Mining Product: FAST – Field Analysis of Silica Tool
Original creation date: September 2018
Authors: E Cauda, L Chubb, J Britton, J Fritz, G Cole
Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure occurs in many industries and the potential health effects of RCS have been well-documented. Monitoring is an essential part of any RCS exposure control plan but the timeliness of data from the lab and the cumulative cost of analysis may limit the extent and the effectiveness of the monitoring process. Field-based monitoring procedures offer a supplement to sample analysis completed by an off-site laboratory. By eliminating the time spent transporting samples and waiting for laboratory results, results are available the same or next day to allow operators to make decisions regarding controls. This enhances the ability to collect data more effectively, enables better control over potential exposures, and protects worker health.
The FAST (Field Analysis of Silica Tool) software processes raw Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) data from field-based instruments and calculates an RCS mass and concentration estimate for each sample.
Thanks for the share PMJ!
