Even if there is no expected overexposure to a hazard, conducting baseline testing is still recommended. The results of the monitoring will identify if controls are needed to keep employees safe. The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of the raw material(s) used in the process or task is helpful in determining potential hazards generated with exposure.Ĭonducting industrial hygiene monitoring is a critical step in controlling any potential hazards and important data to validate the need for mandated programs or the exemption thereof. Meanwhile, if an employee is performing welding tasks on that same piece of metal, there could be several potential exposure hazards because of the weld fumes created during the process.Īny task that involves heating/cutting/mixing chemicals or materials should be accessed for process-generated exposure. For example, if an employee is bending a piece of metal with a press brake, there is little risk for any type of exposure. Process-generated exposure occurs when the process or task creates a different exposure hazard. It is also important to access process(es) generating exposure. Gases, vapors, dusts, fumes, mists, or smoke.Any employee direct exposure should be assessed to determine the need for industrial hygiene monitoring.Ĭommon hazards found in manufacturing environments include: They could also be exposed to alcohol vapors if they are working adjacent to a mixing tank where large amounts of alcohol are added. For example, an employee could be exposed to alcohol vapors if they used alcohol to wipe down a product. With direct exposure, the contamination concern is the same as the material being used. The employee may directly handle the material, or they may be exposed to the material through a process. Direct exposure occurs when an employee is exposed to a chemical or material through a process or task. When looking to identify potential concerns, direct exposure must be assessed. Do you notice that certain areas are much noisier than others? Do you notice strong smells of any sort in any area or around a specific process? Do you see anything that is concerning, such as a dust cloud when an employee empties a bag of powdered material into a tank? Do you touch anything like oil mist on the floor as you are walking? You also want to take note of anything you hear, see, smell, or touch when completing the walkthrough. Looking at the roof lines of the facility can help determine what areas would be exposed to similar contaminants based on the materials used or processes performed in those areas. The walkthrough is needed to identify the different areas of the facility, how they are separated, and what processes take place in the different areas. When questioning what type of monitoring or where monitoring is needed in a facility, it is recommended to start with a facility walkthrough. The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) defines industrial hygiene as “a science and art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, control, and confirmation of protection from those environmental factors or stresses arising in or from the workplace which may cause sickness, impaired health and well being, or significant discomfort among workers or among citizens of the community.”
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