Pharma Occupational Hygiene

The purpose of the survey was to collect representative exposure data to provide analytical information about exposures to airborne substances in the workplace and to assess the requirement for additional control measures. The occupational hygiene site survey was undertaken over the course of seven working days.

Personal sampling techniques were primarily employed for monitoring survey. Personal samples were taken by attaching the sampling device to the lapel of the worker and the pump /instrument to the waist using the belt clip. Where this was not possible, fixed point (static) sampling was used. Static samples were taken by placing the sampling device at breathing heights in the vicinity of workers. The duration of air sampling was chosen to reflect the arrangements of work processes, reference methods employed, access to workers and the nature and duration of individual tasks when potentially peak exposures occur. Consideration was also given to establishing representative exposures for long term (8-hour TWA) and short term 15-minute STEL) exposure periods. A total of 45 samples were collected during the survey period. Results from the survey were compared with occupational exposure limit values (OELVs) as prescribed in the Code of Practice for the Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations 2001 (S.I. No. 619 of 2001).