Occupational Hygiene | Safety Systems

Clandestine Drug Lab

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:22:14 +0000

Safety Systems Bendigo offer sampling to assess the presents of Methamphetamine residue on surfaces. We assist you in protecting the health and well-being of your employees, occupants and contractors, by verifying the quality and health standards of your workplace or property.

The most common Clandestine Lab Drug produced is Methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine is odourless but can be hazardous until residues are cleaned from surfaces or furnishings discarded. The remediation action level for methamphetamine on an indoor surface is 0.5µg/100cm² according to Australian Clandestine Drug Laboratory Remediation Guidelines 2011.

Assessment Includes

Preliminary assessment to identify risk of exposure
Qualitive and quantitative testing for methamphetamine
Visual inspection
Remediation Recommendations
Clearance testing for re-habitation
Analytical techniques performed by a NATA accredited Laboratory
Written record of results and recommendations

Health Risks of Methamphetamine Exposure

Headaches/Nausea
Fatigue
Difficult breathing/Chest pain
Loss of Coordination
Skin Irritation
Sleep interruption
Depression / Trouble concentrating
Cancer/Liver, Brain and kidney damage
Miscarriage and birth defects

If you have received a Prohibition notice under Section 194 of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 or suspect the production or use of methamphetamine, it is of the greatest importance that you contact the authorities and seek an expert evaluation.

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Respirator Fit Testing

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:21:45 +0000

To be effective, a respirator must adequately seal, to filter for safe air. Failure to do so may expose your workers to contaminants that are found in the air.

We can provide respirator fit-testing in accordance with the Victorian Respiratory Protection Program guidelines. Specifically, quantitative fit-testing with the use of the AccuFIT9000 PRO, (equivalent to the Portacount Plus machine) which is suitable for All respirator types, including N95, N99, P100, FFP1, FFP2, FFP3, Full and Half Face Elastomerics.

Our fit-testing methodology is in accordance with part 5.3 of the Victorian Respiratory Protection Program guidelines, including the minimum of 3 filtering facepiece respirators. This guide refers to AS/NZS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment which in turn refers to ISO 16975 – 3 Respiratory protective devices – Selection, use and maintenance – Part 3 Fit-testing procedures, for the specific quantitative fit-testing procedures.

As described in part 5.3 of the Victorian Respiratory Protection Program guidelines “organisations may wish to partner locally to ensure a fit testing service is continually available where it is impractical to maintain their own services”.

Legislation that applies to Respiratory Protection

There are general requirements pursuant to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and specific requirements in known published technical documents such as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Victorian Respiratory Protection Program guidelines September 2020. These include:

Section 21 (1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires that the employer provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.
Section 21 (2) (c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires that the employer maintain the workplace in a condition that is safe and without risks to health.
Section 22 (1) (b) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires that the employer to monitor conditions at the workplace.
Section 22 (2) (b) of the Occupational Health and Safety requires that the employer to engage suitably qualified persons to provide advice concerning the health and safety of employees.
Part 5.1 of the Victorian Respiratory Protection Program guidelines requires health care workers who are required to wear respiratory protection, to be provided with fit testing:
- prior to first use
- when a new brand/model is made available for use
- when there is significant change in the wearer’s facial features
- annually

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Indoor Air Quality

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:20:42 +0000

Indoor air quality describes how inside air can affect a person’s health, comfort, and ability to work. It can include temperature, humidity, lack of outside air (poor ventilation), mold from water damage, or exposure to other chemicals. Concerns from employees regarding the indoor air quality should be investigated by the employer with reasonable action taken to implement recommendations.

The qualities of good IAQ should include comfortable temperature and humidity, adequate supply of fresh outdoor air, and control of pollutants from inside and outside of the building. This means that any intrusions of water, pests, and other sources of indoor contaminants are prevented or mitigated and controlled. Good indoor air quality can also be created and maintained by thoughtful selection of materials used for cleaning, maintenance, remodels, and any other indoor processes or uses. Building design plays an important role in achieving good indoor air quality. All interior spaces should be well ventilated, thermally controlled, and have proper room and storage for goods and materials. Good housekeeping practices for indoor spaces and preventive maintenance of building systems, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems also help to maintain good indoor air quality.

Our Indoor Air Quality Assessments include the measurement of factors including temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) & volatile organic compounds (VOC’S).

Safe Work Australia’s Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne contaminants 2013 lists exposure standards for specific contaminants and not necessarily indoor air quality issues in general. There are no specific standards referenced by legislation however, the Australian Building Codes Board has recently published the Indoor Air Quality Handbook 2018.

The National Health and Medical Research Council defines indoor air as the air within a building occupied for a period of at least one hour by people of varying states of health.

According to the World Health Organisation, Sick Building Syndrome refers to a range of non-specific symptoms which can affect a significant number of building occupants. Itchy eyes, tiredness or headaches are typical of such complaints. Such symptoms have no clear causes and abate when a person is no longer inside the building. Building Related Illnesses are those which have specific or diagnosable causes. Allergic reactions and infections such as legionnaires’ disease are examples.

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Lead Assessments

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:20:22 +0000

Lead is neurotoxic substance which can be found in old paint products, plumbing and water faucets. Lead exposure generally occurs through inhalation, ingestion or absorption and negatively impacts various bodily processes.

There is general and specific legislation for a lead process in workplaces, including by inhalation, ingestion and absorption. The general duties and regulations that require employers to, so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain a safe and healthy work environment. In addition to general duties, specific duties include:

Section 22 (1) (b) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 requires that the employer to monitor conditions at the workplace, in particular regulatory requirements for health monitoring for lead risk work.
Regulation 165 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 requires that the employer ensure that the exposure standard is not exceeded.
Regulation 166 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 requires that the employer carry out atmospheric monitoring if there is uncertainty as to whether the exposure standard may be exceeded and when it is necessary to determine whether there is a risk.
Regulation 186 (1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 requires that the employer ensure that an employee is not exposed to an airborne concentration of lead dust, lead mist or lead fumes in the employee’s breathing zone at a workplace that exceeds 0·15 mg/m3 measured as a TWA.
Regulation 186 (2) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 requires that the employer must monitor the airborne concentration of lead dust, lead mist or lead fumes at the employer’s workplace if there is uncertainty as to whether the lead exposure standard is or may be exceeded
Regulation 198 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 requires that the employer must arrange for biological monitoring of all employees engaged in lead-risk work at 6 months and at more regular intervals if elevated blood leads are recorded.

Exposure standards represents the airborne concentration of a substance or mixture that must not be exceeded. The exposure standard can be of three forms:

8-hour Time-weighted average (TWA) means the average airborne concentration of a particular substance when calculated over an eight-hour working day, for a five-day working week.
Peak limitation (PEAK) means a maximum or peak airborne concentration of a particular substance determined over the shortest analytically practicable period of time which does not exceed 15 minutes.
Short term exposure limit (STEL) means the airborne concentration of a particular substance calculated as a time-weighted average over 15 minutes.

The exposure standard for atmospheric contaminants in the occupational environment for has an 8-hr TWA exposure standard of 0.15mg/m³ for lead, inorganic dust and fume (Pb). No STEL is indicated.

The Victorian health and safety regulations require that for identification of lead risk jobs, the employer must take into consideration whether the airborne lead level is greater than half the exposure standard.

The National Exposure standards are guides to be used in the control of occupational health hazards. They should not be used as fine dividing lines between safe and dangerous concentrations of chemicals. They are not a measure of relative toxicity and should not be applied in the control of community air pollution. Interpretation of the exposure standards should be undertaken by an appropriately qualified and experienced person.

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Diesel Fume

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:19:34 +0000

Diesel exhaust comes from engines burning diesel fuel. It is a complex mixture of gases, vapours, liquid aerosols and particulate substances. These substances are the products of combustion. The main chemical components of diesel exhaust emissions are:

Gases and vapours – these are mostly the gases found in air like nitrogen, oxygen, water vapour and carbon dioxide. There are also hazardous chemicals like nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Fine particles known as diesel particulate matter (DPM) including fine carbon particles – hazardous chemicals known as poly aromatic hydrocarbons adhere to the surface of carbon particles.

DPM can act like a gas and stay airborne for long periods of time. DPM can penetrate deep into the lungs because of its small size.

Safe Work Australia currently has no exposure standards for the components of diesel exhaust on its Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS). Both the Australian mining industry and the AIOH support the use of an exposure standard of 0.10mg/m3, measured as submicron elemental carbon EC.

Diesel Fume Assessments

Our diesel fume assessments assist employers to comply with the general provisions of the Workplace Health and Safety Act, which can be obtained using known published technical standards.

Code of Practice for Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Safe Work
Australia 2012
National Exposure Standard for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment
[NOHSC: 1003(1995)]
Guidance on the Interpretation of Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants.
Safe Work Australia 2013
Diesel Particulate Matter & Occupational Health Issues Position Paper AIOH 2013

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Noise Surveys

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:19:08 +0000

The regulations requires a determination of employees’ exposure to noise to ensure employees are not overexposed. The Exposure Standards are currently 85dB(A) Leq averaged over an 8-hour period or a peak noise level of 140dB(C).

Noise Risk Assessment

We can carry out a noise risk assessment in accordance with the requirements of the regulations as follows:

Identify risks to employees from exposure to noise.
Assess employees’ exposure to noise with a Type 1 sound level meter, in accordance with Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard 1269.1:2005 (Occupational noise management) Measurement and assessment of noise immission and exposure.
Recommend appropriate noise control options pursuant to Regulation 3.2.4 with a hierarchy of control approach, i.e. elimination, reduction (with substitution or engineering options), administration, then hearing protection.

Written Report

We can then provide a written report which includes:

The risk assessment scope, methodology, and a summary of the relevant regulations and standards
Tabulated results of measured noise levels, including time-history graphs from personal dosimetry
A risk assessment of measured noise levels
Recommendations, using the hierarchy of control approach, for risk control measures
Examples of hierarchy of control measures for consideration
A Written Record of Risk Control Measures (excluding timelines and responsibilities)

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Dust & Silica

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:16:49 +0000

Dust & Silica Monitoring

Dust & Silica Monitoring should be conducted in workplaces which are at risk of exposure. High-risk workplaces include:

Mining, Quarrying
Sand blasting & Abrasive blasting
Construction, Demolition & Road work
Stone cutting
Manufacturing (Glass, Paint, Concrete, ceramics and brick)
Agricultural earthworks
Joineries using engineered stone top benches

There are two forms of silicon dioxide, non-crystalline and crystalline. Non-crystalline silica is not associated with the same type of lung damage as Crystalline Crystalline silica can cause silicosis and is considered a toxic respirable dust hazard.

Exposure to Respirable Silica Dust

Exposure to respirable silica dust can lead to chronic respiratory issues and other severe medical conditions. These include:

Silicosis
Bronchogenic Carcinoma
COPD (Asthma, Bronchitis, Emphysema)
Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Industrial Bronchitis
Auto-Immune Diseases
Renal Disease

The workplace exposure standard for Silica is currently 0.1 mg/m3. However, Worksafe Victoria have stated that “this standard is being reviewed, and until the review is complete, we recommend that employees are not exposed to levels above 0.02 mg/m3.

Safety Systems can provide an assessment for Silica & Dust at your workplace to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation. We offer Gravimetric personal and Static (fixed location) air sampling to assess workers exposure to Respirable Silica Dust.

Our Dust Monitoring is conducted in accordance with:

AS 2985-2009 Workplace atmospheres – Method for sampling and gravimetric determination of respirable dust;
AS 3640-2009 Workplace atmospheres – Method for sampling and gravimetric determination of inhalable dust;
Adopted National Exposure Standards For Atmospheric Contaminants In The Occupational Environment NOHSC: 1003 (1995);
Safe Work Australia Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment, Guidance Note NOHSC: 3008(1995], National Exposure Standards NOHSC: 1003(1995) May 1995; and
Safe Work Australia, Guidance on the Interpretation of Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants, 2012.

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Mould & Bacteria

2easydev — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:16:20 +0000

Safety Systems Bendigo are approved for Mycometer®-Surface and Air sampling, and the laboratory analysis. This includes the evaluation of air, surface and bulk materials (quantification of fungal biomass inside porous materials such as insulation materials, mortar and concrete, ventilation filters and much more). We assist you in protecting the health and well-being of your employees, occupants and contractors, by verifying the air quality and health standards of your buildings. We offer a range of solutions, including detailed assessments for:

Airborne Mould
Surface Mould
Bulk Sample Mould
Surface Bacteria

Mycometer®-system measures the fungal biomass. Including spores, hyphae, hyphal fragments, microparticles and non-viable cells (<1μm) which contains the enzyme activity. The method utilises objective analysis with high reproducibility (less than 10% relative standard deviation verified by USEPA).

The Mycometer® System methodology quantifies fungal particles by measuring the level of the enzyme, β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA), which is unique and common to mould. This method utilises objective analysis with high reproducibility (less than 10% relative standard deviation verified by USEPA).

Applications for…

Initial diagnostic assessment
Rapid remediation clearance testing
Healthy Building Assessments
Contamination/remediation assessment
Pre/Post HVAC cleaning documentation
Expedite disaster response damage assessment
Healthcare Infection Control Risk Assessment
Routine maintenance cleaning confirmation
Bulk samples/porous materials

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