According to the Anti-Dust Regulation, particles that spread to the working environment air or have the potential to spread are called dust. The powders are classified according to the TS EN 481 standard on the basis of their aerodynamic diameters as: respirable powders, extra thoracic powders, thoracic powders, thoracibronchial powders and alveolar powders. Some of these are measurable and some are computable.
Dusts in working environments cause unwanted conditions on human health and production.
The Anti-Dust Regulation was issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in order to combat dust in terms of occupational health and safety in order to prevent the hazards caused by dusts in the work environments and to ensure that employees in such enterprises are protected from the harmful effects of dust. This regulation is applied in all establishments that are covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Law and may be exposed to dust due to the work performed by the employees.
According to the eighth article of this regulation titled dust measurements, the responsibilities of the enterprises in measuring are as follows:
- Dust measurements at regular intervals determined according to the risk assessment results
- Re-taking these measurements if there is a change in the conditions in the workplace where workers are exposed to dust
- To evaluate the results of the measurements by considering occupational exposure limit values given in the annex
- To ensure that dust measurements to be made in the workplace are carried out in laboratories that have been given proficiency certificate by the Ministry.
Workplaces with high danger of dust exposure include:
- Mining equipment
- Casting and other metallurgical activities
- Shipbuilding
- Glass, ceramics and stone goods manufacturers
- Chemical and pharmaceutical industry enterprises
- farming areas
- Food industry enterprises
- Wood sector enterprises
Occupational exposure limits for powders are shown in the table in the annex to the regulation. The measurement results should not exceed the values shown here. Businesses should reduce dust concentration below the values shown in the table by applying methods such as preventing dust formation, destroying dust at the source and suppressing dust before spreading to the working environment. After these studies, dust measurements are made again and activities are continued if the dust density is within the required values.
What is the scope of dust measurement?
According to the Regulation on Health and Safety Conditions in the Use of Work Equipment issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, it is obligatory for enterprises to test and inspect the environments and equipment used by the employees in certain intervals and in accordance with certain methods. Measurements made in this framework include dust measurements.
There are many national and international standards for dust measurements. Here are a few standards that are taken into account when taking measurements:
- TS EN 481 Workplace atmosphere - Size fraction recipes for particle measurements in air
- TS EN 50632-1 Electric motor-powered tools - Dust measurement - Part 1: General requirements
- TS 2360 Air pollution measurement methods - Determination of sulfur dioxide content
- TS 2361 Air Pollution measurement methods - Determination of the amount of substances suspended in the air
- HSE / MDHS 14 / 3 General methods for sampling and gravimetric analysis of respirable and inhalable dust
- NIOSH NMAM 0500 Particulates not otherwise regulated, Total
- NIOSH NMAM 0600 Particulates not otherwise regulated, Respirable
- ASTM D 4532 Standard test method for cyclone samplers
our organization TÜRCERT Technical Control and Certification Inc.provides measurement services in accordance with national and international standards and with an impartial approach. In addition, during these activities, TS EN ISO / IEC 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Inspection Organizations complies with the principles. More detailed information about dust measurements between workplace environment measurements can be requested from our employees.