"Designing a Baseline Occupational Health Survey"
You were recently hired as the "Corporate Industrial Hygienist" for a mining company. The company has over 45 sites where construction aggregate is mined. One half of the mining sites are located in regions with granite rock known to contain high levels of crystalline free silica. The mining operations include a pit where the rock is drilled, blasted and then loaded onto haul trucks. The haul trucks transport the rock to the plant where it is processed through a series of crushers and screens.
You are the only Industrial Hygienist. Each of three Divisions with 15 sites each has one Safety Manager. Each site has a technician who performs quality control checks of the products.
Instructions:
After reading the case scenario above, design a baseline Occupational Health Survey that evaluates both exposure levels and the health of workers. The primary focus of the survey should be crystalline silica with a secondary focus on noise. Be sure to thoroughly discuss the following:
1. Describe the specific industrial hygiene sampling to be performed.
2. Identify the specific sampling equipment and laboratory analysis to be employed.
3. Describe the content of an Occupational Medical Surveillance Program.
4. Identify the specific medical surveillance to be performed.