An Approach for Assessing Target Levels for Industrial Air Quality

This paper considers methodologies how desired level, target level, of industrial air quality can be defined taking into account a feasibility issue. The method is based on the health-based risk assessment and the technology-based approach. Because health-based risk estimates at low contaminant concentration regions are rather inaccurate, the technology-based approach is emphasized. The technological approach is based on information on the prevailing contaminant concentrations in industrial work environment and the benchmark air quality attained with the best achievable control technology. The prevailing contaminant concentrations attained with a standard technology are obtained from a contaminant exposure data bank and the benchmark air quality by field measurements in industrial work rooms equipped with the advanced ventilation and production technology. As an example the target level assessment has been applied to most common contaminants in work room air. Target levels of air quality benefit ventilation designers, manufacturers of air handling equipment and end-users of ventilation systems.