Ellenbecker M J
Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell 01854, USA.
Am J Ind Med. 1996 Apr;29(4):303-7. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(199604)29:4<303::AID-AJIM5>3.0.CO;2-P.
The implementation of controls to reduce worker exposure should be considered the ultimate goal of any successful industrial hygiene program. The industrial hygiene literature has consistently described a hierarchy of controls, consisting first of the engineering controls (substitution, isolation, ventilation), and followed by administrative controls (personal protective equipment, worker education, scheduling etc.). Recently, exhaust ventilation has been the most popular form of engineering control technology for controlling exposure to airborne contaminants. The use of ventilation to control exposures is not without its problems, however, and many of these problems potentially are more severe in smaller companies. This paper proposes a new emphasis on the first control in the hierarchy, substitution. Historically, substitution has meant the substitution of a hazardous chemical or process by one that is less so. This definition is too restrictive; because of this, it is proposed instead to use the term process change, defined as the use of any process modifications that serve to reduce worker exposure. The advantages and disadvantages of the process change approach are discussed and are illustrated with case studies.
实施控制措施以减少工人接触应被视为任何成功的工业卫生计划的最终目标。工业卫生文献一直描述了一种控制层次结构，首先是工程控制措施（替代、隔离、通风），其次是管理控制措施（个人防护设备、工人教育、工作安排等）。最近，排气通风一直是控制接触空气传播污染物的最流行的工程控制技术形式。然而，使用通风来控制接触并非没有问题，而且其中许多问题在小公司中可能更为严重。本文提议重新强调层次结构中的首要控制措施——替代。从历史上看，替代意味着用危害较小的化学物质或工艺替代危害较大的。这个定义过于局限；因此，提议改用“工艺变更”一词，定义为使用任何有助于减少工人接触的工艺修改。文中讨论了工艺变更方法的优缺点，并通过案例研究进行了说明。
