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Assessment of health risks (Factors to be taken into account when…
Assessment of health risks
Routes of entry of chemical and biological substance into the body
Inhalation
Respiratory response to agents & protective mechanisms
Superficial defence (filtration)
Nose - hairs in nose
Respiratory tract - responses such as coughing, mucus in sinuses to trap particles
Ciliary escalator - small hair cells in lungs which trap particles and transport back to throat
Bronchioles change direction frequently with lung organ
Bronchioles become narrower further down the lung organ
Cellular mechanisms
Immune response from scavenging white blood cells (macrophages) to destroy invading particles (know as phagocytosis)
Ingestion
Gastrointestinal (ingestion) response to agents and protective mechanisms
Superficial defence
Mouth - saliva against substance not excessively acidic or alkaline
Tract - includes stomach where acid provides defence. Vomiting and diarrhoea are also defensive mechanisms
Absorption
Skin response to agents & protective mechanisms
Superficial defence (filtration)
Provides a physical barrier against absorption of many chemicals and biological agents
Outer part of skin (epidermis) made of dead skin which are constantly replaced
Skin blistering is another defence
Cellular mechanisms
Repair of damaged tissue where the skin barrier is broken (formation of scar tissue)
Blood clotting of skin to prevent excessive blood loss
Injection
Factors to be taken into account when assessing health risks
Form of the substance e.g liquid, gas, dust
Classification of the hazard e.g. carcinogenicity, skin corrosion, toxicity
How much of the substance is present and it's concentration
Route of entry
Acute or chronic effects
Body defence mechanisms
First signs of damage or ill-health
Vulnerability of the people involved
Sources of information
Product label
Guidance document (for e.g. EH40)
Manufacturer's safety data sheet
Content of a manufacturer's safety data sheet
Identification of the substance/mixture
Hazard identification
Composition & information on ingredients
First aid measures
Fire-fighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling & storage
Exposure controls and personal protection
Physical and chemical properties
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information
Disposal information
Transport information
Regulatory information
Limitation of information sources when assessing risks
Contain general statement of hazards; local workplace circumstances not taken into account
Represent current scientific thinking; there may be dangers that are not known
Recommendations may not protect all workers (due to individual susceptibility)
Information can be technical and therefore difficult to understand
Hazardous substance monitoring
Principles
Monitoring relates to airborne exposures (inhalation)
Aims to determine level of exposure and assess whether this is an acceptable risk
Can be used to determine compliance with legal limits
suggested
x parts per million
- if not not compliant, it's illegal
Used to evaluate effectiveness of control measures
x parts per million
will determine level of control measure i.e stronger or weaker solution will have higher or lower risk
Limitations
Monitored exposure may not represent individual worker exposure
Results may be inaccurate
Absence of a standard to measure against
Not enough information on certain substances
Not concerned with other routes of entry which may be the primary route
Monitoring equipment
Short-term samplers
- stain tube detectors (multi-gas/vapour), direct-reading dust sampler
Advantages of short-term samplers
Simple to use
Real time results
Disadvantages of short-term samplers
Tolerance can be high, 20-30% in cases
Some tubes will cross-react with other chemicals giving a false reading
Long-term samplers
- passive personal samplers, active personal samplers, static sampling
Advantages of long-term samplers
Monitor the workplace over a long period of time
Will accurately identify 8-hour time-weighted average
Disadvantages of long-term samplers
Will not identify a specific type of contaminant
Will not identify multiple exposure, i.e. more than one contaminant
Smoke tubes
Used to identify air flows in the workplace
Highlights extraction and ventilation arrangements