Chemical Exposure Risk Assessments
Exposure to harmful chemicals in the workplace can pose a serious risk to your employees and your business.
Omega offers assessment, mitigation, and remediation services for chemical exposure, as part of our suite of comprehensive industrial hygiene services
Evaluating the potential exposure to chemical agents is a critical step in assessing workplace health and safety hazards.
The type of chemical, the concentration of the agent, duration of exposure, handling and more can impact the safety and health of employees, building occupants, and others nearby.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygiene (ACGIH) identify exposure estimations and analytical methods for chemicals in a variety of classes, including:
- Pesticides
- Organic Chemicals
- Inorganic Chemicals & Fibers
- Metals
Assessing chemical exposure includes estimating or measuring the concentration, frequency, and duration of exposure to the agent, as well as its source and pathway.
Limiting Chemical Exposure to Safe Limits
Depending on the type and concentration of exposure, chemicals can pose serious risks to the safety of an environment. Employers are obligated to limit employee chemical exposure in the workplace to non-hazardous levels.
Chemicals can come into contact with employees through skin absorption, inhalation, ingestion, and injection. While personal protective gear can offer protection, depending on the type and strength of the chemical, additional safety measures may be required, including engineering or administrative controls.
Chemical Exposure Assessment
Assessing an environment for potentially toxic and harmful chemicals can include air and material samples to determine the type and concentration of chemicals.
At Omega Environmental, our team of industry veteran toxicologists and certified industrial hygienists work closely with you to address concerns of chemical exposure, assess the environment for toxic substances, provide recommendations and design programs for mitigation and remediation, if necessary.
We follow OSHA regulations for permissible exposure limits and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists – Threshold Limit Values (ACGIH-TLV) to determine the safety of a workplace environment. Our top priority is the health of your employees, building occupants, and others who may encounter potentially hazardous chemicals.
How to Determine if You Need an Assessment for Chemical Exposure
There are a variety of reasons to undertake a chemical exposure assessment of your workplace, including:
- A workers’ compensation claim
- Employee reports of illness or symptoms
- Introduction of a new chemical or process
- New employees added to the workplace with potential to exposure
- To create a documented record of safety practices
Contact us to learn more about our chemical assessment services