DOHSBase Update August 2021: SZW List, Isocyanates and More

The August 2021 DOHSBase update brings several important changes across multiple data sources. Here is an overview of what has been added and improved.

SZW List July 2021

The latest SZW list (July 2021) has been fully integrated into DOHSBase. This list, published by the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, contains legally binding occupational exposure limits and classifications for carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances. All limit values and CMR classifications from this edition are now reflected in DOHSBase.

For background on how DOHSBase handles different types of limit values, see our article on the limit values hierarchy.

Improved Health Council Advisory Values

The advisory values from the Dutch Health Council have been reviewed and improved, with particular attention to isocyanates. Isocyanates are a critical substance group in occupational hygiene, relevant to coatings, adhesives and foam production. The updated advisory values now more accurately reflect the Health Council’s recommendations for this group.

13 Substances Evaluated at Customer Request

DOHSBase offers bespoke evaluations for substances not yet covered in the database. In this update, 13 substances have been evaluated at customer request and added as full DOHSBase evaluations. These evaluations follow the same rigorous methodology applied to all substances in the database, providing limit values, classifications and relevant regulatory references.

SCOEL Inhalable Fraction Corrections

A review of SCOEL (Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits) data identified corrections needed for the inhalable fraction designation of several limit values. These have been corrected to ensure that the fraction type (inhalable vs. respirable) is accurately recorded. This distinction is important for exposure assessment, as it affects the sampling method and the applicable limit value.

For more on how limit values are structured in DOHSBase, see basic limit value information.

EU Directive 2019/130 Corrections

Limit values derived from EU Directive 2019/130 — the fourth amendment to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive — have been reviewed and corrected where needed. This directive introduced binding occupational exposure limits for several carcinogenic substances, and accurate implementation in DOHSBase is essential for compliance assessments.

Australian AICIS Replaces NICNAS

The Australian chemical inventory has transitioned from NICNAS (National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme) to AICIS (Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme). DOHSBase now reflects this change, with references and links updated accordingly. For more on Australian data in DOHSBase, see our article on Australian GHS classifications.

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