Data collection and data transferring inside the MGU with ultrafine particles

Status:

completed 12/2009

Aims:

The objective of the MGU measurement system for exposure assessment is the valid identification and documentation of company, exposure, sampling and measured data. In recent years, ultrafine particles have become a focus of occupational safety and health. The BGIA - Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance, has therefore evaluated suitable measurement methods and produced a measurement convention. The methods and the convention were trialled in the context of discrete workplace measurements, and preliminary exposure data were compiled. In the future, these measured data are to be documented in the MEGA exposure database, where they will be available for selection according to specific sector and working area and for statistical evaluation, for example for prevention purposes. An MGU-specific workflow is to be developed, extending from the supply of direct-reading instruments for the measurement of ultrafine particles, through associated data collection including that of measured values and further parameters, to documentation of the data in the MEGA exposure database. This is to enable the data on ultrafine particles, which are obtained in accordance with a quality assurance procedure, to be integrated into the MGU.

Activities/Methods:

In this project, which is being conducted by multiple accident insurance institutions, procedures for the measurement of ultrafine particles, for example by direct-reading instruments from the BGIA's instrument pool, were drawn up and made available to the metrological services in the MGU for the purpose of measurement. In addition, a data record structure was developed for the acquisition and documentation of measured values for ultrafine particles, and data transfer organized in line with the quality management requirements for the MGU. The entire raw data from the direct-reading instruments for identification of the fine and ultrafine particles are attached to the MGU procedure in a file and transferred online to the BGIA together with the company and exposure data. From this file, the data are input in structured form to the MGU database system, where they are available for the creation of reports. The data include, among other items, the measurement range, the evaluated variable, the arithmetic mean, median, maximum and minimum values, and the standard deviation. This data record is also input in structured form to the MEGA exposure database. The complete raw-data file is likewise documented in MEGA, thereby making further raw data accessible should new observations be made on fine and ultrafine particles.

Results:

Measurements of ultrafine particles were integrated into the QA workflow of the MGU. This includes the instrument supply procedure; measurement proper; accompanying data recording and reporting; and documentation of the data in the MEGA exposure database. These measures result in the data being made available to the accident insurance institutions for the purpose of prevention in the member company, and also, by means of MEGA, for evaluations of fine and ultrafine particles for specific sectors and working areas.

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