Air monitoring should be conducted under which conditions?

• A. After an incident
• B. Daily routine regardless of hazard
• C. When there is potential exposure to airborne hazards, during initial assessments, and for periodic verification of controls
• D. Never

Answer: (C)

Air monitoring is used to determine whether workers are exposed to airborne hazards and to verify that the controls in place are protecting them. It should be performed whenever there is potential exposure to airborne hazards, to establish a baseline during initial assessments of a process or hazard, and on a periodic basis to confirm that ventilation, engineering controls, and work practices continue to reduce exposure as intended. This proactive approach helps determine appropriate controls, select or adjust respirators, and catch any degradation in protection before exposures become unsafe. Relying only on monitoring after an incident misses opportunities to prevent harm, monitoring daily regardless of hazard wastes resources, and never monitoring is not aligned with protecting health.