Which statement best differentiates OSHA PELs from ACGIH TLVs?

• A. PEL are regulatory limits enforced by OSHA; TLVs are non-enforceable guidelines developed by ACGIH
• B. PEL are guidelines; TLVs are regulatory limits
• C. PEL and TLVs are interchangeable
• D. PEL are for chemicals only; TLVs are for physical hazards

Answer: (A)

The main idea is the difference between enforceability and guidance. OSHA PELs are regulatory limits that OSHA enforces in workplaces; employers must keep exposures at or below these levels, and violations can lead to penalties. ACGIH TLVs, on the other hand, are non-enforceable guidelines published by the American Conference of Governmental Hygienists. They’re intended to guide risk assessment, exposure control, and design targets based on current science, but they aren’t laws. TLVs may be more or less protective than PELs, and they become enforceable only if OSHA or another regulator adopts them into a standard.