OISD-GDN-166

First Edition
July, 1997
FOR RESTRICTED
CIRCULATION ONLY

GUIDELINES FOR
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH MONITORING
IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

Prepared by
COMMITTEE ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH MONITORING

OIL INDUSTRY SAFETY DIRECTORATE

2ND FLOOR, “KAILASH”
26, KASTURBA GANDHI MARG
NEW DELHI - 110 001

1
 NOTE

OISD publications are prepared for use in the oil and gas industry
under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. These are the properties of
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and shall not be reproduced or copied
or loaned or exhibited to others without written consent from OISD.

Though every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and
reliability of the data contained in these documents, OISD hereby expressly
disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from their
use.

These documents are intended only to supplement and not to replace

the prevailing statutory requirements.

6
 FOREWORD

Hydrocarbon processing and handling entails some risks arising out of

potential hazards like fires, explosions, injuries/burns to the personnel etc.
Most of such hazards are taken care, to a large extent, by better
understanding, safer designs of the plants and other facilities and following
safe operating practices. Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), constituted
by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 1986, have been bringing out
Standards and Guidelines on various aspects of designing and operation of
plants and facilities to improve safety standards in the oil industry.

In the changed scenario of the economy, the oil industry too is

becoming highly competitive and upgradation of technology is taking place
around the world to achieve excellence. The successful application of a new
technology depends greatly upon its successful adaptability. Such adaptability
brings the "personnel". playing pivotal role in implementation of the
technology, in the forefront. It is incontrovertible that personnel are most
important resource of organisation and that maintaining their health is vital for
productivity and effectiveness. As such, their health should be strongly
emphasised in the organisation's strategic plan. Promotion of health of
employees in the widest sense, should, therefore, be a high priority, both a
goal and a challenge for the organisation.

With a view to provide a structured programme to look after and

promote the health of the vital "Human Resource" in the oil and gas industry,
the present document "Guidelines for Occupational Health Monitoring in Oil
and Gas Industry" has been prepared by the Functional Committee on
Occupational Health Monitoring. It is hoped that these guidelines will help in
establishing and practising an appropriate Occupational Health Monitoring
programme for the employees of their industry.

This document will be reviewed periodically for improvements based on

the new experiences and better understanding. Suggestions from industry
members may be addressed to :

The Coordinator
Committee on Occupational Health Monitoring
Oil Industry Safety Directorate
2ND FLOOR, “KAILASH”
26, KASTURBA GANDHI MARG
New Delhi - 110 001

7
 COMMITTEE ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH MONITORING
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME ORGANISATION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEADER
Dr.V.Swaminathan Madras Refineries Limited, Chennai
MEMBERS
Dr. Hemant Kshirsagar Bharat Petroleum Corporn. Ltd., Mumbai
Shri N Dasgupta Bharat Petroleum Corporn. Ltd., Mumbai
Dr. P.K.Bhuyan Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals
Limited, Bongaigaon
Dr. John K John Cochin Refineries Limited, Cochin
Dr. A. Biswas Gas Authority of India Limited, Vijaipur
Shri K.K.Dixit Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited,
Mumbai
Shri A.A.Raichur Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited,
Mumbai
Dr. M.Ahmad Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Mathura
Dr. A.K.Chakraborty Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Digboi
Dr. R.P.Patel Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Vadodara
[Alt:Dr.R.C.Saxena]
Shri S. Kaul Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Vadodara
Shri H.D.Bahadur Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Barauni
Shri D.K.Kantak Lubrizol India Limited, New Mumbai
Dr. A.K.Tomar Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited,
Dehradun
MEMBER-COORDINATOR
Shri S.N.Mathur Oil Industry Safety Directorate,
New Delhi
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(In addition to the above, several other experts from the industry contributed
in the preparation, review and finalisation of this document).

8
 GUIDELINES FOR
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH MONITORING
IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
INDEX

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION CONTENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 SCOPE

3.0 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

MONITORING - OBJECTIVES
4.0 WORK ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING -
OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE

4.1 THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUES

4.2 PHYSICAL HAZARDS

4.3 CHEMICAL HAZARDS

5.0 PRE-EMPLOYMENT/PRE-
PLACEMENT MEDICALEXAMINATION
5.1 NORMS & STANDARDS FOR
MEDICAL FITNESS
6.0 PERIODIC HEALTH EXAMINATION
6.1 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING

6.2 CLINICAL AND SCREENING LABORATORY

TESTS

7.0 INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OCCUPATIONAL

HEALTH MONITORING
8.0 REFERENCES

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9
 GUIDELINES FOR
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH MONITORING
IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 SCOPE

Technological advances while making This document lays down minimum

the oil industry competitive, have also requirements for practising
multiplied the hazards to the operating Occupational Health Monitoring in
personnel in the form of complex petroleum refineries, oil/gas
processes and application of various production/processing plants, LPG
hazardous chemicals. The enlightened bottling plants and other petroleum
management should consider that their handling facilities/installations. This
duty is to preserve and promote the gives guidelines to establish
health of their employees and give Occupational Health Monitoring in the
them a good deal which in turn fosters industry to provide specific level of
better output and happiness in industry. occupational health and hygiene
Greater use of the assets of the work services to the employees and includes
place - stability, long term personal health of the individuals, the
relationships of trust and peer support health of the occupational group,
can be advantageously utilised to make assessment of the employees'
the work site as an effective and occupational environment and
economical setting for various appraisal of the evidence linking job
programmes designed to promote good conditions and exposure to effect on
health. The purpose of Occupational health and course of the disease.
Health programme is to protect and
promote the health of all employed Due to various reasons, if it is not
persons. Occupational Health is not possible to provide the required
limited in scope only to diagnosis of facilities of its own for the
specific occupational diseases and their
treatment. It is necessary to consider Occupational Health Monitoring at
not only the traditional specific hazards the petroleum handling facility /
to health at work but also control of installation, the same should be
health problems of employees which arranged through outside
are closely related to work conditions; agencies.
are aggravated or influenced by work
exposures; are susceptible to control or 3.0 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
amelioration by interventions at work
place. MONITORING OBJECTIVES

Occupational Health Monitoring will Occupational Health Monitoring in the

provide a scientific basis for decisions oil and gas industry should be viewed
aimed at protection of human health to meet the following objectives :
from any possible adverse
consequences of exposure to the
hazards in the occupational (1) "Occupational Health Monitoring"
environment. means a service established in or
near to the place of employment
for the purposes of -

10
 (a) protecting the employees against
any health hazard which may
arise out of their work or the
conditions in which it is carried (4)
on;
(b) contributing towards the
employees' physical and mental
adjustment, in particular by the
adaptation of the work to the
employees and their assignment
to jobs for which they are suited;
and
(ii) as a service common to a
number of installations.
Where the provision of
occupational health monitoring is
not, for the time being,
practicable for some reasons, the
plant/installation should make
arrangements with a physician or
a local medical service for -
a) administering emergency
treatment;

(c) contributing to the establishment b) carrying out required medical

and maintenance of the highest examinations ;
possible degree of physical and
mental well-being of the c) to exercise monitoring over
employees. hygiene conditions in the
plant/installation.
(2) Occupational Health Monitoring
should be provided, as conditions (5) The role of occupational health
require:- monitoring should essentially be
preventive.
(a) by virtue of laws or regulations;
(6) Occupational health monitoring
(b) by virtue of collective agreement should not be required to verify
or as otherwise agreed upon by the justification of absence on
the employer and employees grounds of sick-ness; they should
concerned; or not be precluded from
ascertaining the conditions which
(c) in any other manner approved by may have led to an employee's
the competent authority after absence on sick leave and
consultation with employers' and obtaining information about the
employees' organisations. progress of the employee's
illness, so that they will be
(3) Occupational Health Monitoring- better able to evaluate their
preventive programme, discover
(a) should either be organised by the occupational hazards and
oil handling installations recommend the suitable
themselves or be attached to an placement of workers for
outside body; rehabilitation purposes.

(b) should be organised - (7) The function of occupational health

monitoring should be
(i) as a separate service within the progressively developed, in
installation or accordance with the

7
 circumstances and having regard
to the extent to which one or
more of these functions are
adequately discharged so that
they will include in particular the
following:
(a) Monitoring within the
installation of all factors which
may affect the health of the
employees through occupational
hygiene monitoring, including
periodic inspection and
evaluation of workplaces to
identify potential hazards,
measure them when appropriate,
suggest control measures as
needed and advise in this respect
to management and to employees
or their representatives in the
installation;
(b) job analysis or participation
therein in the light of hygiene,
physiological and psychological
considerations and advice to
management and employees on
the best possible adaption of the
job to the employee having
regard to these considerations;
(c) participation, with the other
appropriate departments in the
installation, in the prevention of
accidents and occupational
diseases and in the supervision of
personal protective equipment
and of its use, and advice to
management and employees in
this respect;
(d) monitoring of the hygiene of
sanitary installations and all other
facilities for the welfare of the
employees of the installation
such as kitchens, canteens, day
nurseries and rest homes and, as
8
necessary, monitoring of any
dietetic arrangements made for
the employees;
(e) pre-employment, periodic and
special medical examinations
including, where necessary,
biological, radiological
examinations - considered
advisable for preventive purposes
by the industrial physician; such
examinations should ensure
particular monitoring over
certain classes of employees,
such as women employees
exposed to special risks and
handicapped persons;
(f) monitoring of the adaption of
jobs to employees, in particular
handicapped employees, in
accordance with their physical
abilities, participation in the
rehabilitation and retraining of
such employees and advice in
this respect;
(g) advice to management on the
occasion of the placing or re-
assignment of employees;
(h) advice to individual employees at
their request regarding any
disorder that may occur or be
aggravated in the course of work;
(i) emergency treatment in case of
accident or indisposition, and
also, in certain circumstances and
in agreement with those
concerned (including the
employee's own physician),
treatment for minor illness of
employees who have not been
absent from work or who have
returned after absence ;
 (j) Occupational Health Monitoring
will play an important role of
anticipating emergencies, of
preparing policies for how to deal
with them at the local level in
collaboration with Safety, Fire
and other services concerned and
of having an input into disaster
planning. In the event of fire,
explosion, escape of toxic gases,
chemicals etc., Occupational
Health Monitoring will ensure
the availability of the necessary
infrastructure for emergency
treatment to be administered.
(k) initial and regular subsequent
training of employees in first-aid
and supervision and maintenance
of first-aid equipment in co-
operation, where appropriate,
with other departments
concerned;
(l) education of the personnel of the
installation in health and hygiene;
(m) compilation and periodic review
of statistics concerning health
conditions in the installation;
(n) research in occupational health or
participation in such research in
association with specialised
services or institutions.
(8) Occupational Health Monitoring
group should maintain close
contact with the other
departments in the installation
concerned with issues of the
employees' health, safety or
welfare, and particularly the
welfare department, the safety
department, the personnel
department, the trade union
organisations in the installation,
9
safety and health committees and
any other committee or any
person in the installation dealing
with health or welfare questions.
(9) Occupational Health Monitoring
Group should also maintain
relations with external services
and bodies dealing with issues of
the health, safety, retraining,
rehabilitation, reassignment and
welfare of the employees.
(10) Occupational Health Monitoring
Group should open a confidential
personal medical file at the time
of an employee's pre-
employment examination or first
visit to occupational health
centre and should keep the file
up-to-date at each succeeding
examination or visit.
Occupational Health Monitoring
Group should maintain
appropriate records, so as to
provide necessary information
concerning the work of the
services and the general state of
health of the employees;
Occupational Health Group will
establish an efficient "Health
Information System" through
computerisation for storing and
organising information on
Occupational Hygiene ,medical
records, exposure hazards of
chemicals and locations of
potential chemicals exposures.
(11) Occupational Health Monitoring
activities should be under the
direction of a physician who will
be directly responsible to the
management for the same.
(12) The physicians in occupational
Health Monitoring Group should
enjoy full professional and moral
independence of both the
employer and the employees.
(13) The physician in charge of an
occupational health centre shall
have special training in
occupational health. He shall be
familiar with industrial hygiene,
special emergency treatment and
occupational pathology, as well
as with the laws and regulations
governing the various duties of
the service.
(14) The first-aid personnel should
a) consist exclusively of suitably
qualified persons ;
b) be readily available during
working hours.
(15) The premises of occupational
Health Monitoring group should
be adequately laid out.
(16) In order to efficiently perform
their functions, occupational
health Monitoring group should -
(a) have free access to all work
places and to the ancillary
installations ;
(b) inspect the work places at
appropriate intervals in co-
operation, where necessary, with
other services of the installation;
(c) have access to information
concerning the processes,
performance standards and
materials used or the use of
which is contemplated;
10
(d) be authorised to undertake, or to
request that approved technical
bodies undertake-
i. surveys and investigations on
potential occupational health
hazards, for example by the
sampling and analysis of the
atmosphere of work places, of
the products and materials
used, or of any other material
suspected of being harmful;
ii. the assessment of harmful
physical agents;
(e) be authorised to request the
competent authorities to ensure
compliance with occupational
health and safety standards.
(17) All persons attached to
occupational Health Monitoring
Group should be required to
observe professional secrecy as
regards both medical and
technical information which may
come to their knowledge in the
exercise of the functions and
activities as above.
(18) All employees and their
organisations should co-operate
fully in attaining the objectives of
occupational health services.
(19) The services provided by
occupational Health Monitoring
Group in pursuance of these
guidelines should not involve the
employees any expense.
4.0 WORK ENVIRONMENTAL Threshold Limit Values (TLV), a
MONITORING- time weighted average exposure.
OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE
4.1 THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUES
Occupational hygiene is the
science and art devoted to Threshold Limit Values refer to
anticipation, identification, airborne concentrations of
evaluation and control of substances/levels of physical
environmental factors or agents and represent conditions
stresses arising in or from the under which it is believed that
work place which may cause nearly all the employees may be
sickness, impaired health, repeatedly exposed, day after
significant discomfort or day, without adverse effect.
inefficiency among the Because of wide variation in
employees. individual susceptibility,
however, a small percentage of
Occupational hygiene practice employees may experience
involves recognition of harmful discomfort from substances at
exposure to hazards-heat, light, concentrations at or below the
noise, radiation etc., chemicals- TLV; a smaller percentage may
dust, fumes, gases etc. and to be affected more seriously by
bring them under control, before aggravation of a pre-existing
the employees experience injury condition or by development of
or evidence of any adverse signs an occupational illness.
or symptoms.
Three categories of TLVs are
This will be done by measuring specified as:
exposures, evaluating their
probable effects by existing 1. Threshold Limit Value -
toxicological and hygienic Time Weighted Average
standards and utilising sensitive (TLV-TWA) represents the
biological examination of time-weighted average
exposed persons to discover the concentration for a normal 8-
entry of harmful materials into hour workday and a 40 hour
the human systems, in advance of workweek, to which nearly
any possible injury. The practice all employees may be
of occupational hygiene involves repeatedly exposed day after
the qualitative and/or the day without adverse effect.
quantitative evaluation of
environmental agents which may 2. Threshold Limit Value -
pose health hazard at the work Short Term Exposure Limit
place. (TLV-STEL) represents the
concentration to which
The quantitative aspects of safe employees can be exposed
occupational exposures are continuously for a short
expressed in the concepts of period of time
without suffering from

11
 (1) irritation; (2) chronic
or irreversible tissue change;
(3) narcosis of sufficient
degree to increase the
likelihood of accidental
injury, impair self rescue or
materially reduce work
efficiency and provided that
the daily TLV-TWA also is
not exceeded. A STEL is
defined as a 15 minute time-
weighted average exposure
which should not be
exceeded at anytime during a
work day, even if the eight
hour time weighted average
is within the TLV. Exposures
at the STEL should not be
longer than 15 minutes and
should not be repeated more
than four times a day. There
should be at least 60 minutes
gap between successive
exposures at the STEL.
3. Threshold Limit Value -
Ceiling (TLV-C) represents
the concentration that should
not be exceeded even
instantaneously. For some
substances, e.g. irritant gases,
only TLV-C may be relevant.
For other substances, either
two or three categories may
be relevant, depending upon
their physiological action. It
is important to observe that if
any one of the three
categories TLVs is exceeded,
a potential hazard is
presumed to exist.
12
4.2 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
4.2.1 Evaluation of heat stress
Wet Bulb Globe Temperature
(WBGT) index is a technique
adopted to measure
environmental heat stress.
Portable WBGT instrument
consisting of three separate
resistance thermometers - globe
thermometer to measure radiant
energy, a wet bulb thermometer
to measure relative humidity and
a dry bulb thermometer to
measure ambient temperature is
made use of. By means of a
switch, each thermometer can be
individually read on a scale. A
fourth position of the switch
integrates the outputs of the three
thermometers into a single
reading WBGT index which is
read on a separate scale. The
operation is from line power or
batteries.
Threshold Limit Values for heat
exposure are given in the Table -
4.1.
 TABLE - 4.1

Permissible heat exposure threshold limit values

[Values are given in deg.C and (deg.F) WBGT]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Work Load
-------------------------------------------------
Work-Rest Regimen Light Moderate Heavy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Continuous work 30.0(86) 26.7(80) 25.0(77)
75% Work
25% Rest, each hour 30.6(87) 28.0(82) 25.9(78)

50% Work
50% Rest, each hour 31.4(89) 29.4(85) 27.9(82)

25% Work
75% Rest, each hour 32.2(90) 31.1(88) 30.0(86)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.2.2 Evaluation of exposure to set. Personal noise dose meters

noise worn by working personnel are
made use of to get accurate
A wide range of equipment is assessment of the total noise dose
available for measurement of the wearer has received
sound. The basic general purpose throughout his working day.
sound level meter measures the These instruments are easy to
sound levels in decibles. Portable use, self contained pocket size
single hand-held battery powered units, battery powered with
precision integrating sound level concealed or visible digital
meters are made use of for all display for readout. Threshold
kinds of sound level Limit Values (TLVs) for Noise
measurements including Leq., exposure are given in the Table
frequency analysis using a filter 4.2.

21
 TABLE - 4.2

Threshold Limit Values for Noise *

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Duration per day Sound level
Hours dBA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 90
6 92
4 95
3 97
2 100
1-1/2 102
1 105
1/2 110
1/4 or less 115
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note : No exposure to continuous, intermittent, or impact noise in excess of a peak C-

weighted level of 140 dB. If instrumentation is not available to measure a C-
weighted peak, an unweighted peak measurement below 140 dB may be used
to imply that the C-weighted peak is below 140 dB.

* Limited by the noise source - not administrative control. It is also recommended that a
dosimeter or integrating sound level meter be used for sounds above 120 decibels.

4.2.3 ILLUMINATION MEASURING

EQUIPMENT

Evaluation of lighting powered instrument is available

effectiveness is not just a for measurement of general
question of quantity of light, but luminance, and luminance
also of the quality of the lighting contrast., rendered by lighting
environment. Portable, contrast, systems. Recommended levels of
rendered by lighting systems and illuminance for various classes of
visual display battery powered visual task are given in the Table
instrument is available for - 4.3.
measurement of general
luminance, and luminance battery

22
 TABLE - 4.3
RECOMMENDED SERVICE ILLUMINANCE FOR VARIOUS CLASSES OF
VISUAL TASK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class of Recommended Typical examples
visual task illuminance(lx)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exceptionally 2400 or more Inspection of minute work(e.g.
difficult very small instruments)
tasks
Very difficult 1600 Extra-fine bench and machine
work, tool and die making
(tolerances below 25 um);
gauging and inspection of
small or intricate parts.
1200 Inspection, examining and
handfinishing light goods.
Difficult 800 Fine bench and machine work
(tolerances down to 25 um);
inspection of fine work (e.g.
calibrated scales, precision
mechanisms and instruments).
Normal range 600 Office work with poor contrast
of tasks and drawing offices-boards, fine
workplaces painting, spraying and
computer rooms-input and
output terminals.
Moderately 400 Medium bench and machine
difficult work (tolerances down to 125
µm); routine office work-
typing, filing, reading, writing;
inspection of medium work
(e.g."Go" and "No Go"
gauges, machine work;
structural steel fabrication-
marking off; enquiry desks
.
Ordinary 300 Training room, chalkboards
and charts; pharmaceutical
stores; kitchens - food
preparation, cooking, washing
up; staff canteens – counters.
Simple 200 Rough bench and machine
work (tolerances above 750
um); rough visual inspection,
counting, rough checking of
stock parts; structural steel
fabrication-general areas;
entrance halls; waiting rooms;
staff canteens-general.

22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class of Recommended Typical examples
visual task illuminance(lx)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
warehouses and bulk stores -
packing and despatch.
Rough inter- 100 Loading bays; office strong-
mittent tasks rooms, staff change
rooms; locker rooms.
Movement and 50 Corridors with heavy traffic;
orientation indoor carparks (lanes); walkways
and movement areas in industrial
plant; stairs; rest rooms
20 Corridors with light traffic
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.2.4 Measurement of ionising radiation 4.3 CHEMICAL HAZARDS

There being no single instrument Hydrocarbon industry uses a variety of

which performs acceptable under
all conditions and requirements
met with in practice; different
types of instruments and
detectors are used in various
applications to obtain the
monitoring characteristics
required for different forms of
radiation hazards. The radiation
detection most widely used in
survey instruments are isolation
chambers, Geiger-Mueller
counters,proportional counters
and scintillation detectors. To
assess the dose received by the
individual, either film meters or
Thermoluminescent dosimeters
(TLD) or a combination of both
are used for personal monitoring
of exposure to external sources of
radiation.
chemicals, organic and inorganic.
These chemicals are used as
absorbents, solvents, additives,
catalysts, colouring agents, laboratory
reagents etc. in the oil industry. All
such chemicals, along with the
petroleum, pose health hazards to the
operating personnel.
Chemicals have properties to cause
personal injury due to contact with or
entry into the body via inhalation,
ingestion, skin contact or eye contact.
Health hazard may result from
repeated, chronic and long term
exposure to low concentration of such
chemicals.
Measurement methods for toxic
chemicals in the work environment are
given in the Table - 4.4 and Threshold
Limit Values for chemicals are given in
the Table-4.5.

23
 TABLE - 4.4

MEASUREMENT METHODS FOR TOXIC CHEMICALS IN THE

WORK ENVIRONMENT
_____________________________________________________________________________
CHEMICAL STATE COLLECTION REAGENT ANALYTICAL
METHOD
_____________________________________________________________________________

1. Acetic acid Liq/Sld Charcoal tube Formic acid GC with FID

2. Alumina Solid Filter -- Gravimetry

3. Aluminium chloride Solid Filter -- Gravimetry

4. Ammonia Gas Bubbler Dil.H2SO4 Spectro

photometer, Ion
chromatograph

5. Antimony trichloride Solid Filter -- AAS

6. Arsenic compounds Solid Filter -- AAS

7. Asbestos Solid Filter Acetone Phase contrast

microscopy

8. Asphalt fumes Solid Filter -- Gravimetry-

HPLC

9. Benzene Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

10 Butane Gas Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

11.Calcium hydroxide Solid Filter -- AAS

12. Carbon dioxide Gas Bags -- GC with TCD

13.Carbon monoxide Gas Bags -- Direct reading

14.Carbon tetrachloride Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

15.Chlorine Gas Bubbler -- Ion selective

electrode

16.Chromium & Solid Filter -- AAS

compounds

17. Clay Solid Filter -- Gravimetry

26
_____________________________________________________________________________
CHEMICAL STATE COLLECTION REAGENT ANALYTICAL
METHOD
_____________________________________________________________________________

18. Cobalt & compounds Solid Filter -- AAS

19.Copper & compounds Solid Filter -- AAS

20.Diethanolamine Liquid Impinger -- Ion

chromotography

21.Ethanolamine Liquid Silica gel tube -- GC with FID

22.Ethylamine Gas/Liq Silica gel tube H2SO4 GC with FID

23.Ethylene dibromide Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

24.Ethylene dichloride Liquid Silica gel tube CS2 GC with FID

25.Ethyl mercaptan Liquid Filter CS2 GC with ECD

26.Formalin Sol Filter/ Sodium VIS

impinger bisulphide spectrophotometry

27.Furfural Liquid XAD tube Toluene GC with FID

28.Gasoline Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

29.Glycerin mist Liquid Filter -- Gravimetry

30.Graphite Solid Filter -- Gravimetry

31.Hexane Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

32.Hydrazine Liquid Bubbler HCl VIS

Spectrophotometry

33.Hydrogen chloride Liquid Silica gel NaHCO3/Na2CO3 Ion

chromatography

34.Hydrogen fluoride Liquid Filter -- Ion selective

electrode

35.Hydrogen sulphide Gas Dry tube/mole- -- Thermal desorpt-

cular sieve ion & GC with FID

36.Iron & compuonds Solid Filter -- AAS

27
_____________________________________________________________________________
CHEMICAL STATE COLLECTION REAGENT ANALYTICAL
METHOD
_____________________________________________________________________________

37.LPG Gas Detector tube -- Direct reading

instrument

38.Methanol Liquid Silica gel Water GC with FID

39.MEK Liquid Ambersorb CS2 GC with FID

Tube

40.Methyl t-butyl Liquid Charcoaltube -- GC with FID

ether

41.MIBK Liquid Charcoal tube Acetone GC with FID

42.Molybdenum Solid Filter -- AAS

& compounds

43.Morpholine Liquid Silica gel tube H2SO4/NaOH GC with FID

44.Naphtha Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

45.Nickel & compounds Solid Fliter -- AAS

46.Nitric acid Liquid Silica gel tube -- Ion

chromotography

47.Nitric oxide Gas Molecular seive -- Ion

chromotography

48.Nitrogen dioxide Gas Molecular seive -- Ion

chromotography

49.Oil mist Liquid Filter -- Gravimetry

50.Pentane Gas Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

51.Phenol Sol/Sld XAD tube Methanol HPLC

52.Phosgene Gas Impinger tube -- VIS

spctrophotometry

53.Phosphoric acid Liquid Silica gel tube -- Ion chromotograph

54.Poly nuclear Liquid Filter -- GC with FID

aromatic compound

28
 ___________________________________________________________________________
CHEMICAL STATE COLLECTION REAGENT ANALYTICAL
METHOD
_____________________________________________________________________________

55.Propane Gas Anasorb tube -- GC with FID

56.Silica Solid Fliter -- Gravimetry

57.Sodium hydroxide Sol/Sld Filter HCl Titration

58.Stoddard solvent Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

59.Sulphur dioxide Gas Filter NaHCO3/Na2CO3 Ion

chromatography

60.Sulphur monochloride Liquid Impinger -- Ion chromatography

61.Sulphuric acid Liquid Impinger -- VIS

Spectrophotometry

62.Tert.Butanol Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

63.Tetraethyl lead Liquid XAD tube Pentane GC with PID

64.Toluene Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

65.Vanadium Solid Filter -- AAS

& compounds

66.Xylene Liquid Charcoal tube CS2 GC with FID

____________________________________________________________________

Note: XAD indicates that a special coating must be added

GC: Gas chromatographTCD : Thermal conductivity detector
FID : Flame ionisation detector
ECD : Electron capture detector
PID : Photo ionisation detector
HPLC : High performance liquid chromatograph
AAS : Atomic absorption spectro photometer

29
 TABLE - 4.5

Threshold Limits Values for Chemicals in the Work Environment

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME TLV STEL______
PPM MG/M3 PPM MG/M3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACETIC ACID 10 25 15 37

ACETONE 750 1780 1000 2380

AMMONIA 25 17 35 27

AMMONIUM CHLORIDE FUME -- 10 -- 20

ANTIMONY TRICHLORIDE,as Sb -- 0.5 -- --

ARSENIC COMPOUNDS,as Sn -- 0.01, A1 -- --

ASBESTOS

1 AMOSITE 0.5 fiber/cc

2.CHRYSOTILE 2.0 fibers/cc

3.CROCIDOLITE 0.2 fiber/cc

4.OTHER FORMS 2.0 fibers/cc

ASPHALT(PETROLEUM) FUMES -- 5 -- --

BENZENE 10,A2 32,A2 -- --

BUTANE 800 1900 -- --

TERT.BUTANOL 100,A4 303,A4 -- --

CALCIUM HYDROXIDE -- 5 -- --

CARBON DIOXIDE 5000 9000 30000 54000

CARBON MONOXIDE 25 29 -- --

CARBON TETRACHLORIDE-SKIN 5 31 10 63

CHLORINE 0.5 1.5 1.0 2.9

CHROMIUM,as Cr III -- 0.5,A4 -- --

29
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME TLV STEL______
PPM MG/M3 PPM MG/M3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHROMIUM,as Cr VI -- 0.05,A1 -- --

COBALT,elemental &
Inorganic Compounds,as Co -- 0.02,A3 -- --

COPPER,fume -- 0.2 -- --

Dust & mists,as Cu -- 1 -- --

DIETHANOLAMINE 3 13 -- --

ETHANOLAMINE 3 7.5 6 15

ETHYLAMINE 5 9.2 15 27.6

ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE A2 A2 -- --

ETHYLENE DICHLORIDE 10 40 -- --

ETHYL MERCAPTAN 0.5 1.3 -- --

FORMALDEHYDE -- -- C 0.3,A2 C 0.37,A2

FURFURAL-SKIN 2 7.9 -- --

GASOLINE 300 890 500 1480

GLYCERINE MIST -- 10 -- --

GRAPHITE(all formsexcept fibres) -- 2 -- --

N-HEXANE 50 176 -- --

HYDRAZINE-SKIN 0.1 0.13 -- --

HYDROGEN CHLORIDE -- -- C5 C 7.5

HYDROGEN FLUORIDE,as F -- -- C3 C 2.3

HYDROGEN SULFIDE 10 14 15 21

IRON SALTS,soluble,as Fe -- 1 -- --

LPG 1000 1800 -- --

30
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME TLV STEL______
PPM MG/M3 PPM MG/M3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

METHANOL-SKIN 200 262 250 328

MEK 200 590 300 885

METHYL t-BUTYL ETHER 40,A3 144,A3 -- --

MIBK 50 205 75 307

MOLYBDENUM,as Mo

Soluble compounds -- 5 -- --
Insoluble compounds -- 10 -- --

MORPHOLINE-SKIN 20 71 -- --

NAPHTHA 300 1370 -- --

NICKEL Metal -- 1 -- --

Insoluble compds.as Ni -- 1 -- --

Soluble compds. as Ni -- 0.1 -- --

NITRIC ACID 2 5.2 4 10

NITRIC OXIDE 25 31 -- --

NITROGEN DIOXIDE 3 5.6 5 9.4

OIL MIST,MINERAL -- 5 -- 10

PENTANE 600 1770 750 2210

PHENOL-SKIN 5 19 -- --

PHOSGENE 0.1 0.40 -- --

PHOSPHORIC ACID -- 1 -- 3

PROPANE (TWA-OSHA: 1000 ppm ; IDLH:20000 ppm)

31
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME TLV STEL______
PPM MG/M3 PPM MG/M3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SILICA-AMORPHOUS
1.DIATOMACEOUS EARTH -- 10 -- --

2.PRECIPITATED SILICA -- 10 -- --

3.SILICA,FUME -- 2 -- --

4.SILICA,FUSED -- 0.1 -- --

5.SILICA GEL -- 10 -- --

SILICA-CRYSTALLINE

1.CRISTOBALITE -- 0.05

2.QUARTZ -- 0.1

3.TRIDYMITE -- 0.05

4.TRIPOLI -- 0.1, of contained respairable quartz

SODIUM HYDROXIDE -- -- -- C2

STODDARD SOLVENT 100 525 -- --

SULFUR DIOXIDE 2 5.2 5 13

SULFUR MONOCHLORIDE -- -- C1 C 5.5

SULFURIC ACID -- 1 -- 3

TEL as Pb-SKIN -- 0.1 -- --

TOLUENE-SKIN 50 188 -- --

VANADIUM PENTOXIDE,
as respirable dust or fume -- 0.05 -- --

XYLENE 100 434 150 651

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE : A1 - Confirmed Human Carcinogen
A2 - Suspected Human Carcinogen
A3 - Animal Carcinogen
A4 - Not Classified as a Human Carcinogen
A5 - Not Suspected as a Human Carcinogen
C - Denotes Ceiling limit.
32
5.0 PRE-EMPLOYMENT / PRE- be duly recorded on the medical
PLACEMENT MEDICAL examination forms.
EXAMINATION
(5) The report of the company
GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING medical authority is considered
THE MEDICAL FITNESS OF A final.
CANDIDATE CONSIDERED FOR
PRE-EMPLOYMENT / PLACEMENT (6) The company medical authority
IN THE SERVICES OF THE
will forward the medical fitness
COMPANY
certificate to the Personnel
department, declaring the
(1) Every candidate shall be required to
candidate either "FIT",
undergo medical examination to be
"UNFIT" or
eligible for appointment in the
"TEMPORARILY UNFIT".
services of the company :
(7)Where a candidate has been
a) On a permanent or temporary
declared "Temporarily Unfit" by
basis;
reasons of short term sickness,
which is curable within a period
b) As an apprentice/trainee;
of not more than thirty days, the
candidate will be required to
c) An employee in the services
undergo a re-examination within
of the company who is
thirty days from the date of
selected for alternative job on
his/her being declared
the basis of open recruitment
"Temporarily Unfit". At the
or otherwise;
time of re-examination, he/she
will be required to produce
d) On deputation basis or
proof of treatment and
permanent from Central/State
certificate of cure from the
Governments/Public Sector
Doctor who treated him/her. On
Undertakings.
satisfying himself that the short
term sickness is cured, the
(2) Medical examination will be
Company Medical Authority
conducted by the Company
will certify the candidate as
Medical Officer/Authorised
medically fit.
Medical Officer who will be the
authority to certify a candidate
(8) Where a candidate is declared
as medically fit/ unfit/
"Unfit", the result of the medical
temporarily unfit in respect of
examination for unfitness will
all appointments in the
be communicated to him/her by
company.
the personnel department.
(3) It may become necessary to
(9) Where a handicapped person is
refer the candidates to some
selected, he/she may be declared
outside hospitals/institutions for
"handicapped, but fit" if,
conducting some of the medical
tests.
(a) Except for the handicap,he/she
otherwise satisfies all other
(4) The company medical authority
physical standards as
may,at his discretion,obtain the
prescribed and
opinion of a Specialist that will
33
 (b) Considering the nature of
duties and responsibilities of
the job, location, hazard, strain
and other factors, the handicap
is not likely to interfere with
the performance of duties of
the post with reasonable
efficiency and without
possible deterioration of
his/her health.
5.1 NORMS AND STANDARDS FOR
MEDICAL FITNESS
(1) Good mental and bodily health and a
fit constitution.
(2) Free from physical defect or
abnormality, congenital or acquired,
likely to interfere with the efficient
performance of duties.
34
(3) No evidence of mal-development -
physical or mental.
(4) Joints and locomotor functions are
within normal limits.
(5) HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
Standard for height and weight
is given in the Table -
5.1.Weight will be recorded in
kilograms and height measured
will be in centimeters. The
Company Medical Authority is
empowered to relax the
standards of height and weight,
so long as such relaxation does
not impede the performance of
the job.
 TABLE - 5.1

STANDARD HEIGHT AND WEIGHT FOR MEN AND WOMEN

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height Weight, Kgs.
--------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
Men Women
Cms. Ft.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
152 5'0" ----- 50.8 - 54.4
154 5'1" ---- 51.7 - 55.3
157 5'2" 56.3 - 60.3 53.1 - 56.7
159 5'3" 57.6 - 61.7 54.4 - 58.1
162 5'4" 58.9 - 63.5 56.3 - 59.9
165 5'5" 60.8 - 65.3 57.6 - 61.2
167 5'6" 62.2 - 66.7 58.9 - 63.5
170 5'7" 64.0 - 68.5 60.8 - 66.3
172 5'8" 65.8 - 70.8 62.2 - 66.7
175 5'9" 67.6 - 72.6 64.0 - 68.5
177 5'10" 69.4 - 74.4 65.8 - 70.3
180 5'11" 71.2 - 76.2 67.1 - 71.7
182 6'0" 73.0 - 78.5 68.5 - 73.9
185 6'1" 75.3 - 80.7
187 6'2" 77.6 - 83.5
190 6'3" 79.8 - 85.7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

34
 (6) CHEST
Acceptable chest measurement at
full expiration will be 79 cms.
(relaxable by 5 cms.) and
minimum expansion of 5 cms.
The range of expansion upto 4
cms. ( i.e. a deviation of 20%)
will be acceptable. This is not
applicable to female candidates
and the state of physical
development will be taken into
account.
(7) EYE
The candidate's eyes will be
tested and the result of the test
recorded in accordance with the
following rules:
(a) The candidate's eyes will be
subjected to a general
examination directed to detect
any disease or abnormality. The
candidate will be rejected if
he/she suffers from morbid
condition of eyes, eyelids or
contiguous structures of such a
nature as would render him/her
unfit for service at the time of
appointment or at a future date.
(b) If any candidate is suspected to
have any refractive error in either
or both eyes, organic or
progressive disease of any part of
the eyes, a thorough ophthalmic
checkup and report from the
specialist in ophthalmology is
essential.

(c) VISUAL ACUITY

Standard of visual acuity with or without glasses will be as follows:-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distance visual acuity Near visual acuity
Age Better eye Worse eye Better eye Worse eye
----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
Below 6/9 (20/30) 6/9 (20/30)
35 yrs or Sn 0.6 Sn 0.6

6/6 (20/13) 6/12 (20/40)

(20/15)
(20/17)
(20/18)
(20/20)

35 yrs. 6/12 (20/40) 6/12 (20/40)

& above or Sn 0.8 Sn.0.8
6/9 (20/30) 6/18 (20/50)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any organic disease or a (d) FUNDUS EXAMINATION
progressive refractive error
which is likely to result in (i) In case of myopia, fundus
lowering of the visual acuity will examination should be carried
be considered as a out and the report from the
disqualification. specialist is essential. In the
event of a pathological
35
 condition being present, which
is likely to be progressive and
affect the efficiency of the
candidate, he/she will be
declared unfit.
The total amount of myopia
(including the cylinder) shall
not exceed (-) 4.00 D. The
total amount of hypermetropia
(including the cylinder) shall
not exceed (+) 4.00 D in each
eye.
(ii) Fundus and media should be
healthy and within normal
limits.
(iii) No degenerative signs of
vitreous or choriorentinitis to be
present, suggesting progressive
myopia.
(e) COLOUR VISION
The testing of colour is essential
for all candidates. Colour vision
will be tested with Ishihara's
Isochromatic plates in good light.
COLOUR BLINDNESS
(i) PERMISSIBLE
This will not be a will be ensured that the prognosis
disqualification for such jobs
wherein defective colour vision
is not likely to interfere with
his/her work or create risk for
others working with him/her;
for example, employment in
Personnel, Finance,
Administration, Training &
HRD departments.
(ii) NOT PERMISSIBLE
Colour blindness is a personnel,
disqualification for the
following jobs like employment
34
in Manufacturing,
Maintenance, Technical
Services, R & D, Projects,
Medical departments; Refinery
Operator, Refinery Technician,
Operator, Chemist,
Draughtsman, Crane Operator,
Driver of all categories, Nurse,
Nursing Assistants, Fireman,
Security, Engineer, Doctor,
Materials Management, etc.,
and jobs where perception of
colours is considered essential.
(f) SQUINT
For technical category where the
presence of binocular vision is
essential, squint, even if the
visual acuity is of prescribed
standards, will be considered as
a disqualification. For others, the
presence of squint will not be
considered as a disqualification if
the visual acuity of each eye is of
prescribed standard.
(g) ONE EYED PERSON
For regular service, one eyed
individual will be considered as
unfit except for ministerial and
allied jobs where binocular vision
is not considered essential. It
of the functioning eye is good
and its vision is not likely to be
endangered by the condition of
the worse eye and the prescribed
visual acuity standards are fully
satisified.
(h) CONTACT LENSES
Use of contact lenses for
correction will be accepted for
employment only for such jobs as
finance,
administration, training & HRD,
etc.
(i) NIGHT BLINDNESS
No standard test for testing of
night blindness or dark
adaptation is prescribed. The
medical officer will record visual
acuity with reduced illumination
or by making the candidate
recognize various objects in a
dark room after he/she has been
there for 20 to 30 minutes.
(8) EAR /NOSE/THROAT
The candidate should be free
from signs or symptoms of ear
diseases. Audiometric screening
to measure the pure tone air
conduction hearing threshold will
be carried out. Impairment of
hearing acuity in one or both
ears, perforated ear drum, chronic
ear discharge, etc., will be
considered as disqualification. A
report from the specialist in ENT
is essential and should be duly
recorded.
A candidate should be free from
any active disease of the nose.
Throat, palate, gums, jaws,
temporomandibular joints and
dentition should be within normal
limits.
(9) BLOOD PRESSURE (B.P.)
The normal limits of blood
pressure will be assessed as:
Normotension < 140 SBP
and <90 DBP. Candidates
diagnosed as a case of
hypertension will be declared
unfit.
(10) GLANDS
There should not be generalised
enlargement of lymph glands.
35
Scars, if any, of the previous
removal of tubercular glands
should be normal and there must
not have been any active disease.
(11) SKIN DISEASE
Candidates suffering from
leprosy or chronic inveterate skin
conditions will be declared unfit.
Vitiligo cases are acceptable.
(12) VENEREAL DISEASES
Candidates who have suffered or
are suffering from venereal
diseases will not be declared fit
unless detailed examination of
urethral smear and serological
test proves negative.
(13) FITS
Candidates suffering from
epilepsy (seizure disorder) will
be declared unfit.
(14) PREGNANCY
If at the time of medical
examination a candidate is
pregnant, she will be declared
temporarily unfit until she has
completed six weeks after
confinement/miscarriage and the
candidate will be required to
undergo a medical examination
of fitness.
(15) Signs of mental retardation will
render a candidate unfit for
employment.
(16) DEFECTS
Congenital or acquired defects, if
any/noticed, will be recorded on
the medical examination forms,
with a clear opinion as to whether
it is likely to interfere with the
 efficient performance of the
duties for which the candidate is
under consideration for
employment.
(17) SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION
Examination of all systems is
very essential to rule out any
pathological condition which will
make a candidate unfit for
employment (eg. hypertension,
diabetes mellitus, heart disease,
tuberculosis, bronchial asthma,
fits (seizure disorder), malignant
disease, potentially malignant
conditions, renal failure, collagen
disease, cerbrovascular
insufficiency, parkinsonism,
schizophrenia, glaucoma,
diseases of the retina, cataract,
psoriasis, etc.
(18) RADIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION
Skiagram chest of all the
candidates will be essentially
required. Cases diagnosed as
suffering from pulmonary
tuberculosis will be declared
unfit.
(19) The content of the medical
examination usually includes a
medical history, occupational
history, clinical examination
supplemented by laboratory tests.
The laboratory tests that will be
performed include TC; DC; Hb;
ESR; Platelets; HCT; RBC;
Blood group & Rh; Blood
sugar(Random); Glucose
Tolerance test if required; Serum
Creatinine; Blood R.P.R, (Rapid
Plasma Reagin test)/V.D.R.L. for
serodiagnosis of syphilis; test for
detection of antibodies to HIV 1
& HIV 2 in blood; test for
detection of hepatitis B surface
antogen (HBs Ag) in blood; test
36
for pregnancy (detection of
human chorionic gonadatrophin
(HCG) in the urine), (for women
candidates); routine urine
examination; Eye examination
tests for colour vision, visual
acuity etc; Pulmonary function
tests-spirometry; Pure tone
airconduction audiometry;
Electrocardiogram-all leads (at
rest); X ray chest PA view. The
candidates who require further
clinical evaluation/additional
tests will be referred to the
concerned specialists.
6.0 PERIODIC HEALTH
EXAMINATION
The periodic examination should
be carried out at regular intervals
after the initial preplacement
examination. It may not always
be necessary to conduct a full-
scale medical examination at the
routine periodic check-ups,
especially if there are no overt
signs of illness.
The procedure for periodic health
checks is different from that for
preplacement examinations. A
special form needs to be
designed, with emphasis on the
aspects of the history and
physical examination most
relevant to the exposure in
question. The scope and
periodicity of the health
examination should depend on
the nature and extent of the risk
involved. The examination
should focus on the body organs
and systems most likely to be
affected by the harmful agents in
the workplace. For example,
audiometry is the most important
test for those working in a noisy
environment. For each harmful
agent, the period between
 exposure and the development of
a health impairment (latency
period) is a major factor in
determining the frequency of
examination. However, in many
cases the latency period is not
known. For such agents, the
frequency should be determined
on the basis of: (a) the natural
history of the disease, including
the rapidity with which the
biochemical, morphological
behavioural, etc. changes might
occur or be detected by screening
tests; (b) the level of exposure to
the hazardous agent and to any
other interacting agent or agents;
(c) the anticipated susceptibility
of the exposed population and
individuals.
6.1 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING
Measurement of the
concentration of substances in
breathing zone air does not
ensure that the employee is
totally protected from adverse
health effects resulting from
exposure to chemicals in the
workplace. The actual body
burden of the chemical resulting
from all routes of exposure is
more directly related to potential
adverse health effects. The
uptake of the workplace chemical
by the inhalation route,
absorption of the chemical
through the skin or the
gastrointestinal tract and non
occupational exposure to the
chemical all influence the body
burden. Interaction of the
chemical with other
environmental and workplace
chemicals may stimulate or
inhibit its metabolism and
elimination and thus influence
the toxicity of the chemical in the
employee. Thus, the
37
environmental concentration of
a chemical is related to the body
burden of the same chemical
under specified conditions only.
To further evaluate a potential
health hazard in the workplace,
biological monitoring should be
used.
Biological monitoring can be
defined as assessment of
employee exposure by
measurement of some "index"
chemical in a body fluid as
evidence of exposure to a
chemical.
The Biological Exposure Index
(BEI) is defined as an "index"
chemical that appears in a
biological fluid or in expired air
following an exposure to a
workplace chemical. The BEI
serves as a warning of exposure
by (1) the appearance of
chemical or (2) the appearance
of biological response indicative
of exposure. The BEI is
primarily an index of exposure
and not a sentinel of some
health effect that may have been
produced from exposure to a
workplace chemical.
Permissible Biological
Exposure Indices for various
chemicals are given in the
Table - 6.1. (Table - 6.4 may be
referred to regarding
periodicity of the examination).
 TABLE - 6.1

BIOLOGICAL EXPOSURE DETERMINANTS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airborne chemical/ Sampling Biological Exposure
Determinant time Indices
(BEI)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Acetone
- Acetone in urine End of shift 100 mg/l

Arsenic
- Inorganic arsenic End of workweek 50 ug/g
metabolites in urine creatinine

Benzene
- Total phenol in urine End of shift 50 mg/g
creatinine
- Benzene in exhaled air Prior to next
shift
mixed exhaled 0.08 ppm
end exhaled 0.12 ppm

Carbon monoxide
- Carboxyhaemoglobin in End of shift Less than 8% blood
haemoglobin

- CO in end-exhaled air End of shift Less than 40 ppm.

Chromium
- Chromium in urine End of shift at 30 ug/g
end of workweek creatinine

Cobalt
- Cobalt in urine End of shift at 15 ug/l
end of workweek
- Cobalt in blood --do-- 1 ug/l

Furfural
- Total furoic acid End of shift 200 mg/g in urine
Creatinine

n-Hexane
- 2,5 hexanedione in End of shift 5 mg/g urine
creatinine

52
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airborne chemical/ Sampling Biological Exposure
Determinant time Indices
(BEI)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lead
- in blood not critical 50 ug/100ml
- in urine not critical 150 ug/g Creatinine

- Zinc protoporphyrin After one month 100ug/100 ml

in blood exposure blood.

Methanol
- Methanol in urine End of shift 15 mg/l

Methemoglobin
inducers
- Methaemoglobin in During or end of 1.5% of
blood shift haemoglobin

Methyl ethyl ketone

- MEK in urine End of shift 2 mg/l.

MIBK
- MIBK in urine End of shift 2 mg/l

Naphtha
- Phenol in urine End of shift 50 mg/g
creatinine
Phenol
- Total phenol in urine End of shift 250 mg/g
Creatinine
PNA compounds
- Phenol in urine End of shift 50 mg/g
creatinine
Toluene
- Hippuric acid End of shift 2.5 g/g
in urine Creatinine

- Toluene in End of shift 1 mg/l

venous blood

53
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airborne chemical/ Sampling Biological Exposure
Determinant time Indices
(BEI)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vanadium
- Vanadium in urine End of shift 50 ug/g

Xylene
- Methylhippuric acid End of shift 1.5 g/g in urine
Creatinine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6.2 CLINICAL AND SCREENING

LABORATORY TESTS Neurophysiological tests - nerve
conduction tests
Clinical and Screening
Laboratory Tests for the early Psychological tests (optional)
detection of occupational
diseases in the main organs and BLOOD AND BLOOD
systems are as follows: FORMING SYSTEM

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Complete haematology profile

Medical and occupational history Estimation of Carboxy Hb

(questionnaire on respiratory
symptoms, modified version of Estimation of methaemoglobin
that approved by British Medical
Research Council Committee on LIVER
research into chronic bronchitis)
Medical history
Physical examination
Physical examination
Lung function tests - spirometry
Liver function tests- Serum
Chest radiography, using bilirubin (total, direct and
standard ILO X rays on indirect, total protein, albumin,
radiographs globulin; SGOT; SGPT; Alkaline
of pneumoconiasis. phosphatase, gamma G.T.

NERVOUS SYSTEM URINARY SYSTEM

Occupational and medical history Urine analysis - appearance of

urine; reagent strip for protein
Clinical examination and glucose; quantitative
determination of total protein in
Measurement of vibration urine; Blood analysis - Blood
sensitivity

54
urea, creatinine, Beta 2 Medical history
microglobulin
Physical examination
CARDIOVASCULAR
SYSTEM Radiography of skeletal system,
if required.
Medical history
Various Biochemistry and
Clinical examination Haematological Tests alongwith
the normal range of values are
12-lead ECG - at rest and given in the Table - 6.2.
computerised stress ECG;
Table - 6.3 gives Analytical
24 hour holter monitoring if Techniques for Biochemical
required at work place; Parameters.

Chest radiograph Recommended Clinical Laboratory

Tests for early detection of work
MUSCULOSKELETAL related illness in the main organ and
SYSTEM system are given in the Table - 6.4.

53
 Table - 6.2

BIOCHEMISTRY AND HAEMATOLOGY TESTS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parameter Findings Normal Range
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GTT: Whole Blood Sugar (75 gms of glucose)

(F) : mg/dl upto 100 mg/dl

(1 Hour) : mg/dl upto 180 mg/dl

(2 Hour) : mg/dl upto 120 mg/dl

Blood Sugar (PP) : mg/dl upto 140 mg/dl

Blood Sugar (R) : mg/dl upto 140 mg/dl

Urea : mg/dl 10 - 40 mg/dl

Creatinine : mg/dl 0.5 - 1.2 mg/dl

Uric acid : mg/dl 3.0 - 7.6 mg/dl

Total Cholesteral : mg/dl 120 - 240 mg/dl

Triglycerides : mg/dl 10 - 170 mg/dl

HDL Cholesterol : mg/dl 30 - 70 mg/dl

LDL Cholesterol : mg/dl 120 - 180 mg/dl

Ratio of Total
Chol./HDL Chol : upto 4.5

Bilirubin Total : mg/dl 0.2 - 1.0 mg/dl

Direct : mg/dl 0.1 - 0.4 mg/dl

Indirect : mg/dl

Total Protein : g/dl 6.0 - 8.0 g/dl

Albumin : g/dl 3.5 - 5. g/dl

Globulin : g/dl

SGOT : u/l 5.0 - 40 u/l

SGPT : u/l 5.0 - 37 u/l

Alkaline Phosphatase : u/l 60 - 170 u/l

Gamma GT : u/l 5 - 37 u/l

Calcium : mg/dl 8.4 - 10.4 mg/dl

53
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parameter Findings Normal Range
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sodium : mmol/l 135 - 155 mmol/l

Potassium : mmol/l 3.5 - 5.5 mmol/l

Chloride : mmol/l 98 - 109 mmol/l

Glycosylated Hb : % 4.5 - 8.0 %

HAEMATOLOGY

Total WBC Count : cells/cumm

Differental Count :

Haemoglobin : g/dl

Total RBC : million cells/cumm

HCT : %

ESR : 1/2 Hour: mm, 1 Hour: mm

Platelets : lakhs
MCV : Cu.u
MCH : uugm
MCHC : %
Blood Group :
Rh Factor :

SEROLOGY

VDRL/RPR :

HbsAg :

URINE

Specific Gravity :

Colour :

Appearence :

Reaction :

Sugar (F) :

(1 Hour) :
(2 Hour) :

(PP) :

(R) :

54
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parameter Findings Normal Range
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albumin :

Acetone :

Bile Salts :

Bile Pigments :

Urobilinogen :

Deposit :

STOOL

MACROSCOPIC

Colour :

Consistancy :

Reaction :

Blood :

Mucous :

MICROSCOIC

Ova :

Cyst :

Amoeba :

Flagellates :

Trophozoites :

Crystals :

Puscells :

OCCULT BLOOD :

(Assistant Chemist-Medical Lab.)

55
 Table - 6.3

ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parameter Method
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glucose Enzymatic(Glucose Oxidase/peroxidase

Urea Enzymatic (Urease)

Creatinine Alkaline piruvate method

Uric acid Enzymatic (Uricase-P-aminophenazone)

Cholesterol Enzymatic(Cholesterol esterase-

cholesterol oxidase-peroxidase)

Triglycerides Enzymatic(Glycerol-3,phosphate
oxidase p-amino antipyrine)

HDL Enzymatic (phospho tungstate-p, amino

antipyrine

Total protein Biuret method

Albumin Bromo cresol green method

Bilirubin T&D Jendrassik-Grof method

SGOT UV Kinetic

SGPT UV Kinetic

Alk. Phosphate P-nitro phenyl phosphate method

Gama GT Szasz method

Sodium Kinetic/Flame photometry

Potassium Kinetic/Flame photometry

Chloride Kinetic/Flame photometry

Calcium Spectrophotometry

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

97
 Table - 6.4

Recommended Clinical and Laboratory Tests for early

Detection of Work -Related Illnesses in the Main
Organs and Systems

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7.0 INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH (2) Man Power
MONITORING
(i) Occupational Health Physician

For effective implementation of One full time medical doctor

the occupational health for employees upto 1000,
Monitoring group in the oil preferably a specialist in
industry, occupational health occupational health/public
centre should be provided with health or adequately trained in
the minimum of following occupational medicine for a
facilities : minimum period of three
months, recognised by the
(1) Building Government, or a minimum
experience of 3 years in an
Oil industry will make available industrial setting/a large
premises to adequately house hospital. The doctor will be
Occupational Health Monitoring incharge of Occupational
Facilities with necessary Health Monitoring to ensure
provisions for power and water administrative supervision of
supplies, air conditioning, access all the staff and responsible for
and other indispensable facilities. all the activities of
The functional units of Occupational Health
Occupational Health Monitoring Monitoring.
will include occupational
medicine, occupational hygiene
and toxicology, biochemistry,
health education, health statistics
and emergency medical care.
104
 (ii) Occupational Hygienist (3) Equipment

One Occupational Hygienist The equipment will comprise of

having educational background medical diagnostic equipment,
with a graduate degree in toxicology laboratory and
chemistry/ physics/ sampling equipment and
environmental toxicology and occupational hygiene field testing
experience in occupational equipment. Occupational Health
hygiene practice. Monitoring Group should also be
equipped with technical books
(iii) Occupational Health Nurse and periodicals etc. Some of the
equipment required are given
One Nurse for employees upto below :
1500-2000; he/she will have
educational background with a
degree in B.Sc.(Nursing) or Occupational Hygiene and
Diploma in general nursing of 3 Toxicology Unit
years duration and midwifery
of 6 months duration and a (i) Wet Bulb Globe Temperature
minimum experience of 3 years (WBGT) instrument - for
in an industrial set-up or evaluation of heat stress.
recognised hospital.
(ii) Sound level meter with Octave
(iv)Medical laboratory technologist filter set and impulse noise
meter,Acoustic calibrator and
One Medical laboratory Personal noise dose meter - for
technologist for employees evaluation of exposure to noise
upto 1500.He/She will have
educational background with a (iii)Luxmeter - for illumination
degree in B.Sc measurement.
(Biochemistry)/Medical Lab.
Technology/Chemistry, and
with diploma in clinical (iv)Direct reading instrument
pathology laboratory and a intrinsically safe portable
minimum experience of 3 years infra-red analyzer; Direct
in a clinical pathological reading colorimetric tubes-
laboratory in an industrial or short term, long term;
large hospital. Experience with Intrinsically safe,battery
the use of auto analyzer and operated personal sampling
automated haematology testing pumps with suitable media for
equipment is desirable. collection (liquid media
samplers, solid - sorbent tubes
(v) Others etc.; for gases and vapour.

The Occupational Health (v):Intrinsically safe, battery

Monitoring Group will have operated personal sampling
adequate number of pumps with suitable media for
paramedical and administrative collection - filters, cyclones etc
staff. - for Particulate matter.

98
 (vi) U.V. -Vis Spectrophotometer
Electrocardiogram
(vii) Gas Chromatograph
Neurometer
Occupational Medicine Unit
Biochemistry Unit
Equipment for vision
performance screening Auto analyser

Audiometry - Pure tone air Haematology cell counter

conduction audiometer
Incubator
Equipment for spirometry - lung
function measurement Microscope

8.0 REFERENCES

(i) ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health & Safety, Vol. I & II

(ii) Early detection of occupational diseases - publication of WHO, Geneva, 1986

(iii) WHO Technical Report Series No.862 on "Hypertension Control", 1996

(iv) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological
Exposure Indices - ACGIH (1995-96)

(v) Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, Third edition, National Safety Council, USA, 1994

(vi) Guidelines manuals on Industrial Hygiene and Occpational Health Surveillance - prepared
by Shri Sagar Dhara, Shri R.T.N.Bali and Dr. Raman Dhara.

****

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