How to Identify Workplace Health Hazards

Chemicals Surround Us

These days, almost everything is composed of chemicals. Nearly everyone uses deodorants, cleaning products, and bug sprays. Most chemicals are not harmful when used in appropriate amounts for the correct use.

On the other hand, substances like asbestos, pesticides, metal fumes, carbon monoxide, and organic solvents can sometimes pose real danger when used or generated in the workplace. The onset of a health problem can be immediate, or delayed and silent with no warning properties. The health problem may be months or years away, and be irreversible.

In some cases, even common household products can pose health dangers when used in industrial settings, especially if the substance is heated or under pressure, used in large amounts, or used for a long time period. For instance, a teaspoon of vinegar (dilute acetic acid) is safe to use on a salad, but if a person were to work adjacent to an open, heated vat of concentrated acetic acid, the inhaled vapors could cause serious respiratory irritation and potential long-term chronic health effects.

What An Industrial Hygienist Does

Industrial hygienists specialize in the recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace health hazards. These hazards could be caused by exposures to chemicals, dusts, toxins, noise, thermal stress, and biological agents. It is critical that he or she be intimately involved in making professional judgments on health risk, designing assessments to determine the acceptability of exposures, and making recommendations for reducing exposures to acceptable levels.

Performing a Qualitative Exposure Assessment

If you are not sure whether there could be potential health risks, industrial hygienists start by performing a qualitative, but systematic exposure assessment. They will gather information about your chemicals, processes, work force, and exposure patterns to determine the risk of unsafe exposure. Using this information, a judgment is made about the risk of exposures exceeding occupational exposure limits.

Professional industrial hygienists typically have years of formal education, training, and experience in making these judgments in virtually any scenario—even with a limited amount of data. Exposures that are judged acceptable may need no further action. Indeed, quantitative assessments are not essential for many substances. Many occupational exposures can be assessed without monitoring data.

Performing A Quantitative Exposure Assessment

The industrial hygienist may recommend performing a quantitative exposure assessment for certain hazards. Priorities can be established  for monitoring based on an analysis of the qualitative data, regulatory requirements, toxicity, and predictability of the exposure pattern.

When quantitative exposure monitoring is recommended, this is best designed by an individual with industrial hygiene training who understands the importance of selecting a workable sampling strategy and equipment. The goals of monitoring may include:

• Determining if employee exposures are above occupational exposure limits
• Providing assurance that exposures remain within exposure limits
• Identifying where ventilation or other controls are needed
• Assessing how well existing controls are working
• Comparing exposures before and after controls are installed.

In any case, the industrial hygienist will design a sampling strategy by determining:

• Which workers should be selected for monitoring
• What sampling and analytical method will be used
• Where the sampling devices should be placed
• When samples should be taken
• How long the samples need to be
• How many samples are needed
• What information needs to be tracked during the sample

Using A Qualified Analytical Laboratory

Air samples will often need to be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Since results of these analyses may used to make important health decisions, it is vital that the laboratory be proficient in producing reliable, high quality data.

All samples should be sent to a lab that participates in the AIHA Industrial Hygiene Laboratory Accreditation Program (IHLAP). AIHA has been accrediting labs for over 30 years, and is the largest program of its kind in the world. Hundreds of labs across the nation participate and must demonstrate their proficiency twice per year. This is your assurance that samples are analyzed by a competent and independent resource.

Using The Results of the Assessment

After receiving the lab results, the industrial hygienist will calculate the airborne concentrations, compare results to appropriate occupational exposure limits, and provide the analysis in a report. If exposures are above occupational limits, the industrial hygienist can recommend methods for reducing the exposure to a safe level.

Industrial hygienists are knowledgeable on a wide range of solutions available to reduce exposures. See Methods for Controlling Chemical Exposures for additional information.

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