As part of a major piece of research undertaken by the HSE in conjunction with several UK foundries, exposure to a number of chemical substances were measured including benzene, which has a current workplace exposure limit (WEL) of 1 part per million in air (1 ppm).
In the case of two foundries, exposures at levels in excess of the WEL were recorded. As a result both foundries changed from a benzene sulphonic acid to a xylene sulphonic acid. When the measurements for exposure levels to benzene were repeated, they came in at less than a third of the WEL. This is therefore a positive improvement to the working environment for their employees.
The HSE have produced a poster to support this study which can be downloaded from our website and shared with colleagues and senior management to illustrate in simple terms the benefit in reducing exposure that was obtained.