Essential questions every Site Safety Manager faces…
How often should Workplace Air Monitoring for Harmful Compounds be conducted?
Is every 12-months Air Testing for Hazardous Substances adequate?
The answers are based in your COSHH Risk Assessment (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health).
What does your COSHH assessment lead you to do as appropriate and proportionate actions?
Here are some key factors to consider:
❓ – What substances / fumes / dusts are emitted into the workplace by your activity / process? Are they toxic? Cancer causing? What are the Workplace Exposure Limits in EH40? The higher the toxicity the greater the risk and therefore robustness of monitoring procedure is required.
❓ – How much of the substance do you use? Is there a high likelihood that the substance will be in the workplace atmosphere? Or is it tightly controlled in a closed system?
❓ – How often (and how long) are people working in the area? How many people are potentially exposed?
Once you have conducted your Risk Assessment, read through all the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) and written up the findings in the form of a COSHH RA this should lead you to a conclusion. This could be an initial baseline monitoring exercise by a suitably competent Occupational Hygienist to determine exposures. And a follow up plan stating what monitoring should be conducted, any additional risks and the frequency of the next air monitoring for example, 12 months. Alternatively, the baseline survey could conclude that the risks are low and every 3+ years is adequate.
If you want any advice on this topic then message us at Element Materials Technology.
environmental@element.com
One of our expert team will be happy to support you.
#coshh #health #safety #management #compliance
Engineering Consultant at Guangdong Hong Kong Macau Greater Bay Area General Chamber of Real Estate Industry
2moThis is great!