Services-DASH Environmental Monitoring
Indoors:
Outdoors:
Details of Services rendered:
Indoor Air Quality Surveys
Indoor air quality (IAQ) broadly refers to the environmental characteristics inside buildings that may affect human health, comfort, or work performance. We monitor IAQ because we spend approximately 90% of our time breathing “indoor air”. Unlike outdoor air, indoor air is recycled continuously causing it to trap and build up pollutants. IAQ characteristics include the concentrations of pollutants of indoor air, as well as air temperature and humidity.
Poor IAQ contributes to both short and long term health issues which can lead to decreased productivity, absenteeism, and possible litigation. Typical symptoms associated with poor indoor air quality include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. In some cases exposure to indoor air pollution can lead to acute and chronic respiratory illnesses including asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia, systemic hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Legionnaires’ disease, and humidifier fever.
In some countries indoor air quality can be worse than outdoor air quality, especially when we consider the amount of time people spend indoors versus outdoors.
Microbiological Monitoring
To better understand the underlying mechanisms of aerovirology, accurate sampling of airborne viruses is fundamental. While epidemiological data can help to determine the source of the contamination, direct data obtained from surface swab samples can provide very useful information for clearance or risk assessment purposes. The WHO has published a practical "how to" protocol for health care and public health professionals.
Dash Environmental Monitoring Services uses proven methodolgies to sample surfaces or the air for the prescence of viruses, bacteria, protozoa or fungi. A variety of methods have been used to collect microorganisms from smooth and porous surfaces, including swabs, wipes and sponges, tapes, agar contact plates, and dust and bulk sampling. Laboratory studies were designed to determine the efficiency and sensitivity of the sampling and analysis protocols.
Radon Gas Monitoring
“Radon is the second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking in many countries,” notes Dr Maria Neira, Director of WHO's Public Health and Environment Department. “Most of radon-induced lung cancers occur from low and medium dose exposures in people’s homes. Strengthened action by policy makers, and by construction and building professionals can substantially lower the health impact by preventing and reducing radon exposure.” While radon is found outdoors as well, the levels are very low due to dilution in the air. Radon levels are higher indoors, and much higher radon concentrations can be found in places such as mines, caves and water treatment facilities. The lower concentrations - found, for example, in normal buildings and to which large populations are exposed – also confer health risks. For most people, by far the greatest exposure to radon comes in the home. The concentration of radon in a home depends on the amount of radon-producing uranium in the underlying rocks and soils, the routes available for its passage into the home and the rate of exchange between indoor and outdoor air. Radon gas enters houses through openings such as cracks at concrete floor-wall junctions, gaps in the floor, small pores in hollow-block walls, and through sumps and drains. Consequently, radon levels are usually higher in basements, cellars or other structural areas in contact with soil. While the lung cancer risks of high dose radon, typically found among uranium miners for example, have been known for many years, new studies in Europe, North America and China - summarized in the new WHO handbook - have confirmed that low and medium level exposures to radon in homes contributes substantially to the occurrence of lung cancers world-wide. Recent estimates of the proportion of such lung cancers range from 3 to 14%. Lung cancer risk rises 16% per 100 Bq/m3 increase in radon exposure. Studies show that radon is the primary cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked. However, the absolute numbers of radon-induced lung cancers are much larger in people who smoke, or who have smoked in the past, due to a strong combined effect of smoking and radon. “Key actions needed to achieve radon concentrations at or below the recommended reference level of 100 Bq/m3 include establishing and strengthening radon measurement and mitigation programmes and developing building codes that require radon prevention measures in homes under construction,” notes Dr Neira. “Countries are encouraged to use the handbook to initiate national radon programmes or to promote their existing programmes. Radon levels in indoor air can be lowered in a number of ways very effectively and with relatively inexpensive techniques such as sealing cracks in floors and walls to increasing the ventilation rate of the building. These techniques have been developed to reduce radon in both new and existing buildings.
Server Rooms & Data Centre Monitoring
The ISO 14644-1 is generally considered the data centre cleaning standard worldwide. Organizations refer to this standard to demonstrate the cleanliness level of their data centres and server rooms to meet the customer and regulatory requirements. The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) defines the airborne particulate cleanliness under the subclasses ISO 14644-1 through ISO 14644-12.
Illumination Surveys
Poor lighting can be a safety hazard and a health hazard – misjudgement of the position, shape or speed of an object can lead to accidents and injury. Too much or too little light, strains eyes and may cause eye discomfort and headaches. It can affect the quality of work, specifically in situation where precision is required, and overall productivity.
Surveys are non-intrusive and will not interfere with on-going operations. Reports include a comprehensive analysis and mapping of the areas surveyed. They indicate and highlight areas that require additional lighting, which are non-compliant to industry regulations and OHSAct specifications. In terms of Regulation 3 of the Environmental Regulations for Workplaces, all areas must be illuminated in such a way that the work can be done safely. These Regulations refer to a Schedule which specifies the minimum illumination for each workstation / work area. These limits depend on the type of work that needs to be performed.
Ergonomics Baseline Assessments
“Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the fundamental understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.”
(International Ergonomics Association)
Many people don’t realize that a poorly designed computer workstation and/or bad work habits can result in serious health problems. Common symptoms associated with poor design or habits include discomfort in the back, neck and shoulders, hands and wrists, as well as headaches and eyestrain.
Fortunately, our solution can be easily applied by being informed of the correct workstation setup and work practices. These in turn can eliminate discomfort and even prevent it from occurring in the first place! Easy adjustments to office equipment can work wonders, making work more comfortable and more productive.
Health Risk Assessments
An Occupational Health Risk Assessment (OHRA) is the structured and systematic process of identifying workplace health hazards, then assessing their harmfulness and the degree to which employees may be exposed to them. Hence the risk is directly proportional to the harmfulness of the hazard and the degree of exposure to the hazard.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (85 of 1993), Section 8(2)(d), requires that every employer shall identify the hazards to the health & safety of persons at work. This includes activities related to any article or substance which is produced, processed, used, handled, stored or transported and any plant or machinery which is used in their business. Furthermore, she or he shall establish what precautionary measures should be taken and provide the necessary means to apply such precautionary measures.
Regulations that reinforce this, of particular relevance to Occupational Health, include:
By conducting an OHRA an organisation has a record of such matters as -
(a) the HCS to which an employee may be exposed;
(b) what effects the HCS can have on an employee;
(c) where the HCS may be present;
(d) the route of intake by which and the extent to which an employee can be exposed; as well as
(e) the nature of the work, process and any reasonable deterioration in, or failure of, any control
Noise Annoyance Surveys
SANS Code of Practice No 10103:2008 - The measurement and rating of environmental noise with respect to annoyance and to speech communication was developed as a guideline and proposes a maximum design level of 45dB(A) for office environments that should not be exceeded. Levels above 45dB(A) makes speech intelligibility difficult and creates a psychological annoyance.
Often employees complain about excessive noise levels inside their offices. This is where DASH Environmental Monitoring Services can assist in determining if there is a problem with noise or not.
Occupational Hygiene Risk Assessments and Surveys (Noise, HCS, Asbestos, Ventilation, etc)
Keeping workers safe from exposure to harmful contaminants is a priority for every business. Each hygiene survey begins with a qualitative risk assessment to identify potential contaminant sources, and to evaluate the risk of exposure. This approach allows DASH Environmental Monitoring Services hygienists to prioritize your valuable time and resources to areas were exposure is most likely.
Based on the findings of the hygiene survey, our occupational hygienists are also available to assist the client in developing and implementing appropriate, cost-effective control measures. These measures may include engineering controls, worker training programs and personal protective equipment programs, among other strategies.
Stack Emission Monitoring
A stack test, also referred to as a source test, measures the amount of a specific regulated pollutant, pollutants, or surrogates being emitted. Stack testing is an important tool used to determine a facility’s compliance with emission limits.
Facilities in South Africa that has an activity as listed under Section 21(3)(c) of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004) are obligated to obtain an Air Emission Licence (AEL) that are issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs. The AEL will specify what pollutants must be monitored per source emission as well as the frequency of monitoring. The most common frequency is annual monitoring. Listed activities must comply with emission limits as specified in their Atmospheric Emission Licences.
DASH Environmental Monitoring Services can assist with AEL applications for new facilities. This is reported and done through the South African Atmospheric Emission Licensing and Inventory Portal (SAAELIP) that is an online portal for the management of Atmospheric Emission Licences (AEL) as well as the estimation and reporting of atmospheric emission inventories terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004). SAAELIP provides a seamless integration between the management of Atmospheric Emission Licences and the reporting of atmospheric emissions into the National Atmospheric Emission Inventory System (NAEIS).
Other pollutants of concern that are being measured are:
Dust Fallout Monitoring
It is a legal requirement in terms of Section 32 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act No.39 of 2004 to monitor and control dust fallout from a facility. All collection and measurement of dust fall out is done in accordance with ASTM D1739, the standard testing method under the National Dust Control Regulations.
Water Sampling
Most water quality analyses cannot be done on site (i.e. in situ). Therefore, a representative volume of water at a specific point of interest has to be collected for analysis in a laboratory. The term water quality is generally used to describe the microbiological, physical and chemical properties of water that determine the fitness for use of a specific water source.
Microbiological quality: Refers to the presence of organisms that cannot be individually seen by the naked eye, such as protozoa, bacteria and viruses. Many of these microbes are associated with the transmission of infectious water-borne diseases such as gastroenteritis and cholera. Faecal and total coliform bacteria are commonly used as indicator organisms to determine the microbiological status and safety of water supplies.
Physical quality: Refers to water quality properties (such as conductivity, pH and turbidity) that may be determined by physical methods. The physical quality mainly affects the aesthetic quality (taste, odour and appearance) of water.
Chemical quality: Refers to the nature and concentration of dissolved substances (such as organic and inorganic chemicals including metals). Many chemicals in water are essential as part of a person’s daily nutritional requirements, but unfortunately above a certain concentration most chemicals (e.g. zinc, copper, manganese) may have negative health effects.
Soil Sampling
DASH Environmental Monitoring Services uses both national and international standards and methods to collect soil samples. In May 2013 the Department of Environmental Affairs published the National Norms and Standards for the Remediation of Contaminated Land and Soil Quality in the Republic of South Africa.
The norms and standards were published in support of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (NEMWA) (Act 59 of 2008) which requires that contaminated land must be assessed in terms of the potential risk to human health and the environment. Soil Screening Values (SSVs) have been published for a range of metals, organics and anions.
Results will be evaluated against the soil screening values published in the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 2008 – National Norms and Standards for the remediation of contaminated land and soil quality in the Republic of South Africa.
Environmental Noise Surveys
In order to assess the impact of environmental noise issues, suitable noise assessments need to be carried out to identify the main causes. In some cases, monitoring of noise levels for longer periods of time is required to allow for the gathering of accurate results. Some environmental noise sources often operate intermittently and can continue throughout the night. Such environmental noise issues may cause a noise nuisance leading to side effects such as stress or sleep deprivation. It is therefore essential to monitor and control these noise issues through effective noise assessments or a comprehensive noise survey.
The environmental noise survey will be conducted according to SANS 10103:2008, the Code of Practice for “The Measurement and Rating of Environmental Noise with Respect to Land Use, Health, Annoyance and Speech Communication”. The code recommends maximum noise levels for Day-Time and Night-Time limits in different environments.
Environmental Pollution Risk Assessments
The methodology that will be applied in the execution of the environmental pollution risk assessment can be summarised as follow: