Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Publications
Health and Safety Executive
HSE Books, 2008. (AS10 rev3)
Published 09.2008
This leaflet gives advice on complying with the risk assessment requirements of the Management Regulations.
M.J. Evans, S. Clarke, S.E. Gant, B. Fletcher, A. Heather, D. Pocock, D.K. Pritchard, R. Santon, C.J. Saunders of the Health and Safety Laboratory and Health and Safety Executive
(RR630)
Published 15/09/2008
A review has been carried out on the ventilation of enclosures focusing on measures of ventilation effectiveness and how ventilation rates can be measured for input into an area classification methodology. The most accurate approach to calculating air change rates for naturally ventilated enclosures is to make measurements of the decay rate of a tracer gas within the enclosure. However, the time and expense required to do this means that it is not an approach suitable for area classification. BS 5925 describes a method for calculating air change rates that is simple to apply and should provide data of sufficient accuracy to be appropriate for area classification. The approach has been applied to two enclosures where the air change rate was measured experimentally. In the first of the two cases considered, the calculated air change rate was in good agreement with the measurements, whereas in the other case it under-predicted the ventilation rate. An appropriate conservative choice of the wind speed, say 0.5 m/s, should provide corresponding conservative estimates of the ventilation rate.
Frazer-Nash Consultancy Limited and Health and Safety Executive
(RR614)
Published 12/09/2008
This report details a programme of practical testing and computer simulation of the roll characteristics of articulated site dumper trucks.
Trials were undertaken at MIRA using a Thwaites 6-Tonne, Power Swivel dumper truck to conduct a range of manoeuvres, at a range of speeds and carrying a range of loads. Each experimental case was modelled in a computer simulation. The modelled and measured results showed good correlation, in particular for manoeuvres incorporating larger bumps (100mm in height) and for circling manoeuvres.
From the measuring and modelling undertaken, it appears that the key contributions to rollover occur when working on uneven ground. Dumper trucks feature very low levels of damping since their only ‘suspension’ is by deformation of the tyres and drive train. On uneven ground, this can produce significant roll angles in response to impact with a bump and this effect can be exaggerated if the natural frequency of the response coincides with another wheel of the truck hitting the same bump.
An initial investigation of the response of dumper trucks impacting a bump when operating on a sloping plane was conducted in the computer model. This indicated that impacting a bump can cause the vehicle to roll over on slopes significantly shallower than the static roll angle of the truck.
E hanks of the Health and Safety Laboratory and Health and Safety Executive
(RR651)
Published 5/09/2008
This report describes the results of trials carried out relating to the noise exposure of workers engaged in kerbside collection of glass for recycling. Previous tests under controlled conditions had established the dominant sources of noise when glass is collected in to metal troughs on a kerbside collection vehicle, and identified working factors likely to affect noise exposure. The trials described here were carried out to assess the effect of modifications to the design of the troughs on the noise levels produced.
The results of the trials show that lining collection troughs with a suitable resilient material, and providing a flap to partially cover the opening of the trough, can significantly reduce the noise levels produced compared to a standard metal trough. Within the context of the reductions in noise that have been shown, working factors such as the speed and method of depositing glass in to the collection troughs remain a factor in the noise levels produced, with rapid depositing producing the highest noise levels and also preventing the full benefits of the modifications to the collection trough being realised.
M. Coldwell of the Health and Safety Laboratory and Health and Safety Executive
(RR645)
Published 11/09/2008
This report describes research into improved cyanoacrylate sampling methods. The research was an assessment of Automated Thermal Desorption (ATD) as an alternative sampling/analytical technique for the measurement of airborne cyanoacrylate and the development of modified Tenax sampling tubes.
HSE introduced the 0.3 ppm Short-term exposure limit (STEL) in 2000 for both ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate (ECA) and methyl-2-cyanoacrylate (MCA). These limits were transposed into Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) in 2005, with revised compliance criteria. HSL investigated the ability of existing sampling methods to test compliance with the limit and found significant errors. Sampling losses are apparently due to polymerisation on the glass wool plug of the Tenax tube used for sampling.
Eleven types of modified Tenax tube were prepared and evaluated at 0.03 ppm using a dynamic standard atmosphere. Analysis was by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with Ultra-Violet (UV) detection. Two tubes were found to compare well with the impinger based reference method. One tube replaces the front wool plug with a steel mesh and polypropylene o-ring to hold the sorbent in place. The other tube is treated with a phosphoric acid solution. Both tubes were subjected to a thorough laboratory validation, using BS EN482 as guidance. The steel mesh/o-ring tube performed slightly better than its counterpart when sampling MCA atmospheres and hence is the preferred choice. This tube is capable of providing reliable and sensitive measurement of cyanoacrylate atmospheres across a range of concentration, temperature and humidity.
M. Coldwell of the Health and Safety Laboratory and Health and Safety Executive
(RR646)
Published 11/09/2008
This report describes a field validation exercise undertaken to assess improved cyanoacrylate sampling methods. HSL has developed revised sampling methods for ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate (ECA) and methyl-2- cyanoacrylate (MCA) following the introduction of the 0.3 ppm Short-term exposure limit (STEL) in 2000, see report RR645. These limits were transposed into Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) in 2005, with revised compliance criteria.
A three-site, four visit field validation exercise has been carried out. The sites visited were a Police scene-ofcrime laboratory, an automotive loudspeaker manufacturer and a producer of adhesives which was visited on two occasions. Static sampling was performed using an impinger based reference method together with the two newly developed tubes. The tubes are based on a commercially available Tenax tube, which has 100 mg sorbent bed and 50 mg back-up bed. One tube replaces the front wool plug with a steel mesh and polypropylene o-ring to hold the sorbent in place. The other tube is treated with a phosphoric acid solution.
Both tubes performed well and the results were generally in good agreement with the reference method over a representative range of concentrations. Both tubes were found to be suitably robust for fieldwork. It is recommended the tube with steel mesh be used for all measurement of airborne cyanoacrylate concentrations due to better performance in laboratory validation tests.
