Office of Security, Safety and Risk Management
Chemical Hygiene Plan
Appendix B
A3. Exposures Assessment
In cases of emergency, exposure assessments are conducted after the victim has
been treated.
NOTE: It is not the purpose of an exposure
assessment to determine that a failure on the part of the victim, or others, to
follow proper procedures was the cause of an exposure. The purpose of an
exposure assessment is to determine that there was, or was not, an exposure
that might have caused harm to one or more employees and, if so, to identify
the hazardous chemical or chemicals involved. Other investigations might well
use results and conclusions from an exposure assessment, along with other
information, to derive recommendations that will prevent or mitigate any future
overexposures. However, exposure assessments determine facts, they do not make
recommendations.
1. Unless circumstances suggest other or additional steps, these actions
constitute an exposure assessment: a. Interview the
complainant and also the victim, if not the same person.
b. List the essential information about the circumstances of the complaint,
including:
- The chemical under
suspicion.
- Other chemicals used by the
victim.
- All chemicals being used by
others in the immediate area.
- Other chemicals stored in
that area.
- Symptoms exhibited or
claimed by the victim.
- How these symptoms compare
to symptoms stated in the materials safety data sheets for each of the
identified chemicals.
- Were control measures, such
as personal protective equipment and hoods, used properly?
- Were any air sampling or
monitoring devices in place? If so, are the measurements consistent with other
information?
A4.
Notification of Results or Monitoring
Within 15 working days of receipt of the results of any monitoring, notify
employees of those results.