Case Study: Industrial Hygiene #2

CSC Industrial Hygienist collecting sample in the breathing zone of a worker to assess chemical exposure.

In 2007, new State regulations mandated the fluoridation of public drinking water. Fluorinating drinking water requires the use of chemicals that can cause irritation, severe flesh burns, and even death in some cases. Clark Seif Clark, Inc. (CSC) was requested to perform a health and safety assessment for a California Public Utilities Company in regards to this change, to help safeguard the employees handling this new chemical.

CSC approached this assessment as follows:

• Review of Material Safety Data Sheets for the chemical newly added to the process.
• Review of regulations and other available literature regarding the chemical added to the process, as well as its by-products.
• Review of clients health and safety procedures.
• Observation of activities associated with use of newly added chemical.
• Collection of air samples to determine the potential for employee exposure while handling this new chemical.

Result: The clients safety procedures were sufficient to prevent employees from breathing excessive concentrations of the newly added chemical and its byproducts under normal operating conditions. However, changes were recommended to help prevent inadvertent skin contact as part of both regular procedures and clean-up of spills/wastes.