. The overall accuracy of the method was about 5.3% and its relative total uncertainty was 23%. This method enables selective determination of 2-nitroanisole in workplace air in the presence of other compounds, such as methanol, o-anisidine, 3-nitroanisole, 4-nitroanisole and 1-chloro-2-nitrobenzene. The method for determining 2-nitroanisole has been recorded in the form of an analytical procedure (see Appendix). This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.

Propan-2-ol is an easily volatile, colourless liquid with a pungent characteristic odour. In industry it is used as a solvent and a dewatering, cleaning and disinfecting agent. Propan-2-ol has an irritating and narcotic effect. It may cause drowsiness or dizziness. The aim of the study was to amend the PN-Z-04224-02:1992 standard in accordance with the requirements of European standard PN-EN 482. The method was developed in the range of concentrations from 1/10 to 2 of the MAC value. The tests were performed using a gas chromatograph (GC) with a flame ionization detector (FID) equipped with a capillary column HP-INNOWAX (60 m × 0.25 × mm, 0.15 μm). The method is based on adsorption of propan- -2-ol vapours on activated carbon, desorption with a mixture of carbon disulphide and N,N-dimethylformamide and chromatographic analysis of the obtained solution. Using an HP-INNOWAX column for the analysis makes it possible to selectively determine propan-2-ol in the presence of carbon disulphide, N,N-dimethylformamide. The measurement range is 90/1 800 mg/m³ for a 9-L air sample. The detection limit of this method is 0.09 μg/ml and the limit of quantification is 0.28 μg/ml. The method is characterized by good precision and accuracy and meets the criteria listed in EN 482 for procedures for measuring chemical agents. The method may be used for assessing occupational exposure to propan-2-ol and the associated risk to workers’ health. The developed method of determining propan-2-ol has been recorded as an analytical procedure (see Appendix). This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.