COSHH essentials case study: methylene chloride, isopropanol, and acetone exposures in a small printing plant.
Authors
Bowen-R; Harper-M; Brooks-J
Source
American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 13-16, 2006, Chicago, Illinois. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2006 May; :15
Abstract
The use of deterministic models is gaining in popularity to estimate occupational exposures to airborne chemicals in the workplace. The UK Health and Safety Executive developed a risk management tool that estimates toxicological hazards and includes a deterministic chemical exposure assessment model. This tool is called COSHH Essentials. This paper presents a case study evaluation of the COSHH Essentials deterministic exposure assessment model. Retrospective personal measurements of methylene chloride (dichloromethane; CAS 75-09-2) and prospective personal measurements of isopropanol (propan-2-ol; CAS 67-63-0) and acetone (propan-2-one; CAS 67-64-1) were compared with the COSHH Essentials predicted exposure ranges. The model's ability to adequately protect worker health and to adequately assign appropriate engineering controls was evaluated. The model adequately described employee exposures for methylene chloride and isopropanol but fell short in describing the acetone exposures. The estimated probability of an employee's average exposure exceeding the upper limit of the COSHH Essentials predicted range was less than 0.05 for the methylene chloride and isopropanol exposures, but the estimated probability of exceeding the upper limit was greater than 0.05 for the acetone exposures. For acetone, the model suggested the implementation of local exhaust ventilation, and for isopropanol the model suggested the implementation of containment, in both cases with the aim of further reducing exposures, even though exposures were well controlled below applicable standards by general dilution ventilation alone.
Keywords
Case-studies; Occupational-exposure; Occupational-health; Printing-industry; Models; Airborne-particles; Occupational-hazards; Workers; Worker-health; Engineering-controls; Employees; Employee-health; Employee-exposure; Ventilation; Ventilation-systems; Exposure-levels
CAS No.
75-09-2; 67-63-0; 67-64-1
Source Name
American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 13-16, 2006, Chicago, Illinois
