Monitoring for Health Hazards at Work, 3rd Edition

by Indira Ashton (Registered Safety Practitioner, Accredited Safety Auditor); Frank Gill (Consultant in Occupational Health)

• ISBN13: 9780632050413
• ISBN10: 0632050411
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-01-01
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This book offers a step-by-step guide to the use of instruments for the sampling of airborne dust, fibers, gases and vapors in the workplace and shows how to measure the indices of heat, noise and light and assess the performance of ventilation systems. An introduction to radiation and biological hazards is also included. Simple examples are given where it is necessary to use mathematical equations. This book explains how far an untrained person can go in this field before calling in experienced, specialist, help.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	viii
List of Instruction Sheets	xi
Preface	xiii
Acknowledgements	xvi
Units and Abbreviations	xvii
Dust	1	(34)
Introduction	1	(3)
Sampling for airborne dust	4	(1)
Equipment required for filtration sampling	4	(8)
Direct reading instruments	12	(1)
Calibration of a rotameter using a soap bubble method	13	(4)
The measurement of inhalable airborne dust	17	(5)
The measurement of airborne respirable dust using a cyclone separator	22	(2)
The sampling and counting of airborne asbestos fibres	24	(6)
The choice of filter and filter holder to suit a specific dust, fume or mist	30	(2)
To trace the behaviour of a dust cloud using a Tyndall beam	32	(2)
Further reading	34	(1)
Gases and vapours	35	(25)
Introduction	35	(1)
Equipment available	36	(8)
To obtain a personal sample for solvent vapours using an adsorbent tube	44	(4)
The collection of gases using a sampling bag	48	(2)
Sampling for gases using a bubbler	50	(2)
To measure the short-term airborne concentration of a gas using a colorimetric detector tube	52	(6)
To measure the long-term time-weighted average concentration of a gas using a colorimetric detector tube	58	(1)
Further reading	59	(1)
Heat	60	(26)
Introduction	60	(1)
Equipment available	61	(6)
To use the psychrometric chart	67	(3)
The measurement of the thermal environment	70	(5)
The use of the Kata thermometer chart	75	(1)
The use of the globe thermometer chart	75	(4)
To use the normal scale of corrected effective temperature	79	(4)
To obtain wind chill factor using chart	83	(2)
Further reading	85	(1)
Ventilation	86	(39)
Introduction	86	(2)
Equipment available	88	(8)
Ventilation measurement records	96	(1)
The measurement of air flow in ducts	97	(6)
The measurement of pressure in ventilation systems	103	(2)
To measure the face velocity on a booth or hood	105	(2)
To measure the face velocity on a chemical fume cupboard	107	(2)
To measure the performance of a suction inlet	109	(2)
The measurement of natural air infiltration rate in a room	111	(2)
Calibration of an anemometer in an open jet wind tunnel	113	(2)
To complete a ventilation record	115	(5)
Further reading	120	(1)
Appendix	121	(4)
Noise	125	(21)
Introduction	125	(3)
Equipment available	128	(4)
To measure a steady workroom noise	132	(1)
To measure the spectrum of a continuous noise by octave band analysis	133	(4)
To measure the Leq of a fluctuating workroom noise	137	(1)
The use of a personal noise dosimeter	138	(2)
To determine the degree of noise exposure and the actions to take	140	(2)
To measure the triaxial vibration on a hand-held tool: the Castle method	142	(3)
Further reading	145	(1)
Light	146	(16)
Introduction	146	(1)
Units used in lighting	146	(2)
Equipment available	148	(2)
To measure the daylight factors in a room	150	(3)
To undertake a lighting survey of a workroom	153	(6)
To measure glare at a display screen workstation using a Hagner photometer	159	(2)
Further reading	161	(1)
Radiation	162	(49)
Introduction	162	(1)
Background radiation	163	(1)
Basic concepts and quantities	163	(6)
To determine the activity of a sample	169	(3)
Radiation dose units	172	(2)
Dose limits	174	(2)
Procedures to minimise occupational dose	176	(4)
Radiation monitoring	180	(6)
To carry out a contamination survey	186	(4)
To carry out a smear survey for tritium	190	(6)
Calibration of a dose rate instrument and conversion of a contamination monitor	196	(1)
To monitor hands and laboratory coats for contamination	197	(1)
To estimate the thickness of material required to give adequate shielding for a stored radionuclide	198	(2)
Microwaves	200	(1)
To measure the leakage of a microwave oven	201	(2)
Lasers	203	(2)
Ultraviolet radiation	205	(3)
References and further reading	208	(3)
Microbiological hazards	211	(19)
Introduction	211	(2)
Principles of containment	213	(1)
Micro-organisms	213	(5)
Monitoring techniques	218	(5)
The measurement of contamination levels	223	(4)
References and further reading	227	(3)
Surveys	230	(18)
Introduction	230	(1)
Planning	231	(1)
Manpower	232	(1)
Calibration	233	(1)
Procedures for monitoring	233	(1)
Workplace monitoring	234	(1)
Results	235	(1)
Records of monitoring	236	(1)
Further reading	237	(1)
Appendix	238	(10)
Assessment of risks to health	248	(53)
Introduction	248	(48)
Further reading	291	(5)
Appendices
I Suppliers of equipment	296	(2)
II Addresses of suppliers	298	(3)
Index	301