MANILA, 13 June 2011 — Recognizing the importance of industrial hygiene in the workplace, People360 Consulting Corporation now conducts "Work Environment Measurement" (WEM) as part of its professional services in the Philippines.
WEM is the process of determining the level of environmental hazards and their hazardous effects on workers health through air sampling and/or direct measurement using direct reading instruments. Through this test, the following may be expected by an organization:
- Determine the magnitude of harmful environmental agents.
- Physically check the environment through measurement using direct reading instruments.
- Predict the harmfulness associated in new facilities, raw materials, production processes and working methods.
- Monitor worker’s exposure to harmful substances and physical agents.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of environmental control measures adopted to improve the workplace.
- Maintain favourable environment conditions.
The types of Environmental Monitoring that People360 conducts include:
- Personal Monitoring: Measurement of a particular employee’s exposure to airborne contaminants. The measuring device is placed as close as possible to the contaminant’s entry port to the body. For example, when monitoring an air contaminant that is toxic, the measuring device is placed close to the breathing zone of the worker. The data collected closely approximates the concentration of contaminants by which the worker is exposed to.
- Area/Environmental Sampling: Measurement of a contaminant concentration in the workroom. The measuring device is placed adjacent to the worker’s normal workstation or at fixed locations in the work area. This kind of monitoring does not provide a good estimate of worker’s exposure but helps to pinpoint work areas with high or low exposure levels of contaminants.
- Biological Monitoring: Measurement of changes in the composition of body fluids, tissue or expired air to determine absorption of a potentially hazardous material. Examples are measurement of lead and mercury in blood or in urine.
The samples collected are then analyzed in the laboratory using applicable analytical methods and instruments for the respective types of chemicals. For accuracy, People360 uses analytical instruments that include UV-VIS Spectrophotometer for analyzing acids, AAS for heavy metals, gas chromatograph for organic solvents and x-ray diffractometer in analyzing asbestos and silica.
People360 Consulting Corporation is a leading “safety integrator” in the Philippines providing a “one-stop shop” for professional services and solutions on occupational safety, health, and environment. It is a accredited by the Department of Labor & Employment as a "Testing Organization for Construction Heavy Equipment" and as a "Safety Training Organization".
