EPA Releases Compliance Guide for Workplace Chemical Protection Program Requirements
Released January 16, 2025
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a guide to assist the regulated community in complying with Workplace Chemical Protection Program (WCPP) requirements for chemicals regulated under section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). A WCPP is a chemical protection program designed to address unreasonable risk posed by chemical exposure to persons in occupational settings. The guide provides an overview of typical WCPP requirements that the regulated community may be subject to as part of a TSCA section 6(a) rulemaking. In 2024, EPA finalized risk management rules with WCPP requirements for methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and carbon tetrachloride.
The guide is intended for owners and operators of businesses that manufacture (including import) or process, distribute in commerce, use, or dispose of a chemical regulated under TSCA section 6 that is subject to the WCPP in EPA rules. This guide will also be of interest to people who may be exposed to these regulated chemicals in the workplace.
The guide describes the importance of a WCPP and will help the regulated community understand its responsibilities for implementing it. It broadly addresses the requirements of a typical WCPP, including:
- EPA TSCA occupational exposure limits (Existing Chemical Exposure Limits [ECELs] or EPA Short-Term Exposure Limits [EPA STELs]) designated under TSCA.
- ECEL action levels.
- Occupational exposure monitoring.
- Regulated areas.
- Direct Dermal Contact Controls (DDCC).
- Respirators.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Exposure Control Plans.
- Recordkeeping.
- Downstream notifications.
While this guide provides useful information to consider when implementing a WCPP, the regulated community should also consult the WCPP provisions within the applicable risk management rule. Individual compliance guides for rules may also provide additional chemical-specific guidance. EPA has issued guides for methylene chloride, trichloroethylene, and for the use of perchloroethylene in dry cleaning and energized electrical cleaning.
View the Workplace Chemical Protection Program Compliance Guide