12 30 35 42

SPECIAL SECTION FEATURE FEATURE BY THE NUMBERS

AIHce Recap Analysis of Metals Fume Hood Pneumoconiosis
and Metalloids Testing in the U.S.

August 2020

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Surfaces?
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Standards, and Laboratory Analysis

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FEATURES

24
WHAT’S ON YOUR WORKPLACE SURFACES?
SURFACE SAMPLING, CONSENSUS STANDARDS,
AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS
Recent developments have put greater emphasis on the
need for surface sampling and standard protocols for such
sampling. This article describes available surface sampling
methods, with a focus on consensus standards, as well as
caveats to consider when sending these samples to a
laboratory for analysis.
BY MIKE BRISSON AND KENN WHITE

30
MEASUREMENT OF TRACE METALS AND METALLOIDS
Pt Be
DELIBERATIONS FROM AN ASTM WORKSHOP
In light of impending reductions in limit values for metals
and metalloids such as antimony, beryllium, manganese,
and nickel, all aspects of validated measurement methods,
including sampling, sample preparation, and instrumental

Mn analysis, may need to be reviewed. To debate these issues,

an ASTM workshop on the measurement of trace metals
and metalloids at workplaces was held in October 2019.
BY STEVEN VERPAELE AND OWEN BUTLER

35
FUME HOOD PERFORMANCE TESTS
METHODS TO VERIFY PROPER FUNCTIONING
People working in laboratories rely on proper performance
of fume hoods as their primary means of protection from
overexposure to hazardous airborne chemicals generated
during scientific activities. This article describes methods
to verify that fume hoods are functioning properly.
BY THOMAS C. SMITH

MIKE BRISSON, FEATURE AUTHOR
Michael J. (Mike) Brisson, MS, PMP, FASTM, is a fellow
technical advisor at Savannah River National Laboratory,
Aiken, South Carolina.
CONTRIBUTORS
STEVEN VERPAELE, FEATURE AUTHOR THOMAS C. SMITH, FEATURE AUTHOR
Steven Verpaele is an industrial hygienist with the Nickel Institute Thomas C. Smith is president of 3Flow in Cary, North Carolina,
in Brussels, Belgium, and a member of the AIHA Sampling and and a member of the ASHRAE 110, ASHRAE TC9.10, ASSE Z9, and
Laboratory Analysis Committee. ASSE Z9.5 committees.

| August 2020 4
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 AUGUST 2020

Volume 31 Number 7

EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ed Rutkowski: erutkowski@aiha.org

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS MANAGING EDITOR

Kay Bechtold: kbechtold@aiha.org

8 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 16 NEWSWATCH EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Abby Roberts: aroberts@aiha.org
Reflections on Our First Virtual OEHS and Industry News
AIHce DESIGNER
BY LINDSAY COOK 20 ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Janelle Welch, 2 Hounds Media

9 LABORATORIES 39 PRODUCT FEATURES PRODUCTION MANAGER

Jim Myers: jmyers@aiha.org
AIHA LAP’s Response to COVID-19
BY CHERYL O. MORTON 40 COMMUNITY ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
AIHA News MCI | USA
10 LABORATORIES Holly Klarman: holly.klarman@mci-group.com
Fixing Lab Safety Failures 42 BY THE NUMBERS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
BY JAMES STUBBS AND MAHDI FAHIM Pneumoconiosis Deaths in the
Lawrence D. Sloan, CAE: lsloan@aiha.org
United States
12 SPECIAL SECTION
AIHce EXP Goes Virtual The Synergist® is a copyrighted publication of the American Industrial
BY KAY BECHTOLD, ABBY ROBERTS, AND Hygiene Association, 3141 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 777, Falls Church,
VA 22042; (703) 849-8888; e-mail synergist@aiha.org. No part of The
ED RUTKOWSKI
Synergist may be reprinted without the express written consent of AIHA.
Submission of articles or letters to the editor are welcome, but AIHA
and The Synergist will determine what to publish and reserve the right to
edit all submissions for content, style, length and clarity.

The Synergist (USPS #009-332) is published monthly except a combined

June/July issue by the American Industrial Hygiene Association, 3141
Fairview Park Drive, Suite 777, Falls Church, VA 22042 for $50 per year
for members; nonmembers may subscribe for $315/yr. International
nonmembers may subscribe for $415/yr (U.S. funds). Periodicals
postage paid at Merrifield, Virginia, and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Synergist, American
Industrial Hygiene Association, Attn: Customer Service, 3141 Fairview
Ü IN THE DIGITAL EDITION Ü ON AIHA.ORG Park Drive, Suite 777, Falls Church, VA 22042. ISSN 10667660.
See digital content at Latest news:
SYNERGIST.AIHA.ORG WWW.AIHA.ORG/NEWS Publications Mail Agreement No. 40039445. Return undeliverable
Canadian addresses to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond
Hill ON L4B 4R6.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

COMING IN SEPTEMBER:
Jeff Behar, California Institute of Technology
Toxic Metals in the Workplace | Ethics and Credentials | PSX 2020 Preview Patricia Crawford, Consultant
M. Cathy Fehrenbacher, U.S. EPA
Don Garvey, 3M Co.
The Synergist’s mission is to provide AIHA members with news and information about
Stephen Hemperly, Western Digital Corporation
the occupational and environmental health and safety fields and the industrial hygiene Hank Muranko, Muranko & Associates
profession. The Synergist focuses on industry trends and news, government and regulatory Derek Popp, Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory
activities, key issues facing the profession, appropriate technical information and news on Doris Reid, Goodrich Corporation
association events and activities. John Rekus, John F. Rekus & Associates Ltd.
The Synergist’s objective is to present information that is newsworthy and of general
interest in industrial hygiene. Opinions, claims, conclusions, and positions expressed in this
publication are the authors’ or persons’ quoted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions
of the editors, AIHA, or The Synergist.

| August 2020 6
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 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

LINDSAY COOK, CIH, CSP, FAIHA,

is retired senior vice president and now
Reflections on Our First
principal consultant at The EI Group, an
environmental health and safety consult-
ing firm in Morrisville, North Carolina.
Virtual AIHce
He can be reached at cook@ei1.com.
BY LINDSAY COOK, AIHA PRESIDENT

Send feedback to synergist@aiha.org.

T
he Board of Directors’ decision in April to convert AIHce EXP sions on June 2 and June 3 were deliv-
2020 from a live event to a virtual conference was likely one ered flawlessly. The June 1 sessions
of the most difficult decisions we’ll ever have to make as were scheduled to be rebroadcast. As
a Board. But we had no choice. At the time, the COVID-19 a thank-you to attendees for sticking
pandemic was spreading in many areas of the United States, with us, AIHA committed to delivering
Atlanta included. The AIHA staff had exhaustively considered access to AIHce OnDemand weeks
all options, including even cancellation, and recommended we move forward ahead of schedule, so anyone who was
with a fully virtual event. The decision was a calculated risk since we had never unable to attend the rebroadcast of the
before held a virtual event on such a scale. But considering our obligation to June 1 sessions wouldn’t have to wait
deliver quality education to our members, and with the health and safety of our long for the education they wanted.
attendees, exhibitors, and staff foremost in our minds, the decision to go fully
virtual was straightforward. EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
In a difficult year, AIHce EXP 2020 was
a significant success. We overcame
The challenges of an all-virtual AIHce in constant communication with our many challenges and fulfilled our obli-
were significant. Nothing like it had attendees and with our online learning gation to safely deliver high-quality
ever been attempted in our industry. vendor to troubleshoot the problem. education. I am deeply grateful to the
We overcame The educational program had to be But that afternoon, staff made the presenters for their openness to shar-
pared down to a manageable number difficult decision to call off the rest of ing their expertise in new ways, to staff
many challenges of sessions. The prerecording of ses- the day’s programming. for their hard work, to our exhibitors
and fulfilled our sions required arranging logistics Our attendees’ frustrations were for sticking with us, to the volunteers
obligation to with close to 200 presenters and an shared by the Board and staff. In some on the Conference Planning Commit-
safely deliver all-hands-on-deck effort from staff ways, we were victims of our own suc- tee for developing an excellent educa-
to conduct the recordings. The online cess. With no previous all-virtual AIHce tional program, and to the sponsors
high-quality delivery system needed to be prepared experience to draw from, staff had made whose commitment to our profession
education. for go-time on June 1. And it all had to an educated guess about the size of the makes AIHce possible.
be done in a matter of weeks. audience, but the number of attendees If you participated in our first-ever
far exceeded our expectations. A late fully virtual AIHce, I hope you found it
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES surge of registrations the final week- a worthwhile event. Preliminary data
The conference got off to a won- end before the conference resulted in from our post-conference survey indi-
derful start. Like many of you, I was a significantly larger audience than we cate that almost all attendees had a
delighted by René Rodriguez’s Opening had planned for: over 2,000 participants, positive experience. My hope is that I
Session address on Monday. René’s almost half of what we see at our face- will see you at an in-person conference
clever use of prerecorded segments to-face conferences! Unfortunately, the in Dallas next May. However, if circum-
demonstrated the potential of online online learning system buckled under stances require a continued virtual
education. the volume. approach, we are confident that we
As the day progressed, the system Thanks to some technical adjust- will continue to meet or exceed our
for submitting online credit was over- ments and the flexibility of staff and members’ expectations for timely, rel-
whelmed, and many attendees had presenters, we solved the problems. evant, and value-added educational
trouble joining sessions. Staff were The system was reworked, and ses- content.

| August 2020 8
 LABORATORIES

CHERYL O. MORTON is managing

director of AIHA Laboratory Accreditation
AIHA LAP’s Response
Programs, LLC. She can be reached at
cmorton@aiha.org. to COVID-19
Send feedback to synergist@aiha.org.
BY CHERYL O. MORTON

M
ost occupational health and safety experts know the that certain AIHA LAP laboratories
importance of reliable data from accredited testing can analyze SARS-CoV-2 and related
laboratories. During the COVID-19 pandemic, OHS viruses, AIHA LAP has added anal-
professionals may require clinical testing or SARS-CoV-2 ysis of viruses using reverse tran-
testing of surfaces and air. Those experts relying on scription-polymerase chain reac-
laboratories accredited by AIHA Laboratory Accreditation tion (RT-PCR) to the Environmental
Programs should remain confident in the quality of our laboratories’ analysis. Below Microbiology Laboratory Accreditation
is information about how AIHA LAP has responded to COVID-19. Program’s Molecular Scope Category.
Some EMLAP labs that analyze viruses
on surfaces and in air and are already
Cancellation of on-site assessments. surveillances for all remote assess- accredited within the Molecular Scope
AIHA LAP’s priority is the health and ments so that we as an accreditation Category will soon add viruses to their
In early April, well-being of its staff, site assessors, and body can have even more confidence scopes. Contact Drake McGregor at
laboratory staff. In early April, AIHA LAP in the remote assessments conducted dmcgregor@aiha.org or (703) 846-
AIHA LAP can-
cancelled most on-site assessments for each accredited laboratory. 0739 for more information on how
celled most on-site and is now performing primarily remote Same technical rigor. Our goals to gain accreditation for analysis of
assessments and assessments. All of our site assessors are to have all AIHA LAP laboratories viruses under the EMLAP Molecular
is now performing and staff have been trained on newly accredited to the 2017 version of ISO/ Scope Category or for help in finding
released remote assessment proce- IEC 17025, General Requirements for a qualified microbiology lab that can
primarily remote
dures that can involve the use of web- the Competence of Testing and Calibra- conduct RT-PCR analyses for viruses.
assessments. based video technology (for example, tion Laboratories, by the end of the year COVID-19 webpage. Finally, AIHA
FaceTime, Zoom, GoToMeeting, WebEx) and, more importantly, to ensure that LAP has published a COVID-19 page
and document sharing software. Our AIHA LAP’s remote assessments are on our website at bit.ly/aihalapcovid
assessors also meet once a month to conducted with the same technical where you can find a Frequently Asked
exchange ideas on remote assessment rigor as our on-site assessments. Questions document (PDF, bit.ly/
techniques and best practices. Risk-based approach to resuming aihalapcovidfaq) and a video on remote
Readiness for assessment. Remote on-site assessments. As states and assessments (bit.ly/aihalapcovid
assessments are not performed auto- regions begin to reopen, AIHA LAP video) that can be accessed by our
matically. AIHA LAP laboratories are will resume some on-site assess- laboratories and other stakeholders.
screened to determine their readiness ments using a risk-based approach. We will continue to monitor the COVID-
for remote assessments. Laboratories Through a web-based survey, we will 19 situation and convey any updated
that are not prepared will have their collect exposure-related information information or our contingency plans
assessments postponed. from both the assigned site assessor for assessments on this page.
Confidence in assessments. Since and the laboratory. Decisions regard- Please feel free to contact me at
remote assessments are new to AIHA ing whether we can proceed with an cmorton@aiha.org or at (703) 846-0789
LAP, all site assessor reports from on-site assessment in whole or in part should you have any questions or need
remote assessments are undergoing will be made on a case-by-case basis. more information about remote assess-
review by members of our Technical RT-PCR analysis added to EMLAP ments or any of AIHA LAP’s actions
Advisory Panel. We are also scheduling scope. To make it clear to customers related to COVID-19.

9 www.aiha.org |

JAMES STUBBS is the associate director
of the EHS Department at the University of
Utah. He has over 25 years of experience
in IH and health and safety, including 20
years in an academic research laboratory
environment, and is the outgoing chair
of the AIHA Laboratory Health and Safety
Committee.
MAHDI FAHIM is the assistant direc-
tor-laboratory safety manager at North
Carolina State University, Environmental
Health and Safety Department. He is an
industrial hygienist with over 25 years of
experience in academic and industrial
research environments, specializing in
chemical safety and laboratory exhaust
ventilation systems. He is an active
member of AIHA, I2SL, and ACGIH.
Send feedback to synergist@aiha.org.
Leadership must
commit to the idea
that good science
is safe science.
| August 2020
LABORATORIES
Fixing Lab Safety Failures
BY JAMES STUBBS AND MAHDI FAHIM
L
aboratory environ-
ments challenge
industrial hygienists
in ways unlike other
workplaces. While
the rapidly changing
research environment advances the
frontier of scientific knowledge, inno-
vation also introduces new hazards and
risks to this unique work environment.
It’s common knowledge in the industry
that there have been many significant
lab incidents in the recent past, includ-
ing the tragic death of UCLA gradu-
ate student Sheri Sangji in 2009, the
2010 explosion at Texas Tech, and the
2016 explosion at the University of
Hawaii. These incidents demonstrate
the need for robust, comprehensive
safety programs in lab environments.
Evaluations of these recent events, and
third-party reviews of safety programs,
have revealed the failure points that
contributed to the incidents, which,
if ignored, will likely lead to more.
Researchers and IHs cannot rely on
luck to prevent incidents in labs—we
must diligently work toward safer labs.
FAILURE POINTS
The following failure points have been
identified as contributing significantly
to lab incidents.
Lack of a good safety culture, or
presence of a poor safety culture. IHs
have long discussed and promoted
good safety culture—what it is, how to
achieve it, and so on—but significant
barriers to its development still exist
in the lab environment. Chief among
these is the lack of administrative
support. For example, a recent safety
symposium at a major university held
a session on field research safety.
The presentation introduced tools,
such as templates and guides, that
researchers could use to compile
a field research safety plan. The
response to the session demon-
strated the lack of safety culture at
the institution: at the end, the chair
of the biology department said that if
the university made the tools manda-
tory, then researchers would choose
to lie on the form rather than use
the tools. Calling the safety culture
recommendations “ridiculous,” the
department chair insisted that using
the tools would take too much time.
This incident showed the other par-
ticipants in the session that depart-
ment leadership did not support safety,
and discouraged the development of
an effective safety culture. Leadership
must commit to the idea that good
science is safe science.
Poor control mechanisms. Often,
the lack of good control mechanisms
contributes to lab incidents. This
phenomenon occurs in part because
standard operating procedures are
rarely written down, and when they are,
they are often scavenged or borrowed
from another source and are not cus-
tomized to the lab’s actual operations.
Also, physical space is limited at many
institutions, so often research labora-
tory operations move to spaces that
10
were originally designed as offices,
classrooms, or computer labs. In such
spaces, fume hoods and other engi-
neering controls are either nonexis-
tent, poorly maintained, or improvised
in ways that may introduce even more
hazards to the lab.
A researcher at one of the authors’
institutions hired his brother-in-
law, a handyman, to connect two
fume hoods—which the department
had received secondhand from an
upgrade project in another building—
to the building’s exhaust system using
dryer vent hose. Because the enter-
prise saved money, the administra-
tion praised the researcher—despite
the makeshift nature of the job, the
uncertain condition of the hoods,
and the fact that the scientist’s cya-
nide-based research warranted extra
caution. Poor control mechanisms in
the laboratory are a tangible result of
an inadequate safety culture among
department leadership. Combine a
lack of proper controls, including PPE,
with highly hazardous research mate-
rials, and the consequences could be
devastating.
Lack of resources. Researchers
often push back on the need to pur-
chase vital safety equipment, stating
that their grant funds are restricted.
EHS programs are often understaffed
and underfunded. IH and EHS pro-
fessionals are very good at doing
more with less, but at some point,
the capacity of a system to make do
on limited resources becomes over-
loaded. Hazards go unmitigated and
 LABORATORIES

people are put at risk. To prevent

accidents, organizational leadership
must step up, increase the capacity
of safety management systems, and
provide the resources researchers
need to maintain not only compliant
safety programs but those built on
industry best practices.
Lack of education. Training is
the fallback of every OSHA citation
abatement. What step do adminis-
trators claim to take to prevent the
accident from happening again?
Retrain all staff on relevant topics.
Training is important; relevant,
impactful training is even more so.
Good training is memorable, not
tedious, and it instills understanding,
not just of what must be done, but
why it must be done. Training is not
the endpoint of an OSHA citation but
the beginning of lab incident preven- the data used to predict outcomes Texas Tech is just one example of the The Synergist, AIHA’s Laboratory
tion. Employees who understand why in lab operations? If not, why do the impacts of a lab that neglects change Health and Safety Committee will
we have the programs we have and inspections at all? Are there better management, and of the need for present a series of articles with
why we need them have a different ways to provide oversight in the lab hazard analysis at every step in an information to help address these
mindset than employees who do not, environment? What about near-miss experimental process. failure points, including case studies,
and contribute to that overall goal reporting and other mechanisms? lessons learned, and novel concepts
of a positive safety culture. Training We need to ensure that oversight RESOURCES FOR LAB SAFETY and approaches, with the goal of pro-
does not prevent incidents, but good programs actually change behav- There are many failure points lead- viding resources to help implement
training does give employees tools ior and are not just checking a box ing up to lab safety incidents, but stronger safety programs up front.
that, when properly applied, prevent each year. those discussed above encompass As we have all heard, a penny of pre-
incidents. Lack of hazard review and man- many of them. In coming issues of vention is worth a pound of cure.
Lack of capable oversight. Lab agement of change. Often research-
inspections are the bread and butter ers perform experiments without
of lab safety programs. EHS depart- reviewing the hazards involved at RESOURCES
ments develop checklists, send tech- each step in the proposed proce- The Synergist: “Laboratory Chemical Safety Incidents, 2001–2018,” bit.ly/labsafety
nical experts into labs to conduct dure. Changes to a procedure are incidents (November 2018).
inspections, and collect mountains usually done on the fly without taking The Synergist: Letter from James A. Kaufman, bit.ly/labsafetyletter (November 2014).
of data, but then what? Does the time to consider their impacts and The Synergist: “Safety Test: What’s Behind the Rash of Incidents in Academic Labs?”
new data drive the programs? Is associated risks. The incident at (August 2014).

11 www.aiha.org |
 Kesu01/DepositPhotos
AIHce EXP Goes Virtual
Forced Online by COVID-19, AIHce EXP 2020 Demonstrates
the Potential of Virtual Education
By Kay Bechtold, Abby Roberts, and Ed Rutkowski

O
n April 15, due to safety concerns stemming from the COVID-19
pandemic, AIHA’s Board of Directors announced that AIHce EXP
2020 would not be held in Atlanta as planned. Instead, the confer-
ence would be transformed into a fully virtual event to be broadcast online
June 1–3, the same days attendees were supposed to gather in Atlanta.

| August 2020 12
 The decision spawned a mammoth effort from staff,
volunteers, and presenters to convert the conference
program from face-to-face to virtual in a matter of weeks.
Eighty-some sessions were prerecorded, while plans were
made to accommodate about 20 live broadcasts. Commit-
tee meetings and professional development conferences
were rescheduled. (See page 40 for more information
about the transformation of AIHce EXP 2020.)
Despite technical glitches that affected the submission
of course credits and forced the rescheduling of sessions
planned for the afternoon of June 1, the first fully virtual
AIHce EXP exceeded expectations. Counting PDC and
single-day attendees, more than 3,100 people experienced
some or all of the conference. The decision to prerecord
most presentations allowed presenters to add unexpected
value by engaging in real-time chat with attendees while
their sessions were broadcast. And René Rodriguez book-
ended the conference with opening and closing session
addresses that made full use of the virtual format and
demonstrated the potential of online-only conferences.
THE COURAGE SCALE
Rodriguez, an author and speaker, opened AIHce EXP
2020 June 1 with a discussion of the central role occupa-
tional health and safety professionals can play in leading
their organizations’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a series of prerecorded vignettes, Rodriguez addressed
techniques leaders use to influence behavior, drawing
lessons that have broad application but are particularly
resonant as countries around the world continue to deal
with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a pandemic, leaders are under a microscope: their
every word and action will be judged, and they must set
examples for others to follow. “Right now is an opportu-
nity for you to really set the tone for what people around
you are thinking,” Rodriguez said. One of the ways that
leaders and others can achieve desired results is by affect-
ing what drives behavior—primarily people’s beliefs. But
rather than challenging others’ beliefs, Rodriguez encour-
aged the audience to approach change in a different way,
by causing an “inner shift” that affects behavior.
To help leaders gauge their effects on people, Rodriguez
discussed the work of the psychiatrist David R. Hawkins,
whose 2013 book Power vs. Force posits a hierarchy of
consciousness that encompasses seventeen separate levels,
from feelings of shame, guilt, and apathy at the bottom
to peace, love, and enlightenment at the top. In Hawkins’
model, courage is midway between shame, the lowest
level, and enlightenment, the highest.
Rodriguez encouraged attendees to think of Hawkins’
levels as a scale. Effective leaders, he suggested, are those
who help people reach the higher levels on this “courage
scale.” A leader’s goal should be to deliver information that
motivates positive action, Rodriguez said. And a leader
must take care to project calm in times of crisis.
“We have to understand the difference between being
prepared and being panicked,” he said. “If you just talk
about how bad things are and don’t give me an actionable
thing to do, you’re just causing fear.”
HURDLES REMAIN FOR COVID-19 VACCINE
NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard summarized the cur-
rent state of knowledge regarding the COVID-19 pandemic
on June 1, addressing disease transmission, testing, mit-
igation strategies, and vaccine development. Howard’s
message regarding a vaccine was hopeful but cautionary.
“Things are happening faster than we’ve ever seen
before,” Howard said of efforts around the world to
develop a vaccine. But given that development encom-
passes several phases with the last involving thousands
of volunteers, it is likely to take 12 to 18 months before
a vaccine is ready. Howard also reminded listeners that
resistance to vaccination has taken hold among people
who question the safety of vaccines. “It’s important to
remember even when we do get a vaccine” that convincing
people to take it will be a challenge, he said.
Howard emphasized the role of aerosols in trans-
mitting COVID-19, explaining that infected individuals
generate particles containing the virus when they cough,
sneeze, or speak. While the larger droplets fall to the
ground relatively quickly, smaller particles can stay
airborne for long periods. Recently published research
indicates that even speech from asymptomatic people can
transmit disease, Howard said.
The virus can also be transmitted through contact with
surfaces that have infectious material, Howard said. The
length of time the virus lasts on certain surfaces varies.
Serology testing, which detects the presence of anti-
bodies, looks for evidence of prior infection but does not
identify whether people are protected from reinfection.
Howard said that experiments have shown that antibodies
protect monkeys from reinfection, but scientists do not yet
know how long this protection lasts.
Mitigation strategies developed by CDC have attempted
to address the many ways that people congregate at home,
at work, and during transport. While guidelines vary for
different circumstances, the primary strategy, Howard
said, is to keep infected people away from the non-
infected. Studies show that stay-at-home orders have
been very effective in reducing transmission.
SAMPLING IN AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY
An industrial hygienist from a consulting firm that par-
ticipated in the sampling of ethylene oxide (EtO) in the
Willowbrook, Illinois, community discussed his
More Conference News from the AIHce Daily
Visit bit.ly/aihcedaily2020 for additional Synergist reporting
on AIHce EXP 2020.
13 www.aiha.org |
 experiences on June 1 as part of a prerecorded virtual ses-
sion. The presenter, Benjamin Chandler of GHD Services
in North Little Rock, Arkansas, shed light on the sam-
pling challenges associated with a case that drew national
attention and resulted in the shuttering of a Willowbrook
facility.
In August 2018, EPA released information indicating
that residents of Willowbrook and surrounding areas were
at increased risk of cancer from exposures to EtO. The
gas was being emitted by Sterigenics, whose Willowbrook
facility used EtO to sterilize medical devices. The com-
munity was alarmed by EPA’s findings, and the Village of
Willowbrook formed a task force to investigate the issue.
The task force hired GHD to conduct sampling.
One challenge was identifying laboratory methods. Sev-
eral options exist for collecting air samples in workplaces,
Chandler said, but criteria for community exposures were
much lower.
“We were unable to initially find a method with a labo-
ratory that gave us a low enough detection limit,” Chandler
explained. Eventually, a few labs modified their methods
and achieved a detection limit of around 0.02 parts per
billion, a level that allowed comparison to some existing
limits corresponding to a 1-in-10,000 risk of cancer but
not low enough for EPA’s estimated 1-in-10,000 cancer
risk level for EtO of 0.01 ppb.
Sample collection began in November 2018 following
EPA TO-15, Determination of Volatile Organic Com-
pounds (VOCs) in Air Collected in Specially-Prepared
Canisters and Analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass
Spectrometry. By then, Chandler said, the project had
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AIHA Rolls Out New Brand
On June 1, prior to the Opening General Session, AIHA introduced
a new logo and a new tagline. The logo incorporates a design that
evokes the “plan-do-check-act” process, which is a key component
of occupational health and safety management systems. AIHA’s
tagline, previously “Protecting Worker Health,” is now “Healthier
Workplaces. A Healthier World.”
As part of the new brand, AIHA will identify itself primarily by
its acronym when communicating with outside audiences. For
more information, visit bit.ly/aihabrand.
| August 2020
drawn the attention of organizations such as the American
Chemistry Council and advocacy groups. Willowbrook res-
idents took a keen interest, filling meeting rooms for town
hall discussions.
By the time sampling concluded in August 2019, Chan-
dler said his team had taken more than 200 ambient air
samples of indoor and outdoor environments, from areas
upwind and downwind of the Sterigenics facility. The
team consistently found background levels of EtO above
the EPA risk criteria up to three miles from the facility.
Detectable levels of EtO were found inside residences and
businesses.
“Some of the data we collected ultimately was used to
issue a seal order to Sterigenics,” Chandler said. Not long
after the sampling project ended, Sterigenics announced it
would permanently close its Willowbrook plant.
REFOCUSING OPERATIONS DURING COVID-19
In June, General Motors was among the businesses
already well into their response to COVID-19. Eltaneice
Bolden, GM’s global manager for industrial hygiene,
shared her company’s efforts to refocus operations during
the pandemic with AIHce EXP attendees in a prerecorded
session broadcast on June 3.
As a global operation, GM had a preview of what was
coming when its facilities in Asia were shut down by
government order in the pandemic’s early days. Before
GM’s sites in North and South America shut down as well,
the company instituted visitor questionnaires that were
eventually expanded for use by all employees. At the same
time, GM fielded concerns about incoming materials from
suppliers around the world. The company began sani-
tizing shipments prior to arrival. Notices were placed on
the containers to indicate they had been sanitized so that
employees at GM’s assembly plants would be willing to
open them. The company eventually began recommending
that anyone who could work from home should do so. In
mid-March, Bolden said, came the official shutdown of all
nonessential operations.
Essential employees continued to work, mostly from
home, while several of the company’s U.S. sites remained
open to fill critical needs. GM formed a “COVID Team,”
comprising representatives from several departments.
Medical staff developed guiding principles, interpreted
guidelines, and responded to cases of illness, while safety
and industrial hygiene personnel revised the respiratory
protection program and developed policies for face shields
and for sanitizing shared fall hazard equipment. Members
of GM’s facilities team established stepped-up cleaning
schedules, and engineering staff helped set up new pro-
duction lines for some of GM’s COVID-19 response work,
particularly for mask production. The company also needed
strategies and guidance for managing HVAC, cooling fans,
team rooms, and rarely used spaces. Operations personnel
managed return-to-work requirements, facility entry points,
and social distancing. Chemical risk mitigation, purchasing,
and corporate communications were also critical to GM’s
response team, Bolden said.
14
 GM also created a comprehensive “playbook” that
covered items like the company’s risk mitigation strat-
egy, communication and awareness efforts, sanitization
schedules, and approaches to social distancing and
ventilation.
“When the hourly workforce comes back, they’re going
to have nothing but questions and concerns, and we
know that,” Bolden said. “So it’s up to us . . . to know the
rules and understand them.”
SINCLAIR LECTURE: RECYCLING IN CALIFORNIA
Reporter Susie Neilson, a 2019 graduate of the University
of California-Berkeley’s School of Journalism, delivered
the 2020 Upton Sinclair Memorial Lecture on June
4. Neilson described a project she and her classmates
worked on during their second year. “Unseen: Living
in the Shadows of the Golden State” focused on work-
ers who are at risk for injury, and who are often denied
healthcare, safety training, and legal protection, while
working in jobs not often under public scrutiny.
Neilson’s contribution to “Unseen,” titled “On the
Line,” was an investigation of the state’s waste and
recycling workers. Her research revealed that recycling
facilities are tied for the fourth highest occupational
injury rate among all American industries. Neilson inter-
viewed workers who spoke of having handled grenades
on the line, in addition to dealing with broken glass, dust,
and toxic chemicals.
Victoria Leon was one of the many people Neilson
interviewed over the course of her project. In 2016, Leon
was injured on the job. That day, a doctor treated her
with pain relievers and minor physical therapy, but over
time, Leon found herself increasingly incapable of per-
forming her work.
According to Neilson, Leon asked multiple times to
see a doctor again, but her supervisor refused. Eventually
she was permitted to see a doctor, who dismissed her
injury without examining her and asserted that the injury
was not work-related. A qualified medical evaluator for
the state of California later found that Leon’s injuries
were work-related and had left her partially disabled with
40 percent loss in upper body strength.
The lawyers who Neilson spoke with for the project
stated that while most employers genuinely want their
workers to be well, they are often concerned with con-
trolling their company’s healthcare costs. California’s
progressive safety laws should protect workers at recy-
cling facilities but are grossly underenforced, Neilson
said. She explained that most recycling facilities in the
state were not inspected during a four-year period from
2014 to 2018, while between 2015 and 2017 the rate of
injuries for recycling workers increased. Neilson said that
during the COVID-19 pandemic, recycling plant workers
have continued working in close quarters and handling
increased amounts of residential waste, some of it con-
taminated, while lacking appropriate PPE.
Neilson’s project, and those of her classmates, can be
viewed at bit.ly/unseen-shadows.
NEUROLOGY FOR LEADERS
Leadership—particularly leading people under stress—is
a skill that takes years of trial and error to develop. In the
Closing Session, broadcast on June 3, René Rodriguez
addressed a virtual audience on techniques based in neu-
rology that leaders can use to exert influence.
Drawing on the work of Dr. Paul MacLean, Rodriguez
illustrated the three systems within the brain: the “rep-
tilian” brain, or basal ganglia; the “mammalian” brain,
or limbic system; and the “human” brain, or cerebral
neocortex.
The reptilian brain oversees all autonomic functions,
such as breathing and heart rate—in other words, sur-
vival. In times of extreme stress, this part of the brain
takes control, to decide quickly between fight, flight, or
freeze responses. During this time, the systems in the
higher parts of the brain, including the limbic system,
which governs memory and logic, and the neocortex,
which is responsible for planning and predicting out-
comes, go dormant. People under extreme stress make
quick decisions to ensure their survival, not well-thought-
out plans. Unfortunately, during the uncertainty of the
COVID-19 pandemic, many people’s brains are currently
operating in this state, Rodriguez said.
A leader’s job, Rodriguez said, is to inspire a sense
of safety and allow people to engage the functions of
their limbic system and neocortex. Once a leader has
assured people that their basic physical and social needs
have been met, they are in a position to make logical,
long-lasting decisions, he explained.
To inspire change, according to Rodriguez, leaders
need to appeal to others’ values and their desire for
community through effective communication. Rodriguez
described a communication technique called “framing,”
a way of answering questions or communicating infor-
mation that encourages the listener to make a personal
connection with the speaker.
“A powerful frame can cause an internal shift in us
emotionally,” Rodriguez said. “If you could relate to that
frame, if that triggers a value set inside you, [then] you’ve
connected.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YEAR?
As this issue of The Synergist went to press, AIHA was
preparing to hold AIHce EXP 2021 in Dallas, May 24–26.
The health and safety of attendees is of paramount con-
cern, and plans may change as the conference draws
closer. For the latest information, visit aihceexp.org.
KAY BECHTOLD is managing editor of The Synergist. She
can be reached at kbechtold@aiha.org.
ABBY ROBERTS is AIHA’s editorial assistant. She can be
reached at aroberts@aiha.org.
ED RUTKOWSKI is editor-in-chief of The Synergist. He can
be reached at erutkowski@aiha.org.
Send feedback to synergist@aiha.org.
15 www.aiha.org |

BACTERIA AND VIRUSES
OSHA HIGHLIGHTS
CURRENT CORONAVIRUS
GUIDANCE
As the U.S. economy began
reopening in June, OSHA pub-
lished a news release that sum-
marized the coronavirus-related
guidance currently available
from the agency. OSHA’s guid-
ance on issues such as social
distancing and identifying and
isolating sick workers is intend-
ed to complement guidelines
from the White House as well
as the agency’s “Guidance on
Preparing Workplaces for COVID-
19,” a set of recommendations
published in March and intended
to help employers prevent or
slow occupational spread of the
disease.
OSHA recommends that
employers provide workers with
refresher training and address
maintenance issues that may
have been deferred during the
shutdown. Employers should
also consult the agency’s
guidance related to coronavirus
testing, temperature checks and
health screenings, and the need
for personal protective equip-
ment during the pandemic.
OSHA’s COVID-19 webpage at
bit.ly/oshacovidtopic collects
agency resources for employers
and workers about the coronavi-
rus pandemic.
| August 2020
NEWSWATCH
Agencies Release COVID-19
Guidance for Construction
Editor’s note: Information about the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly developing. The articles on these pages were current at time
of printing. Visit bit.ly/synergistcovid for the latest news and bit.ly/coronavirusresources for links to authoritative sources.
S
eparate guidance re-
leased in May by CDC
and OSHA provides rec-
ommendations for pro-
tecting workers at construction sites
during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
guidance acknowledges that con-
struction workers, who were generally
considered essential and therefore not
subject to state stay-at-home orders,
may encounter additional exposure
to the disease as other businesses
open and communities become more
active.
OSHA stresses that its guidance
is non-binding and creates no new
legal obligations. The guidance asso-
ciates specific construction work tasks
with the four levels of the agency’s
“exposure risk pyramid,” which cat-
egorizes tasks as lower risk, medium
risk, high risk, or very high risk. In
the context of COVID-19, lower-risk
tasks include those that allow employ-
ees to remain at least six feet apart
and involve little contact with others.
High-risk tasks require entering an
indoor work site occupied by people
suspected or known to have COVID-19.
The agency does not identify tasks that
have a “very high” exposure risk for
the disease. According to OSHA, this
category is not applicable for most
construction work.
OSHA’s guidance recommends the
use of engineering controls, such as
plastic barriers to separate workers
when working indoors, and admin-
istrative controls, such as the use of
screening questions to assess the
risk of work assignments in indoor
environments where others may be
16
present. The guidance also addresses
training topics and includes a lengthy
section on the use of cloth face cov-
erings.
CDC’s guidance includes recom-
mendations for employers on reduc-
ing disease transmission among
workers, maintaining a healthy work
environment, and maintaining healthy
business operations. Like OSHA,
CDC recommends staggering work
shifts, physically separating workers,
CDC’s recommendations for maintaining
healthy business operations include
designating a “safety and health officer”
at every job site.
restricting access to limit the number
of workers in an area, reducing the
number of people at meetings, and
maintaining social distancing at choke
points such as hallways.
CDC’s recommendations for
maintaining healthy business oper-
ations include designating a “safety
and health officer” at every job site
with responsibility for responding to
COVID-19 concerns and implementing
sick leave policies. These recommen-
dations do not appear in the OSHA
guidance.
The prevalence of COVID-19 among
construction workers in the U.S. is
unknown, according to CPWR—The
Center for Construction Research
and Training. In May, CPWR published
data on COVID-19 risk factors among
construction workers. According to
CONSTRUCTION
CPWR, nearly 60 percent of construc-
tion workers in the U.S. are either
over 65 or have medical conditions
or other risk factors that make them
susceptible to COVID-19. Nearly 20
percent of construction workers had
a respiratory disease in 2019, and
25 percent had cancer, diabetes, or
heart, kidney, or liver disease. In 2018,
more than 20 percent of construction
workers smoked cigarettes, compared
to 14 percent of workers in all U.S.
industries (PDF, bit.ly/cpwr2005data).
Earlier in May, through the Back-
toworksafely.org website, AIHA
released several guidance documents
that address return-to-work consid-
erations for specific industries. The
AIHA guidance for construction (PDF,
bit.ly/btwsconstruction) identifies a
number of potential actions that are
not mentioned in either the CDC or
OSHA documents, such as main-
taining daily “approved visitor” logs,
considering four-day work weeks,
and using color-coded access stick-
ers on work helmets to indicate which
employees can access certain areas
of a job site.
CDC’s guidance for construction
workers is available at bit.ly/cdccon
struction. OSHA’s can be found at bit.
ly/oshaconstruction.

OSHA Publishes FAQs on Cloth Face Coverings
A page added to the OSHA website
in June answers frequently asked
questions about cloth face coverings
in the workplace during the COVID-
19 pandemic. OSHA clarifies that
cloth face coverings are intended
to contain the wearer's potentially
infectious respiratory droplets and
to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
The webpage explains that cloth face
coverings are not personal protective
equipment and “will not protect the
wearer against airborne transmissible
infectious agents due to loose fit and
lack of seal or inadequate filtration.”
Because cloth face coverings are not
considered PPE, OSHA’s standards
do not require employers to provide
them.
Like cloth face coverings, surgical
masks will also not protect wearers
NIH Issues Alert on Preventing SARS-CoV-2
Eye Exposures
A health and safety alert from the
National Institutes of Health raises
awareness about the need to protect
workers’ eyes from exposure to SARS-
CoV-2. The document describes the
connection between the tear ducts and
the nasal cavity, which allows tears to
drain into the back of the throat, the
trachea, and then the lungs. Patients
with COVID-19 symptoms often have
inflamed eyes or conjunctivitis, the
document notes.
Over 57 percent of all blood and
body fluid exposures to healthcare
workers involved the eyes, according
to a surveillance system established
by the International Safety Center.
Only 6.4 percent of workers involved
in those incidents were wearing eye
protection.
NIH notes that little guidance exists
NEWSWATCH
against airborne transmissible infec-
tious agents, but OSHA states that
they can be “used to protect work-
ers against splashes and sprays
(i.e., droplets) containing potentially
infectious materials.” In this case, the
Because cloth face coverings are not
considered PPE, OSHA’s standards do
not require employers to provide them.
agency considers surgical masks as
PPE, and OSHA’s standards require
employers to provide necessary PPE
to workers at no cost. However, if sur-
gical masks are being used only as
source control, OSHA states that its
PPE standards do not require employ-
ers to provide them to workers.
for when and where healthcare work-
ers should use eye protection. OSHA’s
standard for personal protective
equipment has been interpreted by
Little guidance exists for when and
where healthcare workers should use
eye protection.
the agency to apply to biological haz-
ards such as SARS-CoV-2, according
to Amber Mitchell, DrPH, MPH, CPH,
who participated in an April 1 webi-
nar on COVID-19 held by the National
Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences. “The eye is extremely rich
in blood vessels and mucous mem-
branes,” Mitchell said during her pre-
sentation. She noted that conjunctivitis
17
CONTROLS
Respirators such as filtering
facepieces are used to prevent work-
ers from inhaling airborne transmis-
sible or aerosolized infectious agents
and other small particles.
Other topics addressed in OSHA’s
FAQ include whether employers need
to continue to ensure social distanc-
ing measures are in place if workers
wear cloth face coverings, and how
to keep reusable cloth face coverings
clean.
View the FAQ page on OSHA’s web-
site at bit.ly/clothcoveringfaq.
BACTERIA AND VIRUSES
was also observed in some patients
during the Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome outbreak in 2003.
No specific standard exists for the
design or performance of goggles or
face shields for biological hazards,
Mitchell said, though an ANSI standard
is in development through the Interna-
tional Safety Equipment Association.
The standard will address biological
hazards to the eyes and equipment that
can protect against them, Mitchell said.
A PDF of the alert is available on the
NIH website at bit.ly/nihcovideyes.
www.aiha.org |
BACTERIA AND VIRUSES
EPA APPROVES TWO
DISINFECTANTS TESTED
DIRECTLY AGAINST
SARS-COV-2
In early July, EPA approved label
claims for two surface disin-
fectants’ effectiveness against
SARS-CoV-2 based on labora-
tory testing conducted directly
against the virus. According to
the agency, Lysol Disinfectant
Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Max
Cover Mist were the first prod-
ucts for which EPA had reviewed
testing data and approved label
claims against SARS-CoV-2. Both
products were already included
on List N, EPA’s list of products
that meet the agency’s criteria
for use against the coronavirus
that causes COVID-19.
EPA previously issued guid-
ance (see bit.ly/emergingpatho
gens) regarding the process for
making claims of effectiveness
against emerging viral pathogens
because novel viruses are typi-
cally not immediately available
for laboratory testing. The guid-
ance allows product manufac-
turers to provide EPA with data
that shows their products are
effective against viruses that are
harder to kill than SARS-CoV-2.
All products on List N meet
EPA’s criteria for use against
SARS-CoV-2. View the list at
bit.ly/listnproducts.
 NEWSWATCH
BACTERIA AND VIRUSES
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OSHA Addresses Reopening of
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to use remote work and alternative operations to conduct business.
Community Air Noise
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Monitoring Programs break conditions in each community, OSHA says. The agency recommends
Heat Stress Monitors Dust
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Hazardous Pollutant VOCs monitoring, and responding to emergences or resurgences of COVID-19 in
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COVID-19 Transmission at Basic Training
A U.S. Air Force base in Texas significantly limited
transmission of COVID-19 among cadets during
basic training through nonpharmaceutical inter-
ventions such as quarantine and social distancing,
according to a CDC report released June 5. The
report credits the interventions, implemented
over a seven-week period from March 1 through
April 18, with limiting the number of COVID-19
cases at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to five
out of a population of nearly 10,600 cadets for a
rate of 47 per 100,000 at a time when the overall
rate of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. was 220
per 100,000.
The training for incoming cadets includes
classroom lectures, small group activities, and
field exercises. Cadets are grouped into cohorts
of 50 who live in communal quarters and train
as a group.
Symptomatic trainees underwent nasopharyn-
geal swabs, which were analyzed by polymerase
chain reaction testing at a laboratory on base.
Cadets who tested positive were isolated and
were not permitted to return to training until at
least seven days after symptom onset and at least
three days without fever.
The Lackland base instituted travel restrictions
and limited access to essential personnel, even
for graduation ceremonies, which normally attract
many visitors. When the first positive case in a
trainee was confirmed on March 23, the base
limited potential exposure by shortening the
training schedule from eight and a half weeks
to seven. Universal use of cloth face coverings
was required beginning on April 6, and the base
stopped accepting recruits from areas with high
community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
“Factors contributing to lack of transmission
likely included early implementation of mitigation
strategies before the first case occurred, mobiliza-
tion of nonmedical personnel to assist in symptom
screening, and flexibility of the military training
staff to adjustments in programs and schedules,”
according to the report. The Lackland base had
previously housed symptomatic passengers from
cruise ships and therefore already had infrastruc-
ture in place for infected cadets.
The report (see bit.ly/mmwrlackland)
acknowledges that the highly structured nature
of the military base likely contributed to the suc-
cess of the interventions.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX LEAD

ADVERTISER PAGE
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| August 2020 20
 NEWSWATCH
MINING
Toxic Vapor
NIOSH Reorganization Monitoring Badge
Addresses Changes in the
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A notice published in May by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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STANDARDS
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A preview of Guideline 12-2020 is available on ASHRAE’s website at bit.
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Correction
On page 28 of the June/July 2020 Synergist, the article “The Marijuana
Dilemma” incorrectly attributes the resource “What You Need to
Know About Marijuana Use and Driving” to the Canadian Center for
MAY 24 - 26 | DALLAS, TX
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submitting a presentation in your area of expertise.

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Occupational Health and Safety. The fact sheet is a CDC publication.
The digital version of the article has been corrected.

21 www.aiha.org |
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 THE LABS ISSUE

What’s on YOUR
Workplace Surfaces?
Surface Sampling,
Consensus Standards,
and Laboratory Analysis

T
he conduct of modern occupational health
and safety sampling can be divided into
three broad categories: sampling for con-
tents of or contaminants in ambient or
workplace air (air sampling); sampling of
solids, liquids, or solutions for content or
contamination (bulk sampling); and sampling for
materials or contaminants that have precipitated out
of the air or were purposefully or accidently distrib-
uted on surfaces (surface sampling).
Air sampling has been the field industrial
hygienist’s bread and butter when it comes to both
collecting samples for exposure assessment and
for compliance with limit values or action levels.
But some programs—EPA and U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development programs focused
on lead from lead-containing paint, for example—
require the collection of surface samples. In many
workplaces, samples from surfaces, when collected
at all, have often been for ancillary purposes such
as characterization of legacy facilities for cleanup.
Surface samples, particularly wipe samples, are
also useful for assessing the presence of surface
contamination in areas where workers may not be
adequately protected by personal protective equip-
ment (see the OSHA Technical Manual at bit.ly/
otmchapter2).
Recent developments have put greater emphasis
on the need for surface sampling and standard pro- BY MIKE BRISSON AND
tocols for such sampling. For example, ACGIH in
KENN WHITE
2019 established the Threshold Limit Value – Sur-
face Limit (TLV-SL) as a supplement to the airborne

| August 2020 24
 TLV, particularly for substances that are dermal or
respiratory sensitizers or can be absorbed through
the skin. And this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has
created another need for surface sampling as OHS
practitioners and others study how long the SARS-
CoV-2 virus is viable on various surfaces—especially
Representations of in high-touch areas.
surfaces that may be
sampled in workplaces. Surface sampling can be a key component in OHS
assessments of risk or exposure. This article briefly
describes available surface sampling methods, with
a focus on consensus standards, as well as caveats to
consider when sending these samples to a laboratory
for analysis.

GENERAL GUIDANCE
Subcategories in surface sampling are defined by the
sampling media used: swab sampling (for small or
confined areas); vacuum sampling (using a personal
sampling pump or other such suction-producing
machine); tape lift sampling (using tape); and wipe
sampling (typically using a dry or premoistened
towelette).
Any effective sampling campaign begins with a
proper sampling strategy. Guidance on this topic can
be found in A Strategy for Assessing and Managing
Occupational Exposures from AIHA, Surface and
Dermal Sampling from ASTM International, and
the OSHA Technical Manual. OHS practitioners
should consider the purpose for sampling; any simi-
lar studies that have been published; the selection of
sampling locations; and data evaluation, including
outliers or results below reporting limits.
An article published in the October 2019 Synergist
on consensus standards and technology (see bit.ly/
synfirstchoice) discusses the benefits of using
standard sampling methods. OHS professionals
can use these methods to bolster consistency and
reproducibility, establish appropriate data quality
objectives, enhance data comparability, and build
defensibility. Consensus standards, including
ASTM, ANSI, and ISO standards, are developed by
a cross-section of OHS practitioners and subject
matter experts rather than by a single agency or
organization.
ma
ges As with any sampling program, taking time up
ty I
r/Get front to develop a good surface sampling strategy
o
oct
eD
rgu
jel,
Pla can help OHS practitioners anticipate potential
run
Pat issues. With vacuum sampling, for example, it may
Florin
,
art
alla
nsw be quite difficult (though not impossible) to collect
eekai,
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surface contaminants through a filter to obtain a
ivas
Vis
representative sample. Surfaces to be sampled may
not be readily accessible countertops, floors, and
tables and might include ductwork, ceilings, walls,

25 www.aiha.org |
 or other hard-to-reach locations. Thinking about where
the sample may have deposited and how to collect repre-
sentative samples may be a three-dimensional exercise.
A free software tool that can help is the Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory’s Visual Sample Plan, which is avail-
able at vsp.pnnl.gov.
The amount of settled dust on the surface is another
factor to consider. For large amounts of settled dust,
a bulk sampling technique may be more effective than
other surface sampling methods. While a pre-wetted wipe
substrate is usually preferred, a dry wipe or swab may be
more appropriate if the surface is oily.
For metals and metalloids, ASTM D7659 provides
guidance for the development of sampling plans and data
quality objectives, selection of methods for sampling and
laboratory analysis, and evaluation of the data. A similar
ASTM guidance document for selected organic contami-
nants is under development.
WIPE SAMPLING
What do we mean by a wipe sample? EPA’s regulation on
lead-based paint poisoning prevention in certain residen-
tial structures (40 Code of Federal Regulations 745.63)
defines lead sampling as “a sample collected by wiping
a representative surface of known area, as determined
by ASTM E1728 [now E1728/E1728M]…or equivalent
method, with an acceptable wipe material as defined in
ASTM E1792.” This definition encompasses some key
aspects that define the sampling area, the sampling sub-
strate, and the sampling technique.
For beryllium, lead, and several other substances,
the sampling area is defined by regulation, but in any
event the sampling area should be predetermined and
consistent. Checking for regulation is always a worth-
while search. The sampling area may also depend on
the amount of settled dust on the surface. ASTM E1728/
E1728M, Standard Practice for Collection of Settled Dust
Samples Using Wipe Sampling Methods for Subsequent
Lead Determination, suggests a range of 100 cm2 (10
cm by 10 cm) to 1 ft2 (12 inches by 12 inches), but adjust-
ments may be needed based on the amount of visible dust
Table 1. Standard Wipe Sampling Methods
Standard ID Contaminant(s) Surface(s)
ASTM D6480 Asbestos General
ASTM D6661 Organics Smooth
ASTM D6966 Metals/Metalloids Smooth/Hard
ASTM D7296 (Dry Wipe) Beryllium Oily/Fragile
ASTM D7822 Metals/Metalloids Dermal
ASTM E1728/E1728M Lead Smooth/Hard
NIOSH 9102 Metals/Metalloids Smooth/Hard
NIOSH 9111 (Gauze Wipe) Methamphetamine General
OSHA ID-125G and ID-206 Metals/Metalloids Smooth/Hard/Dermal
| August 2020 26
on the surface. The OSHA Technical Manual also suggests
100 cm2 since it is about the size of a worker’s palm.
Selection of wipe material is important, particularly
when it comes to the type of surface. For example, sam-
pling a rough surface might require a different material
than a smooth or oily surface. The wipe material should
not have measurable amounts of the contaminant being
measured. Specifications such as ASTM E1792 for lead
and D7707 for beryllium address this in more detail.
Sampling technique is addressed in ASTM E1728/
E1728M; ASTM D6966, Standard Practice for Collection
of Settled Dust Samples Using Wipe Sampling Methods
for Subsequent Determination of Metals; and NIOSH
Method 9102, “Elements on Wipes,” among others. These
describe the use of an “S” or “Z” pattern to ensure wiping
of the entire area being sampled, as well as the impor-
tance of folding the wipe to prevent sample loss.
A variety of standard wipe sampling methods is avail-
able. A partial list is provided in Table 1.
SWAB AND TAPE LIFT SAMPLING
Sterile swabs are most often used to collect biological
materials such as powders or fungal material from sur-
faces. ASTM International has two standard methods.
ASTM D7789 was developed for swab sampling for
fungal materials and can be used for analysis by direct
microscopy, culture, or biochemical analysis. ASTM
E2458 addresses swab sampling of nonporous surfaces
for “residual suspicious powders that are suspected bio-
logical agents and toxins from solid nonporous surfaces.”
In addition, NIOSH has posted a swab sampling proce-
dure for use in collecting culturable samples for Bacillus
anthracis spores at bit.ly/nioshbacillus.
Prepared swabs, as test kits, can be useful when col-
lecting a sample of or for testing for contaminants in small
or hard-to-reach places. Swab testing kits for lead and
other metals and drugs are commercially available, and
a web search for the analyte of interest as a test kit could
produce an appropriate product. For example, when deal-
ing with lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards,
see bit.ly/epatestkits for the list of EPA-recognized test
kits.
Tape lift sampling is typically used for microscopic
examination rather than instrumental analysis. Standard
methods include ASTM E1216, which focuses on sampling
for particulate contamination by tape lift, and ASTM
D7910. ASTM E1216 can be used for microscopic exam-
ination of metal, metalloid, or organic particulates, while
ASTM D7910 is used for fungal materials.
VACUUM SAMPLING
Vacuum sampling is often a good choice for obtain-
ing samples from carpeted floors and similar surfaces,
and for collecting bulk samples. Standardized vacuum
sampling protocols include ASTM D7144, which uses a
personal sampling pump for micro-vacuum sampling on
soft surfaces including carpets, and ASTM D5438, which
uses a modified stand-up “high-volume sampler” (HVS)
vacuum cleaner to perform carpet sampling. Collection
efficiencies of both methods have been investigated and
performance data published in peer-reviewed literature
(see two articles from the Journal of Occupational and
Environmental Hygiene in the resources section on page
28 for more information).
In ASTM D7144, dust collected is captured in a sample
cassette fitted with a collection nozzle. The collection
efficiency varies widely with the surface being sampled;
also, material gets caught in the collection nozzle. Despite
these limitations, micro-vacuum sampling is viewed as a
practical design-based method that enables data compar-
isons if the standard method is used. Collection efficiency
of the D5438 method is enhanced due to high sampling
flow rate and rigorous agitation of the surface, is demon-
strably high (overall mean 88 percent), and supports the
ASTM standard.
DERMAL SAMPLING
A number of dermal sampling techniques are outlined in
ISO Technical Report 14294, Workplace Atmospheres
— Measurement of Dermal Exposure — Principles and
Methods. The report describes methods such as wiping
using a cotton fabric; dermal patches for selected organ-
ics; smear tabs for polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs;
and in situ methods using clothing as the collection
medium. Gloves have also been used to collect the sample
by intercepting it before it reaches the hand. Most of
these methods have not been validated.
ASTM D7822, which applies to sampling for metals
and metalloids, is based on methodologies developed by
NIOSH and utilizes a wipe (either premoistened or moist-
ened in the field) with a wiping pattern starting from the
perimeter and moving to the interior of the area being
sampled. It includes a protocol for estimating the surface
area of a hand when the entire hand is being wiped.
SARS-COV-2 CORONAVIRUS
Surface sampling for viruses, including the new SARS-
CoV-2 virus (cause of COVID-19), has typically been done
in the same way as sampling for fungi and bacteria: with
a pre-wetted swab. The wetting agent is often phosphate
buffered saline. Analysis is by reverse transcription
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in which a specific
ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequence is converted to DNA
for amplification and detection. RT-PCR can be used to
indicate just presence/absence, but it may also be used
quantitatively (qRT-PCR) to track the rate of amplifica-
tion. The swab should be analyzed very quickly as RNA is
not as stable as DNA. Some protocols require overnight-
ing refrigerated samples; others require placing the swab
in a viral transport medium or chaotropic lysis buffer in
the field, the latter being preferred for long-term storage.
While data on the limits of quantitation is available
for analytical procedures, no data exists regarding the
efficiency or uncertainty in the transfer of virus from
different surfaces to swab, or the stability, recovery, or
uncertainty of the transfer from swab to analyzer. Hence,
the qRT-PCR procedure is semi-quantitative at best, and
studies should be performed to improve knowledge in this
area. Swabs are currently scarce due to the pandemic and
wipes can cover much greater areas, potentially improving
the sensitivity. Research into suitable wiping procedures
is ongoing. See the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s
frequently asked questions on testing for SARS-CoV-2 at
bit.ly/sarscov2fda for information regarding SARS-
CoV-2 test kits.
WHAT THE LAB NEEDS TO KNOW
Communication with the lab is key to the success of the
sampling program. It’s important that the OHS practi-
tioner understands what the lab can and cannot do; the
lab knows what it is getting and the desired data quality
objectives; and the OHS practitioner understands what
the data from the lab mean. Thus, the lab needs to know:
• What is the target analyte?
• How well do you need it done? (Here, screening meth-
ods may be faster and cheaper than methods with all the
“bells and whistles” that come with accreditation.)
• What else is in the sample that might impact or interfere
with handling and the analysis? For example, are there
other sample components that may interfere with the
target species? Are there any regulatory considerations?
Does the sample require special handling? What about
the disposal of the residual and waste?
• What is the sample matrix? (Note that some media are
more difficult to dissolve/digest/extract than others.)
Wipe material is especially important for the labora-
tory. Certain wipe materials may not be compatible with
some methods used in the laboratory, so it is important to
check in advance to make sure the laboratory can handle
what you plan to send. In return, the lab should provide:
• how much it will and did cost
• how long it will and did take
• what method is to be and was used
• how sensitive the method is given a sample size and was
given the sample size as received
• how much of the target species (reporting limit) can be
and was found
• how the data will be reported
• the data
Call the lab! They are there to help. (Editor’s note:
More tips for improving collaboration between field IHs
and laboratory professionals can be found in an article
from the August 2016 Synergist at bit.ly/syn1608.)
MORE TO COME
A full-day professional development course titled “Surface
Sampling – Issues, Methods, and Strategy for Metals,
Metalloids, Organics, and Biologicals” was presented at
AIHce EXP 2019 and included much of the information
contained in this article with more detail and discussion.
The PDC was accepted for this year’s conference, but it
was not presented online at AIHce EXP 2020 because it
does not lend itself to virtual presentation. The same PDC
will be proposed for AIHce EXP 2021. In addition,
27 www.aiha.org |

a Sampling Quality Assurance Manual compiled by the
AIHA Sampling and Laboratory Analysis Committee is
scheduled for release next year.
MICHAEL J. (MIKE) BRISSON, MS, PMP, FASTM, is a fellow
technical advisor at Savannah River National Laboratory,
Aiken, South Carolina. He is a past chair of the AIHA Sam-
pling and Laboratory Analysis Committee, on the Board of
Directors of ASTM International and past chair of Com-
mittee D22 (Air Quality), chair of ISO Technical Committee
146, Subcommittee 4, on Air Quality General Aspects, and
convener of four ISO working groups. He can be reached at
mike.brisson@srnl.doe.gov.
KENNETH T. (KENN) WHITE, MS, MM, CIH, CSP, FAIHA,
FASTM, is the principal of Consultive Services in Virginia
Beach, Virginia. He is a three-time recipient of the AIHA
Edward J. Baier Technical Achievement Award, chair of the
ASTM International Subcommittee D22.12 on Sampling
and Analysis of Lead for Exposure and Risk Assessment,
and a member of the AIHA Sampling and Laboratory Anal-
ysis Committee, serving as chair of the Environmental Lead
Subcommittee. He can be reached at kennwhite@cox.net.
The following applies to Mike Brisson: This manuscript
has been authored by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
(SRNS), LLC under Contract No. DE-AC09-08SR22470
with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Envi-
ronmental Management (EM).
Disclaimer: The United States Government retains and
the publisher, by accepting this article for publication,
acknowledges that the United States Government retains
a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license
to publish or reproduce the published form of this work,
or allow others to do so, for United States Government
purposes.
Acknowledgements: The authors gratefully acknowledge
Eric Esswein, Lisa Rogers, and Martin Harper for provid-
ing their valuable inputs.

RESOURCES
ACGIH: Annual Reports of the Committees on TLVs and BEIs for
Year 2018.
AIHA: A Strategy for Assessing and Managing Occupational
Exposures, 4th edition, bit.ly/exposures4thed.
ASTM International: ASTM D5438, Standard Practice for Collec-
tion of Floor Dust for Chemical Analysis (2017).
ASTM International: ASTM D7822, Standard Practice for Dermal
Wipe Sampling for the Subsequent Determination of Metals
and Metalloids (2018).
ASTM International: ASTM D7910, Standard Practice for Collec-
tion of Fungal Material from Surfaces by Tape Lift (2014).
ASTM International: ASTM E1216, Standard Practice for Sam-
NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods: Method 9102, “Elements
on Wipes,” bit.ly/niosh9102 (PDF, March 2003).
NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods: Method 9111,
“Methamphetamine on Wipes by Liquid Chromatography/
Mass Spectrometry,” bit.ly/niosh9111 (PDF, October
2011).

ASTM International: ASTM D6480, Standard Test Method for
Wipe Sampling of Surfaces, Indirect Preparation, and Analysis
for Asbestos Structure Number Surface Loading by Transmis-
sion Electron Microscopy (2019).
ASTM International: ASTM D6661, Standard Practice for Field
Collection of Organic Compounds from Surfaces Using Wipe
Sampling (2017).
ASTM International: ASTM D6966, Standard Practice for Collec-
tion of Settled Dust Samples Using Wipe Sampling Methods
for Subsequent Determination of Metals (2018).
ASTM International: ASTM D7144, Standard Practice for
Collection of Surface Dust by Micro-Vacuum Sampling for
Subsequent Metals Determination (2016).
ASTM International: ASTM D7296, Standard Practice for
Collection of Settled Dust Samples Using Dry Wipe Sampling
Methods for Subsequent Determination of Beryllium and
Compounds (2018).
ASTM International: ASTM D7659, Standard Guide for Strategies
for Surface Sampling of Metals and Metalloids for Worker
Protection (2015).
ASTM International: ASTM D7707, Standard Specification
for Wipe Sampling Materials for Beryllium in Surface Dust
(2016).
ASTM International: ASTM D7789, Standard Practice for Collec-
tion of Fungal Material from Surfaces by Swab (2012).
pling for Particulate Contamination by Tape Lift (2011).
ASTM International: ASTM E1728/E1728M, Standard Practice
for Collection of Settled Dust Samples Using Wipe Sampling
Methods for Subsequent Lead Determination (2020).
ASTM International: ASTM E1792, Standard Specification for
Wipe Sampling Materials for Lead in Surface Dust (2016).
ASTM International: ASTM E2458, Standard Practices for Bulk
Sample Collection and Swab Sample Collection of Visible
Powders Suspected of Being Biological Agents and Toxins
from Nonporous Surfaces (2017).
ISO: Technical Report 14294, Workplace Atmospheres —
Measurement of Dermal Exposure — Principles and Methods
(2011).
Journal of ASTM International: Selected Technical Papers
STP1533, “Surface and Dermal Sampling,” bit.ly/stp1533
(PDF).
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene: “Evaluation
of a Standardized Micro-Vacuum Sampling Method for
Collection of Surface Dust” (March 2007).
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene: “House Dust
Collection Efficiency of the High Volume Small Surface
Sampler on Worn Carpets” (June 2006).
NIOSH: Surface Sampling Procedures for Bacillus anthracis
Spores from Smooth, Non-Porous Surfaces, bit.ly/nioshba
cillus (April 2012).
OSHA: Method ID-125G, “Metal and Metalloid Particulates
in Workplace Atmospheres (ICP Analysis),” bit.ly/metho
did125g (September 2002).
OSHA: Method ID-206, “ICP Analysis of Metal/Metalloid
Particulates from Solder Operations,” bit.ly/methodid206
(May 1991).
OSHA: OSHA Technical Manual, Section II, Chapter 2, “Surface
Contaminants, Skin Exposure, Biological Monitoring and
Other Analyses,” bit.ly/otmchapter2 (February 2014).
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: Visual Sample Plan,
Version 7.13, vsp.pnnl.gov.
The Synergist: “First Choice: Consensus Standards, Tech-
nology, and the IH Professional,” bit.ly/synfirstchoice
(October 2019).
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Policy
Guidance Number 2017-01 Rev 1: “Revised Dust-Lead Ac-
tion Levels for Risk Assessment and Clearance; Clearance
of Porch Floors,” bit.ly/huddustlead (PDF, 2017).
U.S. Government Publishing Office: 40 CFR Part 745, Lead-
Based Paint Poisoning Prevention in Certain Residential
Structures, bit.ly/40cfr745.

| August 2020 28
 eLearning

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 THE LABS ISSUE

Pt Be

Mn
Measurement
of Trace Metals
and Metalloids
Deliberations from
an ASTM Workshop
Ni
N
ew and revised (downward) occupational exposure limit values
are emerging for metals and metalloids such as antimony, beryl-
lium, manganese, and nickel. Validated measurement methods
for workplace air measurements, based around the use in labora-
tories of the widely available inductively coupled plasma-atomic
emission spectrometric (ICP-AES) technique for multi-elemental analy-
sis, have long since been codified at a national level (for example, with
NIOSH Method 7302 and OSHA Method ID-125G) and more recently
at an international level (ASTM D7035 and ISO 15202 parts 1, 2, and
3). However, in light of these impending reductions in limit values, all
aspects of such methods, including sampling, sample preparation, and
instrumental analysis, may need to be reviewed. To debate these issues,
a workshop on the measurement of trace metals and metalloids at work-
places, sponsored by ASTM International Committee D22 on Air Quality,
was held in October 2019 in Houston, Texas. The event attracted 24
stakeholders interested in improving the science of measuring metals in
workplace air. This article summarizes deliberations from this meeting.

BY STEVEN VERPAELE AND OWEN BUTLER

| August 2020 30
OEL SETTING AND COMPLIANCE
Those responsible for setting exposure limit values for
carcinogens, including several commonly used metals
and metalloids, now recognize the concept of a thresh-
old for carcinogenic effects and a risk-based concept for
non-threshold carcinogens. (See bit.ly/echanickelannex
for the European Chemicals Agency Risk Assessment Com-
mittee opinion on OELs for nickel and its compounds; and
bit.ly/bauatrgs910, in which the German Ministry of
Labour and Social Affairs defines the concept of “accept-
able cancer risks” for a number of metals and metalloids.)
A great deal of epidemiological and toxicological evidence
exists for metals and metalloids from studies within many
metal processing workplaces from which new or revised
limit values have been derived.
There are new requirements for sampling specific
particle size fractions (for example, in cases where a new
respirable limit value has been added for an agent that
previously had only an inhalable limit value). These situ-
ations require new exposure datasets, which has spurred
development of samplers that can simultaneously sample
inhalable and respirable fractions (discussed below).
Many inhalable exposure datasets already exist, and some
researchers have investigated the possibility of extrapo-
lating likely respirable exposures from such data—that is,
by deriving a respirable-to-inhalable mass ratio. In the
absence, at this time, of suitable respirable exposure data,
there are merits in this approach, but ratios derived in
one work setting may not be translatable over time or to
another work setting. Particle size distributions can vary
greatly and depend on factors such as the workplace opera-
tions that generate such particles, whether those processes
remain stable over time, and whether the composition and
morphology of materials remain constant. At the work-
shop, representatives from the European metal industry
presented results from workplace surveys that involved the
use of cascade impactor sampling to derive metal-mass-to-
particle-size data.
SAMPLING CONSIDERATIONS
Ongoing air sampling challenges include dealing with “wall
losses” (particles not collected on the filter but deposited
on some other part of the sampler inlet). Emerging chal-
lenges arising from new or reduced exposure limits include
the previously mentioned need for simultaneous sampling
of different health-related fractions and the increased
potential for cross-contamination if smaller sample masses
are collected.
A paper published in the Journal of Occupational and
Environmental Hygiene in 2015 has shown that, by wiping
interior surfaces of samplers, wall losses can be recovered
and added to a filter sample for analysis. However, this
can be a laborious procedure. In recent years, an elegant
solution has evolved in the form of acid-soluble capsules
designed to capture all particles entering a sampling device
and which are readily digestible for subsequent metal anal-
ysis. A new variant of these capsules was presented at the
workshop, the disposable inhalable sampler (DIS), which is
based upon the ubiquitous IOM inhalable sampler. A metal-
sampling version employs a cellulose capsule bonded to a
25-mm diameter mixed cellulose ester (MCE) filter, and a
polyvinyl chloride-based (PVC) version is available if grav-
imetric determinations are required (as PVC media exhibit
better weight stability than MCE media).
Comparative studies in assessing the performance of
personal samplers have been undertaken, but given the
numerous types of personal samplers in use, more such
studies are needed. Impending new exposure limits will
require both the collection of new exposure data and the
sharing of existing data, hence a need for comparability.
In April 2018, the Nickel Institute, a global association of
primary nickel producers, proposed a new study be under-
taken to assess sampler performance in both laboratory
and field settings. The Institute is in the process of reaching
out to relevant stakeholders to ascertain their interest in
participating. (For more information about this project,
contact Steven Verpaele at sverpaele@nickelinstitute.
org.)
With reductions in exposure limits requiring reliable
measurement of potentially smaller sample masses, focus
has shifted to minimizing both the potential for sample
contamination and ensuring that sufficient sample is
collected for analysis. Endeavors here involve the devel-
opment of the “single-use” sampler, as exemplified by
the DIS. Other designs are in the offing as exemplified by
a presentation at the workshop on the development of a
new inhalable sampler. To collect sufficient sample mass,
samplers operating at high flow rates (around 10 liters per
minute) are available, but work to develop new samplers,
running at even higher flow rates, was suggested in the
workshop.
Several researchers have proposed the simultaneous
sampling of inhalable and respirable fractions using foams
to perform the desired particle size selections. Indeed, a
dual-fraction IOM sampler that employs a foam separator
is now commercially available. At the workshop, a new
variant of the DIS, equipped with a foam insert that allows
the respirable fraction to be collected on the filter and the
extra-respirable component of an inhalable sample to be
trapped in the foam, was presented. Also presented was
the nanoparticle respiratory deposition sampler (NRD),
designed to sample those sub-micron metal particulates
31 www.aiha.org |

Antoine2K/Getty Images
Emerging challenges
include the need for
simultaneous sampling of
different health-related
fractions.
that deposit deep in the lung, which now also uses foams
to select the required particle sizes. However, further
studies on the utility of such samplers would be welcome,
and there are plans to include such samplers in the com-
parability study proposed by the Nickel Institute.
SAMPLE PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS
An inherent challenge with ICP-based methodologies is
that they typically require a sample to be presented for
analysis in the form of a solution (that is, via digestion
of an air filter sample in strong mineral acid). While the
requisite procedures are codified in relevant standards,
their correct use nevertheless still relies heavily upon the
skill and experience of the analyst, especially those pro-
cedures that involve the use of hotplates and open beaker
digestions. The use of the closed-vessel pressurized micro-
wave-assisted digestion option has emerged as the method
of choice for many laboratories undertaking trace metal
analysis. Pressurized digestions enable acids to be heated
to temperatures above their nominal boiling points and so
allow samples to be digested most efficiently. Microwave
ovens are microprocessor controlled, allowing a safe,
automated, and highly repeatable operation. Furthermore,
microwave power considerably shortens sample dissolu-
tion times when compared to more traditional hotplate
| August 2020 32
digestion procedures. In summary, effective and consis-
tent digestions can be performed. A microwave-assisted
digestion procedure, based on EPA Method 3052, was
incorporated into the published ISO 15202-2 standard.
Presentations at the workshop detailed work being under-
taken to include microwave-assisted digestions in future
iterations of German and U.S. national standard methods.
INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS
Multi-Element Analysis
Currently ICP-AES, which is codified in several national
and international standards, is the technique of choice in
most occupational hygiene laboratories for the multi-
element analysis of air filter samples. There are concerns,
however, that the sensitivity of the ICP-AES technique
may be insufficient to quantify certain metals at proposed
new reduced exposure limits as alluded to, for example,
in a survey of laboratories that offered nickel assays (see
Detection Limits in Air Quality and Environmental Mea-
surement, ASTM International, 2019). Complimentary
standards such as ASTM D7439-14 and ISO 30011
now exist, which advocate the use of the more sensitive
inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-
MS) technique. As reported at the workshop, efforts are
ongoing to incorporate ICP-MS into revisions of national
standards and in particular for the analysis of elements
such as antimony, beryllium, and platinum where ICP-
AES indeed lacks the required sensitivity. In summary,
the main challenge is potentially an economic one—that
is, procurement of new ICP-MS capabilities to supplement
existing ICP-AES capabilities in occupational hygiene
laboratories.
Single-Element Analysis
Workshop participants also discussed requirements for
sampling, sample preparation, and analytical determina-
tions of beryllium, hexavalent chromium, nickel species,
and platinum.
Findings from an inter-laboratory study published
in the Journal of Environmental Monitoring in 2012
demonstrated that either a high-boiling point acid (such
as sulfuric acid) or hydrofluoric acid was required to read-
ily dissolve beryllium oxide phases present in beryllium
processing facilities. Requisite analyst skill sets have been
mentioned previously but there remain concerns whether
some laboratories use appropriate digestion methods and,
if so, whether they follow the prescribed recipe completely
(that is, use the recommended acid mixtures). An over-
view of a sensitive fluorescence-based beryllium assay,
developed for both filter and swab samples and described
in a 2017 paper in the International Journal of Analytical
Chemistry, was presented at the workshop. This assay is
now available as ASTM D7202 and NIOSH 7704, and is
as sensitive, if not more so, than ICP-MS. Usefully, it can
be made portable, so enabling timely measurements to be
performed close to the workplace.
Sensitive spectrophotometric protocols, discussed
at the workshop, for the determination of hexavalent
chromium are available, such as ASTM D6832 and ISO
16740. Nevertheless, analytical challenges remain, such as
extracting insoluble hexavalent chromium species and the
omnipresent potential for species interconversion between
hexavalent and trivalent chromium forms during filter
extraction. These considerations were detailed in a useful
2003 review paper in the Journal of Environmental Moni-
toring and remain relevant to this day.
The assessment of health risks in the metal producing
industry ideally requires the ability to distinguish quanti-
tatively between different forms of a metal that could exist
in workplace dusts. In one endeavor, the Zatka protocol—a
sequential leaching method described in a 1992 paper in
Environmental Science and Technology—was developed
to provide a laboratory-based assay that could differentiate
between “soluble,” “sulphidic,” “metallic,” and “oxidic”
nickel forms present in dusts within refineries that pro-
cessed sulphidic-based nickel ores. In this approach, labile
nickel forms are sequentially removed (and analyzed) by
subjecting air filter samples to leaching agents of increas-
ing strength, thereby exploiting solubility differences
between nickel compounds. In a workshop presentation,
use of this same sequential leaching approach to elucidate
the possible forms of nickel present in particles within a
stainless-steel mill was presented. Here both the original
Zatka protocol and a modified version were utilized along-
side instrumental particle characterization techniques
such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption near
edge structure (XANES), and Quantitative Evaluation of
Materials by Scanning Electron Microscopy (QEMSCAN).
Given the diverse particle morphologies and sizes that
could be encountered in metal-handling workplaces, an
approach employing a battery of analytical techniques not
only better characterizes workplace particles but can ascer-
tain whether the use of sequential leach-type procedures in
other work settings has merit.
The International Platinum Group Metal Association
(IPA) has published a harmonized methodology for the
sampling of platinum in workplace atmospheres that
subsequently involves the extraction of filter samples in
dilute hydrochloric acid for determining the soluble plati-
num fraction. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin,
working on behalf of IPA, presented their highly sensitive
ICP-MS assay for measurements at concentrations less
than 1 ng/m3. Purity of reagents and cleanliness of appara-
tus are critical in achieving such sensitivities.
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CONTROL REQUIREMENTS
Proficiency testing (PT) allows a laboratory to compare
its analytical performance against those of its peers and
demonstrate that it can obtain reliable results. While the
performance of laboratories analyzing simulated (spiked
aqueous metal solutions) test filters remains satisfactory,
such samples may not provide a realistic examination
because they are not truly representative of air filter sam-
ples collected from many workplaces. Indeed, a 2008
paper in The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, drawing
upon results from a PT scheme that offered realistic
welding fume on filter samples, concluded that, despite
the availability of standard methods, use of inappropriate
or incorrectly performed digestions was indeed a major
source of analytical bias, which remains apparent to this
day.
If available, analysis of matrix reference materials
(RMs), with a known elemental composition, could help
laboratories determine whether they are following a
published procedure correctly or verify whether the perfor-
mance of their in-house digestion method is satisfactory.
Ideally such RMs would be representative of the wide
range of dusts and fumes encountered in the workplace
and preferably are available as particle-on-filter samples.
Producing large batches on near-identical RM filters, how-
ever, remains challenging, and to date, as far as is known,
only two metal-on-filter RMs have been produced, a weld-
ing fume material certified only for its chromium content
and a beryllium oxide material.
At the workshop, endeavors in developing new RMs
were presented. These included a new approach for pro-
ducing metal oxide on filter materials (described in two
publications in the journal Gefahrstoffe - Reinhaltung
der Luft) and the development and validation of two bulk
welding fume RMs, characterized for elements such as
chromium, iron, manganese, nickel, and zinc, detailed in a
2014 publication in the Journal of Occupational and
Environmental Hygiene.
EMERGING MEASUREMENT SCIENCE
A widely shared aspiration is the development of field-based
methods for the determination of metals and metalloids
in the workplace. While analyzing air filter samples at the
workplace is currently possible—for example, through use of
portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers—new portable
instruments that can sample and quantify airborne elemen-
tal concentration data in near real time are ideally required.
At the workshop, emerging research into the development
of a portable spark emission spectrometer was presented.
Ongoing endeavors such as development of new air sampler
designs; new filter digestion approaches; approaches to
boost the sensitivity of the ICP-AES technique (for example,
through use of high efficiency nebulizers); and evaluation of
new ICP-MS technologies (such as new triple-cell systems
for the improved removal of isobaric interferences) will, in
time, feed into future iterations of national and international
(ASTM and ISO) standards.
STEVEN VERPAELE is an industrial hygienist with the
Nickel Institute in Brussels, Belgium, and a member of the
AIHA Sampling and Laboratory Analysis Committee. He
can be reached at sverpaele@nickelinstitute.org.
OWEN BUTLER is an analytical chemist and proficiency
testing specialist with the U.K. Health and Safety Executive
in Harpur Hill, Buxton, United Kingdom.
Acknowledgment: The authors thank the ASTM workshop
delegates for their contributions, without which this sum-
mary report would not have been possible.
33 www.aiha.org |
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| August 2020
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34
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 THE LABS ISSUE

Fume Hood
Performance Tests
Methods to
Verify Proper
Functioning

BY THOMAS C. SMITH

P
eople working in laboratories rely on
proper performance of fume hoods
as their primary means of protection
from overexposure to hazardous air-
borne chemicals generated during
scientific activities. Fume hood performance is
defined as the ability to protect people through
containment, capture, and removal of airborne
hazards generated within the fume hood enclo-
sure. Results from thousands of performance
tests by my company, 3Flow, indicate that 15
percent to 30 percent of fume hoods do not
meet performance criteria described in ANSI/
AIHA/ASSP Z9.5-2012, Laboratory Ventila-
tion. (More information is available in my paper
“The Unintended Practice of Using Employee
Health as an Indicator of Laboratory Hood Per-
formance” in the January/February 2004 issue
of Chemical Health and Safety Journal.)
zilli/Getty Images

35 www.aiha.org |

In the ASHRAE 110 test method, a mannequin is used to simulate a hood
user standing in front of the hood opening.
The factors that affect safety performance are numerous
and generally associated with the aerodynamic design of
the fume hood, the operation of the airflow systems, the
configuration of the laboratory environment, and the work
practices of the hood user. These factors are further exac-
erbated as laboratory hood systems become increasingly
more complex with the introduction of unique features
and variable air volume (VAV) systems that modulate flow
to conserve energy. Since fume hood systems are installed
for the sole purpose of protecting people, proper testing is
critical to ensure proper performance before people place
their health at risk using hazardous chemicals.
OSHA’s Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chem-
icals standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) requires all facilities
to ensure the proper functioning of fume hoods through
appropriate testing and maintenance. The current stan-
dard in the United States for verifying proper functioning
of fume hood systems is ANSI/ASHRAE 110-2016, Method
of Testing Performance of Laboratory Fume Hoods.
ASHRAE 110 provides quantitative and qualitative test
methods to evaluate containment performance under
prevailing operating conditions. The standard describes a
series of tasks that include inspection of the hood, evalua-
tion of the lab environment, airflow measurements, airflow
visualization tests, and tracer gas containment tests. The
tests are conducted to verify containment performance and
document the prevailing operating conditions.
TEST METHODS AND APPLICATION
The test methods described in the ASHRAE 110 standard
can be divided into two sections: evaluation of prevail-
ing operating conditions, and evaluation of containment
| August 2020 36
performance under prevailing operating conditions.
Evaluation of prevailing operating conditions includes
the following methods:
• fume hood and lab inspection
• face velocity measurements
• VAV face velocity control test
• VAV response test
• cross-draft velocity tests (optional)
Methods for evaluating containment performance under
prevailing operating conditions are:
• flow visualization (smoke) test
• tracer gas containment test
To conserve energy, fume hoods are being operated at
lower average velocities and equipped with complex VAV
systems. The VAV systems are intended to modulate flow
to a minimum when the sash is closed or when the hood
is unoccupied, and increase flow in proportion to the sash
opening area or when the hood is occupied with the sash
open. Most organizations employ measurement of average
face velocity, but the introduction of more complex VAV
systems requires additional testing. While face velocity
measurements are applicable when the sash is open, special
airflow tests are required to evaluate proper operation of
the VAV flow control systems. The VAV face velocity con-
trol tests and VAV response tests are conducted to verify
proper modulation and control of flow across the range of
operating modes from minimum to maximum flow.
According to ANSI/AIHA/ASSP Z9.5-2012, the VAV
controls should be capable of modulating flow in less than
5 seconds following movement of the sash and preventing
flow variations in excess of 10 percent from the design
specifications at each sash configuration or operating
mode. Measurement of face velocity alone will not ensure
proper functioning of VAV controls, and performance can
be compromised by slow response and unstable flow con-
trol. These systems are also susceptible to degradation over
time, which may lead to more frequent testing and mainte-
nance efforts.
In addition to problems caused by improper modu-
lation of exhaust flow, fume hood performance can be
dramatically affected by the velocity and direction of room
air currents near the hood opening. Issues can arise if air
supply diffusers are located too close to the fume hood or
the air supply flow produces detrimental cross-draft veloc-
ities near the opening. ANSI/AIHA Z9.5 recommends that
cross-draft velocities be maintained at less than 50 percent
of the average face velocity. However, the performance of
some fume hoods may be more susceptible to cross-drafts
than others. High-velocity cross-drafts can also create
turbulence at the plane of the sash and affect the accuracy
of face velocity measurements. At a minimum, this can
lead to improper calibration and tuning of the airflow con-
trols; at worst, cross-drafts can adversely affect fume hood
containment and safety performance. For these reasons,
cross-draft velocities should be measured across the range
of operating modes to evaluate and reduce the impact of air
supply on hood performance.
To assess the impact of these operational factors on
 Mannequin
Tracer Gas Detector
Computerized Data
Collection System
Figure 1. Photo of experimental setup during ASHRAE 110 fume hood performance tests.
hood containment performance, ASHRAE 110 describes
application of qualitative flow visualization tests and
quantitative tracer gas containment tests. During flow
visualization tests, a visible source of smoke is generated
in the hood to observe airflow patterns and qualitatively
assess hood containment. During tracer gas tests, the gas
sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is discharged from a special ejec-
tor located inside the fume hood to simulate a hazardous
emission, and a mannequin is used to simulate a hood
user standing in front of the hood opening. A tracer gas
detector is placed in the mannequin’s breathing zone to
quantitatively assess containment for use in rating fume
hood performance. The tracer gas is generated at a rate of
4 liters per minute through the ejector located in the hood
directly downstream of the mannequin. With the sash in
the design opening configuration, the detector samples
concentrations at a rate of 1 hertz in the mannequin’s
breathing zone for a period of 5 minutes and at a minimum
of three locations across the opening (that is, at the left,
center, and right sides of the opening). Special tests are
also conducted with the mannequin placed at the center of
the opening to evaluate containment during three cycles
of opening and closing the sash. These tests are called
sash movement effect tests and are intended to evaluate
potential for escape as a function of sash movement and
VAV flow response and stability. Improper operation of the
VAV controls can dramatically affect hood performance,
Tracer Gas Ejector
Face Velocity Probe
Cross-Draft Velocity
Probe
and tests must be conducted periodically to verify proper
functioning of the flow control systems. Refer to Figure 1
for a photo of the test apparatus used during ASHRAE 110
fume hood tests.
Due to the number of factors that can influence hood
containment, ASHRAE 110 tests can be conducted “as man-
ufactured” (AM), “as installed” (AI), and “as used” (AU):
AM tests are conducted before purchase of the hood
to help evaluate the impact of hood design on performance
and establish an operational performance envelope.
AI tests are conducted during commissioning of the
newly installed fume hood system to evaluate performance
in the actual lab under the prevailing operating conditions.
The AI tests should be conducted before occupancy to
document the operating conditions and verify safety perfor-
mance before people are potentially exposed to hazardous
airborne chemicals.
AU tests are conducted after installation and setup of
experimental apparatus to evaluate the potential impact of
the procedures on containment and help determine work
practices that may help further mitigate risk of exposure.
The need for AU tests is often subject to the level of risk
associated with the work in the hood and applied at the
discretion of the chemical hygiene officer.
Once operating and in service, all fume hoods should be
tested periodically (at least annually) to verify proper oper-
ation. Routine operating tests should include, at a
37 www.aiha.org |
 minimum, inspection of the hood and lab, cross-draft
tests, face velocity tests, VAV response tests, and qual-
itative flow visualization tests. It may not be necessary
to conduct periodic tracer gas tests where operation is
demonstrated to be equivalent to conditions prevailing
during the AI commissioning tests. However, should any
significant changes be made to the design or operation
of the fume hood system or the laboratory environment,
the AI tests should be conducted again to validate perfor-
mance and benchmark the new operating conditions.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Tens of thousands of fume hoods have been tested to chal-
lenge and quantify hood containment using the ASHRAE
110 test methods. The results have been used to improve
safety and reduce energy consumption by enabling better
performance of fume hoods, laboratories, and ventilation
Fume hood performance can be
dramatically affected by the
velocity and direction of room air
currents near the hood opening.
systems. In the original ASHRAE standard published in
1985, dichlorodifluoromethane (refrigerant 12) was spec-
ified as the tracer gas. Refrigerant 12 was later identified
as a potential environmental pollutant that contributed
to ozone depletion. To reduce generation of potential air-
borne pollutants, the ASHRAE standard switched to SF6
in 1995. Unfortunately, SF6 has now been identified as
an extremely potent greenhouse gas and reported to be
24,000 times worse than carbon dioxide. Organizations
around the world are discouraging use of SF6 as an air
tracer, and California has banned it for “as used” fume
hood tests. In addition, the high cost, complexity, and
limited availability of SF6 tracer gas detectors has limited
the application of ASHRAE 110 tests. Even considering the
thousands of tests conducted, it is estimated that less than
10 percent of the nearly 1.4 million fume hoods in the U.S.
have been subject to quantitative tracer gas tests.
In keeping with commitments to occupational safety
and environmental health, ASHRAE undertook a research
project to determine a more environmentally friendly
alternative to SF6. The investigation included a review of
available background literature; characterization of the
ASHRAE 110 ejector for SF6; determination of alternative
tracer generation, delivery, and detection systems; and a
series of tests to evaluate the similarity of results. The work
revealed that isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and other alcohol
mixtures can be vaporized, mixed with air, discharged
from the ASHRAE 110 outlet diffuser, and detected using
simple, low-cost, and readily available photoionization
detectors (PIDs). Hundreds of tests revealed that the
| August 2020 38
alternative test method using IPA provided generally com-
parable results to the current ASHRAE 110 method using
SF6; dramatically reduced the impact on the environment;
and was simpler and less costly to conduct. As a greenhouse
gas, IPA is reported to be 0.5 times better than CO2 and
48,000 times better than SF6. The results indicate that use
of IPA or other alcohol mixtures as a tracer together with
PIDs may provide a suitable and environmentally attractive
alternative to SF6.
Although the alternative test method is still under
review by ASHRAE, a new method that uses a more envi-
ronmentally friendly tracer and is simpler and less costly
to conduct may result in broader application of ASHRAE
110 performance tests. This may in turn lead to further
improvements in fume hood performance and better pro-
tection for people working with airborne chemical hazards.
In addition, the new methods may also be applicable to
evaluating performance of other types of exposure control
systems, leading to greater safety and better protection
for all people working in or around labs and critical
workspaces.
CHALLENGE AND CONFIRM
Due to the critical importance of fume hoods as a primary
safety device when working with chemicals and the large
number of variables that can affect containment, appropri-
ate tests are required to evaluate fume hood performance
and ensure proper functioning. Systems are becoming
increasingly more complex. Fume hoods must be tested
across the range of operating modes (open and closed
sashes, occupied and unoccupied operation). The introduc-
tion of new operating modes results in even more factors
that can affect fume hood performance and user safety.
Face velocity measurements alone are no longer ade-
quate to evaluate modern fume hood systems. Tests such
as VAV response and stability tests must be conducted in
addition to face velocity tests to verify proper fume hood
operation. Furthermore, test procedures and performance
criteria must be specified that are appropriate to challenge
and confirm performance at all operating modes. When
establishing the test methods required to verify proper per-
formance, consider all the components that could influence
performance and verify proper function over the range of
operating modes.
THOMAS C. SMITH is president of 3Flow in Cary, North
Carolina, and a member of the ASHRAE 110, ASHRAE
TC9.10, ASSE Z9, and ASSE Z9.5 committees. He can be
reached at tcsmith@3flow.com.
Send feedback to synergist@aiha.org.
RESOURCES
ASHRAE: ANSI/ASHRAE 110-2016, Method of Testing Performance of Laboratory Fume
Hoods (2016).
Chemical Health and Safety Journal: “The Unintended Practice of Using Employee Health
as an Indicator of Laboratory Hood Performance” (January/February 2004).

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AIHA Honors
Recipient of 2020
President’s Award
In late May, AIHA announced
that Perry W. Logan, PhD, CIH,
is the recipient of the 2020
President’s Award. The accolade
is presented annually to an
individual, task force, special
interest group, or local section
to recognize outstanding
contributions related to efforts
to achieve AIHA's mission.
Kathleen S. Murphy, CIH, AIHA
president for 2019–2020,
chose to honor Logan for his
contributions to AIHA and the
profession of industrial hygiene,
including the academic study
and application of leadership to
IH roles.
“Dr. Logan’s success can not
only be attributed to his vast
experience and technical
knowledge, but also his ability
to influence and inspire indus-
trial hygienists to think outside
the box and pursue continued
learning,” Murphy said.
Read more in AIHA’s press
release at bit.ly/2020
presaward.
| August 2020
COMMUNITY
INSIDE AIHCE EXP 2020
O
n April 15, AIHA’s
Board of Directors
announced that due
to the COVID-19 pan-
demic, AIHce EXP 2020 would not be
held in Atlanta as planned. To protect
the health and safety of attendees,
the conference would be entirely
virtual, and it would be held on the
same dates, June 1–3, reserved for
the live event. The challenge facing
conference staff was to reimagine an
event that had always been rooted in
the real world as an entirely virtual
experience. They had six weeks to
get it done.
It helped that staff had thoroughly
explored all possibilities, according
to Bethany Chirico, AIHA’s managing
director of global meetings and busi-
ness development. The Board, she
said, was “willing to take a calculated
risk knowing that we had done our
homework.”
Part of that homework involved
gauging speakers’ interest in convert-
ing their presentations to an online
format. By the time of the Board’s
announcement, AIHA’s online learn-
ing team was poised to hit the ground
running. “Almost immediately after
that decision became official, we went
straight into prerecording sessions,”
said Colleen Manning, eLearning pro-
gram director.
Manning and eLearning Coordina-
tor Fatima Khan had experience with
virtual events, but AIHce EXP 2020
would be on a vastly greater scale.
They recruited other staff to help
record and edit presentations, and
they readied the online classrooms
for launch on Monday, June 1.
The conference started on a high
note. Opening Session speaker René
Rodriguez playfully exploited the vir-
tual format, creating the illusion that
he was in several places at once.
His message about leadership in
the time of the COVID-19 pandemic
generated enthusiasm on the live
chat board, where attendees reacted
in real time.
But when the session ended, the
comments quickly turned sour. Many
attendees experienced errors with
the credit submission mechanism,
which was supposed to record their
attendance so they could receive cer-
tification maintenance points.
AIHA’s online learning vendor,
Freestone, told Manning that the
system was overloaded.
“You’ve got 2,000 people all trying
to submit for credit simultaneously,”
Manning explained. “It takes a few
extra seconds, so they hit refresh. So
a volume of 2,000 can easily become
a volume of 4,000.”
The root of the problem was the
sheer size of the audience. Since a
fully virtual AIHce had never been
attempted, projections of attendance
had been educated guesses. “Within
just those last three weeks, four
weeks, the numbers skyrocketed,”
Chirico said. “They jumped almost
500 people in the weekend right
before we went live.”
As Monday wore on, staff realized
with dismay that the system wasn’t
recovering. Attendees were being
denied access to sessions. By early
afternoon, staff decided to cancel the
40
rest of Monday’s programming. An
email was sent to attendees apolo-
gizing for the difficulties and explain-
ing that the day’s sessions would be
rebroadcast at later dates.
On the morning of June 2, staff sent
new instructions to attendees. A dif-
ferent procedure for obtaining credit
was put in place, and attendees were
provided direct links to the session
recordings. “It was the best thing we
could do to be sure that we were actu-
ally delivering the education when we
said we were going to,” Manning said.
The changes worked. Attendees
reported few problems for the rest
of the conference, and staff reflected
on what was ultimately a successful
virtual event, the first of its kind ever
attempted in the occupational health
and safety industry.
“The decision [to hold a virtual
conference] was based on what we
thought was best for our audience,
but also knowing that we have an obli-
gation to deliver education in the best
format we can,” Chirico said. “And
aside from the technical glitches, I
think we did that in spades.”
The experience will prove invalu-
able for next year’s conference, which
is scheduled for May 24–26, 2021,
in Dallas. Provided that conditions
allow a live event to be held safely,
one option under consideration is a
hybrid conference “that encourages
the virtual audience to participate in
many of the things that are actually
happening in person, outside of just
the education,” Chirico said.
For more information about AIHce
EXP 2021, visit aihceexp.org.

A Tribute to Eula Bingham, 1929–2020
BY ROBERT LIECKFIELD, JR., AND BARBARA COHRSSEN
We are sad to report that one of
the titans of modern-day industrial
hygiene and occupational health,
Eula Bingham, passed away June
13, 2020, at the age of 90. She began
her career in industrial hygiene at
the University of Cincinnati College
of Medicine in 1961 as a researcher
doing pioneering work on chemical
carcinogens. Eula was an author-
ity on occupational disease and on
cancer-causing substances. Over
her lifetime, she contributed more
than one hundred peer-reviewed
articles on occupational and envi-
ronmental respiratory hazards,
chemical carcinogenesis, and
occupational and environmental
health policy.
Eula served as the Assistant
Secretary of Labor for Occupational
AIHA Accolades
In May, Barbara Dawson, CIH, CSP,
FAIHA, an Environmental, Health,
and Safety Fellow at DuPont,
received the American Chemistry
Council 2020 Responsible Care
Employee of the Year Award. The
award recognizes Dawson’s “exem-
plary leadership” in the Responsible
Care program, which is the chemical
Dates and Deadlines
AUG. 20
AIHA webinar: “Fighting the Risk of
Worker Fatigue in a 24/7 Workplace.”
Visit bit.ly/aihawebinars.
SEPT. 15–16
2020 AIHA-Rocky Mountain Section
Fall Technical Conference in Arvada,
Colorado. Visit aiha-rms.org/events.
SEPT. 15–17
Virtual PSX 2020 (formerly the Prod-
uct Stewardship Conference). Visit
bit.ly/psx2020.
COMMUNITY
Safety and Health from 1977 until
1981 under President Jimmy Carter
and was the first woman to lead the
agency responsible for ensuring
the health and safety of millions of
American workers.
During her OSHA tenure, she led
the agency on what was termed a
set of “common sense priorities”
focusing on serious problems in
the workplace, helping small busi-
nesses comply with OSHA rules,
and clarifying and simplifying
safety rules. She led the charge to
improve American worker health,
issuing many new health standards
for toxic chemicals and establish-
ing the “New Directions Training
Program,” which created grants
for small businesses and worker
groups to improve education about
manufacturing industry’s environ-
mental, health, safety, and security
performance initiative. Read more
at bit.ly/respcare2020.
AIHA Fellows Zack Mansdorf,
PhD, CIH, CSP, QEP, and James
Thornton, MS, CIH, CSP, were
among five safety experts honored
as Fellows of the American Society of
SEPT. 23
Deadline to submit proposals for
AIHce EXP 2021. Visit bit.ly/aihce
2021proposals.
SEPT. 29
AIHA webinar: “How to Organize and
Win: Essentials for Effective Public
Policy Advocacy Strategies.” Visit bit.
ly/aihawebinars.
OCT. 19–21
AIHA’s “Exposure and Chemical
Monitoring - Beyond IH Fundamen-
tals” course in Westerville, Ohio. Visit
bit.ly/aihamonitoring.
41
hazards in the workplace. The pro- Students Recognized for
gram served as a model for the Best-in-Show Posters
National Cancer Institute and the
Congratulations to the students whose
National Institute of Environmental
posters were selected as best in show
Health Sciences in training their
during Virtual AIHce EXP 2020. Li Liao
workers and communities.
of Purdue University came in first
The occupational health and
place with the poster “Size-Selective
safety profession salutes and cel-
Bioaerosol Sampler Combined With an
ebrates Eula and her accomplish-
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Biolu-
ments. We owe a debt of gratitude
minescence Assay.” The second-place
to her and all the other health and
winner was the University of Washing-
safety pioneers who helped pave
ton’s Hannah Echt, whose poster was
the path for worker safety and
titled “Characterization of Alpha Dike-
health.
tone Emissions and Exposures During
Continue reading this tribute and
Coffee Production.” Kathryn Crawford
leave your memories of Eula on Syn-
of the University of Iowa placed third
ergistNOW: bit.ly/eulabingham.
for her poster “Simulations of Control
Robert Lieckfield, Jr., CIH, FAIHA,
Strategies to Reduce Sound Exposures
and Barbara Cohrssen, CIH, FAIHA,
of Music Instructors.”
are members of the Yuma Pacific
Southwest Section.
Present at AIHce EXP 2021
As the status of the current health
crisis continues to fluctuate, AIHA is
Safety Professionals in May. ASSP’s
planning to host an in-person event for
highest honor recognizes society
AIHce EXP 2021 in Dallas, Texas, with a
members who have made significant
robust virtual program. The submission
contributions to the occupational
portal for the 2021 conference is now
safety and health profession. More
open, and proposals for professional
information about Mansdorf’s and
development courses, educational
Thornton’s careers can be found
sessions, professional posters, and
in ASSP’s press release at bit.ly/
presentations of case studies and
asspfellows.
scientific research will be accepted
through Sept. 23, 2020. Student poster
and presentation submissions will be
due on March 16, 2021. Learn more at
AUG. 21–26, 2021
bit.ly/aihce2021proposals.
New dates for IOHA 2021, the 12th
IOHA International Scientific Con-
ference, in Daegu, South Korea. Visit Guidance on Surface
ioha2020.org. Disinfection Practices
A new white paper developed by mem-
bers of AIHA's Nonionizing Radiation
Committee addresses occupational
exposures to UV light from artificial
sources. "Occupational Safety and
Health Guide for Surface Disinfection
Practices Using Germicidal Ultraviolet
Radiation" is freely available
as a PDF on AIHA's website at
For a complete list of events, visit
bit.ly/aihasurfaces.
www.aiha.org/calendar.
www.aiha.org |
 BY THE NUMBERS

PNEUMOCONIOSIS DEATHS IN THE

UNITED STATES
From “Trends in Pneumoconiosis Deaths
— United States, 1999–2018”:
“Despite the decline in mortality
and updated regulatory actions
addressing occupational A CDC report published in June indicates that deaths attributable to pneumoconiosis
exposures to hazardous dusts, declined during 1999–2018 but calls for increased focus on pneumoconiosis attributable
pneumoconiosis-associated deaths to "other inorganic dusts" such as aluminum, bauxite, beryllium, iron, and tin oxide. Deaths
continue to occur, underscoring from pneumoconiosis attributed to “other inorganic dusts” increased significantly during the
the need for maintaining exposure period studied, CDC has found. Pneumoconioses attributable to other inorganic dusts include
prevention measures and continued berylliosis and pulmonary siderosis, a disease most common in workers exposed to metal
surveillance. Recent reports indicate fumes during welding. Information from the report is presented below.
the re-emergence of progressive
massive fibrosis… [and] new tasks
and occupations (e.g., quartz
countertop installation and hydraulic
fracturing) that put workers at an 1999 2018
increased risk for silicosis.”

Number of deaths
1,002 associated with coal workers’
COAL DUST

pneumoconiosis in 1999.

Number of deaths associated with coal workers’

305 pneumoconiosis in 2018—a nearly 70-percent
decrease from 1999.

Number of deaths associated with

185 silicosis in 1999.
SILICA DUST

Number of deaths associated with silicosis in

87 2018—a nearly 53-percent decrease from 1999.
SOURCE
CDC: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report, “Trends in Pneumoconiosis
Deaths — United States, 1999–2018,”
bit.ly/mmwrinorganicdusts
(June 2020).
Number of pneumoconiosis deaths attributed to
12
OTHER INORGANIC

other inorganic dusts in 1999.

DUSTS

Number of pneumoconiosis deaths attributed

25 to other inorganic dusts in 2018—an increase
of more than 108 percent.

| August 2020 42