Chemical Exposure and Ambient Gas Measurements
The purpose of the Regulation on Health and Safety Precautions in Working with Chemicals is to provide the minimum conditions necessary to protect the health of employees from the current or potential risks posed by chemical substances found, used or otherwise processed in the workplace, and in this way to create a safer working environment.Depending on the field of activity, some chemicals may come into contact with the air, the tools and equipment used, food or human skin in the working environment. This situation can create negative effects both in terms of human health and natural conditions suitable for a healthy life. Such factors are called chemical exposure.
Chemical exposure measurements are made in accordance with the above-mentioned legal regulation. Employers must prevent the exposure of workers to chemical substances. Or, it has to take the necessary measures to minimize this excuse and protect the employees from the dangers of these substances. According to the law, the occupational exposure limit value is the upper limit of the time-weighted average of the concentration of the chemical substance in the air that workers breathe in an eight-hour period, unless otherwise specified.
Ambient gas measurements are made to prevent hazards encountered in mines, tunnels, sewers, wells and similar limited or closed area works. In these areas, there are dangers related to the cleanliness and quality of the breathing air, as well as the tools used and the situations encountered. In case of insufficient or no ventilation systems, the properties of the breathed air fall below the vital limit. This is also a health hazard.
In ambient gas measurements, the amount of oxygen in the working environment is measured in the first step. Then, flammable gases and vapors in the working environment are detected. In the last stage, toxic gases in the working environment are measured. It is important that the measurements are made using appropriate measurement and observation tools, and that tools and methods that comply with the standards are used when taking samples and during analysis.
According to the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety law enacted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, working environments must be free from all kinds of dangers and harmful effects. This is equally important in terms of ambient gases as well as chemical exposure. In this respect, employers have to create a safe working environment, and for this, they have to make measurements for physical, chemical and biological factors in the working environment.
