Page 34 - Occupational Health & Safety, May 2018

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
adjust the SEGs as needed based on the results. For best results, determine SEGs based not just on a review of records, but on direct observation of the work environment, with participation and feed- back from employees.
IH Sampling Protocol
Now that you’ve identified hazards for job tasks and defined SEGs, you need a good sampling protocol. The key here is to make sure you’re accounting for all types of chemicals, workplace hazards, and exposure durations you’ve identified up to this point. Consult avail- able sampling guides to identify established exposure guidelines for chemicals, including the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL), and the ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV), all of which are 8-hour time-weight- ed average (TWA) exposure limits. While the PEL is the only limit among these that is federally enforceable in the United States, con- sider the best practice of keeping 8-hour TWA concentrations below the TLV and PEL, which tend to be lower.
Don’t forget to review the potential for short-term exposures identified during risk analysis, and plan sampling to compare with any applicable limits such as:
■ OSHA Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL): A time-weighted average over a short duration of time, usually established as 15 minutes. Note: If you use methylene chloride, you should know that OSHA’s methylene chloride standard states that you must sam- ple for the STEL.
■ Lower Explosive Limit (LEL): The lowest concentration (as a
percentage) of a gas or vapor in air capable of producing a flash of fire in the presence of an ignition source. Obviously, concentrations above the LEL even for a short time are extremely dangerous.
■ Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH): Exposure which is likely to cause death or immediate or delayed permanent adverse health effects or prevent escape from such an environment.
For hazards not associated with chemicals, such as noise, make sure you’re also accounting for processes that involve short-term exposures, such as periodic start-up of noisy equipment, as well as those that generate more consistent, predictable levels of hazards throughout the workday.
When planning the sampling protocol, take special note of the sampling methods you will need. For instance, when sampling for respirable silica, you must use a cyclone attachment and a low-flow sampling pump. Make sure you also know which analytical meth- od to use in advance of the sampling, to avoid delays in completing the chain-of-custody form for the samples when it’s time to send them in for analysis.
Communicating Results
After you’ve received your analytical results, communicate results to the affected employees. There are some specific OSHA requirements regarding timing, depending on the standard and affected industries. For instance, the recent silica final rule states that employers must provide employees with the results of monitoring and information about any corrective actions taken within five working days in con- struction or 15 working days in general industry and maritime.
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