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Decision tool – Work out your human health exposure band

This decision tool is related to step 4.3 of the process to categorise your chemical introduction.

Optional: If you’d like to save or print your completed decision tool for your own records, click on ‘Chemical identity’ before Question 1 and enter your chemical’s name or CAS number. Note that a copy of a completed decision tool is not sufficient to meet your record-keeping obligations. To save as a PDF, select the print option in your browser and choose ‘Save as PDF’ or ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’. For Safari users, click 'File' and 'Export to PDF'.

Who should use this?

This decision tool will help you work out if your human health exposure band (HHEB) is 1, 2, 3 or 4. There are 1‐6 questions depending on your circumstances.

See the full list of decision tools to help you categorise your introduction

Help us improve these tools by giving us your feedback.

What you need to know

Information about the following hazard characteristics for your introduction:

  • if your introduction involves a designated kind of human exposure

What you might need to know

Information about your introduction:

  • your chemical's human health categorisation volume (HHCV)
  • your chemical's concentration at introduction and end use

Note: You can use our online calculator to find your chemical's HHCV.

What is your chemical's name or CAS number? (optional)

Note: enter this information if you'd like to save this for your own records using the print function in your browser. A completed decision tool is not sufficient to meet your record-keeping obligations.

Does your chemical have an end use in a tattoo ink?

Do either of the following scenarios apply?

Scenario 1 - Do all of the following apply:

  • your chemical's concentration at introduction is less than 0.1%
  • your chemical's concentration at all end uses is less than 0.1%
  • your chemical's introduction is not for any consumer end uses

Scenario 2 - Do all of the following apply:

  • your human health categorisation volume (HHCV) does not exceed 25 kg
  • your chemical is not for any consumer end use
  • during introduction and use of your chemical, you will implement one or both control measures:
    1. isolate the industrial chemical from any person who could be exposed to it
    2. use engineering controls to eliminate or minimise exposure to people, including a mechanical device or process.
  • If people could still be exposed to the chemical even after implementing the control measures above, then you will implement other control measures to minimise potential exposure as far as reasonably practicable. This must include workers wearing suitable personal protective equipment that you provide.
  • You (the introducer) have full control of the industrial chemical.

Is the human health categorisation volume (HHCV) for your chemical less than or equal to 25kg?

Which of the following applies to your chemical?

Is the human health categorisation volume for your chemical greater than 100 kg?

Your human health exposure band is 4. 

Next go to Step 4.4 Work out your human health hazard characteristics of our online categorisation guide.

Your human health exposure band is 2. 

Next go to Step 4.4 Work out your human health hazard characteristics of our online categorisation guide.

Your human health exposure band is 3. 

Next go to Step 4.4 Work out your human health hazard characteristics of our online categorisation guide.

Your human health exposure band is 4. 

Next go to Step 4.4 Work out your human health hazard characteristics of our online categorisation guide.

Your human health exposure band is 3. 

Next go to Step 4.4 Work out your human health hazard characteristics of our online categorisation guide.

Your human health exposure band is 1. 

Next go to Step 4.4 Work out your human health hazard characteristics of our online categorisation guide.

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