Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) Values

The development of Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) values has been a priority of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 1974. The primary objective of this Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) is to improve the scientific rationale and methodology behind the derivation of the IDLH values. The published version of this CIB is accessible via the NIOSH website at the following link: /niosh/docs/2014-100/

To view related dockets see Docket 156-A, Docket 156-B, and Docket 156-C.

Final Document and Responses to Reviewers’ Comments

Notice of availability of guidance document – FR Notice [PDF – 68 KB]

Final Document – NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) 66: Derivation of Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) Values [PDF – 2.34 MB]

NIOSH Responses to External Peer Reviewers’ Comments [PDF – 570 KB]

NIOSH Response to Summarized Stakeholders’ (Public) Comments [PDF – 645 kB]

Material Under Consideration

NIOSH DRAFT Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB): Derivation of Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) Values [PDF – 4,605 KB]

Notice: 76FR4115; 1/24/11 [PDF – 160 KB]

Reviews

Submission to the Docket from William Finegan (Bensalem EMS); 2/9/11 [PDF – 913 KB]

Submission to the Docket from George Rusch (Private person); 2/17/11 [PDF – 1,569 KB]

Submission to the Docket from Ernest Falke (EPA); 3/1/11 [PDF – 7,132 KB]

Submission to the Docket from John Resta (Department of the Army); 3/9/11 [PDF – 6,851 KB]

Submission to the Docket from Jim Holler (ATSDR/CDC); 3/14/11 [PDF – 1,183 KB]

Submission to the Docket from John Morawetz (ICWUC Center for Worker Health & Safety Education); 3/21/11 [PDF – 2,697 KB]

Submission to the Docket from Peer Reviewer #1; 4/6/11 [PDF – 3,737 KB]

Submission to the Docket from Peer Reviewer #1; 9/6/11 [PDF – 1,901 KB]

Submission to the Docket from Peer Reviewer #2; 11/15/11 [PDF – 2,932 KB]

Peer review

Title: Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB): Derivation of Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) Values

Cross-Clearance Agencies: None

Anticipated Date of Dissemination: October 2010

Subject of planned Report: Derivation of IDLH values

Purpose of Planned Report: Provide guidance and overview of the protocol used to derive IDLH values

Type of Dissemination: Highly Influential

Timing of Review: September – November 2010

Primary Disciplines or Expertise: Human health risk assessment, toxicology, industrial hygiene, health sciences

Type of Review: Individual

Anticipated Number of Reviewers: 3—5

Reviewers Selected by: NIOSH

Public Nominations Requested for Reviewers: No

Opportunities for the Public to Comment: Yes, Written comments to peer reviewers, October 2010
Publication of a request for public comment, October 2010

Peer Reviewers Provided with Public Comments before Their Review: Yes

Peer Reviewers:

James V. Bruckner, Ph.D.
University of Georgia; College of Pharmacy; Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences; Athens, GA
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Toxicology; Pharmacology
Recommended by: NIOSH

Daniel Krewski, Ph.D., M.H.A., M.Sc.
University of Ottawa; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine; Samuel McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: risk assessment; Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology; Biostatistics
Recommended by: NIOSH

Harihara M. Mehendale, Ph.D.
University of Louisiana at Monroe; Graduate Studies and Training Program in Toxicology; Monroe, LA
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Toxicology
Recommended by: NIOSH

Richard B. Schlesinger, Ph.D.
Organizational Affiliation: Pace University; Dyson College of Arts and Sciences; Biology and Health Sciences Department; Graduate Program in Environmental Science; Pleasantville, NY
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Environmental Sciences; Inhalation/Respiratory Toxicology
Recommended by: NIOSH

Charge to Reviewers:

The purpose of the technical review is to review the technical validity of the information, and not matters of style or usage. If there are errors of fact, unsubstantiated claims, evidence of careless experimental work, inclusion of too much information already in the literature, or statements that are inaccurate, please note such in your review comments.

1. Should additional information or guidance relating to the derivation of IDLH values be included within the document? If so, what?
2. Do the data cited within the draft CIB support the objectives of the document?
3. Does the new protocol outlined in the draft CIB support the development of health protective IDLH values in light of the current understanding of the toxicological data and application of the principles of risk assessment?
4. The primary goal of an IDLH value is to inform respirator protection decisions based on the potential toxic effects of a substance. Thus, the draft CIB has been designed to develop IDLH value based on health (i.e. toxicity) data, since that is the effect that is addressed via respiratory protection. Should safety considerations [i.e., flammability, lower explosive limits (LEL)] be considered as the basis of IDLH values?
5. If safety considerations do serve as the basis of an IDLH value, what impact will this have on the selection of respirator protection decisions?