CGC Meeting: Group Approach to Substance Assessment

In March 2022, DOHSBase participated in the Contact Group Health and Chemistry (CGC) meeting, where the topic was the “Group approach to substances for hazard and risk assessment in the workplace.” This is a subject at the core of what DOHSBase does.

Why a Group Approach Matters

Many workplace substances do not have individual occupational exposure limits. However, they often belong to a well-defined chemical group where the hazard profile is driven by a common structural element or functional group. Applying group limit values, group classifications and group assessment methods allows occupational hygienists to evaluate these substances even when substance-specific data is lacking.

DOHSBase has been built around this principle from the start. The database contains thousands of substances with group limit values, group methods and group classifications for more than 40 substance groups.

Scale of Group Data in DOHSBase

To illustrate the breadth of group coverage in DOHSBase, consider these examples:

• Barium compounds — approximately 800 substances with group limit values
• Hexavalent chromium (CrVI) compounds — approximately 1,300 substances with group limit values and CMR classifications
• Isocyanates — approximately 2,300 substances with group limit values

These group assignments are not simple label exercises. Each substance has been evaluated to determine whether the group assignment is appropriate, and the relevant group limit values are linked to authoritative sources.

DOHSBase Coverage in Numbers

Beyond group data, DOHSBase provides extensive substance-level information:

• 15,000+ substances with one or more occupational exposure limit values
• 5,800+ substances with DNEL (Derived No-Effect Level) values from REACH registrations
• 100,000+ substances with kick-off values for initial risk assessment

This combination of group-level and substance-level data makes DOHSBase a practical tool for day-to-day exposure assessment. For more on how these different value types relate to each other, see our article on the limit values hierarchy.

Practical Value for Occupational Hygienists

The group approach is particularly valuable when dealing with mixtures or processes that generate exposure to multiple related substances simultaneously — for example, welding fumes containing various metal compounds, or spray painting involving multiple isocyanate species.

By providing pre-evaluated group assignments, DOHSBase saves considerable time compared to researching each substance individually. The DOHSBase capabilities overview describes the full range of data available for each substance.

Interested in exploring group data in DOHSBase? Try DOHSBase Online or contact us for a free trial.