A Simple Proposition for Improving Industrial Hygiene Air Sampling Methods

Publication date: Available online 11 July 2019Source: Safety and Health at WorkAuthor(s): Samuel Y. Paik, David M. ZalkAbstractWhen conducting an exposure assessment, the primary goal of the industrial hygienist is to fully characterize the worker’s exposure during a work shift to compare it to an occupational exposure limit (OEL). This applies regardless of the duration of the work activity, as an activity that is relatively short in duration can still present exposure in excess of the OEL even when normalized over an 8-hr shift. This goal, however, is often impeded by the specification of a minimum sample volume (MSV) in the published sampling method, which may prevent the sample from being collected or submitted for analysis. Removing the specification of MSV (or adjusting it from a requirement to a recommendation), in contrast, allows for a broader assessment of jobs that consist of short duration, high exposure activities, and also eliminates the unnecessary practice of running sampling pumps in clean air to collect a specified, minimum volume.
Source: Safety and Health at Work - Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research