In general, the term pollutants refers to substances that have a harmful effect on health and/or the environment.
The pollutants can be solids, gases/fumes or liquids and are usually present as mixtures of substances.
The hazard potential depends on the type of substance and the duration and frequency of exposure.
Health hazards due to pollutants
It is not possible to make a general statement about the dangers of pollutants, as the hazard potential is very substance-specific.
Some substances, such as asbestos, are carcinogenic and therefore very harmful to health. Other substances are only harmful after prolonged and/or frequent exposure.
To give a rough overview, some pollutants are listed here as examples.
- Fibers, e.g. asbestos
- Dust fractions such as A-dust or E-dust
- Liquids
Dusts are tiny solid particles that are present in the ambient air due to turbulence. This allows them to enter the respiratory tract. Depending on their size, they are able to penetrate into the alveoli (air sacs in the lungs) and there cause serious damage. This is why this type of dust is also known as A-dust. With our measuring device SG10-2A, for example, A-dust can be measured and controlled precisely.
Fibers are solid particles with a specific shape and diameter, such as asbestos, and can enter the lungs through the airways. This causes irritation and inflammation of the lung tissue, which can lead to permanent damage.
Liquids are substances that exist in a liquid state, depending on temperature and pressure. They are often solvents, such as acetone, which can cause irritation on contact with the skin as it dissolves the natural skin oil on the surface and destroys the body’s own skin protection. Compounds such as acids or alkalis cause chemical burns to the skin, which can also seriously damage the deeper layers of the skin.
Occurrence of pollutants
Pollutants are almost omnipresent. Contact with pollutants that can occur at the workplace is particularly regulated.
If pollutants are introduced or released here, employees must be protected. Various (legal) regulations serve this purpose. For example, the safety measures to be taken must be documented in the risk assessment and compliance must be checked regularly.
Furthermore, so-called occupational limit values. This is the maximum concentration of a substance to which an employee may be exposed. This is calculated on the basis of an 8-hour day with a 5-day week. These values can be measured and checked with our measuring devices (for A-dust the measuring device SG10-2A).
Pollutants detected – how high is the hazard potential?
If pollutants have been detected, the question remains as to what to do. First of all, it depends on the concentration, as this is an indicator of the hazard potential.
The STOP principle always applies:
- Substitution (replacement)
- Technical measures (safety equipment)
- Organizational measures (spatial/temporal separation)
- Personal measures (individual protection, e.g. through additional protective equipment)
Storage of pollutants
If hazardous substances are produced as end products or intermediate products, they must be stored somewhere.
Organic solvents are stored in plastic containers in special cabinets with ventilation.
Acids must not be stored in metal containers .
It must be possible to fill solids with as little dust as possible (e.g. using an extraction system).
If disposal is necessary, the regulations of the waste disposal company apply.
Some substances are considered hazardous waste, such as asbestos, and must be disposed of as hazardous materials under strict protective conditions.
Sources:
[1]: http://www.luftreiniger-abc.de/ratgeber/schadstoffe-in-der-raumluft/
[2]: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/wasser/gewaesser/meere/nutzung-belastungen/schadstoffe
[3]: https://www.awbkoeln.de/schadstoffe/
[4]: http://www.raumluft.org/fileadmin/dokumente/raumluft.org_-_Info_Luftqualitaet_V_2.1.pdf
[5]: https://www.experto.de/businesstipps/wie-sie-schadstoffe-am-arbeitsplatz-wirkungsvoll-entfernen.html
[6]: https://www.luftanalyse-zentrum.de/schadstoffbelastung-raeume/schadstoffe-renovierte-raeume
[7]: http://www.luftreiniger-abc.de/ratgeber/schadstoffe-in-der-raumluft/
[8]: https://praevention-aktuell.de/das-stop-prinzip/