OSHA Reviews Talc Dust Safety Standards in Industrial Settings

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reviewing its old rules on how much talc dust workers can be around

Thursday, July 10, 2025 - As the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) looks over the safety rules that are already in place for industrial settings, the federal government is starting to pay more attention to talc exposure at work. The EPA is looking at its decades-old acceptable exposure limits (PELs) for talc dust to see if they are still enough to keep workers safe. Since the 1970s, these requirements haven't changed much, even though there is more and more evidence that breathing in talc particles, especially in closed or poorly ventilated workspaces, may raise the risk of respiratory sickness and other health concerns. Workers in many fields may be regularly exposed to industrial talc because it is used in ceramics, paint, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. Talcum powder cancer lawyers say that old rules haven't stopped people from being exposed to the powder for lengthy periods, and that many of the talcum powder cancer lawsuits that are being filed now are from factory or manufacturing workers who didn't know about the risks. Legal teams have said in court that the gap between scientific progress and regulatory lag is a major liability concern. People commonly think of talc as a hygiene or beauty product, but industrial talc is also looked at closely in lawsuits about pollution and health risks.

OSHA has a fact sheet that says the agency is thinking about a big upgrade that would include looking at the present PELs again and comparing them to more recent recommendations from groups like the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The limit right now lets up to 20 million particles into the air in a cubic foot throughout an 8-hour work shift. Critics say that this limit doesn't take into account cumulative exposure and doesn't show the risk of asbestos contamination, which can happen naturally in talc deposits. New information from independent workplace audits shows that the amount of talc dust at some facilities often goes beyond these limits, especially in places where bulk talc is handled without contemporary dust suppression devices. Health experts stress that breathing in talc dust over a long period can cause pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and in some circumstances, mesothelioma if asbestos fibers are present. The investigation also comes at a time when lawsuits involving industrial talc are on the rise, with more and more former workers reporting long-term exposure to it at work in legal filings. Regulators believe that the new guidelines might have lower exposure limits, better ways to keep an eye on things, and requirements for employers to spend money on engineering measures such as localized exhaust systems. In the meantime, people who care about worker safety are asking for temporary rules to limit exposure while the regulatory process moves forward. Lawyers for those who have cancer from talcum powder believe that any new OSHA rules might make lawsuits stronger if companies don't follow even the most basic safety rules. As the government collects comments, public health researchers are providing data that might change the focus from tolerating exposure to completely preventing it, especially in businesses that are renowned for making a lot of particles.

Information provided by TalcumPowderCancerLawsuit.com, a website devoted to providing news about talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits, as well as medical research and findings.