Rubber products are commonly used in various industries such as automotive, construction, and healthcare. However, the manufacturing, use, and disposal of rubber products can generate rubber dust and rubber fumes, which may pose a health hazard to workers.
The composition of rubber fumes can vary depending on the type of rubber being used, the manufacturing process, and the process temperature. The primary components of rubber fumes include oils, plasticizers, antioxidants, and unreacted vulcanizing agents.
Inhalation of rubber fumes can lead to a range of health effects, depending on the level and duration of exposure. Short-term exposure to high levels of rubber fumes can cause respiratory irritation, coughing, and wheezing. Long-term exposure to lower levels of rubber fumes can increase the risk of respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and may also increase the risk of cancer.
LCS Laboratory Inc, located in London Ontario, offers air sampling equipment, consumables, and laboratory analysis of rubber dust and rubber fumes using the UK HSE method MDHS 47/3. The samples are collected on pre-weighted IOM cassettes at a flow rate of 2 L/min for 7-8 hours.
During analysis, LCS Laboratory determines and reports two results per sample: concentrations of Inhalable Rubber Dust and Rubber Fume. Neither Rubber Dust nor Rubber Fumes are regulated in Canada and the US, but this does not make them less dangerous. In the UK, the current workplace exposure limit (WEL) for rubber process dust is 6mg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average, and the current WEL for rubber fume is 0.6mg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average.
In summary, the MDHS 47/3 method is a reliable and widely used European method for assessing industrial exposure to rubber dust and fumes in occupational settings. If you believe that your workers are overexposed to rubber dust and fumes, please contact LCS Laboratory to make arrangements for lab testing.
