Case Studies - Visualisation as an Aid to Understanding & Controlling Exposure

Short-term, high exposures can represent a significant fraction of the total exposure of workers to harmful substances. Information on the extent of short-term exposures is particularly important for processes using materials associated with acute health effects such as sensitisers and irritants. Only by identifying those activities that produce short-term exposure can an understanding be gained of how the exposure occurs and then adequately controlled. Exposure visualisation, based on the combination of video and personal direct-reading instruments, is one of the techniques used by HSE to investigate control methods. It also fulfils an important additional role as a risk communication tool, for example by providing training information on CD-ROM.

The exposure visualisation system comprises a hand-held camcorder, a radio-telemetry transmitter and receiver for remote monitoring, personal aerosol or vapour monitors or other suitable real-time monitors and a data logger. A key part of the system is HSL's software, ELVis (Exposure Level Visualisation), which combines the video and monitoring data on one screen which the viewer can navigate to investigate the relationship between exposure and activity. The exposure data can be annotated with tasks and events and their contribution to the total exposure calculated.

The system has been used by HSE to investigate the adequacy of controls in various industries including: stone masonry, foundry, printing, rubber, electronics, and baking. For example, the technique has been used at a stone masonry to compare indoor and outdoor exposures of operatives using pneumatic chisels on gritstone. Individual activities were identified from the video and their contribution to the total exposure calculated. In another study, the tasks leading to high exposure to dust and fume in ferrous foundries were illustrated by the visualisation technique. The images from the visualisation tool were subsequently incorporated into a training video as guidance for foundry managers on the assessment and control of exposure risks.

Further information on video visualisation is available by clicking on the link below:

  Case study - Video as a risk communication tool

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