Intro to Industrial Hygiene Flashcards
What is industrial hygiene? !!
science and art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace environmental factors which may cause sickness, impaired health and well-being, or significant discomfort and inefficiency among workers or citizens of the community.
Industrial Hygiene is devoted to
preventing diseases caused by workplace exposures to chemical, physical, and biologic agents.
These are scientists, engineers, and public health professionals committed to protecting the health of people in the workplace and in the community.
• Trained in various scientific fields: chemistry, physics, engineering, biology, toxicology, occupational medicine
Industrial Hygienist
Functions of Industrial Hygienist
!!!
- Direct the industrial hygiene program
- Examine the work environment
- Interpret results of the examination of the environment and present specific conclusions to appropriate parties
- Make specific decisions as to the need for or effectiveness of control measures; advise suitable and effective procedures
- Prepare rules, regulations, standards, and procedures for the healthful conduct of work and the prevention of nuisance in the
community. - Present expert testimony
- Prepare appropriate text for labels and precautionary information for materials and products to be used by workers and the public.
- Conduct programs for the education of workers and the public in the prevention of occupational disease and community nuisance
- Conduct epidemiological studies of workers and industries
- Conduct research to advance knowledge concerning the effects of occupation on health and means of preventing OH impairment, community air pollution, noise, nuisance, and related problems
anything that has the potential to cause harm
Hazard
the likelihood that the harm from a particular hazard is realized and would lead to adverse health effects
Risk
the likelihood that the harm from a particular hazard is NOT realized
Safety
Workplace element which may affect the health of the worker and may cause harm in the workplace
Occupational Hazard
These could result to occupational diseases
Occupational health hazards
These hazards primarily arise from excessive airborne concentration of mists, vapors, gases or solids in the form of dusts and fumes
Chemical Hazards
A common type of particulate matter which are suspension of solid particles in the air generated by processes such as grinding, drilling and crushing operations
Dust
*mostly found in construction and flour industries
[Particulate matter]
volatilized solids that condense (form an oxide) when in contact with air associated with molten metals
Fumes
*usually found in industries that involve smelting or welding metals
[Particulate matter]
Solid particles, mostly carbon, from combustion
Smoke, Soot, Ash
[Particulate matter]
Dispersion of liquid particles in the air associated with acids, chlorine, formaldehyde, phenols, etc.
Mist
*Operations involved include spraying and methods which use acids on the metal
These includes excessive levels of non-ionizing, ionizing radiation, noise, vibration, and extremes of temperature and pressure and ventilation issues
Physical Hazards
What are biological hazards?
Micro- or macroorganisms, their structures or substance which these produce that exert negative effect/s to humans.
Ergonomic hazards include
improperly designed tools, work areas, or work procedures, and organizational issues in the workplace.
Ergonomic hazards could lead to these types of diseases
musculoskeletal disorders
These could result to accidents and could further lead to occupational injuries
Occupational safety hazards
*associated with risk of slipping, tripping, etc leading to accidents
Principles of Industrial Hygiene
- Anticipation
- Recognition
- Evaluation
- Control
This involve knowledge and understanding of the several types of workplace environmental stresses and the effect of these stresses on the health of the workers
Anticipation
Anticipation requires this
literature review of the industry in question or the type of operation being done page
It is the actual appreciation of the hazards in the workplace under investigation
Recognition
How does recognition confirm the presence of what we read in the lit. review by conducting a walkthrough survey
Recognition
What should be known in recognition of potential or actual hazards?
- Materials
- Operations
- Processes
- Conditions
What do the scope of industrial hygiene activities encompass?
cradle-to-grave concept
*includes all the hazards that can be encountered from the raw materials to the actual product
This follows the flow of material into, through, and out of the facility (also monitor storage areas)
Walkthrough or Initial Field Survey
T or F: Walkthroughs can not include the non-product areas such as maintenance and other service operations
False, should include
*should also be conducted with the facility or process manager
The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires chemical manufacturers, distributors, or importers to provide what to communicate the hazards of hazardous
chemical products.
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
(see sections of safety data sheet)
(see sections of safety data sheet)
It is determining the levels of physical and chemical agents arising out of a process to study the related work procedures
Evaluation
What are involved in evaluation?
exposure characterization and comparison with standards (to know whether or not exposure levels exceeds permissible limits)
Characterization of hazard exposure involves
- Intensity
- Duration and frequency
- Comparison with regulatory, professional and internal standards
What are the factors affecting judgement?
- Toxicity
- Exposure levels/dose
- Process or operational analysis
- Maintenance activities, spills, and accidents
- Epidemiology and risk assessment
- Interview
- Unequal distribution of risks
- Variability of response
It is the combination of observation, interview and measurement that permits a judgment to be made relative to the potential hazards and the adequacy of protection for the employees
Monitoring
4 types of monitoring
- Personal Monitoring
- Area Monitoring or Environmental Monitoring
- Biological Monitoring
- Medical Surveillance
This type of monitoring determines levels of the chemical or its metabolite (substances the body converts the chemical into) in samples of urine, blood, exhaled breath, hair, etc.
Biological Monitoring
*measurements reflect the total uptake of a chemical by an individual by all routes
levels of the chemical or its metabolite are indirectly related to the adverse health effects
False, more direct
Biological monitoring is used for
to assess workers’ total exposure to chemicals or provide information about the impact of workplace hazards on health
How is cardiotoxicity measured?
elevation of creatinine kinase-MB
Categories of biological monitoring
- Measurement of the contaminant itself
- Measurement of the metabolite of the chemical
- Measurement of the enzymes or functions that reflect harm caused by a hazardous exposure
these are measurement of a particular employee’s exposure to a certain hazard
Personal Monitoring
What is the measuring device used for personal monitoring?
dosimeter
placed as clos as possible to the contaminant’s route of entry
Where is the masuring device placed in area monitoring?
near to a worker’s normal workstation
Area monitoring is used to?
establish background concentrations of chemicals that are ubiquitous in the environment
Medical surveillance incorporates what
screening of exposed populations for the adverse effects of hazard exposures
T or F: medical surveillance is only done when adverse health effects are already present
true
*include special examinations
It is the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination fo data for the purpose of prevetion
Medical Surveillance
T or F: medical surveillances can be done continuously even without adverse health effect
True
Surveillance considerations
- What and how to sample
- What to note during sampling
- Where to sample
- How many samples to take
- Whom to sample
- When to stop monitoring
- When to sample
- Who should conduct sampling
- How long to sample
(see relationships among envi mon, bio, health surv)
(see relationships among envi mon, bio, health surv)
What are the instruments used in monitoring?
- Air Sampling Train
- Detector Tubes
- Photodetector Cell
- Integrating Sound Level Meter
- Head Stress monitor
- Hot wire Thermoanemometer
The air sampling train is composd of
air samplin gump
tygpon tube
filters
filter casette
What is found ou through air sampling train?
respirable dust
*cyclone
Method of analysis used in air ampling train
gravimetry
This instrument estimates concentration of gas and is method through colorimetry
Detector tubes
This insrument measures illumination
Photodetectpr cepp
This instrument determines Wet- Bulb Globe Temp IndexW
Head Stress Monitor
What are the three tyoes if thermineters and what they measure
Dry bulb (ambient air temp) Wet bulb (relative humidity) Globe (radiant heat)
What is the significance of a head stress monitor?
determines if worker is exposed to extreme temperatures and recommend a certain time to which the worker will be exposed to the area
The hot wire thermoanemometer has sensor for
temperature and wind movement
determines wind speed
Hot wire thermoanemometer significance
determines effectivity of exhaust and ventilation
These represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effect
ACGIH Threshold Limit Values
*for airborne concentrations of chemicals
T or F: ACGIH Threshold Limit values are fine lines betwee safe and dangerous
FALSe, not fine lines!!
*When we are near the threshold values, we must implement control measures
What are the categories of threshold limit values
Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA)
Short-Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL)
Ceiling (TLV-C)
The concentration for a conventional 8-hour workday and 40-hour workweek, to which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effect
TLV-TWA
The concentration that should not be exceeded during any part of the working exposure
TLV-C
How is TLV-C assessd?
instantaneous monitoring and if not possible, conventionally performed by collectig a samle during a 15-minute period
This is the concentration to which it is believed workers can be exposed continuously for a short period of time without suffering from adverse health effects and provided that the daily TLV-TWA is not exceeded
TLV-STEL
*Exposures should not be longer than 15 minutes, not occur more than four times per day and should be at least 60 minutes between successive exposures.
This involves the reduction of the environmental stresses to values that the worker can tolerate without impairment of health or productivity
Control
engineering, administrative, PPE
rule in the POSHS for OH and Envvironmental control
1070
other rules in POSHS !!
- 1071: General Provisions
- 1072: TLV for Airborne Contaminants
- 1073: TLV for Airborne Contaminants (Tables)
- 1074: Physical Agents
- 1075: Illumination
- 1076: General Ventilation
- 1077: Working Environment Measurement
