Rank: New forum user 
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Hi, I would really appreciate some advice on monitoring exposure to Ethylene oxide.
Use of ethylene oxide in healthcare environment (for instrument sterilisation). If a business has continuous environmental monitoring, do they need periodic personal badge monitoring as well in order to ascertain WEL? The gas monitors seem to produce a ppm reading, but I have no experience of using them in practice. Monitoring strategies for toxic substances (https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg173.pdf) Para 23 seems to indicate that personal exposure monitoring would be required even if continous monitoring was in place.
However, reading EH40 WEL ( https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/eh40.pdf )Para 78 I am not so sure.
First post ever - thanks for any advice!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hi Anne You should be doing some occupational hygiene monitoring of the operation...you should already have the occupational hygiene risk assessment for the activity which should provide you with a basis of safety i.e containment...you should forget that it is also a flammable gas (Flammable range 3-100% ) and a DSEAR (UK) assessment will be required (ATEX and EPD EU)...with CNS issues and sickness and vomiting from skin contact within 50min...fixed monitoring systems are available so are personal monitors...your risk assessment for your operation will inform you...respirators for operators with the potential for exposure to uncontrolled release... The manufacturer of the machiny will be helpful and can provide you with the information...on 1ppm final exposure or indeed the failure rates for the equipment...there are also some useful tips in the CDC documentation for sterilisation... https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2007-164/pdfs/2007-164.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2007164
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 2 users thanked stevedm for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user 
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Hi Anne, Continuous environmental monitoring is primarily there for leak detection, and not to establish personal exposure levels. The need for personal exposure measurement is determined by how likely it is that someone could be exposed to levels at or above any WEL or to confirm that existing controls are adequate. As there appears to be a perceived chance that exposure is possible, then a round of personal monitoring may well be justified, using an Occupational Hygienist to ensure it is done correctly. If the results are well below any WEL I see no reason to repeat the assessment periodically. But if the level is close to the WEL then it may be prudent to repeat the exercise occasionally just to confirm ongoing compliance. As for the DSEAR issues, although important the levels required for a potentially explosive atmosphere to be created are normally orders of magnitude greater than exposure limits. Hope it helps, Tony.
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Rank: New forum user
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Hi Tony Thanks for such a helpful and clear reply - really appreciated. I took a day or two to work out how to reply - apologies!
Best wishes Anne
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Rank: Forum user
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The powers that be deemed ethylene oxide to be fine when people were sticking PCR and lateral flow tests in the backs of their throats and up their noses. Interesting...
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