Launchpad, May - June 2005
For a full list of proposed, active and closed projects see here
Exposure to nitrous gases and its control during cutting, heating and welding activities
To be launched: April 2005
Cost per sponsor: £16 000
Project Leader: Graham Carter
Nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are generated by cutting, heating and welding processes and are harmful to health. Consequently, exposure must be controlled to levels laid down in regulations, known as exposure limits. In the past, exposure limits for NO and NO2 were such that exposure during cutting, heating and welding activities did not present substantial control problems and, in many cases, controls were not required. However, in the UK, occupational exposure limits for NO and NO2 have been withdrawn recently and Chemical Hazard Alert Notices (CHANs), recommending that exposure is controlled to substantially lower levels, have been issued. In Europe, the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) has recommended even lower limits than those given in the CHANs to the European Commission. Consequently, the risk of exposures to NO and NO2 exceeding limit values has increased and control will be more difficult to achieve. Unfortunately, there appear to be few existing exposure data for NO and NO2 with which to judge the extent of future exposure problems and the expenses that might be incurred in controlling them. Work is proposed to generate exposure data, which are required to scope the problem.
