Monitoring Particulate Matter in the Workplace

The importance of creating a secure and high-performing work environment is a paramount concern for businesses in the age of industrialization.

In particular, fine dust pollution, a potential hazard in many industries, poses significant challenges. So, how can we ensure workers' health and maintain production efficiency and output?

The Challenge from Particulate Matter

It is undeniable that air pollution has become a pressing environmental issue globally in recent years, and Vietnam is no exception.

Air quality is deteriorating alarmingly in the country's major economic and cultural centers, such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The main cause of this situation is high population density combined with rapid economic growth, which creates many sources of pollution emissions.

Viet An has put itself in the position of a worker in a cement plant. The atmosphere here is always covered by a layer of fine cement dust. These dust particles not only cause discomfort but also directly threaten their respiratory health.

In addition, dust clinging to machinery is also a difficult problem, causing equipment wear and tear and incurring many repair and maintenance costs. This reality is not only specific to the cement industry but also a common problem for many industries such as mining, woodworking, and textiles.

National Technical Regulations on Particulate Matter in the Workplace

According to Circular 02/2019/TT-BYT and QCVN 02:2019/BYT, the permissible exposure limit values are specified for 5 main types of fine dust in the workplace, including:

• Asbestos dust: Specifies the maximum permissible exposure limit for Serpentine (chrysotile) asbestos dust as 0.1 fibers/ml and does not allow the presence of Amphibole dust. The method for determining asbestos dust is carried out according to TCVN 6504:1999 - Air quality.

• Silica-containing dust (silica dust): Specifies the maximum free silica concentration in total dust as 0.3 mg/m³ of air.

• Cotton dust: Specifies the permissible exposure limit as 1mg/m³ of air.

• Coal dust: Specifies the permissible exposure limits as follows:

  • Total coal dust: 3.0 mg/m³ (when the free silica content is less than or equal to 5%).
  • Respirable coal dust: 2.0 mg/m³ (when the free silica content is less than or equal to 5%).

Particulate Matter Monitoring Technology Solutions

Given the aforementioned situation, closely monitoring Particulate Matter in the working environment is an urgent requirement. To meet this need, the ES-642 device manufactured by MET-ONE (USA) has emerged as a promising candidate for this problem.

Based on the Nephelometer laser light scattering principle, the ES-642 is capable of measuring a variety of dust types, from Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) to fine dust particles PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 with high sensitivity, with a measurement range from 0 – 100 mg/m³ (0 - 100,000 μg/m³). This allows businesses to accurately grasp the level of dust pollution in the working environment.

In addition, the compact design of the ES-642 makes installation and operation, both indoors and outdoors, simpler, meeting diverse monitoring needs in all fields.

ES-642 strengths:

• Air Filtration System: Keeps the optical components clean so that the ES-642 can operate in harsh environments without performance degradation.
• Automatic Zero Point Calibration: Reduces measurement drift over time by automatically adjusting the 0 value every hour.
• Active Inlet Humidity Control: Reduces measurement errors.
• LCD Screen: Provides information on particle concentration, flow rate, and device status.

What Sustainable Value Does Fine Dust Monitoring Bring?

Controlling dust and particulate matter is not merely about complying with environmental regulations but also brings practical value to businesses.

• A healthy working environment helps protect workers' health, thereby improving morale and productivity. At the same time, effective fine dust monitoring and control also helps optimize machinery operation, minimize maintenance costs, and extend equipment lifespan.
• It helps businesses build credibility, enhance the value of products/services, and strengthen relationships with customer partners. This is especially important in the context of increasing environmental awareness.

With over 1000 monitoring stations nationwide and 14 years of experience serving 1500 organizations and businesses, we commit to:

• High-quality equipment: 100% genuine imported from EU/G7 countries, with full CO&CQ certificates.
• Comprehensive services: Official warranty, user manuals, and operation instructions.
• Our professional service team is always ready to support customers throughout the entire process, ensuring equipment operates reliably and accurately.

Our team at Viet An is here to provide personalized advice and technical support for your environmental monitoring and industrial measurement needs. We're committed to helping you optimize your investment.