Important Information Related to Testing

Simply choosing the correct testing facilities is not enough to ensure that the proper testing is completed. OSHA reminds us that there are several issues with standard tests, and that we should keep these things in mind during testing and analysis of results.

Here are some of the more prevalent issues with standard testing.

• Risks can vary based not just on the chemical(s) and hazard(s) and the amount and duration of exposure, but also by individual factors. Age, sex, weight, stress, diet, susceptibility to allergic-type reactions, medications, and even off-site exposures (such as painting, which exposes one to chemicals) can all play factors in a person's susceptibility, symptoms, and exam or test results.
• These tests were "developed in factories and other enclosed industrial environments, and were based on the presence of specific identifiable toxic chemicals and the possibility of a significant degree of exposure." However, on a real work site, employees may have exposures to several chemicals at the same time, or brief high-level exposures. Tests do not accurately reflect each of these conditions.
• Some test recommendations have not truly been evaluated to ensure their efficacy. In short, there is no real way of knowing if each of these tests are truly accurate.

For these reasons, OSHA advises that "some of these tests may not be totally appropriate for hazardous waste sites."

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