The Department of Energy has a little-known database that is a goldmine for emergency planners and responders. This database is called the Protective Action Criteria for Chemicals (PACs), and it uses a hierarchy-based system of the three (3) exposure guideline systems:
- Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs)
- Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs), and
- Temporary Emergency Exposure Limits (TEELs)
NOTE: SAFTENG members can learn more about these @
What are Public Exposure Guidelines?
What are Temporary Emergency Exposure Limits (TEELs)?
What are Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs)?
What are Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs)?
A particular hazardous substance may have values in any—or all—of these. PACs implement the following hierarchy when choosing which values to use for the PACs:
- Final, 60-minute AEGL values (preferred)
- Interim, 60-minute AEGL values
- ERPG values
- TEEL values
The PACs dataset has a single set of values (PAC-1, PAC-2, and PAC-3) for each chemical, but the source of those values will vary. So, for instance, the PAC-3 value for one chemical might be an ERPG-3, and the PAC-3 value for a different chemical might be the TEEL-3. A hierarchical system can be helpful for choosing levels of concern for compounds that are defined under two or more of the public exposure guidelines.
The PACs dataset is created by the TEEL developers (Department of Energy, Subcommittee on Consequence Assessment and Protective Actions). To find out more, go to the PACs and TEELs Program website.