Environment, Health and Safety

9.7 Select Carcinogens

9.7 Select Carcinogens

A carcinogen is any chemical, biological agent, or exposure that can cause cancer through the initiation or promotion of abnormal cell growth in humans or animals. Many carcinogens act as chronic health hazards, with effects that may not appear until years after exposure. Because cancer risk often increases with the amount and duration of exposure, it is important to minimize contact with all known or suspected carcinogens.

Under the OSHA Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450), a select carcinogen is any substance that meets one or more of the following criteria:

  1. It is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen; or
  2. It is listed as “known to be a human carcinogen” in the latest National Toxicology Program (NTP) Report on Carcinogens; or
  3. It is listed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group 1 (“carcinogenic to humans”); or
  4. It is listed as IARC Group 2A (“probably carcinogenic”) or Group 2B (“possibly carcinogenic”), or is classified by NTP as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”

OSHA also requires that mixtures be assumed carcinogenic if they contain a carcinogenic component at concentrations of 0.1% or greater, unless evidence demonstrates otherwise. When working with carcinogens, personnel must follow Cornell’s Guidelines for Working with Particularly Hazardous Substances (PHS) .

The likelihood that a carcinogen may result in adverse health effects depends on the type of carcinogen, the route and duration of exposure, and individual susceptibility. Other factors that can influence cancer risk include inherited genetic conditions, certain medications, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and environmental exposures such as ultraviolet radiation.

Additional information about carcinogens—including OSHA-regulated carcinogens and hazard classifications—can be found on the OSHA Carcinogens webpage. The State of California maintains a comprehensive list of carcinogens under Proposition 65, which may be useful for reference but is not a regulatory requirement in New York State.