Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00417:body:0:p7
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00417
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 15903–18796

after the date the record is made.
Air monitoring is the sampling of workplace atmospheres to obtain an estimate of workers' potential inhalation exposure to hazardous chemicals.
Air monitoring can be used:
    * when there is uncertainty about the level of exposure
    * to indicate whether the exposure standards are being exceeded or approached
    * to test the effectiveness of the control measures.
Air monitoring should be carried out by a person such as an occupational hygienist with skills
to carry out the monitoring according to standards and to interpret the results.
Where monitoring of airborne contaminants is used to determine a person's exposure, the monitoring must be undertaken in the breathing zone of the worker (i.e. inside the
abrasive blasting helmet) to ensure the effectiveness of the abrasive blasting helmet.
Monitoring should also be conducted in the breathing zones of other workers in the vicinity,
to ensure that they are not exposed to hazardous levels of dust.
Results from air monitoring indicate how effective your control measures are, for example whether ventilation systems are operating as intended. If monitoring identifies that the exposure standard is being exceeded, the control measures must be reviewed and any necessary changes made.
In dense clouds of dust it is often necessary to take a measurement more than once to ensure
an accurate reading. Air monitoring is particularly important in measuring exposure when a toxic material is introduced into the blasting process.
Air monitoring cannot be used to determine a risk to health via skin contact of airborne chemicals.

    2.3 Controlling the risks

The hierarchy of control measures
Some control measures are more effective than others. Control measures can be ranked from
the highest level of protection and reliability to the lowest. This ranking is known as the hierarchy
of control.
You must always aim to eliminate a hazard and associated risk first. If this is not reasonably practicable, the risk must be minimised by using one or more of the following approaches:
    * Substitution – for example, use a less hazardous abrasive material
    * Isolation – for example, carry out blasting in a blasting cabinet or enclosure
    * Implementing engineering controls – for example, use automatic cut-off devices on abrasive blasting equipment.
If risk remains, it must be minimised by implementing administrative controls, so far as is reasonably practicable, for example by establishing exclusion zones around open air blasting activities. Any remaining risk must be minimised with suitable personal protective equipment (PPE).
Administrative control measures and PPE rely on human behaviour and supervision, and used
on their own, tend to be least effective in minimising risks.
A combination of these control measures may be required in order to adequately manage the risks with