Basrah Engineering Techinical College

Department of Environment and Pollution Industrial Safety

Lecture: 10 Fourth Year,
Definitions:
 PEL: This number is the calculated permissible exposure limit for dust to which
the worker may be exposed. It uses the data you supplied and is based on the percent
crystalline silica in the sample. For example: 1.6 mg/m3
 TWA: The TWA for the exposure to a chemical can be used when both the
chemical concentration and time for exposure varies over time. It is thus used as the
average exposure to a contaminant to which workers may be exposed without adverse
effect over a period such as in an 8-hour day or 40-hour week (an average work shift).
They are usually expressed in units of ppm (volume/volume) or mg/m3.
 Severity: This number is derived by dividing the exposure by the PEL, for
example: 4.8 / 1.6 = 3.0 If the severity number is higher than 1.0 you are above the
limit. If the severity number is less than 1.0 you are below the limit.
Time Weighted Average:
TLV- Threshold Limit Value
Refer to airborne concentrations of substances and represent conditions under which it is
believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse
health effects.
Three types of TLVs ‚
TLV-TWA Threshold Limit Value- Time Weighted Average: is the time weighted
average concentration for an average 8-10 hour day AND 40 hour workweek. ‚
TLV-STEL Threshold Limit Value- Short-Term Exposure Limit : is the concentration to
which workers can be exposed continuously for a short period of time without suffering
from irritation, chronic or irreversible damage, narcosis sufficient to increase likelihood
of injury PROVIDED that the TLV-TWA is not exceeded. It supplements the TLV-TWA
not a separate exposure limit.
TLV-C: ‚ TLV-Ceiling is the concentration that should not be exceeded during any part
of the workday. May be measured instantaneously Direct reading instrument, e.g.,
colorimetric tubes, or more often sampling over a 15 minute period.
Permissible Exposure Limits for Silica:
OSHA regulates silica exposure using the permissible exposure limit (PEL), which is
the maximum amount of airborne dust an employee may be exposed to during a full
work shift.
- % crystalline silica in the air samples (if the laboratory reports the silica
concentrations in units of mass convert the mass to percent - e.g.,
[sample weight (mg) ÷ dust weight (mg) ] × 100% ):
% quartz, % cristobalite, % tridymite
- Total weight of the dust collected in the air samples in milligrams
- Total volume of air sampled for each sample in cubic meters (1000 liters = 1 cubic
meter)
PEL Equations:
1) PEL (respirable fraction) = 10 ÷ [% quartz + (% cristobalite × 2) + (%
tridymite × 2) +2]
2) PEL (total dust) = 30 ÷ [% quartz + (% cristobalite × 2) + (% tridymite × 2) +
2]
Exposure Equation:
Exposure = [(mg/m3(1) × time(1)) + (mg/m3(2) × time(2)) + ... + (mg/m3(n) × time(n))]
÷ 480 minutes
Example:
Two consecutive samples from the same employee taken from a combined exposure
to crystalline silica dusts have the following results:
Example:

Assume that you are an industrial hygienist that has been asked to conduct air

monitoring within a cave at a national part where construction (rock drilling and

cutting)is being done. The cave is mostly granite and quartz and the concern relates to

silica exposure to the construction workers. Being the good IH that you are- you

calibrate your pump at the park office where conditions are NTP. Assume that you

have conducted sampling 1 worker and have been provided the following results from

the lab analysis. Assume that you use a nylon cyclone to collect respirable dust.

Based on the data in the table below, determine whether the worker’s exposure is

above or below the OSHA PEL for silica dust?

Parameter Value
T & P in cave T= 13 C°, P= 1 atm
Average Flow Rate
Before Sampling 1.72 L/min
After Sampling 1.64 L/min
Sampling Time 405 mins
Lunch & Breaks 65 mins
Filter Weight
Before Sampling 2.315 mg
After Sampling 2.658 mg
8.1% Quartz
Percent Silica 1.2% Tridymite
0.9% Cristobalite