1910.1048(c): Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
Key takeaways
- 1910.1048(c) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- OSHA cited it 4 times in the last 3 years, in 3 inspections, with $19,350 in current penalties.
- Related part: 1910.1048(c)(2) Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL): (3 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.1048(c) ("Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)") is one requirement inside 1910.1048 Formaldehyde, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910). It includes 2 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(c) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) — 4 citations
(1) TWA: The employer shall assure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of formaldehyde which exceeds 0.75 parts formaldehyde per million parts of air (0.75 ppm) as an 8-hour TWA. 1 citations
(2) Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL): The employer shall assure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of formaldehyde which exceeds two parts formaldehyde per million parts of air (2 ppm) as a 15-minute STEL. Open (c)(2) 3 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1048.
Where and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
- Clarification of sampling and testing protocols for determining employee exposure to airborne contaminants. (2011-11-22)
- OSHA's Formaldehyde PEL compared to NIOSH's Formaldehyde REL (2011-08-25)
- Formaldehyde exposure and ergonomic hazards in the embalming/funeral home industry. (2005-07-08)
Related parts of this rule
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About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.1048 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-21
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.