Industrial Hygiene (IH) and Laboratory Analysis

Create a healthier and more productive work environment for employees by helping your business evaluate and if needed reduce their workplace exposures, as well as reduce regulatory non-compliance issues. Chubb Global Risk Advisors (CGRA) assists in the development of tactical solutions for rapid results and strategic initiatives to integrate effective risk management processes for occupational disease mitigation into your operations. As a result, we help your business demonstrate health, safety and environmental values.

Led by our team of Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIHs), our highly educated, credentialed and experienced teams help protect your employees’ health and assists your organization to meet applicable government regulations and industry standards.

Our IH services include, but are not limited to:

• IH assessments - measurement/evaluation of chemicals, noise, and other physical agents (radiations, heat, cold, etc.), biological contaminants (mold, Legionella, etc.), existing controls, and provide guidance for improvement, including recommended controls, to reduce risk, comply with regulations and improve employee comfort; This can encompass a multi-location multinational, an individual facility, a department, or a specific operation.
• IH program audit or review - from full IH programs to a single topic program (respiratory protection, hearing conservation, etc.). The focus of these reviews is usually to assess or monitor the programs effectiveness by examining its organization, planning, programs and policies. We look at the implementation of these programs and determine if they are effective in meeting government regulations and protecting employee health.
• Indoor air quality assessments - evaluate building ventilation, measure air contaminants including mold, identify sources of odors, and assess causes of other issues/complaints
• Occupational disease investigations - for claims under workers compensation or as toxic torts, we assess the merit of claims in multiple technical areas and assist those handling claims in understanding and handling or defending them.

Assessments often involve the recognition, evaluation (including collection of air samples or other exposure measurements) and provision of control recommendations on noted exposures. This can encompass an entire facility, a department or a particular operation. During an assessment we also may be able to review existing controls, programs and procedures to determine if they could be improved. These assessments can be comprehensive or focused depending on the client’s needs.

Often we are called upon to provide an objective, outside analysis of client’s operations exposures and controls. The focus of these reviews is usually to assess or monitor their programs effectiveness by examining their organization, planning, programs and policies. We look at the implementation of these programs and determine if they are effective in meeting government regulations and protecting employee health. Our audits take an in-depth look into the entire occupational health program, while a review involves looking only at selected programs, policies or procedures. The scope of these audits and reviews is completely scalable.

Besides auditing an entire Industrial Hygiene program, some of the various programs and policies we have audited include; Respiratory Protection programs, Hearing Conservation programs, Hazard Communication programs, Laboratory Chemical Hygiene programs, Confined Space Entry programs, etc. We also perform engineering control reviews, assessing the effectiveness of ventilation systems and noise control devices and provide specifications for these types of controls. Engineering control reviews can be done on an existing system, involve the review of a planned system or we can help in the specification of a new systems.

We also provide additional services such as routine, periodic monitoring of air contaminants, training of employees and supervisory personnel in industrial hygiene issues and procedures (including sampling and evaluation techniques), substance specific exposure reviews for OSHA compliance, risk assessments of operations or plants (to evaluate potential problems or liabilities that could be incurred during acquisitions and mergers), ventilation assessments and specification, as well as other services.

Chubb’s Environmental Health Laboratory (EHL), accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association – Laboratory Accreditation Program, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC), provides sampling media and analyzes samples using validated methods as published by Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to evaluate employee exposures to chemicals used in the workplace. EHL can provide guidance in determining the appropriate sampling methods and media to use for collecting samples when evaluating potential exposures for workplace operations such as welding, soldering exposures, dust levels and solvent exposures. EHL can also identify the presence/absence of asbestos, mold, and other materials in collected bulk samples.

Services include:

• Organic solvent analyses by Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization, Nitrogen/Phosphorus, Electron Capture and Mass Spectrometry detectors
• Total, Respirable, and Inhalable dust analyses using Micro Balances in our environmentally controlled room
• Welding fume and metals analyses using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES)
• Organics analyses of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Aldehydes, and Pesticides using Liquid Chromatography with Ultraviolet (UV) and Fluorescence detectors
• Analysis of Anions and Cations by Ion Chromatography with Conductivity detection
• Analysis of Sugars such as Lactose typically used as a surrogate in the pharma industry.
• Asbestos bulk identification and quantitation or air fiber concentrations by polarized light and phase contrast microscopy
• Canister collection of samples and subsequent sub Part Per Billion (PPB) analysis using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses (EPA TO15) 
• Spore trap and fungal tape analysis to determine airborne and surface contamination of fungi/mold
• Methods development – Many of the old well characterized and toxic chemicals are being replaced with newer agents that can serve the same purpose. However, often times validated methods do not yet exist for their proper airborne collection and analysis. We have the expertise necessary to produce and validate analytical methods for agents where none currently exist. 

The Chubb Environmental Health Laboratory (EHL) offers the following materials:

• ACGIH Threshold Limit Values Update
• Sampling Manual
• Request for Analytical Services Form
• Request for Analytical Services Form (Cannister Analysis Only)

To request a copy of any of the forms or materials listed above, or a copy of the AIHA-LAP accreditation certificate, please contact [email protected].