Air Monitoring:

Back to Basics

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 Overview
 Air monitoring is commonly performed on
Hazardous Waste Operations (HazWoper) sites
 There is more to air monitoring than “waving a
wand”
 You need a strategy in order to have
meaningful results
 Air monitoring is a generic term – often used
for both air monitoring & air sampling
 The focus today is on air monitoring – however
both may be needed for your project!

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Monitoring vs. Sampling
Air Monitoring Air Sampling
 Direct reading  Collects air sample,
instruments, “real time” analyzed by lab
data  Compared against PELs,
 Compared against STELs or Ceiling Limits
action levels  Personal sampling pump
 Typically hand-held & collection media
 Usually performed for  Usually collected over 8
short duration hour shift
 Typically performed by
 Typically performed by
URS field crew – Site Industrial Hygienist or
other specially trained
Health and Safety
individual
Officer

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Air Monitoring

 29 CFR 1910.120 states:

“Air monitoring shall be used to identify
and quantify airborne levels of hazardous
substances in order to determine the
appropriate level of employee protection
needed on site”

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Key Elements of a
Monitoring Plan
 Define site activities and discrete tasks
 Identify potential airborne hazards for each
task (metals, hydrocarbons, CO, H2S, etc.)
 Identify who should be monitored
 Establish air monitoring objectives
 Select equipment
 Interpret data

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Defining Activities & Tasks
Field activities and tasks must be clearly defined.
How to define field tasks?

 Review project documents such as the project

proposal, contract, scope of work, and/or
specifications, & responsibilities
 Discuss field activities with Project Manager &
field staff
 Develop detailed job safety analysis
 Identify who will perform the task and the
approximate time needed to complete the task

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Identifying Potential Hazards
The most common atmospheric hazards include:

Toxic substances
(gases, vapors,
particulates)

Oxygen deficient
(<19.5% O2)

Flammable (gases,
vapors, particulate, or
oxygen enriched)
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Identifying Potential Hazards
Also consider :
 The volatility of site contaminants (methylene
chloride vs. creosote) and outside
temperature
 Products used on site (paints, cleaners,
welding supplies, sample preservatives)
 Materials removed or disturbed on site (lead
paint, asbestos insulation, etc.)

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Scenario #1
A URS field team will be collecting groundwater
samples from established, up-gradient
monitoring wells. Is air monitoring needed?

Answer: Not likely, because:

 No expected contaminants
 Work performed in the open
 No intrusive activities
 “Up-gradient well” indicates good knowledge
of the site.

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Scenario #2
URS is contracted to excavate and remove buried
drums containing pesticide waste.
Subcontractors will operate excavation
equipment and haul waste off-site. New housing
developments and a grade school borders the
site. Is air monitoring needed?

Answer: Absolutely!
And the monitoring program will likely be
complex and costly.

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Identifying Who Should be
Monitored
Monitoring is likely needed for workers who are:
 Closest to the “source” of contamination
 Performing tasks that generate airborne
contaminants (painting, welding, sand
blasting, etc.)
 Entering confined spaces

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Scenario #3
A team is contracted to
install ground water
monitoring wells down
gradient from a former
retail gas station. A drilling
subcontractor will install
the wells. Who should be
monitored?

Answer: It is often
responsible for the drilling
crew. The breathing zone
of the drillers helper would
be the best location for
monitoring.
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Common Monitoring Objectives
 Assess worker exposures to airborne
contaminants
 Establish level of respiratory protection
 Evaluate fire/explosion hazards
 Evaluate effectiveness of engineering controls
 Evaluate off-site migration of airborne
contaminants

Remember – certain regulatory standards

(e.g. asbestos) mandate air sampling.
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Direct Reading Instruments
Most commonly used for:
 Flammable or explosive atmospheres
 Oxygen deficiency
 Volatile organics
 Nuisance dusts
 Radiation

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Direct Reading Instruments
Advantages Disadvantages
 Readings displayed  Often not specific
quickly (within seconds)  May have limited
 Durable detection range
 Portable  Cross-sensitivity
 Easy to use  Can be temperature &
moisture sensitive
 Can’t be used for most
metals, asbestos, silica
or unknowns

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Calibration
What is the most important thing in gas detection
when using Direct-reading instruments?

Proper Calibration!

Without a clean zero gas and an accurate verified

calibration standard - there is no point in doing
any gas detection.

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Calibration
 Calibrate per manufacturer recommendations
 Check calibration in field every day
 Record calibration results & keep in project
file

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Photoionization Detectors - (PIDs)
 Uses ultraviolet light to ionize molecule.
 Primarily used for organic vapors (particularly BTEX) -
certain instruments use a benzene chip
 Ionization potential (IP) of lamp must exceed IP of
molecule
 Lamps typically range from 9.5 eV to 11.7 eV
 Response is relative to the response of the calibration gas
 Limitations include:
 Cross sensitivities,
 Lack of specificity when multiple compounds
are present,
 Impacted by high humidity
 Key manufacturers include: HNU, Photovac,
RAE Systems, MSA

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Flame Ionization Detectors - (FIDs)
 Uses hydrogen flame to ionize molecules
 Ionization range is higher than PID
 Response is relative to the concentration
of the calibration gas
 Limitations include:
Shipping hydrogen gas
More complex operation than PIDs
Sensitive to methane
 Manufacturers include:
Foxboro, Photovac

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Combustible Gas Indicators - (CGIs)
 Normally combine % oxygen and %
Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) in one
monitoring device
 LEL sensor requires adequate
oxygen; always check oxygen first
 Measures “percent of” the LEL
 LELs typically range from 0.8 to 6%
 Action level of 10% to 25% of LEL
to evacuate/stop work

Remember to use intrinsically safe instruments

in flammable atmospheres.
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Oxygen Meters

 This test is conducted

first since it may affect
the accuracy of other
meters/sensors
 Sensors have a shelf life
of 1-2 years
 Acid gases or high CO2
may poison the sensor
and shorten the
instrument life

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Oxygen Meters
 Oxygen deficient atmospheres are the #1
cause of confined space fatalities.
Oxygen enriched > 23.5% O2

Normal atmosphere 20.8% O2

Oxygen deficient < 19.5% O2

IDLH* < 16.0% O2

* Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health

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Colorimetric Detector Tubes
 Pump draws air through chemically treated
tubes. The contaminant reacts with the
chemical indicator to produce a color change
or stain.

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Colorimetric Detector Tubes
 Accuracy of ± 25%
 Limitations include:
Cross sensitivities
Temperature extremes
Difficulty in determining stain
length
Short duration sample time
 Check pump for leaks prior to
use with an unbroken tube
 Carefully read the directions for
the specific tube you are using
(e.g. number of pump strokes,
color change, flow direction)
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Aerosol (Dust) Monitors
 Uses light scattering to measure
concentrations of particulates
 Reads out in mg/m3
 Not specific - measures total dust or respirable
dust, depending on the unit

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Other Direct Reading
Instruments
 Hydrogen sulfide meter
 Carbon monoxide meter
(H2S & CO are usually part
of 4 way meter)
 Mercury vapor analyzer
 Radiation detectors
 Portable gas chromatograph
 Ammonia detector

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Interpreting the Data
(What does it all mean?)

 Direct reading instruments are essential field

equipment
 Displays are generally easy to read and appear
to be very precise
 But, the data is meaningless unless there is an
action level that was developed based on the
chemicals of concern and the equipment
response.
 Do not confuse soil/water concentrations of the
contaminants with airborne concentrations and
action levels.

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Action Levels
 Action Levels are threshold readings on a
direct reading instrument that, if exceeded,
require an action (such as upgrading PPE or
evacuation)
 Documented in Project Health and Safety Plans
and are based on:
Chemicals of concern
Exposure limits (such as PELs & TLVs)
Type of instrument
Relative response

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Action Levels
Action levels should be:
 Simple, clear & real-time
 Based on compound with lowest exposure limit
(when dealing with multiple compounds)
 Less than exposure limit to compensate for
instrument accuracy (safety margin)
 Based on instrument that will measure
chemicals of concern in range of exposure
limits

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Action Levels - Example Table
Action Levels for Intrusive Activities
Monitoring
Equipment Sampling Action
Result/Observation
PID (10.6 eV lamp) >1 ppm Continue to monitor with PID;
monitor with benzene chips.
Benzene detector <0.5 ppm Continue to monitor with PID.
chip (with CMS
device)
0.5 ppm, <25 ppm Upgrade to Level C. Continue to
monitor with PID.
25 ppm Stop work; evacuate area and
contact HSM.
PID (10.6 eV lamp) >1 ppm, 25 ppm; IF no Continue to monitor with PID.
benzene detected
>25 ppm, 250 ppm; IF no Upgrade to Level C. Continue to
benzene detected monitor with PID.
>250 ppm Stop work; evacuate area; contact
HSM.
Hydrogen sulfide 2.5 ppm Stop work; evacuate area; contact
monitor HSM.
MiniRam Dust >15 mg/m3 Use dust control measures until dust
Monitor is controlled. If dust cannot be
controlled upgrade to Level C.
Observation Workers enter sheds or utility Upgrade to Level C.
buildings where rodents may
have nested; and workers may
disturb nesting materials or
rodent droppings.
Observation Workers exhibit symptoms of Stop work. Evacuate area and
chemical exposure contact the HSM.
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Important Terms
 Sensitivity – Ability of an instrument to
detect the material in the range of interest.
 Accuracy – How close the instrument
readout is to the actual concentration.
 Relative Response – Instrument
response to a chemical of concern relative
to the response to the calibration gas.

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 Important Terms
Parts per million (ppm) – Parts per million by
volume in air; primarily used for gases and
vapors.
100% = 1,000,000 ppm
1% = 10,000 ppm

.01% = 100 ppm

.0001% = 1 ppm

Examples of OSHA PELs:

Phosgene = 0.1 ppm
Hydrogen sulfide = 20 ppm
Toluene = 200 ppm
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 Important Terms

Milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) –

Milligrams of contaminant per cubic meter of air;
used for particulates, dusts, mists and fumes.
1 mg/m3 = 1000 µg/m3
.1 mg/m3 = 100 µg/m3

Examples of OSHA PELs:

Arsenic = 0.01 mg/m3 or 10 µg/m3
Lead = 0.05 mg/m3 or 50 µg/m3
Nuisance dust = 15 mg/m3 or 15,000
µg/m3

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Understanding the Data
- Some Guidelines
 “Zero” does not necessarily mean “clean”.
Possible reasons for “zero” readings:
Instrument is not working
Concentration of compound is below the
detection limit (sensitivity)
Instrument responds poorly (or not at all) to the
compound of interest
Compound of interest is not volatile
The area is actually “clean”

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 Understanding the Data
- Some Guidelines
 Readings displayed may not be the actual
concentration. Possible reasons include:
Relative response - Instruments rarely have a
1:1 response to a particular compound. Check
user manual for response factors.
Multiple compounds - instrument may be
picking up a variety of compounds, each with it
own response factor or there may be an
interference.
Response time - instruments may take several
seconds to respond. If survey is too quick - may
not pick up “hot spots”.
Instrument specificity - no single instrument
can detect all airborne contaminants. Check user
manual for specificity.
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Understanding the Data
- Some Guidelines

 Reading may not indicate actual exposure risk.

Possible reasons include:
Other routes of exposure - such as dermal
exposure (particularly heavy organics such as
creosote, PCBs, and some pesticides).
Reading not taken in worker breathing zone -
actual risk may be higher or lower depending on
where reading is taken.
Multiple contaminants - possible additive or
synergistic effects.
Individual sensitivity - exposure effects can vary
greatly from person to person.

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Recording the Data
Can’t prove the monitoring was conducted
unless the data is recorded and retrievable.
 Record data in field log book or other
suitable form.
 Download or print out data if possible.
 Record calibration checks and “zero”
readings.
 Maintain records on site while project is
active; place in project file when project is
finished.

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Review Scenarios

1. You’re the PM on a job involving the cleaning

and dismantling of above ground gasoline
storage tanks. You have a plan and equipment
for monitoring organic vapors. OSHA arrives
and requests to see your exposure control plan
and air sampling data for Lead (tanks were
painted with lead based paint - oops).

What went wrong?

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Review Scenarios

2. You’re the PM on a job involving the

excavation and removal of soils impacted
with BTEX compounds. You have a plan and
equipment for monitoring organic vapors.
Employees are complaining of strong odors,
getting headaches, and feeling sick but the
PID is reading below the action level.

What’s going on?

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Review Scenarios

3. You’re preparing a proposal for the

excavation and removal of hundreds of
drums of pesticide residue buried in an old,
industrial landfill. What considerations do
you need to make for air monitoring?

Who do you go to for help?

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