661 HAZWOPER for General Site Workers II

Exposure Monitoring

Airborne contaminants can present a significant threat to employee safety and health, thus it's important to make air monitoring an important component of an effective safety and health program. The employer must conduct monitoring during the initial site entry at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites to identify:

• conditions that are IDLH,
• exposures over PELs or other published exposure levels,
• exposures over a radioactive material's dose limits, or
• other dangerous conditions, such as the presence of flammable atmospheres or oxygen-deficient atmospheres.

Accurate information on the identification and quantification of airborne contaminants is useful for the following:

• indicating work areas and identifying tasks and operations where exposure controls are needed,
• selecting PPE,
• assessing the potential health effects of exposure, and
• determining the need for specific medical monitoring.

AFTER a hazardous waste cleanup operation begins, the employer must periodically monitor those employees who are likely to have higher exposures to determine if they have been exposed to hazardous substances in excess of permissible exposure limits.

The employer also must monitor for any potential condition that is IDLH or for exposures over PELs or other published exposure levels since prior monitoring. Situations in which monitoring is required include the following:

• work begins on a different portion of the site,
• new contaminants are being handled,
• different type of operation is initiated, and
• handling leaking drums or working in areas with obvious liquid contamination.

The employer should establish a monitoring policy that applies to conditions at the site. Briefly describe what you are monitoring for, the monitoring equipment you will use, and how often you will monitor. The policy must also specify the concentrations of airborne contaminants at which you will reevaluate the effectiveness of the site's engineering controls, safe work practices, and PPE.

When and How to Monitor

At initial entry and when an employee suspects a hazardous condition or hazardous atmosphere, monitor the air to identify any condition immediately dangerous to life and health (ILDH) and hazardous exposure levels.

After the cleanup phase of a hazardous waste operation begins, use personal sampling to monitor employees likely to have the highest exposures to hazardous substances.

Informing Employees and Contractors

Your written program must ensure employees and contractors know about the chemical, physical, and toxicologic properties of the hazardous substances to which they may be exposed before they begin work at the site.

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