What is the purpose of air sampling in industrial hygiene, and when is it typically performed?

• A. Air sampling characterizes worker exposure to airborne hazards; it is performed for screening, compliance, process change assessment, and when there is an adequately defined exposure limit.
• B. Air sampling is used only for noise measurement.
• C. Air sampling is used for evaluating lighting levels.
• D. Air sampling is used for waste disposal.

Answer: (A)

Air sampling in industrial hygiene measures the concentration of airborne hazards to estimate what workers breathe in during their tasks. This information provides a quantitative basis to assess risk, justify control measures, and verify that exposures stay within allowed limits. It is typically performed during screening to identify potential hazards, to confirm compliance with regulatory or recommended exposure limits, to evaluate the impact of process changes, and whenever there is a defined exposure limit to compare results against. Sampling can be personal (in the worker’s breathing zone) or as area sampling to characterize ambient concentrations, and the results guide decisions about engineering controls, work practices, or PPE. The other activities—noise measurement, lighting evaluation, and waste disposal—are addressed by separate assessment methods and are not the purpose of air sampling for airborne hazards.