OEL meaning in oil and gas

Occupational Exposure Limit

An occupational exposure limit is the maximum average air concentration that most workers can be exposed to for an 8 hour work day, 40 hour work week for a working lifetime (40 years) without experiencing significant adverse health effects. A very small percentage of individuals experience some discomfort or adverse health effects at or below the exposure limit because of a wide variation in individual sensitivities or pre-existing conditions. When personnel's work a shift longer than 8 hours per day, the exposure limit must be adjusted (lowered) to prevent the personnel from over exposure. <p> <p> In some occassion, this is applicable to other occupational parameters like noise etc.