Air quality in working environment and inside air

FAQ - air quality in working environments

• When should you measure substances in the working environment?

  You must make measurements if you want to know how exposed the employees are to chemical substances in certain work situations, or if there is doubt about compliance with limit values for a given substance.

  Measurements can also be made if there are changes in working conditions or work processes that can change the exposure to chemical substances.

• What is the best way to measure gases and particles in the work environment?

  Person-based measurement is preferable when assessing the exposure risk of a specific work process. A small, belt-mounted pump collects the substances. Subsequently, the sample is analyzed and the measured concentration can now be calculated. You can compare with the result from a stationary measurement to include worst case exposures in the assessment.

  With continuous measurement, you can follow the concentrations around a process both over time and place, however, they are difficult to use for personal measurements.

• How many work environment measurements must be made to assess whether the air quality in the work environment is OK?

  This depends entirely on whether these are orientation measurements or documentation measurements.

  Orientation measurements

  Orientation measurements are carried out by the company on its own initiative to clarify whether there is reason to take improvement measures such as increased ventilation, structural changes, or reorganize the work. There are no formal requirements for the number of measurements.

  Always take measurements under "realistic worst case conditions" to avoid doubt scenarios. Typically, you must perform at least one “realistic worst case” measurement for each relevant process type. If many people work in the same room, we recommend performing a reference measurement in the room, at a good distance from the process in question, to assess the general exposure in the room.

  Orientation measurements can be performed either as person-borne measurements or as stationary measurements.

  Documentation measurements

  Documentation measurements are performed as documentation to the Danish Working Environment Authority and must be performed in accordance with the standard DS / EN 689: 2018 + AC: 2019. The number of measurements depends on how close the measured concentration level is to the current limit value. Plan documentation measurements carefully so that you avoid having to perform additional measurements. Person-borne measurements should be included as far as possible in documentation measurements.

• How long does a work environment measurement take?

  This depends on the lowest analytical detection limit of the measured compound. Normally, the required sample can be collected in less than three hours. For hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)), the minimum sampling time is about 105 minutes.

• What if there is no limit value for the substance you are working with?

  Not all chemical substances are subject to limit values. However, you can still make an assessment of whether the measured concentration poses a risk to health. You do this by making a hazard assessment of the individual substance and holding it up against the measured concentration.

  Regardless of whether there is a limit value for a substance or not, the work must be planned, organized and carried out so that it is fully justifiable in terms of safety and health (according to the Danish Working Environment Authority's requirements for work with substances and materials). Fx. you need to avoid unnecessary exposure to substances and reduce it as much as is technically reasonable.

• When should work environment measurements be performed accredited?

  Documentation measurements must be performed accredited when the measurement is required in an injunction from the Danish Working Environment Authority. The measurement must be performed according to the standard DS / EN 689: 2018 + AC: 2019. The number of measurements depends on how close the measured concentration level is to the current limit value.

  Therefore, it is important to plan documentation measurements carefully so that you avoid having to perform additional measurements. Person-borne measurements should be included as far as possible in documentation measurements.

• What is the difference between occupational health and safety measurements and occupational hygiene measurements?

  Occupational hygiene measurements include both biological measurements and air pollution measurements.

  Working environment measurements are normally used only as a designation for air pollution measurements.