Which federal agency is responsible for establishing permissible exposure limits (PELs)?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency tasked with establishing permissible exposure limits (PELs). PELs are crucial because they dictate the maximum concentration of hazardous substances that workers can be exposed to over a given time without adverse health effects. OSHA's role extends to ensuring workplace safety and health, and establishing these limits is a key part of its regulatory framework to prevent occupational illness and injury.

In contrast, NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) focuses on researching and making recommendations related to occupational safety and health but does not have the authority to set PELs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manages regulations safeguarding environmental health, and while it does set limits for environmental contaminants, it does not specifically set PELs for workplace exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) primarily works on public health issues and does not regulate occupational exposure limits. Thus, OSHA is the correct agency for this responsibility.