Environmental Hazards (Air, Water, Noise, Pollution)

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TENSIS SIGILLUM MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STANDARDS [redacted street address], Suite 500 Boston, MA [redacted postal code] mass.gov/dols # Protect Outdoor Workers Exposed to Wildfire Smoke Polluted Air Large-scale wildfire events across the western United States and Canada are becoming more frequent. Wildfires can produce unhealthy air pollution, therefore it's important employers and employees understand the hazards of smoke exposure, related health effects, and how best to minimize such effects. Some working individuals, such as people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or heart disease, and people who are pregnant are at an even higher risk for health problems. ## Hazards Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of gases and particles from burning vegetation and other materials. The harmful chemicals and tiny particles suspended in wildfire smoke are a health hazard. The most significant hazard from wildfire smoke is exposure to tiny particles of partially burned material. These tiny particles can enter the lungs and even the bloodstream and are linked to serious health problems, including lung, heart, and kidney disease. Workers exposed to smoke-polluted air may also experience heat stress, eye, and respiratory tract irritation, and suffer from exposure to other respiratory hazards. ## What is an Air Quality Index (AQI)? AQI is a measure of the quality of air in a certain area. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. The AQI is divided into six categories each corresponding to a different level of health concern indicated by specific colors. An AQI value of 50 or less represents good air quality. AQI values at or below 100 are considered satisfactory. AQI values greater than 100 indicate unhealth air quality. An AQI level over 300 represents hazardous air quality. airnow.gov/aql/aql-basics. <table><tr><th></th><th colspan="3">AQI Basics for Ozone and Particle Pollutio…

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# of Construction Industry Noise Exposure by Trade and (cont.) ## Mechanical Impacts (cont.) High-Velocity Fluid Flow High-velocity fluid flow can often create excessive noise as the transported medium passes through control valves or simply passes through the piping. Frequently, noise is carried downstream by the fluid, and/or vibratory energy is transferred to the pipe wall. A comprehensive acoustical survey can isolate the actual noise source so that the appropriate noise- control measures can be identified. When deemed practical, some effective modifications for high-velocity fluid-flow noise include: - Locate control valves in straight runs of pipe. - Locate all L's and T's at least 10 pipe diameters downstream of a valve. - Ensure that all pipe cross-section reducers and expanders are at an included angle of 15 to 20 degrees. • Eliminate sudden changes of direction and influx of one stream into another. - Limit the fluid-flow velocity to a maximum of 30 feet per second for liquids. - Maintain laminar flow for liquids (keep the Reynolds Number less than 2,000). - When vibratory energy is transferred to the pipe wall, use flex connectors and/or vibration isolation for the piping system and/or acoustical insulation. - When excessive noise in the fluid cannot be controlled by any of the options above, install an in-line silencer. ## High-Velocity Air Flow (Pneumatic or Compressed Air Systems) One of the most common noise sources within manufacturing equipment is pneumatic- or compressed-air-driven devices such as air valves, cylinders, and solenoid valves. High-velocity air is also a major contributor to worker noise exposure where hand-held air wands or guns are used to remove debris from work areas. Finally, compressed air nozzles are often used to eject parts from a machine or conveyor line. All these forms of pneumatic systems generate undesirable noise as the high-velocity air mixes with the atmospheric air, creating excessive turbulence a…

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# Impediments and Road Blocks (cont.) ## Impediments and Road Blocks (cont.) Pneumatic and Compressed Air Systems ## Pneumatic and Compressed Air Systems - The usage of compressed air is often a plant-wide noise issue in manufacturing plants. ■ Compressed air can easily be responsible for 25-33% of a plant's noise problems. ■ Compressed air noise is probably the easiest source to control. ■ Getting a handle on compressed air usage and noise can have significant financial and energy savings over time. Section III/Chapter 5 - Page 164

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# Pneumatic and Compressed Air Systems Pneumatic or compressed air systems are used to: ■ Operate or motivate equipment, using devices such as air cylinders, air valves, solenoids, etc. ■ Air jets and nozzles, including hand-held air guns, are used to move parts/product, blow-off debris, close flaps on corrugated containers (boxes/cases), or similar service-type actions. ## Pneumatic and Compressed Air Systems Noise generated by compressed air is caused by turbulence due to the mixing of gases with widely different velocities. Additional turbulence is created as the compressed air blows against objects, such as parts or sections of the machinery. Section III Chapter 5 - Page 165

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NYCOSH New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health # Smoke and Air Quality Health Advisory Information for Workers New York State has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory... Why? What does that mean? The current air quality health advisory has been issued due to smoke pollution from wildfires burning across Canada traveling south to New York (as well as New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia). Wildfire smoke contains a combination of particulate matter and gases such as ozone, carbon monoxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and nitrogen dioxide. Extensive wildfire smoke exposure has been associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular emergency department visits, particularly in adults over 65 years of age.¹ The health advisory is in place to alert New Yorkers to take appropriate precautions in response to the smoke pollution. ## What is PM2.5 and why does it matter? One of the major components of wildfire smoke is particulate matter, abbreviated PM. When considering the health effects of PM, the size of the particles plays a large role. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter that has a diameter of 2.5 microns or smaller (for comparison, a human hair is approximately 50-70 microns in diameter); these particles are small enough to travel deep into the lungs and damage the lining. ## What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)? Should I be paying attention to it? How do I use it? The AQI is a color-coded system developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to communicate the cleanliness of the outdoor air. The data is gathered from over 1000 pollution monitors across the country. The index scale is set from 0 to 500; the higher the number, the higher the level of pollution. Levels measuring 100 and lower are below the levels known to cause negative health effects; levels between 101 and 199 are safe for most adults, but older adults, children, and adults with heart and lung disease may be at greater r…

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## Environmental controls (cont.) - Are restrooms and washrooms sanitary? - Is potable water provided for drinking, washing, and cooking? - Are all outlets for water that is not suitable for drinking, clearly identified? - Are employees instructed how to properly lift heavy objects? - Where heat is a problem, have all fixed work areas been provided with a proper means of cooling? - If employees work on streets and roadways where they are exposed to traffic hazards, are they required to wear high-visibility clothing? - Are exhaust stacks and air intakes located so that contaminated air will not be recirculated within a building or other enclosed area? -2-

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# Extended Workshifts Standard Interpretation (OSHA, 1982) (cont.) ## iv) Reduce Pneumatic and Compressed Air Systems A special case of high-velocity fluid flow is compressed air, which is used widely for many purposes, such as: - Blowing debris off parts and surfaces • Moving products on assembly lines - Spraying paint and other substances - Driving pneumatic tools Compressed air causes noise exposure in most major industry sectors. Because compressed air is so common (and loud), it accounts for a large percentage of all workplace noise exposure. Fortunately, noise from compressed air sources is easy and relatively inexpensive to abate. Examples of options for reducing noise from compressed air include: - Adjusting the pressure regulator to reduce the air pressure in the air line coming from the compressor to the minimum pressure needed to accomplish the task. Lower pressure is not only quieter, but it saves energy and is safer. (To reduce serious injuries, OSHA requires that air pressure be held to 30 pounds per square inch or less when it could potentially contact skin). - Replacing noisy air nozzles, guns, and wands with quieter models that have built-in noise-control features. Some models produce strong air thrust while reducing noise, using less compressed air, and saving energy (Figure 30). - Installing additional air pressure control valves so air lines can be controlled individually to their effective minimum. - Retrofitting pneumatic tools, compressors, and machinery by adding pneumatic mufflers or inline diffuser silencers and expansion chamber silencers. These function by providing the escaping exhaust air stream a larger area through which to expand and exit--so the air is released at a lower speed and pressure. This control option can cut noise by 20 dB or more. - Purchasing equipment that comes with these features and replacing the noise control (nozzle or silencer) if function deteriorates. - Adjusting the angle of air jets so that l…

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# The mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by Oregon OSHA or the U.S. Government. ## I. Introduction Noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most common occupational hazards in American workplaces. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that 30 million workers in the United States are exposed to hazardous noise. Exposure to high levels of noise may cause hearing loss, create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication, and contribute to accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals. This chapter provides technical information and guidance to help Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) evaluate noise hazards in the workplace. The content is based on currently available research publications, OSHA standards, and consensus standards. The chapter is divided into six main sections. Following this introduction, the second section provides background information about noise and noise regulations and an overview of noise controls. The third section describes worksite noise evaluations, including noise measurement equipment, noise evaluation procedures, and noise sampling. The fourth section offers investigative guidelines (including methods for planning the investigation) and outlines a strategy for conducting noise evaluations. The fifth section describes noise hazard abatement and control, including engineering and administrative controls, hearing protection, noise conservation programs, cost comparisons between noise hazard abatement options, and case studies. The final two sections provide references used to produce this chapter and resources for obtaining additional information. Following the main sections, the appendices provide a glossary of terms, sample calculations, and expanded discussion of certain topics introduced in the chapter. ## II. Background Information ## A. What Is Noise? Occupational no…

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# Extended Workshifts Standard Interpretation (OSHA, 1982) (cont.) ## ii) Reduce High Velocity of Fluid Flow (cont.) Figure 28. Reducing Turbulence in a Steam Pipeline steam line Example A branch of a steam line has three valves which produce a loud shrieking sound. The branch has two sharp bends which also pro- duce a lot of noise. Control measure A new branch is created with softer bends. sharp bend Tubing pieces are placed between the valves, so that turbulence will be reduced or eliminated before the stream reaches the next cutoff valve control valve valve. soft bend increased distance increased distance (Driscoll, Principles of Noise Control) ## iii) Mufflers and Silencers Mufflers (also called silencers) can be used on noisy, pressurized air equipment to reduce noise at the source. A muffler is a device that reduces the noise level from a moving air or gas stream, such as one found in a pneumatic tool (Figure 29). Like the muffler on an automobile, it absorbs some noise before it can reach the receiver (in this case, the ears of the worker who is exposed to the noise). Mufflers come in several configurations, some more sensitive to dust and moisture than others. In general, mufflers must be cleaned on a regular basis to be effective at reducing noise; if they are not cleaned, they actually can increase noise levels. Consult the muffler manufacturer for recommended cleaning procedures and frequency. Figure 29. Schematic of Muffler Interior Section III/Chapter 5 - Page 73

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# Pneumatic and Compressed Air Systems The shearing action occurring in the mixing region results in excessive noise, where the sound level is proportional velocity of air flow raised to the 8th power. Sound Level ∞ V8 Therefore, the 1st Step toward controlling compressed air noise is to reduce the air velocity to as low as practical and maintaining that setting. Noise Reduction Resulting from Air Pressure Adjustments 130 55 psig (122 dBA) 120 30 psig (111 dBA) 110 100 A-weighted 1/3 Octave-Band SPLs (dBA) 90 20 psig (103 dBA) 80 826 70 60 31.5 63 [redacted identifier] 1.0K 2.0K 4.0K 8.0K Frequency (Hz) Section III Chapter 5 - Page 166