Evaluation of air sampling methods for abrasive blasting.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigators compared methods for collecting personal breathing zone (PBZ) air samples for particulates during abrasive blasting at a shipyard. Abrasive blasting is the cleaning or finishing of surfaces by the use of an abrasive carried in a strong current of air. The U.S. government has provided regulatory requirements and guidelines for ventilation, enclosures, and personal protective equipment during abrasive blasting [NIOSH 1987; OSHA 2012a]. However, current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sampling and analytical methods can overestimate worker exposures to airborne metals and other particulate contaminants during abrasive blasting [NIOSH 1994; NIOSH 1998; OSHA 2012b].