Extension of the application areas of GESTIS-Stoffenmanager® and Stoffenmanager® for modeling exposures to respirable dusts

Status:

ongoing

Aims:

The aim of the research project is to integrate the above-mentioned, newly developed exposure models as algorithms into the existing software tools GESTIS-Stoffenmanager® and Stoffenmanager® and to use them for exposure assessment of hazardous substances at the workplace. The new exposure assessment models refer to metals and quartz in respirable dust for filling and mixing tasks with powders and for the abrasive handling of metals and stone. Modelled exposure can then be directly compared with the corresponding occupational exposure limits from the German TRGS 900 or acceptance and tolerance concentrations from the German TRGS 910 during the risk assessment by the companies or the inspectors of the UVT. In the case of carcinogenic and hazardous substances that may cause genetic defects, they can be used by the companies for documentation in an exposure register, e.g., in the ZED. This approach is innovative, since these areas of application have not been considered in exposure models to date and hazardous substance analysis is increasingly reaching its limits due to new, very low limit values for carcinogenic metal compounds.

Activities/Methods:

First, new exposure models and algorithms will be developed for the above-mentioned areas of application. With the help of detailed searches in the IFA exposure database MEGA, suitable exposure data on respirable dusts in the planned new activities must then be found and prepared for a calibration/validation of the new models. These new regression equations can then be used to estimate respirable dust concentrations in mg/m³. Finally, the validated exposure models will be implemented in the IT environment of GESTIS-Stoffenmanager® and Stoffenmanager® and will thus be available to all users in the future.

Last Update: