subject: The Air Monitoring Requirements as Laid Down by OSHA [print this page] The Air Monitoring Requirements as Laid Down by OSHA
Air monitoring requirements have been issued by OSHA for maintaining a safe and healthy environment for workers. The U.S Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has made all these arrangements with a view of protecting workers from different health and safety risks. Employers are responsible for keeping the air at the work site free from contaminants and pollutants as mandated by OSHA. Those who do not provide clean air and respiratory protection from polluted air have to face citations and penalties issued by OSHA.
The level of contamination of air has been defined by OSHA. The contamination is not allowed to exceed a set level. The OSHA web site has three tables that define the amounts of the various contaminants that are allowed over eight hour working days. These contamination levels are taught in detail by the different 40 hour Hazwoper courses. The employers are responsible for the sampling of the quality of air. Also, they are supposed to keep the air particle levels below the mentioned maximum amounts.
The work sites that contain contaminated air are the construction and the general industry. The employers at these work sites should keep a regular check on the contamination level. They should also document these levels and the contaminants. Proper documentation will help them prove that the work place is safe enough for the employees. For those employees that believe there is too much of air pollution at their work sites, monitoring the contamination level with the help of air samples can be of great help. They can even try and get photographs that will document air pollution. If the employer is not providing adequate equipments and protective gears or fails to supply protective gear like respirators, they can notify OSHA. A certain form has to be filled out if they want OSHA to come and rectify the trouble.
OSHA recommends the use of PVC filters when the sampling of air dust amounts is being done. The air flow rate has to be a maximum of 2 liters per minute. The maximum time limit for sampling the air is 8 hours. The inadequate air samples collected by employers should have records of the test results for a minimum of 30 years. This is one of the rules of OSHA. These air sample records should be made available for employees as when they are requested for, as mandated by OSHA. The 40 hour Hazwoper courses teach all about the air sampling.
