ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Recommended exposure limit

Okay kiddo, imagine that you are going outside to play in the sun. Your mommy or daddy will tell you to wear sunscreen so that you don't get sunburned, right? That's because the sun has something called ultraviolet (UV) rays that can be harmful to your skin if you get too much of it.

Similarly, when people work in certain jobs, they might be exposed to things that can be harmful to their health if they are exposed to them too much. For example, some workers might be exposed to chemicals or noisy machines that could hurt their bodies if they breathe in too much of the chemicals or hear too much of the noise.

That's where recommended exposure limits (RELs) come in. They tell workers and their employers how much of a harmful thing they can be exposed to without suffering any harmful effects. It's like a "safe zone" for workers, just like how wearing sunscreen helps keep you safe from the sun's harmful UV rays.

So, just like wearing sunscreen helps keep you safe when you play outside, recommended exposure limits help keep workers safe on the job by telling them how much of a harmful thing they can be exposed to without any harm.