Getting the Most Out of Occupational Hygiene Surveys

In this blog, SOCOTEC’s occupational hygiene team leader, Rob Preston, offers guidance to help you plan and design a valuable survey in partnership with a qualified occupational hygienist.

Step 1 - Identify the Hazard(s)

• Attend site to document hazards, identify who has raised it and discuss with workforce, supervisors, site EHS, any other stakeholders (e.g. subcontractors, shared site tenants etc)
• Include details of perceived exposures and concerns, known/suspected sources, peak exposure times and events, which shifts were effected (including start and finish times), job roles affected, current controls in place, including any procedures/training
• At this stage, stakeholder may have useful suggestions for improved controls
• Where possible, review any relevant material safety data sheets (MSDS) and/or any previous surveys associated with this hazard for pertinent information
• Document/record details of initial discussion and information gathering.

Step 2 – Plan and Design in Cooperation with Occupational Hygienist

• Where further investigation is deemed necessary, a suitable site representative should share documents with the occupational hygienist who can assist in survey design and scope and propose an exposure monitoring regime deemed to be a good representation(s) of activity/hazard of concern. This may also involve pre-site meeting or calls
• Consult the relevant stakeholders regarding the proposed exposure monitoring survey and adjust scope if required after discussions
• Agree date(s) and times for exposure monitoring visits to be carried out. When you are all in agreement that hazards can be effectively assessed, schedule an appropriate site representative to be present during the occupational hygienist’s visits (someone who has been involved in the initial planning phases and is invested in the quality of the assessments)
• Individuals to be monitored can also be specified and informed at this stage
• One or two days prior to agreed visit date(s) – the occupational hygienist should confirm with the site contact that all measures are in place to facilitate survey as per scoping phase. OH to provide RAMS for visit.

Step 3 – Survey Day – On site

• On arrival at site, the occupational hygienist must complete relevant inductions, PTW and liaise with site representatives, relevant stakeholders and any individuals to be monitored
• During monitoring, the occupational hygienist should be provided access to suitably observe work process/work practices/current control effectiveness. They should be allowed to record details of any discussions with operatives which may be included in report
• Exclusions/deviations from planned scope to be recorded
• Prior to leaving site, the occupational hygienist will provide summary of any immediate risks, initial findings, and proposed controls. Any exclusions from the monitoring scope should also be communicated.

Step 4 – Review the Report

• Approx. 20 working days (this will vary per report), occupational hygienists should prepare and submit  report of monitoring survey to requested recipients. This will include observations of activities, comments from site operatives, results and assessment of exposure/controls. The report should also outline recommendations for further controls
• Recipient to review report and respond to the OH if any amendments are required.

However, this is not the end of the process.

Step 5 – Discuss, Identify and Implement ACTIONS

• Report recipient to discuss, propose and agree actions with all stakeholders at the site based on report findings, recommendations and feedback
• Implement your agreed actions designed to PREVENT or CONTROL exposures.

Once again, this is not the end of the process.

Step 6 – EVALUATE - Was this successful?

• At this stage, a lot of time, effort and potentially money has been invested into this process, but how can we demonstrate a positive outcome?
  
  EFFECTIVENESS REVIEWS – Discuss and Record :
• Has the risk been reduced to a residual level?
• Can we quantify a significant reduction in exposure and is further monitoring / sampling required to demonstrate this?
• Do all involved parties feel risk has been sufficiently reduced and the actions / controls deemed suitable?
• Can exposure be reduced further still and is further action required?

For a given hazard, unless it has been removed completely, it is likely that exposure to this hazard can be further reduced. The outcome of this process should directly inform the next stage.

Step 7 – Continual Improvement

• Continual improvement should be your aim. Regularly review/audit your actions and controls and audit stakeholder’s adoption of agreed actions or controls.

Questions for your reviews:

• Is there adequate enforcement of implemented actions?
• Are the maintenance of controls adequate and recorded?
• Has there been any changes to process/work practices, additional activities?
• Are new staff aware/trained at induction stage?
• Is staff refresher training/required?

Keep detailed records regarding this process (steps 1-7) and use this to inform and plan any further monitoring, evaluation of controls and continual improvement of exposure to health hazards in your workplace.