28 Evaluation of Work-Related Exposures to the Inhalable and Respirable Dust Fraction and to Respirable Quartz

Abstract

Abstract Dust is found in the entire environment as well as in working areas. When assessing dust exposure at workplaces, measurements on inhalable and respirable dust are performed. Furthermore, quartz is used as an agent or is released in the form of respirable dust in a number of work processes. Between 2005 and 2016, 35,000 measurements on each dust fraction were performed in the “Measurement System for Exposure Assessment” – MGU. In addition, 15,000 measurements on respirable quartz were performed in this data period. These exposure data on the dust fractions and quartz was stored in the IFA exposure-database MEGA. Statistic evaluations of these data were done according to industrial sectors and work areas. Further grouping criteria like the measurement strategy ("personal measurements" and "stationary sampling") and the sampling time (≥ 2 hours and < 2 hours) help to describe the dust and quartz exposure at work places. Dust and quartz exposures occurring in working areas were analysed for about 20 different industrial sector groups like ceramic and glass industry, foundries, or metalworking and mechanical engineering. These sector groups were further divided in individual sectors and typical tasks performed in these sectors. For example, the tasks stone cutting in stone masonry, mixing and filling in the chemical industry or powder coating in the metalworking sector. The statistical evaluations from the MEGA database are published in IFA-reports about the exposure to inhalable and respirable dust and to quartz for prevention and for retrospective considerations.