Reducing Worker Exposure to Perchloroethylene (PERC) in Dry Cleaning

This document has been prepared by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) to help dry cleaning establishments
reduce employee exposures to perchloroethylene (also
known as perc, tetrachloroethylene, C2Cl4 or Cl2C=CCl2). The dry
cleaning industry has improved the control of perchloroethylene in
recent years, and modern dry cleaning equipment involves much
lower exposures than older style equipment. However, there is still
a need to reduce employee exposure to the chemical to reduce any
possible health effects that could result from long-term exposure to
the chemical.

Many dry cleaning employers have found that equipment
design, preventive maintenance, control of leaks in equipment,
proper ventilation, and good work practices can reduce perc exposure
to workers, reduce costs by recovering perc for reuse, help
create a cleaner environment, and help comply with federal and
state environmental regulations.