Types of Air Contaminants and Control Measures at Acme Manufacturing Co.

Running Head: AIR CONTAMINANTS 1
TYPES OF AIR CONTAMINANTS
Faisal Ahmed
OSH4308-15C-1
7/26/2018

TYPES OF AIR CONTAMINANTS 3
Air Contaminants
Introduction
Studies by Shafie, Kamar & Kamsah (2016) have defined air contaminants refer to gases,
liquids and particles that are present in the air and contain chemical properties that are dangerous
to human health. Most employees are exposed to these air contaminants at their work places
which pose greater risks to their health and also affect their daily performances. This study
therefore aims at examining the problems associated with exposure to air contaminants at Acme
Manufacturing Co., provide control measures, draw conclusions and make recommendations
based on the findings of the study.
Report Details
The study undertook computations for the respective booths to establish the various
elements of the air contaminants in the organization. Through the detailed computations, the
research found that employees at Acme Manufacturing Co. are exposed to various particulates in
the work place which are harmful to their health. This is as a result of among others the
inadequate or poor supply of air in the working environment which raises the concentration of
indoor impurities due to very poor ventilation in the work place. Some of the air contaminants in
the organization include:
Ozone Gas
According to Tan Lim & Mat Jafri (2014), the ozone gas is a gas that can neither be seen
nor be smelt and it naturally occurs over twenty miles higher in the earth surface. The layer

TYPES OF AIR CONTAMINANTS 3
formed by the ozone prevents the living things on earth from the deadly sun rays. When the
pollutants from factories, vehicles and power plants come into contact with sunlight, the ground-
level ozone is formed which is so harmful to both human health as well as the environment. The
population commonly affected by the ozone includes children, the elderly, infants and lung
disease patients.
Particulate Matter
This is made up of particles that are found in the air such as dirt, smoke, dust and soot.
These particles emerge from either a secondary or a primary source, for example the forest fires
and the burned wood form the primary source while power plants and coal fires are the
secondary sources. The pollution from particles includes the fine particles, coarse particles and
the ultrafine particles which normally lead to health-related problems. The health effects of
particulate matter include severe birth outcomes, problems related to breathing, low growth of
lungs in children and heart problems.
Benzene
Fontes & Barros (2012) defined benzene as a colorless chemical which is sometime light
yellow when it is at room temperature. This chemical is highly flammable with a sweet odor and
it can easily evaporate into air. It also floats on top of water and can slightly dissolve in water.
The benzene chemical formation is as a result of both human activities as well as the natural
processes which include forest fires and volcanoes. The chemical is highly ranked in volume of
production and hence it is widely used in the United States. The indoor air benzene originates

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from benzene products which include detergents, glues, paints and furniture wax while the
outdoor air comes from motor vehicle exhaust, gas stations and tobacco smoke.
Conclusion
The study established that employees at Acme Manufacturing Co. were at higher risk of
inhaling contaminated air especially at their places of work. This is mainly due to ignorance by
the employers to install the necessary and modern equipment for handling such cases. The
exposure poses great health related risks and illness to the employees. It was also found that the
working environment do not have adequate ventilation which exposes workers to various
particulates. The available exhaustion systems were too old and outdated hence inefficient in
ensuring proper supply of air in the working environment.
Recommendation
It is therefore recommended that more ventilation be provided so as to remove excess
moisture in the work place. This can be done by insulating the internal walls for them to become
warmer hence making the internal surface to be dry and mold free. Good ventilation can also be
achieved using a combination of simple air exhaust systems and external air inlets. The exhaust
system is a ventilating system that supplies fresh air at adequate quantity. The system extracts
humid air in the living rooms and draws in fresh air. The modern and most efficient ventilation
units are desirable since they have high heat recovery rates and uses little amount of electricity.
They also contribute to improved quality of air in circulation and therefore no occurrence of
mold growth. Below is a detailed analysis of the same: