Occupational Health --Industrial Hygiene 1 © 2000 Thomas E. Bernard

Occupational Health --Industrial Hygiene 1

Thomas E. Bernard Industrial Hygiene Science and art

devoted to the anticipation, recognition, Evaluation and Control evaluation and control of work place factors of Health Hazards that may cause illness and injury, in the Work Environment impaired health and well-being, or significant discomfort.

Question OHS Professionals

What is a fundamental premise in Occupational Health and Safety occupational and environmental health? Professionals • Industrial Hygiene A. If we do not anticipate or recognize a • Safety hazard, we cannot control it. • Occupational Health Nursing B. We must control all agents (chemical, • Occupational Medicine Physicians physical, biological) that we find. C. The evaluation step follows the control step. D. By definition, an occupational health professional can do anything.

IH Code of Ethics The “Carrot”

Follow recognized scientific principles Workers Compensation Laws

Counsel affected parties factually Fundamentally, no-fault insurance Maintain confidentiality Evolved through the 1900s Avoid conflict of interest • Each state has individual approach • Driver: Public response to accidents Practice in area of expertise • Evolution: Compensation for disease

Uphold the integrity of the profession Cost Control as Carrot

… and the Stick General Duty

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Employer obligation to provide a workplace… “free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or Evolution of span of control serious physical harm.”

Requirements • Promulgated – Safety Employee obligation to comply – Health (eg, lead) with occupational safety and • General Duty health standards….

Other Features of OSHA Act Some Health Standards

National Institute for Occupational Safety 14 Carcinogens and Health (NIOSH), CDC, Dept of Health and Human Services Coke Oven Emissions • Research • Health Hazard Evaluations Lead • Recommended Standards • Training Noise and Hearing Conservation

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Asbestos Dept of Labor Confined Space Entry State Programs

Right to Know Violations

Degree Material Safety Data Sheet • de minimis (MSDS) • Serious • Willful • Egregious

Caution: This Reason stuff can kill you. • Actual situation • Record keeping Caution: This Other stuff can kill you • Imminent Danger • Criminal

Agents Chemical Agents

Chemical Agents: Major Industrial Hazards Health Effects • Dermal Effects Physical Agents • Asphixiants • Irritants (Primary and Secondary) • Ergonomics • Narcotic • Systemic Poisons Biological Agents • Sensitizers • Fibrogenic Accidents -- Acute Injury from unplanned • Reproductive exposure to a hazard • Mutogenic and Teratogenic • Carcinogenic

Physical Agents Ergonomics

Non-Ionizing Radiation Matching work demands to population • Electric and Magnetic Fields and individual capabilities. • Radiofrequency and Microwave Radiation • Optical Radiation: IR, Visible, UV Features Ionizing Radiation • Psychological • Background, Mostly Radon • Anatomical • Human-Generated – Design of Work Space Noise – Biomechanics (Forces) -- Work-Related Thermal Stress Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs / MSDs) • Physiological Vibration Pressure

Biological Agents Routes of Entry

Microoganisms Inhalation • Gases Arthropods • Particulates: Size is important - Solids: dusts and fumes Plants - Liquids: mists

Skin Absorption (or barrier failure) Vertebrates Ingestion

Injection

Basic Steps Evaluation Topics

Review of Agents and Routes of Entry Recognition Assessment Methods • Preliminary • Sampling Evaluation Evaluation Criteria • Standards: Statutory and Good Practice • Threshold and Action Levels Control Surveillance

Preliminary Assessment Case Study

Know the Process What agents are present? • Steps and Equipment • Chemical • Agents associated with each step – particulates – gases Consult Medical Records • Physical and Ergonomic • OSHA Logs • Biological • Workers Compensation Cases • First Aid Records What would you expect from the • Biological Monitoring Results medical records? Walk-through Survey

Decision Biological Monitoring

Standards of Professional Practice Dose versus Exposure • Statute: OSHA PELs • NIOSH Criteria Documents (RELs) • ACGIH Guidelines (TLVs) Biological monitoring integrates all routes of Generically, entry and can account for individual response. • Industry standards, guidelines, etc. Occupational • Open literature Exposure Limit (OEL) Measures -- Biological Exposure Indices (BEI) Exposures: Levels and Patterns • Blood • Hair • Average over a day (TWA) • Peak exposure (STEL and Ceiling) • Urine • Nails • Breath • Feces OEL and Action Levels

Sampling for Lead Action Levels

Personal Monitoring -- Breathing Zone When does management implement • Sample over the shift a program to control a hazard? • Sample multiple workers and jobs

Answer: Usually at 50% of the OEL. Area Monitoring -- Confirmation and Alerts • Map levels for different work zones • Task Analysis Some standards will dictate an action • T WA (time-weighted average) level, such as the Lead Standard at 30 µg/m3 and the Noise Standard at 85 dBA.

Medical Monitoring -- Blood Levels

Control Controls Preceded by Evaluation

Principles of Occupational Health Recognition and Safety • What agents/hazards are present • Anticipation and Recognition • Industry experience • Evaluation Evaluation • Control: Interventions against Hazards • Sources • Programmatic Approach • Actual or potential levels of hazards - normal operations Interventions - maintenance / emergency • General Controls • Routes of entry • Specific Controls

General Controls Training

General controls are implemented Training is the mechanism used to for those workers who may be inform workers of the hazards in exposed to the particular hazards. the workplace and the means to control them. Not Discretionary Goals Types • Understand hazards • Training • Know where and when hazards occur • Hygiene Practices • Know the control methods • Medical Surveillance

Training Notes Hygiene Practices

Training Hygiene practices are those actions • Annual taken by individuals that will reduce - general meetings - workplace / tail gate meetings the risk of exposure to the hazards • Appropriate refreshers present in the workplace.

Content (sometimes standard driven) Implications • Nature and effects of the hazards • Knowledge • Likely conditions and places of exposure • Minimal Barriers to Practices • Control methods • Individual Responsibility

Medical Surveillance Specific Controls

Site-Wide Specific controls are selected and implemented based on the manifestation Individuals of the hazards and local constraints.

Specific controls are the primary methods to control hazards.

Priority • Engineering Controls • Administrative Controls • Personal Protection

Engineering Controls Types of Engineering Controls

Engineering controls attempt to Changing the Process remove or isolate the hazard from • New plant or facility the work environment. • Changing tools and methods

Implication: The risks of injury and Substitution of Materials illness are reduced or eliminated. Isolation (shields, barriers, etc.) • Equipment Point of Application • Person • Source • Path of Travel

Types of ECs (cont) Administrative Controls

Ventilation Administrative controls manage the • Local exhaust ventilation risk of hazard exposure by • General dilution ventilation controlling the way the work is performed. Status • Permanent • Temporary Implication: The hazards are still present but the risks are reduced by reducing the opportunity for exposure.

Types of Administrative Controls Personal Protection

Limiting the number of people exposed Personal protection is a hazard barrier that is worn or used by an Limiting the exposure time individual and that protects only the individual. Area monitoring / Personal monitoring Procedures and work practices Implications Housekeeping • Burden of use and impairment is borne by the individual • Barrier failure means there is no other protection

Types of Personal Protection Stages of Controls

Inhalation: Respiratory Protection (respirators) Below the Action Limit • Monitoring Skin Absorption • Clothing Above the Action Limit and Below • Creams, etc. Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) • General Controls plus Monitoring Ingestion: Face shield, mouth covers, etc.

Injection: Shields, etc. Above the Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) • Specific Controls plus General Controls and Monitoring Protection from noise, thermal, mechanical and electrical hazards

Leaded Steel Manufacturing Program Approach

Who are the exposed workers and when? Who is responsible for health and safety?

What controls might be considered? Line versus Staff Functions • general controls • engineering controls • administrative controls Continual Evaluation of Workplace and • personal protection Controls How would you judge the success of the controls? Coordination among Activities