Standard setting and protection of human health and safety

Human health and safety are determined by the behavior and performance of the individual, or of a piece of equipment, under the prevailing conditions. Setting health or safety standards, which will define a set of conditions to provide protection, requires consideration of many factors, including the level of protection required and the collection and assessment of factual information. The purpose of the paper is to identify and discuss the elements of the standard-setting process and the major issues likely to be associated with it. Occupational exposure values and other initiatives to provide protection of human health from the potential effects of chemicals in Canada are reviewed in the context of recent initiatives and current pressures for change.