Chapter 05 Table of Contents. View the entire chapter in a PDF format. Please use the pdf for printing.

Requirements:
General (5.1)

Successful implementation of the industrial hygiene (IH) program supports a safe and healthy work environment by

• Anticipating, recognizing, and evaluating potential workplace hazards before they exist (for example during the development and review of job and area hazard analyses)
• Implementing recommended engineering controls where feasible
• Implementing administrative controls when engineering controls are not feasible
• Surveying work areas to identify hazards (such as toxic agents, ventilation problems, and noise) and taking appropriate measures to reduce them
• Training personnel to recognize hazards and to take appropriate safety measures when working under potentially hazardous conditions
• Choosing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Determining which personnel should undergo medical surveillance based upon their job classification and on occupational exposure surveys

The industrial hygiene program is coordinated by the industrial hygiene group within the Chemical and General Safety (CGS) Department in the Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) Division. Industrial hygiene surveys and monitoring may be performed by a designated technician, but the process is always overseen by a Chemical and General Safety Department industrial hygienist. The industrial hygiene group is also available to evaluate and assist in the design of ventilation systems, work practices, hazard analysis (JHAM and AHA), and PPE selection and usage.

Hazard Recognition

The industrial hygiene program addresses chemical, physical, and biological hazards. The program consists of identifying and properly evaluating hazards, then providing recommendations to reduce the potential for exposure and improve health in the workplace. (See Industrial Hygiene: Hazard Recognition Guidelines [pdf].)

Surveying and Monitoring

Industrial hygiene staff use approved exposure assessment strategies to characterize and monitor workers' potential exposures to chemical and physical hazards.

Industrial hygiene staff must perform baseline industrial hygiene surveys and periodic resurveys of work areas and operations as needed to identify and evaluate potential worker health risks. Surveys often include some type of industrial hygiene monitoring, such as air or wipe sampling, to measure the amount or concentration of the hazards.

Industrial hygiene staff will conduct risk-based qualitative reassessments of existing operations at SLAC on a biannual basis, so that each work area will be re-evaluated at least once every two years.

Industrial hygiene monitoring takes place as a result of:

1. Individuals or managers submitting a request
2. Chemical acquisition or design review processes
3. Regulatory requirements, SLAC policy, or agreements with the DOE

To obtain an industrial hygiene survey, see Industrial Hygiene: Exposure Assessment Strategy, Surveying, and Monitoring Guidelines [pdf].

Exposure Limits

SLAC's goal is to minimize exposures to harmful chemical and physical agents. Accordingly, the lower (that is, more protective) occupational exposure limit (OEL) between the ACGIH TLVs or the OSHA PELs in 29 CFR 1910 will be used (see Section 5, "Definitions"). When the ACGIH TLVs are used as exposure limits, SLAC nonetheless will comply with the other provisions of any applicable expanded health standard found in 29 CFR 1910.

The goal of SLAC's exposure assessment strategy is to protect workers by controlling potential exposures to less than 10 percent of the OEL.

Methods

Industrial hygiene staff conduct sampling using the Assay Technologies Industrial Hygiene Sampling Guide as a primary resource. Assay, the primary industrial hygiene analytical laboratory for SLAC, analyzes samples in accordance with protocols established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and is accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

When a sampling method is not available from Assay, industrial hygiene staff may refer to the OSHA Technical Manual or NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods.

Results

Reports

After conducting an industrial hygiene sampling event, the industrial hygiene staff writes a detailed report that

• Describes the tasks and locations where monitoring occurred
• Identifies workers monitored or represented by the monitoring
• Identifies sampling methods and durations
• Describes control measures in place during monitoring (including the use of personal protective equipment)
• Notes any factors that may have affected sampling results
• Provides an interpretation of the results

Photographs depicting the job setup and procedural steps at the time of the sampling may be included in the report, along with any recommendations to reduce potential or actual exposures in the future.

The industrial hygiene staff e-mails the report to the supervisor of the area. The supervisor is responsible for distributing the report to affected personnel.

Notification of Personal Monitoring

If an individual was the subject of personal monitoring, the industrial hygiene staff also develops a notification of personal monitoring document and sends it to the affected person and supervisor along with the report within two weeks of the receipt of sample analysis (or sooner if required for the specific chemical program). The notification of personal monitoring and industrial hygiene report can be sent electronically or hard copy.

Equipment

Service and Calibration

Industrial hygiene monitoring equipment will be maintained, serviced, and calibrated according to manufacturer's recommendations. Equipment will be sent out for factory service and calibration at a frequency established by the manufacturer. A subset of equipment is also calibrated on site by the industrial hygienist or technician before and after each use (such as air sampling pumps).

The unit will be marked with a sticker or label indicating the most recent calibration date, and when calibration is due again. Before- and after-use calibrations by the industrial hygiene staff need not be marked on the unit. Equipment will also be marked with SLAC property control tags.

Equipment that is broken, inaccurate, or past-due for calibration will be tagged out of service until repaired or recalibrated. The tag will provide the date, the person's name, reason the unit was taken out of service, and the planned disposition of the unit.

Storage

Industrial hygiene equipment is properly stored away from light, dust, and other contaminants. At the discretion of the industrial hygiene program manager, certain units (such as gas detectors or in four-in-one meters) may be loaned to non- industrial hygiene personnel upon request for short-term jobs (such as confined space entry). Should a particular group or individual need a piece of equipment frequently or for long duration (as is needed for confined space entries, for example), the industrial hygiene program manager may ask them to purchase their own equipment.

Hazard Control Ventilation

Hazard control ventilation systems are commonly relied on as a primary engineering control in industrial operations, maintenance activities, and laboratory operations. Local exhaust ventilation hoods and points for operations must be used to ensure sufficient reduction of airborne concentrations of contaminants that could pose a risk to personnel. Local exhaust points include chemical fume hoods, extractor arms, glove boxes, biological safety cabinets, and other exhausted equipment enclosures that perform a safety or health function.

When hazard control ventilation systems are planned for installation, the industrial hygiene program manager must be consulted to ensure proper selection and installation. Ventilation performance criteria will be defined by the industrial hygiene program manager based on nationally recognized standards of performance. (See Industrial Hygiene: Hazard Control Ventilation Requirements [pdf].)

Each hazard control ventilation system must have a designated custodian, the names of which are maintained in an industrial hygiene program database by the program manager.

Industrial hygiene staff conducts annual evaluations of chemical processes where hazard control ventilation systems are present.

Specific Hazards

Beryllium

Beryllium, an element classified as a suspected human lung carcinogen, is used and machined in selected areas at SLAC. During some working processes, small particles and chips of insoluble beryllium-containing material will break off and spread through the air in the work area unless ventilation and other controls are used. The SLAC Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program [pdf], which is incorporated into this chapter as an exhibit, specifies allowable uses and controls to prevent exposure to beryllium.

Other

Hazards associated with lead, asbestos, and noise are addressed separately in related ES&H chapters (See Section 7, "References").

Personnel

Qualifications for Surveying and Monitoring

Industrial hygiene surveys and monitoring may be performed by a designated technician, but the process is always overseen by a Chemical and General Safety Department industrial hygienist.

Medical Surveillance

The SLAC Medical Department performs all required medical surveillance in accordance with Chapter 3, "Medical").

Industrial hygiene staff may recommend medical surveillance for certain personnel when an industrial hygiene evaluation indicates a potential exposure to contaminants. This recommendation is provided in writing to personnel and their supervisors, usually within the contents of an industrial hygiene report or notification of personal monitoring memo.

Recordkeeping

Monitoring Reports and Notifications

Paper copies of industrial hygiene reports and notifications of personal monitoring are kept on file in the CGS Department and are indexed for easy retrieval.

Equipment Calibration Logs and Records

Industrial hygiene staff maintain an equipment calibration inventory. This identifies all industrial hygiene program-owned industrial hygiene equipment, the date of most recent calibration, and the next calibration due date.

Hazard Control Ventilation

The results of hazard control ventilation system calibrations, tests, and certifications are recorded in a database maintained by the industrial hygiene program manager. Additionally, ventilated laboratory hoods must have stickers on them that indicate when the last check was performed. (Hazardous Materials: Fume Hood Survey Sticker [pdf] | [doc]) (See Industrial Hygiene: Hazard Control Ventilation Requirements [pdf].)

continue to Requirements, Roles & Responsibilities (5.1.7)