(in German)

Filling of containers with bulk material is a widespread activity in many enterprises and branches. Using the measurement strategy developed for filling of containers with organic liquids, the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) investigated filling of bulk material into containers of different shape and size - from powder flasks over sacks to big bags. Beneath measurement of airborne respirable and inhalable particle fraction the dustiness has been determined according to EN 15051, part 3. The estimated dustiness for both particle fractions shows a good correlation for their conversion using an exponential function. Personal air sampling of the inhalable particle fraction shows correlations between airborne particle concentration and dustiness both for manual filling and filling stations. This finding indicates that dustiness of the inhalable particle fraction is applicable for the categorisation of the exposure potential in the framework of the "Easy-to-use workplace control scheme for hazardous substances" (EMKG). Furthermore, for the conversion of inhalable to respirable particle fraction a power function is most suitable. It was found, that this kind of conversion is much better suited for more standardised activities compared to such activities, where workers' individual behaviour is more determining their exposure.

This article is published in the Journal "Gefahrstoffe - Reinhaltung der Luft", Volume 80, Issue 10, pp. 391-398.

Please download the article "Investigation of the concentration of airborne particles during filling of containers with bulk material" (in German only).