Evaluation of the reverse flow around a worker's body produced by a local exhaust hood]

Recent studies have shown that a reverse flow often occurs in a unidirectional airflow in push-pull ventilation and may transport contaminants from the source into a worker's breathing zone. The same problem may arise in local exhaust ventilation when the contaminant source is located in the worker's wake region. In this study, organic solvent work with local exhaust ventilation was duplicated in a laboratory and the details of the reverse flow around the worker's body produced by the ventilation were experimentally investigated. In order to evaluate the influence of the reverse flow on the exposure of the worker, experiments with a mock-up mannequin (dummy worker) and a local ventilation system which was equipped with an exterior type hood and an enclosure type hood were conducted. The exposure level and the contaminant leakage from the hoods in several conditions were measured by means of a smoke test and tracer gas method. Ethanol vapor was used as a tracer gas. With the exterior type hood, the reverse flow visualized by the smoke was observed in front of the standing dummy worker but could not be observed when the dummy worker was seated. From the tracer gas measurements, it was proved that the exposure due to the reverse flow was not so serious at a capture velocity of > 0.4 m/s, but < 10 ppm contaminant leakage from the exterior hood had been recognized independently of the capture velocity. With the enclosure type hood, exposure due to the reverse flow could be controlled with a capture velocity of > 0.8 m/s. Although the contaminant leakage from the hood due to the reverse flow was not obvious with the enclosure type in any condition, caution should be exercised to prevent exposure when the worker is seated. Regardless of the hood type, the increase in the capture velocity was effective in decreasing exposure due to the reverse flow.     

常用局部排风罩调查及卫生学评价

目的 找出局部排风罩在设计、安装及应用等方面存在的问题，提出合理的改进办法，指导局部排风罩的正确应用。方法 （1）对20余个常用局部排风罩的设计、安装及应用情况进行现场调研与分析；（2）按照规定的方法对局部排风罩的罩口风速及控制点风速进行现场测试；（3）对局部排风罩旁操作位有害物浓度进行了现场采样及分析。结果（1）正确的局部排风罩型可以有效地提高控制效果；（2）排风罩距有害物发生源的距离较远、罩口未正对有害物发生源及罩口被遮挡、罩壳扩张角过小、罩口风速及吸人风速过低等是影响局部排风罩控制效果的主要原因；（3）罩口围挡可提高局部排风罩的控制效果。结论找出了局部排风罩存在的主要问题，为其正确应用提出了指导性的建议。     

Tracer gas evaluations of local exhaust hood performance]

A local exhaust hood is one of the most commonly used controls for harmful contaminants in the working environment. In Japan, the performance of a hood is evaluated by hood velocity measurements, and administrative performance requirements for hoods are provided as control velocities by the Japanese Industrial Safety and Health Law. However, it is doubtful whether the control velocity would be the most suitable velocity for any industrial hood since the control velocity is not substantiated by actual measurements of the containment ability of each hood. In order to examine the suitability of the control velocity as a performance requirement, a hood performance test by the tracer gas method, using carbon dioxide (CO(2)), was conducted with an exterior type hood in a laboratory. In this study, as an index of the hood performance, capture efficiency defined as the ratio of contaminant quantity captured by the hood to the total generated contaminant quantity, was determined by measuring the CO(2) concentrations. When the assumptive capture point of the contaminant was located at a point 30 cm from the hood opening, a capture efficiency of >90% could be achieved with a suction velocity of less than the current control velocity. Without cross draft, a capture efficiency of >90% could be achieved with a suction velocity of 0.2 m/s (corresponding to 40% of the control velocity) at the capture point. Reduction of the suction velocity to 0.2 m/s caused an 80% decrease in exhaust flow rate. The effect of cross draft, set at 0.3 m/s, on the capture efficiency differed according to its direction. When the direction of the cross draft was normal to the hood centerline, the effect was not recognized and a capture efficiency of >90% could be achieved with a suction velocity of 0.2 m/s. A cross draft from a worker's back (at an angle of 45 degrees to the hood centerline) did not affect the capture efficiency, either. When the cross draft blew at an angle of 135 degrees to the hood centerline, a capture efficiency of >90% could be achieved with a suction velocity of 0.4 m/s. The reduction of suction velocity would beneficially reduce running costs of local exhaust hoods and air conditioning. Effective and economical exhaustion would be achieved if the minimum velocity obtained by the tracer gas method were to be substituted for the excessive control velocity.     

Poor design of local exhaust hood leads to radioactive release in the work area

At a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) waste handling facility, transuranic waste contained in standard 208-L (55-gallon) drums was being prepared to meet the DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Project Waste Acceptance Criteria. During a particular waste handling operation, it was necessary for the workers to open several 208-L drums with TRU waste and prepare the waste to meet the WIPP Waste Acceptance Criteria. This operation was performed while the waste drums where positioned adjacent to a drum ventilator, which was designed to capture emissions generated from the drums during waste handling activities. During this activity, the continuous air monitor alarmed and reached an instantaneous air concentration of 0.1 Bq m(-3), or a factor of 300 times higher than the derived air concentration for inhalation class W 239Pu. The DOE conducted an investigation to determine why the drum ventilator did not control the transuranic emissions and to evaluate possible improvements to the drum ventilator and exposure controls. By adding upper and lower flanges to the drum ventilator, the capture velocity was increased by 88% without increasing the fan's speed. Adding flanges is a simple and inexpensive modification that enhances the performance of the drum ventilator. In addition to a poor design, the drum ventilator's capture velocity was compromised by competing air velocities that were generated by waste handling activities.     

Chemical exposure in hairdresser salons: Effect of local exhaust ventilation

Although several studies demonstrate adverse health effects among hairdressers that may be related to their working environment, relatively few studies have described the chemical exposure levels in hairdresser salons. This paper shows the exposure level of isopropanol, ethanol, toluene, phenylendiamines, diaminotoluene and ammonia in six hairdresser salons, and the effect of local exhaust ventilation on these exposure levels.Stationary measurements were performed at the mixing location in the hairdresser salons. At this location isopropanol was found to be in the range from 0.7–15 mg/m³, ethanol in the range from 4–36 mg/m³ and toluene from 0.04-0.11 mg/m³. The range of ammonia in the same area was from 0.1-1.2 mg/m³.Personal monitoring of the hairdresser showed an exposure level of ammonia in a range from 0.3–10 mg/m³. Phenylendiamines and diaminotoluene were not detected.The exposure level was significantly lower in the salons with local exhaust ventilation than in the salons with no ventilation.     

Capture efficiency of local exhaust ventilation systems

A new technique to measure the performance of local exhaust ventilation systems has been developed and tested in both the laboratory and the field. The technique involves the measurement of the capture efficiency of exterior hoods, defined to be the fraction of contaminants given off by a process captured by the exhaust system serving that process. Capture efficiency measurement can be a powerful tool in the evaluation of local exhaust systems, since it is a direct, quantitative measure of system performance; in contrast, indices of performance now in use are either qualitative or measure quantities which may not be related directly to system performance. A basic theory for capture efficiency has been developed, and a prototype system for measuring capture efficiency has been constructed and tested. Preliminary laboratory and field measurements using the system have demonstrated the power of the method, which should find widespread use in the design of new ventilation systems and the evaluation of existing ones.     

A local exhaust ventilation system to reduce airborne ribavirin concentrations

A local exhaust hood was designed and built to capture and contain aerosol emissions of ribavirin during drug administration. The newly designed over-the-head hood is similar to the single hood currently used to administer the drug. This new hood was surrounded by an exhaust plenum to form a compound hood configuration. The exhaust plenum was connected to a filtered local exhaust air system to remove the waste aerosol. The compound hood and local exhaust ventilation system were evaluated for leak rate and inside hood aerosol concentration as a function of exhaust flow rates. This hood reduced the leak rate from an average of 98% with the traditional head hood to an average of less than 1% with the compound hood with exhaust port. The compound hood did not perform quite as well when not in use (set aside during infant caretaking) with the nebulizer remaining on. The leak rate was found to increase from an average of less than 1% to an average of 12% when trials were conducted that used a doll as a simulated patient versus trials without a doll, respectively. As regards therapeutic dose inside the hood, the system's performance may lead to an 18% to 25% decrease in inside hood concentration of aerosol entering the hood. Optimum hood operating parameters were identified. An exhaust flow rate in the range from 1.0 Lpm below to 1.0 Lpm above inlet flow rate from the small particle aerosol generator (SPAG nebulizer) reduced the leak rate to an average of less than 1%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Relationship between physical configuration of hood and velocity for local exhaust systems

The hood performance of a local exhaust ventilation system is determined by the capture velocity and the air flow rate. The equation proposed by Dalla Valle has been widely used to speculate this relationship. However, Dalla Valle used different formulae for slot and plain opening (rectangular) hoods, and the calculated values near the boundary between the slot and plain opening by these formulae do not always match each other. In this study, we measured capture velocity of four hoods by changing the distance from the hood face for different aspect ratios. We also tried to develop an empirical formula to express a relationship that could be applied to both types of hoods. As a result, it was found that the relationship between air velocity in front of exterior hoods and air flow rate could be expressed as the sum of two exponential functions with distance. In addition, when the hood aspect ratio was less than 9 the values of the capture velocity calculated by the proposed equation were in good agreement with the experimental ones.     

Evaluation of industrial local exhaust hood efficiency by a tracer gas technique

Efficiency of industrial local exhaust ventilation is defined as the ratio of air contaminant quantity captured by the system per unit time to the total contaminant quantity produced by the process per unit time. To date, no direct method exists for this evaluation. This paper describes a tracer gas technique, using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), which has been developed for the evaluation of local exhaust system efficiency. SF6 was discharged at a known rate into the industrial process generation area. Then, by comparing this quantity to that captured by the exhaust system, as measured in the exhaust duct, hood efficiency is determined. Major advantages of this technique are: The tracer gas technique is able to evaluate directly the hood efficiency. The tracer gas technique is not affected by cross-contamination from nearby industrial processes. The tracer gas technique can be conducted "on site" with minimal interruption of industrial process or interference with workers' duties. The tracer gas, using SF6 is non-toxic. Since SF6 is a gas, this technique may be limited to efficiency evaluation of hoods associated with gases, fumes, vapors, or fine particles.     

Effect of hollow bit local exhaust ventilation on respirable quartz dust concentrations during concrete drilling

Drilling large holes (e.g., 10–20?mm diameter) into concrete for structural upgrades to buildings, highways, bridges, and airport runways can produce concentrations of respirable silica dust well above the ACGIH^® Threshold Limit Value (TLV^® = 0.025?mg/m³). The aim of this study was to evaluate a new method of local exhaust ventilation, hollow bit dust extraction, and compare it to a standard shroud local exhaust ventilation and to no local exhaust ventilation. A test bench system was used to drill 19?mm diameter x 100?mm depth holes every minute for one hour under three test conditions: no local exhaust ventilation, shroud local exhaust ventilation, and hollow bit local exhaust ventilation. There were two trials for each condition. Respirable dust sampling equipment was placed on a “sampling” mannequin fixed behind the drill and analysis followed ISO and NIOSH methods. Without local exhaust ventilation, mean respirable dust concentration was 3.32 (±?0.65) mg/m³ with a quartz concentration of 16.8% by weight and respirable quartz dust concentration was 0.55 (±?0.05) mg/m³; 22 times the ACGIH TLV. For both LEV conditions, respirable dust concentrations were below the limits of detection. Applying the 16.8% quartz value, respirable quartz concentrations for both local exhaust ventilation conditions were below 0.007?mg/m³. There was no difference in respirable quartz dust concentrations between the hollow bit and the shroud local exhaust ventilation systems; both were below the limits of detection and well below the ACGIH TLV. Contractors should consider using either local exhaust ventilation method for controlling respirable silica dust while drilling into concrete.     

The design of local exhaust ventilation hoods for grinding wheels

The simplest method of controlling airborne contaminants produced during grinding is the free-standing local exhaust ventilation hood. However design data are sparse and not related to individual applications, for example neither extract rate nor hood size is related to the wheel size. Hoods for use with grinding wheels are usually designed as captor hoods but it is shown in this study that such hoods act as receptors and should be designed on that basis. Flow visualization, using both smoke pellets and a heated oil-impregnated wire, showed the air flow patterns which are induced by a rapidly rotating wheel. Air speeds around the wheels were measured using omnidirectional probes whilst hood capture efficiencies were measured using tracer gas techniques. These observations and measurements identified several key parameters which should lead to a more effective and efficient design of control systems for use with surface grinders.     

Development of indigenous local exhaust ventilation system: reduction of welders exposure to welding fumes

Two (portable and mobile) local exhaust ventilation (LEV) units were developed in collaboration with the Rural Technology Institute, Gandhinagar, India. Basically, each unit consists of three parts comprising an electric motor, a blower and a fume hood. In both units the motor is fixed in a rectangular iron frame in a foot-mount position and equipped compactly with a blower, which in turn is connected to a fume hood through a flexible hosepipe. The portable unit is light in weight (50 kg) and has a cone shaped metallic fume hood. The mobile unit, on the other hand, differs from the portable model with respect to its weight (150 kg), size, RPM, voltage requirement, hood shape and size, and has a motor enclosure. The efficiency of the portable and mobile units on trial bases was tested by measuring the manganese concentration as a reference metal in welding fumes generated by electric arc welding. The concentration of manganese (mean +/- SD) was 0.218 +/- 0.06 microg/m3 in the general environment. In the workplace area where joining of metal objects by welding was done, the concentration of manganese was found to be 0.63 +/- 0.09 and 3.75 +/- 0.56 microg/m3 at a distance of 5 m and 2 m away from the site of operation, respectively. In the breathing zone it was 22.16 +/- 20.90 microg/m3 which was reduced to 8.25 +/- 4.5 microg /m3 after application of a portable LEV showing about 63% removal of the manganese concentration from the breathing zone of the welder. In another experiment conducted with a mobile LEV unit for heavy-duty work, the concentration of manganese in the breathing zone without operating the mobile LEV was 70.06 +/- 37.38 microg /m3 but was lowered to 8.29 +/- 1.76 microg /m3 after operating the mobile LEV. This indicated an average removal of manganese content by about 88% from the breathing zone of the welder. In both the experiments locations of sample collection were similar.     

Occupational exposure to volatile organic compounds and mitigation by push-pull local exhaust ventilation in printing plants

The extensive use of multiple organic solvents in offset lithographic printing causing high emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indeed poses a serious risk to printing workers' health. In this study, indoor air quality (IAQ) assessments were carried out in seven printing plants and the main objectives were to understand the effect of VOC emissions on IAQ and develop effective mitigation measures to protect workers. The thorough gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) measurements showed that although a variety of VOCs were presented in the indoor air, none of them was found close to individual 8-h time-weighted average (TWA) of the occupational exposure limit (OEL). The additive effect was also found below the critical value of unity. However, short-term personal exposure to total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) was exceedingly high when a print worker carried out blanket and ink roller cleaning procedures. Therefore, the occupational health risk was mainly due to repeated short-term exposures during intermittent VOC-emitting procedures rather than long-term exposure to background VOCs. Push-pull local exhaust ventilation (LEV) was identified as an effective mitigation measure. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was conducted to study the push-pull LEV operation. It was found that there existed a threshold LEV air flow rate for an abrupt reduction in the worker's exposure to VOCs. The reduction was less sensitive when the LEV airflow was further increased beyond the threshold. These phenomena, consistent with experimental results reported by other investigators, were explained by detailed CFD analysis showing the competition between the general ventilation and the push-pull LEV to become the dominating driving force for the resultant local flow pattern.     

排风罩对喷漆作业岗位有害物质控制的效果评价

目的评价兴化市渔具制造企业喷漆岗位安装排风罩对作业场所有害物质控制效果。方法选择2个企业规模、作业强度、作业场所基本相似的渔具制造企业中,随机分为干预和对照对象,干预企业作业场所中喷漆岗位安装40 cm×50 cm×50 cm方形排风罩,按评价监测检测车间空气中苯、甲苯、二甲苯浓度及排风罩口风速。结果两对象企业排风罩(口)平均风速差异不大,干预企业作业场所车间空气中苯、甲苯、二甲苯浓度低于对照企业,甲苯、二甲苯差异有统计学意义(P0.05,P0.01),车间空气有害物质浓度符合国家标准。结论渔具制造企业作业场所喷漆岗位安装排风罩对有害物质浓度控制有明显效果,可在其他企业中推广。     

Use of tracer gas technique for industrial exhaust hood efficiency evaluation--where to sample?

A tracer gas technique using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) was developed for the evaluation of industrial exhaust hood efficiency. In addition to other parameters, accuracy of this method depends on proper location of the sampling probe. The sampling probe should be located in the duct at a minimum distance from the investigated hood where the SF6 is dispersed uniformly across the duct cross section. To determine the minimum sampling distance, the SF6 dispersion in the duct in fully developed turbulent flow was studied at four duct configurations frequently found in industry: straight duct, straight duct-side branch, straight duct-one elbow, and straight duct-two elbows combinations. Based on the established SF6 dispersion factor, the minimum sampling distances were determined as follows: for straight duct, at least 50 duct diameters; for straight duct-side branch combination, at least 25 duct diameters; for straight duct-one elbow combination, 7 duct diameters; and for straight duct-two elbow combination, 4 duct diameters. Sampling at (or beyond) these distances minimizes the error caused by the non-homogeneous dispersion of SF6 in the duct and contributes to the accuracy of the tracer gas technique.     

The effect of local exhaust ventilation controls on dust exposures during concrete cutting and grinding activities

This study assessed the effectiveness of commercially available local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems for controlling respirable dust and crystalline silica exposures during concrete cutting and grinding activities. Work activities were performed by union-sponsored apprentices and included tuck-point grinding, surface grinding, paver block and brick cutting (masonry saw), and concrete block cutting (hand-held saw). In a randomized block design, implemented under controlled field conditions, three ventilation rates (0, 30, and 75 cfm) were tested for each tool. Each ventilation treatment was replicated three times in random order for a total of nine 15-min work sessions per study subject. With the exception of the hand-held saw, the use of LEV resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in respirable dust exposure. Mean exposure levels for the 75 cfm treatments were less than that of the 30 cfm treatments; however, differences between these two treatments were only significant for paver block cutting (p < 0.01). Although exposure reduction was significant (70-90% at the low ventilation rate and 80-95% reduction at the high ventilation rate), personal respirable dust [corrected] exposures remained very high: 1.4-2.8 x PEL (permissible exposure limit) at the low ventilation rate and 0.9-1.7 x PEL at the high ventilation rate. Exposure levels found under actual field conditions would likely be lower due to the intermittent nature of most job tasks. Despite incomplete control LEV has merit, as it would reduce the risk of workers developing disease, allow workers to use a lower level of respiratory protection, protect workers during short duration work episodes reduce exposure to nearby workers, and reduce clean-up associated dust exposures.     

The efficacy of local exhaust ventilation for controlling dust exposures during concrete surface grinding

This study assessed the effectiveness of a commercially available local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system for controlling respirable dust and crystalline silica exposures during concrete grinding activities. Surface grinding was conducted at six commercial building construction sites in Seattle, WA, by cement masons. Time-integrated filter samples and direct reading respirable dust concentrations were collected using a cyclone in line with a direct reading respirable dust monitor. Personal exposure levels were determined with and without LEV, one sample directly after the other. A total of 28 paired samples were collected in which three different dust collection shroud configurations were tested. Data obtained with a direct reading respirable dust monitor were adjusted to remove non-work task-associated dust exposures and was subsequently used to calculate the exposure reduction achieved. The application of LEV resulted in a reduction in the overall geometric mean respirable dust exposure from 4.5 to 0.14 mg/m(3), a mean exposure reduction of 92%. Despite the effective control of dust generated during surface grinding, 22 and 26% of the samples collected while LEV was being used were greater than the 8 h time-weighted average permissible exposure limit (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and threshold limit value (American Congress of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) for respirable crystalline silica, respectively.     

Development of evaluation procedures for local exhaust ventilation for United States postal service mail-processing equipment

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have conducted several evaluations of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems for the United States Postal Service (USPS) since autumn 2001 when (a) terrorist(s) employed the mail system for acts of bioterrorism. As a part of the USPS 2002 Emergency Preparedness Plan, the development and installation of LEV onto USPS mail-processing equipment can reduce future exposures to operators from potentially hazardous contaminants, such as anthrax, which might be emitted during the processing of mail. This article describes how NIOSH field testing led to the development of recommended testing procedures for evaluations of LEV capture efficiency for mail-processing equipment, including tracer gas measurements, smoke release observations, air velocity measurements, and decay-rate testing under access hoods.     

Hard metal exposures. Part 1: Observed performance of three local exhaust ventilation systems

Not every ventilation system performs as intended; much can be learned when they do not. The purpose of this study was to compare observed initial performance to expected levels for three saw-reconditioning shop ventilation systems and to characterize the changes in performance of the systems over a one-year period. These three local exhaust ventilation systems were intended to control worker exposures to cobalt, cadmium, and chromium during wet grinding, dry grinding, and welding/brazing activities. Prior to installation the authors provided some design guidance based on Industrial Ventilation, a Manual of Recommended Practice. However, the authors had limited influence on the actual installation and operation and no line authority for the systems. In apparent efforts to cut costs and to respond to other perceived needs, the installed systems deviated from the specifications used in pressure calculations in many important aspects, including adding branch ducts, use of flexible ducts, the choice of fans, and the construction of some hoods. After installation of the three systems, ventilation measurements were taken to determine if the systems met design specifications, and worker exposures were measured to determine effectiveness. The results of the latter will be published as a companion article. The deviations from design and maintenance failures may have adversely affected performance. From the beginning to the end of the study period the distribution of air flow never matched the design specifications for the systems. The observed air flows measured within the first month of installation did not match the predicated design air flows for any of the systems, probably because of the differences between the design and the installed system. Over the first year of operation, hood air flow variability was high due to inadequate cleaning of the sticky process materials which rapidly accumulated in the branch ducts. Poor distribution of air flows among branch ducts frequently produced individual hood air flows that were far below specified design levels even when the total air flow through that system was more than adequate. To experienced practitioners, it is not surprising that deviations from design recommendations and poor maintenance would be associated with poor system performance. Although commonplace, such experiences have not been documented in peer-reviewed publications to date. This publication is a first step in providing that documentation.