Dosimeter Portable
Using Monitoring Devices for Detecting Chemical Hazard Exposures
Area and personal monitoring are two methods for determining actual exposures to workplace chemical hazards. In area monitoring, grid sampling is performed and average exposures are calculated for a defined work area on a grid map. In personal monitoring a contaminant collector (vapor, gas, and particle) is placed in the worker’s breathing zone and provides accurate data about the exposures a worker actually receives over an 8-hour day.
Your barrier against the harmful effects of exposure to hazardous chemicals is only as good as the personal protective equipment (PPE) and engineering controls used to control exposures. This is the reason for periodically measuring barrier effectiveness of these protection measures in your work area.
There are different types of monitoring devices used by industrial hygienists and other occupational safety professionals to measure work area and personal exposures. The following provides the sequence for identifying the type and use of area and personal chemical exposure monitoring devices.
Area monitoring is performed at planned locations within a general zone where there are known emission points at which chemical dusts, vapors, and fumes are generated. The objective of area monitoring using grid sampling is to get an average exposure potential for the identified grid zone. Some organizations also install fixed position chemical agent monitoring systems that may coincide with the grid positions; these systems sound an alarm when a particular exposure level for a specific chemical is reached to safely warn workers that they may be at risk of receiving an unsafe exposure.
Prepare a plan view drawing on graph paper of the equipment location in the work area. This drawing identifies the location of potential exposure areas where hazardous chemicals are used. The drawing indicates where area samples will be taken. This plan should be prepared and/or approved by a certified occupational safety and health professional.
Set up a sampling train to monitor airborne contaminants in the work area. The sampling train may consist of air-bubbling devices filled with solvents or other media for collecting the sample. The proper airflow is calculated and the sampling train is calibrated to maintain that flow over the sampling period. This task must be accomplished by an industrial hygienist.
Select the type of personal monitoring device to match the type of contaminant generated in the work area. This might include a gas absorption monitor, passive or chemical dosimeter, or other type of collecting device to capture airborne vapors, gases, or particles. The advantage of using small portable devices is that smaller exposure detection devices do not interfere with the way the worker normally performs tasks in the work area. The intake end of the collector on the device must be attached to the worker’s clothing at a point within the worker’s breathing area. Device selection and placement for sample collection is done by the industrial hygienist or similarly trained OSH professional.
Use the air flow monitor to measure low levels of airborne vapors, mists, and dusts. Low velocity pumping rates usually require more monitoring to maintain the desired calibration rate. The primary reason for using a pump to pull contaminants into the collection device is to trap them on a cellulose membrane for microscopic examination or chemical processing. A sampling train consisting of bubblers will pull contaminants into a chemical reaction solution which will be analyzed for contaminant concentration. The primary disadvantage of using a bulky sampling train is that it will ultimately interfere with any work activity requiring a lot of movement.
For more information about the content of this article, refer to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)/Globally Harmonized System (GHS) Safety Data Sheets (SDS) Section 8, “Exposure Control/Personal Protection.” For information about personal and area monitoring devices, their use, supplies, and equipment, click on this link to access the blog, “Using Monitoring Devices for Detecting Chemical Hazard Exposures.” This blog indentifies key references, monitoring products, and monitoring solutions to help meet indoor environmental air quality requirements.
About the Author
Fredric May is a former occupational safety and health professional who worked for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and private sector companies providing industrial hygiene expertise in training and work place practices. He is currently a business process management analyst and project management specialist.
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