It has been recognized for some time that the dermal route of exposure to contaminants presents a significant health risk, but there are few regulatory requirements on how this route of exposure can be monitored or reduced. However, due diligence in creating a safe working environment compels the industrial hygienist or safety officer to insure a that surface contamination and dermal exposure to chemicals is kept to minimum.
OSHA states that a complete worksite analysis requires the assessment of surface contamination since workers may be exposed to these contaminants directly through dermal and ingestive routes (e.g., isocyanates, pesticides), and indirectly through inhalation of contaminants that become re-entrained in the air (e.g., asbestos, lead).
This talk will focus on direct reading colorimetric methods of monitoring workplace contaminant deposition on surfaces and skin.
BIO
Dr. Jeffrey S. Duffy is from Nextteq, LLC in Tampa, Florida and has more than twenty years experience in the environmental sciences. He has a B.A. in Chemistry, an M.S. in Organic Chemistry and a PhD in Environmental Health Science with board certifications in Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. His areas of expertise include air and surface sampling technology, indoor air quality, neurotoxicology, human health risk assessment, risk communication, and general toxicology. Dr. Duffy has experience in developing occupational air exposure levels, environmental air exposure standards, and emergency response planning guidelines and has also performed due diligence environmental, health and safety audits on a number of manufacturing and repair facilities. He has been with Nextteq for four years, first as the Manager of Industrial Hygiene and currently as the VP of Technical Business Development and Sales.
