AIOH Technical Report

– 25% of overall mark (<5,000 words^[1])

Part 1 – Evaluation of Exposure Risk

As a consultant occupational hygienist, you are contracted to complete an Occupational Hygiene assessment for metal fabrication company: SB Fabrications based in Smithfield, Sydney. The Company fabricates various metal components to order using equipment such as lathes, milling machines, grinding machines, metal guillotines, meal forming/bending equipment and polishing machines.

Most of the machines use metalworking fluid to assist with lubrication and cooling. None of the machines are in automated cabinets. There are 2 main areas of the machinist’s workshop:

• Machinist’s workshop o Uses lathes and milling machines

o 7 machinists, 1 apprentice and 1 supervisor

• Finishing workshop o Grinding and polishing machines o 4 finishing workers and 1 supervisor/leading hand

All employees work 8-hr shifts over a 5-day working week. The semi-synthetic metal fluid which is used contains monoethanolamine (CAS 141-43-5) and triethanolamine (CAS 102-71-6).

If you are unfamiliar with how metalworking fluids are used, review this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl2Y9CL3M_o

Questions for Consideration:

1. What do you anticipate will be the major health hazards due to use of the metalworking fluid in the workshops?
2. How would you go about conducting a risk assessment?
3. Do you think any Occupational Hygiene monitoring is required? If yes, what for?
4. How would you determine who to monitor and for what hazard(s)? Over what sample period? And how many samples would you recommend?

Your task #1: 

Develop a sampling strategy to determine the workplace exposures, and include worker groups and number of samples required with the methodology/justification to support your answer. Research the potential hazards and health effects.

Part 2 – Evaluation of Monitoring Results 

You have been provided with a summary of air monitoring data collected from occupational hygiene monitoring conducted at the metalworking company for ethanolamine and triethanolamine which you can use as the data for your exposure assessment. The data is provided on an Excel Spreadsheet on moodle.

Your Task #2:

1. Review the sample data provided and calculate the concentrations.
2. Conduct a statistical analysis of the valid sampling data using EN689 and IHStats and report a summary of the key statistical parameters you used in a descriptive statistics table, with supporting text and interpretation.
3. What are the limitations, if any, of the 2-day sampling strategy?
4. Is the workplace compliant with legislation?
5. Are there any other chemical hazards or monitoring that you would consider?
6. What conclusions do you draw? How would you evaluate if there was overexposure? i.e. are the results compliant or would controls be required? Is this consistent with other studies you find in literature?

Your Task #3:

Based on the information above and from the output of your tasks #1 and #2, your assessment task #3 is to write up an individual professional technical report, following AIOH Report Writing Guidelines, outlining:

• Your methodology,
• Identification and evaluation of the hazards, and
• Conclusions based on the exposure data provided and information you have obtained.

This report will be presented to the health & safety manager of the factory. A statistical review of the sampling data should be undertaken and reported. Review the marking criteria for additional information on what to include in your report.   

See AIOH Report Writing Guidelines for specific requirements.

DO NOT RECOMMEND SPECIFIC CONTROLS as this is covered in HAS 977.

Marks will be awarded for correctness and suitability of information provided for each assessment criteria.

If you do use GenAI, from the University perspective you are required to include a declaration regarding use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) (Not part of the word count)

Select the relevant declaration to include in your assessment:

☐ I have not used any generative AI tools or technologies to prepare this assessment.

☐ I acknowledge the use of generative AI tools or technologies to prepare this assessment, as outlined below: (You must include a statement of less than 250 words declaring which AI tool were used and how).  Prompts and link(s) to AI tools must be included, and you must demonstrate how the final submitted assessment is your own)

[1] Excluding references