Definition - What does Zero Exposure mean?
Zero exposure is the occupational exposure category used to identify situations in which a hazardous substance is not present. In other words, it means that workers have no exposure to the particular hazard. The term zero exposure is usually used to reference potential chemical exposures. Other occupational exposure limits (OELs) include threshold limit values (TLVs), permissible exposure limits (PELs) and recommended exposure limits (RELs).
SureHire explains Zero Exposure
Zero exposure may be used to express the absence of a hazard. For instance, if a workplace is entirely tobacco smoke free, there is zero exposure to tobacco smoke in that environment. Or, the phrase may express a goal. For example, a regulatory agency may ask employers to work toward a goal of achieving zero exposure to asbestos in their workplaces. Occupational safety and health regulations require a zero exposure limit for some particularly toxic chemicals. For these substances, there is no known safe or permissible level of exposure. Nonetheless, because some chemicals are naturally occurring in the environment and for other reasons, zero exposure may not always be an attainable goal.
