Occupational Monitoring

The lack of specificity of this biomarker and the complexity of analytical procedures for CS2 determination represent major limitations to the practical use of this metabolite to monitor occupational exposure. Moreover, only few data are available to confirm the validity of CS2 as a biomarker of DTC exposure. 

In light of their high lipophilic properties, many OC compounds and some of their metabolites are detectable in adipose tissue however, this method cannot be applied to monitor occupationally exposed subjects on a routine basis because of the invasive nature of the sampling procedures. Because intact OC compounds and their metabolites are commonly found in blood and urine of the general population, comparison with appropriate reference groups or with individual pre-exposure values is recommended when surveying occupationally exposed workers. 

Some OC pesticides can induce the hepatic microsomal enzyme system (Kay, 1970). Tests measuring functions related to these enzymes, such as f.i. D-glucaric acid and 6-b-hydroxicortisol excretion in urine, can be applied to monitor occupational OC exposure. 

This paper describes the luminoscope, a simple laboratory-constructed, portable luminescence detector designed specifically for monitoring occupational skin contamination. The instrument design is based upon a fiberoptics waveguide. The instrument is suitable for detecting trace amounts of various coal tars and has recently been field tested at a coal conversion facility. 

Vo-Dinh, T. Gammage, R. B. The Lightpipe Luminoscope for Monitoring Occupational Skin Contamination (to be published). 

It is plausible that analysis of urine samples may be used to monitor exposure to aromatic amines. In a model experiment, rats were treated with 2,4-diaminoanisole (2,4-DAA) and the urine analyzed for the amine and its most important metabolites (33). The results are shown in Table II. For the two doses used in this study, the major metabolite is 4-acetamido-2-aminoanisole, indicating that this compound may be used to monitor occupational exposure to 2,4-DAA. 

Generally Accepted Practices 383 Monitoring Occupational Exposure 384... 

The various microbial systems used to test blood and urine are useful measures of mutagenic exposure. Positive results cannot be interpreted in terms of health risk, but negative results can be reassuring. These tests are especially useful in monitoring occupational exposure, because such exposure is discovered promptly. Analysis of body fluids should be used in all situations in which positive results are interpreted as indexes of exposure. 

Exposure Registries. New York State has instituted a Heavy Metals Registry that monitors occupational exposure to heavy metals, including mercury. Cases are reported when mercury exposure is equal to or exceeds 50 g/L (ppb) in blood or 20 g/L (ppb) in urine. Between 1982 and 1986, 1,000 cases of mercury exposure were reported and linked to 47 companies. Most exposures (494 cases) occurred in workers in the alkali and chlorine industry, where mercury is used as a cathode because exposure occurs when the cells are opened the median blood mercury concentration was 76 g/L (ppb) (maximum concentration 916 g/L [ppb]). The second most frequent exposure category (213 cases) was the manufacture of industrial instruments, such as the manual assembly and fabrication of thermometers median blood mercury concentration was 145 g/L (ppb) and the maximum concentration was 889 g/L (ppb) (Baser and Marion 1990). 

Vincent R, Rieger B, Subra I, et al. 1996. Exposure assessment to glycol ethers by atmosphere and biological monitoring. Occup Hyg 2 79-90. 

Phillips DH, Hemminki K, Alhonen A, et al. 1988. Monitoring occupational exposure to carcinogens Detection by P-postlabelling of aromatic DNA adducts in white blood cells from iron foundry workers. Mutat Res 204 531-541. 

A. Astier, Chromatographic determination of volatile solvents and their metabolites in urine for monitoring occupational exposure, J. Chromatogr., 643, 389-398 (1993). 

Chana, B.S. and Smith, N.l. (1987). Urinary Arsenic Speciation by HPLC/Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for Monitoring Occupational Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic. Anal. Chim. Acta, 197,177. 

Yassi, A. (1998). Utilizing data systems to develop and monitor occupational health programs in a large Canadian hospital. Methods of Information and Medicine, 37, 125-129. 

For monitoring occupational exposures, the following biological exposure limits (BAT values) for Hg-B are recommended [102,103] ... 

Before the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, there was no centralized and systematic method for monitoring occupational safety and health problems. Statistics on job injuries and illnesses were... 

Methodologies used to monitor occupational safety and health performance... 

Chapter 12 explores organizational and technical measures in OSH, as well as clarifies the potential relationships among legislation, leadership, collaboration, prevention, improvements, monitoring, occupational healthcare, training and use of personal protective equipment. The respondents were OSH managers (n = 85) and workers OSH representatives (n = 120) from chemical companies. 

General applications of TD are many industrial emissions, air monitoring, occupational hygiene. 

Monitoring occupational radiation exposure is a fundamental aspect of radiation protection. This can be done by measuring radiation fields with a common handheld instrument such as a Geiger-Mueller Counter and, if exposure conditions are predictable and relatively low (i.e., less than 10% of the regulatory limit), expected exposures can be calculated and documented. Alternately, regular radiation field survey measurements can be performed, and personnel dosimeters are issued to workers. 

A critical part of noncompliance should be the generation of reports for organizational leadership that discuss occupational safety violations. An additional objective of monitoring occupational safety measures for noncompliance is to identify potential occupational safety violations before they dilute the effectiveness of the program or cause serious damage. 

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