Field-portable methods for monitoring occupational exposures to metals

Millions of workers are employed in manufacturing, mining, construction, and other industries where significant amounts of airborne metals and metal compounds are generated. Depending on the work practices, processes, techniques, and locations, exposures to airborne and surface sources of a variety of metals can cause occupational illness. These exposures can lead to a plethora of adverse health effects such as lung disease, anemia, cancer, asthma, dermal sensitization, dermatitis and neurological damage. The ability to monitor worker exposures to metals on-site in the field has been a goal of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) since the early 1990s. In the last 15 years or so, several field-portable procedures for metals have been developed, evaluated and published as NIOSH methods. These methods, published in the NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, describe field screening tests and on-site analysis for lead, hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Some of these methods have also been published in the form of ASTM International voluntary consensus standards. This paper gives an overview of NIOSH research and development efforts on field screening and portable analytical methods for metals in the workplace. The goal of such efforts has been to provide screening and analytical tools that can be used on-site in the field to aid in the prevention of excessive exposures to toxic metals in the workplace.