IRSST - Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

Improving the accuracy of work hygiene models used to estimate occupational exposure to solvent vapors

Abstract

More than 320,000 Québec workers are exposed to solvents at work and may develop occupational diseases related to overexposure.

Despite recent substitution developments, occupational exposure to solvents remains a major issue for occupational health and safety (OHS) specialists. Occupational hygienists use models to estimate occupational exposure to chemicals, a fast and inexpensive approach if they are well understood. The models are often simplified to take account of a limited number of parameters, which may be problematic, particularly for solvent mixtures.

The purpose of this project is to improve the accuracy of models used to estimate exposure to solvent vapours by correcting two major limitations: failure to take account of nonideality for mixtures and the simplifying assumptions used in some models.

Additional Information

Type: Project
Number: 2012-0044
Status: Completed
Year of completion: 2019
Team:
  • Maximilien Debia (Université de Montréal)
  • Stéphane Hallé (École de technologie supérieure)
  • Ali Bahloul (IRSST)
  • Daniel Drolet (IRSST)
  • Jérôme Lavoué (Université de Montréal)