Hazardous Substances Bristol

Hazardous Substances Assessment in Pucklechurch

This Hazardous Substances Assessment carried out in Pucklechurch, Bristol looked at how everyday engineering and fabrication activities might expose employees to airborne dusts, vapours and metalworking fluids during routine production tasks

The aim of the project was to understand where substances hazardous to health could be present across the main production areas, and whether the existing control measures in place were helping to manage exposure effectively throughout the working day. Based on general site observations, the production floor was divided into several operational zones including bending, compressors, headers, lagging, T-assembly and pressure testing — all involving different types of material handling or preparation work.

It was noted that certain tasks, such as soldering, grinding, cutting and cleaning down equipment, had the potential to release dust or vapours into the surrounding work environment during normal operations. In some cases, dry sweeping and the use of compressed air for cleaning were highlighted as activities that may contribute to airborne contaminants entering the immediate work area.

Overall, this COSHH-aligned project provides a useful snapshot of hazardous substance exposure risks at the time of survey and highlights simple improvements in ventilation use, cleaning methods and task rotation that could help reduce airborne exposure moving forward.

Exposure Monitoring at Warehouse in Devizes

We recently conducted an exposure monitoring project at a warehouse in Devizes. Our goal was to assess the air quality and evaluate employee exposure to hazardous substances during their daily activities. This was crucial due to reports of strong smells and health complaints from workers.

During our assessment, we focused on measuring several key contaminants, including cresol, benzyl alcohol, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Using personal and static samplers, we collected air samples from various locations within the warehouse, particularly on the mezzanine floor where the complaints originated.

Our findings showed that all measured substances were well below their respective Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs). For instance, cresol levels were less than 0.04 mg/m³, benzyl alcohol levels were below 0.30 mg/m³, and VOCs were under 1.02 mg/m³. These results indicate that the concentrations of these substances were very low and did not pose a significant risk to employee health.