معجم المصطلحات الفنية مستعمل في Environmental Health & Safety: short term exposure limit (STEL)

short term exposure limit (STEL)

حدود التعرض القصيرة المدى (STELs): حماية العمال من المواد الخطرة

في مجال معالجة البيئة والمياه، غالبًا ما يتعرض العمال لمواد قد تكون ضارة. لضمان سلامتهم ومنع تأثيرات صحية طويلة الأمد، وضعت وكالات تنظيمية حدود التعرض القصيرة المدى (STELs). تحدد هذه الحدود أقصى تركيز مسموح به لمادة ما في هواء مكان العمل خلال فترة زمنية محددة، عادةً 15 دقيقة.

فهم STELs:

تختلف STELs عن حدود التعرض المسموح بها (PELs)، التي تمثل أقصى تركيز مسموح به لمادة ما خلال يوم عمل مدته ثماني ساعات. بينما تركز PELs على التعرض طويل الأمد، تعالج STELs المخاطر الفورية المرتبطة بالتعرضات القصيرة ولكن الكثيفة.

أهمية STELs:

  • منع التأثيرات الصحية الحادة: تحمي STELs العمال من الآثار السلبية الفورية مثل التهيج أو الدوخة أو حتى ضيق التنفس.
  • تقليل المخاطر الصحية طويلة الأمد: تساعد STELs في منع تراكم المواد الضارة في الجسم مع مرور الوقت، مما قد يؤدي إلى أمراض مزمنة.
  • الحفاظ على بيئة عمل آمنة: من خلال الالتزام بـ STELs، يمكن للشركات إنشاء مكان عمل أكثر صحة وأمانًا لموظفيها.

أمثلة على STELs في معالجة البيئة والمياه:

  • الكلور: STEL لغاز الكلور هو عادةً 1 جزء في المليون (ppm) خلال 15 دقيقة.
  • كبريتيد الهيدروجين: STEL لكبريتيد الهيدروجين هو 20 جزء في المليون (ppm) خلال 15 دقيقة.
  • الأمونيا: STEL لغاز الأمونيا هو 25 جزء في المليون (ppm) خلال 15 دقيقة.

كيفية تطبيق STELs:

  • المراقبة: يُعدّ مراقبة الهواء بانتظام أمرًا ضروريًا لضمان بقاء مستويات التعرض في مكان العمل أقل من STEL.
  • معدات الوقاية الشخصية (PPE): يمكن أن يساعد توفير معدات الوقاية الشخصية المناسبة، مثل أجهزة التنفس، في تقليل تعرض العمال عند العمل مع مواد ذات STELs محددة.
  • ضوابط هندسية: يمكن أن تساهم أنظمة التهوية وتصميمات الغلاف والتعديلات على العمليات بشكل فعال في تقليل تعرض العمال للمواد الخطرة.
  • التدريب والتعليم: يجب تدريب الموظفين على المخاطر المحددة المرتبطة بالمواد التي يتعاملون معها وأهمية اتباع إرشادات STEL.

الاستنتاج:

تلعب STELs دورًا حاسمًا في حماية العمال في صناعات معالجة البيئة والمياه. من خلال الالتزام بهذه الحدود، يمكن لأصحاب العمل تقليل خطر التأثيرات الصحية الحادة والمزمنة المرتبطة بالتعرض في مكان العمل للمواد الخطرة، مما يعزز بيئة أكثر أمانًا وصحة للجميع.


Test Your Knowledge

Short-Term Exposure Limits (STELs) Quiz:

Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What is the primary purpose of Short-Term Exposure Limits (STELs)?

a) To regulate long-term exposure to hazardous substances.

Answer

Incorrect. STELs focus on short-term, intense exposures.

b) To protect workers from immediate health risks caused by brief but intense exposures.

Answer

Correct! STELs are designed to prevent acute health effects.

c) To ensure the safety of the public from environmental contamination.

Answer

Incorrect. While STELs contribute to public safety, their primary focus is worker protection.

d) To establish legal limits for the concentration of hazardous substances in water.

Answer

Incorrect. STELs are specifically for workplace air quality.

2. How does a STEL differ from a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)?

a) STELs are measured over a longer time period than PELs.

Answer

Incorrect. STELs are measured over a shorter time period than PELs.

b) STELs focus on the cumulative effects of long-term exposure.

Answer

Incorrect. PELs focus on cumulative effects, while STELs address immediate risks.

c) STELs address the risks associated with brief, intense exposures.

Answer

Correct! STELs are designed to protect against short-term health effects.

d) STELs are only applicable to water treatment facilities.

Answer

Incorrect. STELs are relevant across various industries.

3. Which of the following is NOT a method for ensuring adherence to STELs in the workplace?

a) Regular air monitoring

Answer

Incorrect. Monitoring is essential for ensuring compliance.

b) Providing personal protective equipment (PPE)

Answer

Incorrect. PPE is a critical tool for reducing exposure.

c) Implementing engineering controls like ventilation systems

Answer

Incorrect. Engineering controls are crucial for minimizing exposure.

d) Encouraging employees to work overtime to meet production goals.

Answer

Correct! Overtime work could increase exposure and risk.

4. What is the typical time period over which STELs are measured?

a) 8 hours

Answer

Incorrect. This is the time period for PELs.

b) 15 minutes

Answer

Correct! 15 minutes is the standard time period for STEL measurements.

c) 1 hour

Answer

Incorrect. STELs are measured over a shorter time period.

d) 24 hours

Answer

Incorrect. This is not relevant to STELs.

5. Which of these substances has a STEL of 20 ppm over 15 minutes?

a) Chlorine

Answer

Incorrect. Chlorine has a STEL of 1 ppm.

b) Hydrogen Sulfide

Answer

Correct! Hydrogen sulfide has a STEL of 20 ppm.

c) Ammonia

Answer

Incorrect. Ammonia has a STEL of 25 ppm.

d) Carbon monoxide

Answer

Incorrect. Carbon monoxide has different exposure limits.

STELs Exercise:

Scenario: You are a supervisor at a water treatment plant that uses chlorine gas to disinfect the water supply. A new employee is being trained on the chlorination process. The chlorine gas is stored in a tank with a ventilation system, but the tank has recently been leaking, and the air monitoring system indicates a chlorine concentration of 2 ppm. The STEL for chlorine gas is 1 ppm over 15 minutes.

Task: What actions should you take to ensure the safety of the new employee?

Exercice Correction

Here are the steps you should take:

  • **Stop the training immediately:** The current chlorine concentration exceeds the STEL, so the new employee should not be exposed.
  • **Isolate the area:** If possible, isolate the leaking tank to prevent further spread of chlorine gas.
  • **Ventilate the area:** Increase ventilation to reduce the chlorine concentration. If possible, use a dedicated ventilation system for the tank.
  • **Provide appropriate PPE:** The new employee should wear a respirator capable of protecting against chlorine gas.
  • **Contact maintenance:** Inform the maintenance team about the leak and request immediate repairs.
  • **Monitor air quality:** Continue monitoring the chlorine concentration until the leak is repaired and the levels are below the STEL.
  • **Retrain the employee:** Once the situation is under control, retrain the employee on the safe handling of chlorine gas, emphasizing the importance of STELs and proper safety procedures.


Books

  • Industrial Hygiene - A Textbook by Kenneth W. Morgan and Michael C. Chatigny: This book provides a comprehensive overview of industrial hygiene practices, including a detailed section on exposure limits and STELs.
  • Patty's Industrial Hygiene edited by George D. Clayton and Frank E. Clayton: A classic reference in industrial hygiene, this multi-volume set covers various aspects of workplace safety and health, including exposure limits and their application.
  • NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): This extensive manual contains information on sampling, analysis, and evaluation of various substances found in the workplace, including STELs for many substances.

Articles

  • "Short-Term Exposure Limits: Protecting Workers from Hazardous Substances" by American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA): This article provides a general overview of STELs, their purpose, and their implementation.
  • "The Role of Short-Term Exposure Limits in Protecting Workers from Hazardous Substances" by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): This article discusses the importance of STELs in protecting workers from both short-term and long-term health effects.
  • "STELs for Chemical Substances: A Review of Existing Data and Recommendations for Future Research" by Elsevier: This article reviews the current understanding of STELs for various chemical substances and identifies areas for future research.

Online Resources

  • OSHA website: This website provides a comprehensive resource on occupational safety and health regulations, including information on STELs. https://www.osha.gov/
  • NIOSH website: This website provides information on workplace safety and health, including resources on STELs. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
  • AIHA website: This website offers resources for industrial hygienists, including information on STELs and other aspects of workplace safety and health. https://www.aiha.org/

Search Tips

  • Use specific keywords like "Short-Term Exposure Limits," "STELs," "Occupational Safety and Health," "Industrial Hygiene," and the name of the specific substance you are interested in.
  • Use quotation marks around specific phrases, such as "Short-Term Exposure Limit" to ensure that Google searches for that exact phrase.
  • Combine keywords with specific operators, such as "+" for "AND" or "-" for "NOT," to narrow down your search results. For example, "STELs + chlorine" or "STELs - agriculture."
مصطلحات مشابهة
  • battery limit "حدود البطارية" في معالجة الب…
  • Filtermate فلتر مات: أداة قوية لمعالجة ا…
  • exposure التعرض: الخطر الصامت في معالج…
الأكثر مشاهدة
  • return activated sludge (RAS) عودة الحمأة المنشطة (RAS): مح… Wastewater Treatment
  • net driving pressure (NDP) فهم ضغط الدفع الصافي (NDP) في… Water Purification
  • nodulizing kiln أفران النُّودلة: لاعب رئيسي ف… Environmental Health & Safety
  • Scalper فصل النفايات الكبيرة عن الصغي… Environmental Health & Safety
  • Nasty Gas الغاز الكريه: التعامل مع المُ… Environmental Health & Safety

Comments


No Comments
POST COMMENT
captcha
إلى