March 19, 2004—In light of recent public concerns, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has added a new Ricin Safety and Health Topics Page to the organization’s Web site. The site contains links to applicable OSHA standards, information about ricin, hazard recognition, threat evaluation, and additional resources.
According to OSHA, ricin is a toxin that can be made from the waste left over from processing castor beans. It is one of the most toxic and easily produced plant toxins. If injected, a dose of as little as 500 micrograms, about the size of the head of a pin, could be enough to kill an adult; some animal research indicates that similar amounts could be lethal if inhaled.
