ASTM D4844-88(1998)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Air Monitoring at Waste Management Facilities for Worker Protection
Standard Guide for Air Monitoring at Waste Management Facilities for Worker Protection
SCOPE
1.1 This guide is intended to provide a standardized approach for establishing and carrying out an air monitoring program to protect workers at waste management facilities. This guide may apply to routine operations at an active treatment, storage, or disposal site or the extraordinary conditions that can be encountered in opening and cleaning up a remedial action site.
1.2 Any user of this guide must understand that it is impossible to predict all the difficulties that could develop at a waste management facility due to hazardous airborne emissions. Although air contaminant measurements obtained in accordance with this guide may indicate acceptable or tolerable levels of toxic agents are present, care and judgment must still be exercised before concluding that all atmospheric contaminants at the site are under control.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: D 4844 – 88 (Reapproved 1998)
Standard Guide for
Air Monitoring at Waste Management Facilities for Worker
Protection
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4844; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope Emergency Response; Interim Final Rule, December
1.1 This guide is intended to provide a standardized ap-
proach for establishing and carrying out an air monitoring
3. Terminology
program to protect workers at waste management facilities.
3.1 Definitions:
This guide may apply to routine operations at an active
3.1.1 General—Terminology commonly used in air moni-
treatment, storage, or disposal site or the extraordinary condi-
toring can be found in Terminology D 1356.
tions that can be encountered in opening and cleaning up a
3.2 Descriptions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
remedial action site.
3.2.1 operating site—an operating site is a location or
1.2 Any user of this guide must understand that it is
facility where waste is treated, stored, or disposed as part of an
impossible to predict all the difficulties that could develop at a
on-going operation.
waste management facility due to hazardous airborne emis-
3.2.2 remedial action site—a remedial action site is a
sions. Although air contaminant measurements obtained in
location or facility that may pose a threat to human health and
accordance with this guide may indicate acceptable or tolerable
the environment.
levels of toxic agents are present, care and judgment must still
be exercised before concluding that all atmospheric contami-
4. Summary of Guide
nants at the site are under control.
4.1 The procedures described in this guide address safety
2. Referenced Documents considerations, acute health hazards, and chronic health haz-
ards due to airborne hazardous materials.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
4.2 Monitoring concepts are described for cleanup opera-
D 1356 Terminology Relating to Atmospheric Sampling
2 tions at remedial action sites as well as routine activities at
and Analysis
operational waste management sites.
D 1357 Practice for Planning the Sampling of the Ambient
Atmosphere
5. Significance and Use
D 1605 Practices for Sampling Atmospheres for Analysis of
2 5.1 The techniques of air monitoring are many and varied.
Gases and Vapors
This guide is intended to describe the standard approaches that
D 3614 Guide for Evaluating Laboratories Engaged in Sam-
2 are used in designing an air monitoring program to protect
pling and Analysis of Atmospheres and Emissions
3 waste management site workers.
D 4687 Guide for General Planning of Waste Sampling
5.2 When entering a remedial action site to initiate an
E 548 Guide for General Criteria Used for Evaluating
4 investigation or a cleanup operation, operating personnel may
Laboratory Competence
be faced with the extreme hazards of fire, explosion, and acute
2.2 Federal Standards:
5 or chronic health hazards. A thorough safety and health
OSHA Analytical Methods Manual
program, including a site-specific safety and health plan, must
NIOSH Manual for Analytical Methods
be in place to direct worker activity. Details for such plans can
OSHA, 29 CFR Part 1910 Hazardous Waste Operations and
be found in the OSHA Interim Final Rule for Hazardous Waste
Operations and Emergency Response and Refs (1, 2). Air
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D34 on Waste
monitoring is an integral part of such a program. This guide
Management and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D34.01.01 on
describes equipment and sampling procedures which can be
Planning for Sampling.
used to evaluate the airborne hazard potential so as to gain and
Current edition approved Oct. 6, 1988. Published February 1989.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.03. maintain control over the situation at the site.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.04.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
5 7
1985 manual available from Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
OSHA Analytical Laboratory, Salt Lake City, UT. Washington, DC, 20401.
6 8
Third edition manual, February 1984, available from the National Institute of The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH), Cincinnati, OH. this guide.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
D 4844
5.3 Upon obtaining readings at the site, a decision must be 6.3.2 A number of sources of information are available to
made as to whether conditions are under control or not. That describe general methodology. Practice D 1605 lists some of
decision will depend on the nature of the contaminants the classic methods that have been used when sampling for
(toxicity, reactivity, volatility, etc.), the extent (area affected, gases or vapors. The American Conference of Governmental
number of workers, etc.) of the problem and the level of worker Industrial Hygienists offers a publication, Ref (5), that provides
protection available. Since all such parameters will be site a review of newer equipment and methodology. The final
specific, the necessary decision-making is beyond the range of combination of equipment and procedures is predicted on the
this guide. precision, accuracy, and sensitivity needed to support the test
5.4 This guide does not include monitoring sites containing protocol.
radioactive materials, nor does it cover general safety aspects, 6.3.3 Once the goals and protocol for the sampling program
such as access to emergency equipment or medical support of have been set, specific sampling/analytical methods must be
emergency needs. These items should be covered in a safety selected. Within the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume
and health plan. 11.03 is dedicated to atmospheric analysis and to occupational
5.5 It is recommended that this guide be used in conjunction health and safety issues. Some applicable methods from that
with Guide D 4687. reference are listed in Annex A1. Other sources of health and
safety support include the NIOSH Manual of Analytical
6. General Considerations
Methods and the OSHA Analytical Methods Manual. The
specific equipment and sampling media for a particular set of
6.1 That aspect of science which routinely deals with the
airborne contaminants are selected from sources such as these.
assessment of airborne hazards to workers is known as
industrial hygiene. Professional industrial hygienists, besides
7. Procedures
measuring the concentration of contaminants in air, recom-
7.1 Operating Site:
mend means for controlling such airborne hazards, protecting
7.1.1 The procedures described in this section apply to air
workers, and demonstrating compliance with applicable laws
monitoring activities at an operational waste treatment, storage,
and regulations. A certified industrial hygienist generally offers
or disposal site. At an operating site, controls (work practices,
the optimum combination of background and credentials for
engineering controls, and personal protective equipment)
recognizing, evaluating, and controlling workplace health haz-
would be in place to minimize the exposure of workers to
ards. If industrial hygiene staff support is not available on site,
hazardous conditions. These are defined in the health and
coverage can be obtained through the use of consultants and
safety plan.
possibly through loss prevention insurance carriers. The re-
7.1.2 Knowledge of Materials—Knowledge of the materials
mainder of this guide reflects the general thought process that
arriving at or present at an operating site is critical to the design
an industrial hygiene professional would most likely go
of a sampling plan. If hazardous wastes are arriving, be sure
through in establishing an air monitoring program to protect
that they are listed on the manifest. The results of waste sample
workers at a waste management site.
analyses will also help to identify contaminants of greatest
6.2 Establishing a Test Protocol:
concern in an incoming shipment. It is also likely that specific
6.2.1 Various combinations of equipment and sampling
users of the disposal site will tend to be consistent in the types
techniques are used in work place air monitoring. The best
of wastes they send to the site based on the generating process
monitoring program is one that combines accuracy with timely
and history of shipment. For example, paint manufacturers will
response in a cost effective manner.
most likely send mixtures of solvents, resins, and pigments,
6.2.2 The particular test protocol which is selected for an
whereas plating firms will generally send alkaline sludge of
industrial hygiene study depends on the nature of the contami-
heavy metal waste; and so on. Deviation from established
nants and the end purpose of the monitoring effort (that is,
patterns, however, is possible and should not be discounted in
routine monitoring, searching for worst case exposure, looking
sampling plan design.
for contaminant leaks in a process).
7.1.3 Worker Sampling:
6.3 Selecting Specific Methods:
7.1.3.1 Of all the different techniques for workplace air
6.3.1 The choice of sampling method is most often tied in
monitoring, personal sampling of the worker’s breathing zone
with the analytical method. There may be no difference in the
is paramount. While some workers may be quite sedentary in
analytical work whether it is for a 15-min ceiling sample or a
an operations trailer at a control panel, others may be out
7-h full day sample. If the analytical method has poor sensi-
covering all areas of the work site. For this reason, the
tivity, however, it may be necessary to increase the pump flow
assessment must be capable of following the activity of the
rate for the short duration sample to make certain that sufficient
worker.
sample is collected. Such fine adjustments must be worked out
7.1.3.2 The first order of personal monitoring is long dura-
between the sampling personnel and the laboratory personnel.
tion time-weighted-average (TWA) sampling. For an 8-h work
Extensive guidance on the latest developments in air sampling
shift, be sure that TWA samples are at a minimum of 7-h
technology is available in Refs (3, 4).
duration either as a single sample or a series of two or more
samples. For any other work hour situation, the procedure is to
sample for the duration of the shift less 1 h. For workers
Subcommittee E34.18 of ASTM Committee E34 on Occupational Health and
handling organic wastes (for example, vapor degreaser solvent
Safety is developing a guide for industrial hygiene air monitoring programs titled
“Standard Guide to Air Sampling Strategies for Worker and Workplace Protection.’’ waste) the program would call for charcoal tube sampling with
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
D 4844
analysis for one or two of the chlorinated solvents most likely 7.1.5 Complex Exposure Potential:
to be present in the waste. Such TWA monitoring, as well as the
7.1.5.1 Although much of the sampling effort may involve
following information, would be repeated periodically to
monitoring for one or two particular contaminants on specific
ensure that worker exposure is not increasing.
operations, there will be other times when the exposure
7.1.3.3 Another form of personal monitoring that would be potential is more complex. Examples of more complex moni-
carried out is for peak exposures. For example, 15-min ceiling toring might include: 1) where a sludge is handled on site, and
samples might be taken while a set of containers was being there is a chance of spillage and eventual spreading of the
opened to inspect or remove the contents. The same type of debris around the site by vehicular traffic and wind, dust
samples will need to be analyzed periodically for heavy metals;
sampling might be done while pumping the contents of a truck
into a holding tank. At these times, personal protective equip- 2) where waste from a polymer plant (in particular one
processing nitrile rubber or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene,
ment (for example, respiratory protection) is often used to
minimize worker exposure to vapors. Ceiling samples will help (ABS) plastic) is handled on site, it may be necessary to devise
a sampling protocol which looks for trace quantities of
ensure that workers are using respirators having a high enough
protection factor. acrylonitrile in an atmosphere dominated by one or two less
harmful organic vapors; 3) where polychlorinated biphenyl,
7.1.3.4 Ceiling samples might be the only form of monitor-
(PCB) vapor can be carried into the atmosphere by methane
ing for certain toxic agents. If waste acid pickling solution
gas evolving from a closed site, Ref (7), monitoring must cover
were to come in from a steel mill for neutralization, it might be
these and perhaps other compounds; and 4) where a wide range
appropriate to sample for hydrogen chloride. In that instance,
of similar compounds arise, such as in some organic wastes and
only 15-min samples would be of interest, because that is how
landfill gas, the cumulative effect must be estimated rather than
exposure to HCl is controlled by health/regulatory agencies.
the potential effect of individual contaminants.
7.1.3.5 New equipment has come into use to cover both
7.1.6 Data Storage and Analysis:
TWA and peak sampling. Some personal dosimeters, worn by
7.1.6.1 The various forms of air monitoring described in
the employees, give an overall average exposure and also
7.1.3, 7.1.4, and 7.1.5 will result in the accumulation of a
record the instantaneous exposures of the worker during the
substantial amount of data by the site operator. The data need
day. These units, which are read out on a portable computer,
to be recorded and catalogued in a manner that provides for
are generally good for only one particular contaminant, though
ready retrieval and comparison.
all the different types are read using the same computer. These
might be very useful in monitoring a heavy equipment operator 7.1.6.2 Store and retrieve data so that the level of airborne
for carbon monoxide or a waste treatment plant attendant for c
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