Visualizing the NIOSH Pocket Guide: Open-source web application for accessing and exploring the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

Figures & data

Table 1. Variable names and definitions for the expanded columns representing the NIOSH REL variable in the original spreadsheet.

Variable	Definition/Clarification
TWA REL value	10-hr Time-Weighted Average (TWA) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) except when the compound is a particulate with two RELs (inhalable and respirable)
TWA REL value (total)	10-hr TWA REL for particulate compounds that represents the total or inhalable fraction
TWA REL value (respirable)	10-hr TWA REL for particulate compounds that represents the respirable fraction
TWA REL units	Vapors and gases are typically reported in parts per million (ppm). Particulates are typically in mg/m^3. Fibers are in fibers/cm^3 or million particles per cubic foot (mppcf)
TWA REL duration (minutes)	Averaging time of 600 min
REL ceiling value	Not-to-exceed concentration
REL ceiling units	ppm, mg/m^3, or other
REL ceiling duration	Sometimes ceilings have an associated averaging time (for example, 15-min). Other times a ceiling represents an instantaneous measure
REL short-term exposure limit value	TWA limit typically averaged over 15-min or specified time
REL short-term exposure limit units	Typically in ppm or mg/m^3
REL short-term exposure limit duration	Averaging time for the measured value
Carcinogen designation	A designation of whether a substance is identified by NIOSH as an occupational carcinogen (NIOSH 2016a)
Skin notation designation	A designation of whether a substance is identified by NIOSH as a dermal hazard (NIOSH 2017)
Comments	Any additional information contained in the NIOSH REL field

Table 2. Review questions for evaluating web application features and functionality.

1.	What were your first impressions when you launched the app?
2.	What questions might you be able to answer using this app?
3.	How easy was this app to use?
4.	Which functions or tabs did you find useful and/or interesting and why?
5.	Which functions or tabs did you find least useful and/or interesting to you and why?
6.	What is the most important feature you think we should add?
7.	Did you find any of the functions confusing or hard to understand? If so, what would be helpful to make them more understandable?
8.	Did you find any inconsistencies or errors?
9.	Are there any other changes you would recommend?

Figure 1. Landing page and top tab for the web application, revealing available tabs and an NPG overview.

Figure 2. Producing a customized Pocket Guide from user-specified chemicals.

Figure 3. Distribution of RELs (log10 scale).

Figure 4. Boxplots of particulate RELs comparing carcinogens and noncarcinogens.

Figure 5. Scatterplots of PELs vs. IDLH for particulates.

Figure 6. Years when RELs were established.

Figure 7. Table of OELs for chemicals associated with a neurological outcome, sorted by TWA REL value.

NIOSH. 2016a. Current intelligence bulletin 68: NIOSH chemical carcinogen policy. By Whittaker C, Rice F, McKernan L, Dankovic D, Lentz TJ, MacMahon K, Kuempel E, Zumwalde R, Schulte P, NIOSH Carcinogen and RELs Policy Update Committee. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2017-100. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/cancer/policy.html.

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NIOSH. 2017. Current intelligence bulletin 61: a strategy for assigning new NIOSH skin notations (revised). By Schulte P, Alhers HM, Chen C-P, Demchuk E, Dotson GS. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009-147. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-147/default.html.

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Data availability

The data used in this study were derived from the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/default.html, the 1988 OSHA PEL Project documentation at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pel88/pelstart.html, the NIOSH Recommendations for occupational safety and health: compendium of policy documents and statements (1992) at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/92-100/pdfs/92-100.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB92100, and the following NIOSH documents: NEG and NIOSH basis for an Occupational Health Standard: 2-diethylaminoethanol at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/96-104/pdfs/96-104.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB96104; Current intelligence bulletin 64: coal mine dust exposures and associated health outcomes: a review of information published since 1995 at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-172/pdfs/2011-172.pdf; and Criteria for a recommended standard: occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-128/pdfs/2013_128.pdf. Excel spreadsheets containing the data are available on request from the corresponding author