In general, the total light diffraction method is used for the measurement of ambient air aerosols in the range of 0.1 to 3 µm (~ PM2.5). This method is superior for non-absorbable white particles, especially secondary aerosols (sulphate + nitrate + ammonium). Conversion of refracted light to gravimetric dust measurement mass concentrations has the same drawbacks as with the black smoke method. If the relative humidity is 70% or more, the particle size will grow, causing erroneous results. Therefore, significantly higher values than predicted were observed in the case of high relative humidity. In most devices this problem has been solved by using an internal heater. Although this method is not suitable for dust measurement, it has important applications in studies for evaluating visibility. Personal dust and ambient dust should be measured.
In general, solid organic or inorganic particles emitted into the medium are called dust. Inhalable dust is the breathing of the mouth and nose of the body, all the remaining particles are suspended in the air. Dust, dirt and chemical substances that come off the surface during production activities in working environments form small solid or liquid particles that can stay in air for a long time. These particles, if subjected to prolonged and high amounts of exposure, can react to the body and move to the extremes of the lungs. This situation reveals the hazards in terms of the health of the employees. For this purpose, the permissible limit values must not be exceeded.
Ministry of Labor and Social Security published Regulation on Combating Dust in 2013. The purpose of this regulation is to prevent the risks caused by dust in workplaces, to combat dust in terms of worker health and work safety and to protect employees from the effects of dust. According to this regulation, employers are obliged to take all necessary measures in order to prevent workers from dust exposure and to protect workers from dust related hazards. Each device has different dust measurement parameters.
Powders are primarily classified in these studies. Powders are basically divided into 6 groups. Carcinogenic, toxic, explosive, slightly harmful, radioactive, and fibrogenic.
As dusts are classified in this way, these analyzes are performed while dust measurements are also performed. These dusts vary according to the location. For example, the dusts in the coal operating plant and the dust in the home environment or in the environment of machining are completely different. Density and dust damage caused by the environment is changing.
Employers are not required to use hazards for the health and safety of the employees or to use less hazardous substances instead of the substances that cause dust formation, to prevent the risks at the source, to implement the collective protection methods for this purpose, to prevent the emergence of dust, to provide adequate clean air, to provide the necessary personal protection. equipment must be used. In addition, employers must ensure the effectiveness and continuity of the measures taken and have control, supervision and supervision for this purpose.
In addition, employers are required to carry out a risk assessment in the work environment within the framework of the Occupational Health and Safety Risk Assessment Regulation. In this study, the type of dust in the environment, the health and safety hazards and damages of the dust, the time and amount of exposure to dust, the amount and frequency of exposure, the determined exposure limit values, dust measurement results, the necessary measures and the results of previous surveillance should be taken into consideration.
Our company also performs environmental dust measurements within the scope of gas measurements. In these studies, the relevant legal regulations, the standards and test methods published by domestic and foreign organizations are followed. In the meantime, our company has been accredited by Turkish Accreditation Agency (TÜRCERT) according to TS EN ISO / IEC 17025 standard.
