Particulate Matter Testing for Production Facility

Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. While some particles like dirt or smoke are large and easy to see, others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest health risk since they can enter deep in your lungs. 

Respirable dust is one of those tiny particles that can impact lung health, with the potential to cause an incurable form of lung disease. It can become airborne when working with manufacturing, production, and mining materials. Without routine air quality checks and PM  testing in place, certain working environments can be at risk for this type of exposure. 

A production facility in Oregon wanted to improve their HVAC design and ensure respirable dust was not present. They sought G2’s environmental testing services—specifically, particulate testing—to understand their system design and environment. 

G2 performs these tests with the client and compliance in mind. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a permissible exposure limit on the quantity of respiratory dust an employee can be exposed to. 

Based on the findings, G2 then creates a plan to ensure the indoor environment is safe for employees and complies with standard regulations. 

Read the case study to learn what G2 found at the production facility and recommended.