Use of pollutants measuring devices for risk assessment
If a risk assessment is available and a potential danger to the employee can be identified, the employer is obliged to take suitable protective measures. To do this, it is advisable to first measure the concentration of the respective substance at the workplace using a pollutants measuring device.
To find the right pollutants measuring device, you need to consider which substance is to be measured. For example, the measuring device SG10-2 can measure dust fractions using particle measurements and the measuring device SG5200 can measure gases.
If there is a suspicion of possible exposure to pollutants, a measurement should be carried out as soon as possible. For indoor areas, for example, the measuring device is suitable for measuring harmful substances PM4-2, as it can handle a high measurement volume.
You can find more information on occupational health and safety in our article Protective measures at the workplace.
What are pollutants?
The term pollutants refers to all substances or mixtures of substances that impair or damage health and/or nature. There are two categories: naturally occurring substances and synthetically produced substances. The harmful effect can be caused both by contact and by absorption (e.g. inhalation) through the mucous membranes.
As with toxic substances, the concentration and the environment in which the substance occurs are decisive for the harmful effect. It is also important how long you have been exposed to this substance.
Effects on health
The consequences for health depend on the substance in question and therefore cannot be generalized. Another factor is the concentration of the substance and the duration of exposure. There are different dangers depending on the type of substance. For example, asbestos has a carcinogenic effect and inhaling dust can lead to pneumoconiosis (pneumoconiosis).
A risk assessment is carried out at the beginning of the use of a substance. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (especially §5) and the Hazardous Substances Ordinance (§7) are consulted for this assessment. Both define the term pollutants and contain measures on how to set up occupational health and safety. Various Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS) apply in the course of this. Which TRGS is relevant in detail depends on the respective workplace and (hazardous) substance.
How often do the pollutants occur?
The amount of pollutants depends on the respective area of application. However, a rough overview can be given. In indoor spaces, such as offices, the most common pollutants are particulate matter, PCP (pentachlorophenol), PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) and molds. The extent to which these occur depends on the age and construction of the building.
Older buildings may also be contaminated with asbestos, for example due to outdated insulation material.
Sources:
[1]: http://www.chemie.de/lexikon/Schadstoff.html
[2]: https://www.bgrci.de/fileadmin/BGRCI/Downloads/DL_Praevention/Fachwissen/Gefahrstoffe/Analytik_Symposium_2009/Kleine_-_Homepage.pdf
[3]:https://www.baua.de/DE/Angebote/Rechtstexte-und-Technische-Regeln/Regelwerk/TRGS/pdf/TRGS-402.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4