Workplace Dust and Gas Exposure Measurement: Personal Samplers
Measurement of dust, gas and vapor exposure in the worker's breathing zone: personal air sampling pumps, personal dust monitors and portable IR gas analyzers.
Measurement methods: IR / FTIR Spectroscopy, Optical Scattering (Laser Photometer)
What is workplace exposure and why is it measured?
Workplace exposure is the measurement of dust, gas and vapor concentrations in the worker's breathing zone. Workers in sectors such as metalworking, welding, painting, chemicals, mining and construction can be exposed to different pollutants. Occupational health and safety legislation requires employers to assess risk factors in the working environment and document them with measurements, so measurement methods are chosen on a per-worker basis and to cover the length of the shift.
Where is workplace exposure measured?
- Production lines and workshops: On the worker, in the breathing zone.
- Confined spaces and maintenance work: Gas and vapor checks before and during entry.
- Emission measurement sites: Gas and vapor collection with impingers and adsorbents during flue gas sampling.
Methods for measuring workplace exposure
- Personal sampling pumps: A pump carried on the worker draws air from the breathing zone at a set flow; the sample on a filter or adsorbent tube is analyzed in the laboratory. Low flow ranges suit gas and vapor sampling, higher flows suit dust sampling.
- Optical scattering (personal dust monitor): Gives dust concentration instantly through light scattering and logs it; shows changes throughout the shift.
- Portable infrared analyzers: Measure many gases and vapors directly on site by infrared absorption; used in leak detection, confined space entry and industrial hygiene applications.
Choosing a personal sampler
- Type of pollutant to be measured: dust, gas or vapor
- ATEX approval for use in hazardous environments
- Sampling time, flow range and data logging
- Sample analysis method and laboratory process
Exposure measurement with Tetra
Tetra supplies Mega System Life series personal air sampling pumps, the Life XP Duo emission sampler, the Thermo Scientific pDR-1500 personal dust monitor and the MIRAN SapphIRe portable gas analyzer in Türkiye. It provides calibration and service support for these instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What unit is workplace dust exposure assessed in?
Dust exposure is expressed in milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m³), and gases and vapors in ppm or mg/m³. Results are generally compared with the limit values in legislation on the basis of 8-hour time-weighted averages and short-term exposure values.
What is the difference between respirable and inhalable dust, and how are they sampled?
The inhalable fraction covers all particles that can be breathed in through the nose and mouth, while the respirable fraction covers fine particles that can reach the gas exchange region of the lung. Respirable dust is generally collected with a cyclone head and inhalable dust with sampling heads designed for that fraction. For the head to separate correctly, the pump must run at the flow defined for that head.
When is a personal air sampling pump calibrated?
Pump flow is checked before and after each sampling, with the sample head fitted, using a calibrated flow meter. The difference between the flow before and after is used to calculate the sample volume and assess the validity of the measurement. The flow meter itself should be calibrated periodically against a traceable reference.
Can a personal dust monitor replace gravimetric measurement?
Optical personal dust monitors are useful for showing instantaneous changes and peak exposures, but the result can deviate depending on particle type. Assessment of legal compliance is generally based on gravimetric or chemical analysis of a sample collected on a filter. On some instruments, a filter can be collected at the same time as the optical measurement to determine a site-specific correction factor.
Products measuring this parameter
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