Among the most important tools available to environmental professionals are those capable of on-site detection of physical, chemical, or biological agents, providing near real-time measurements when rapid results are needed. While there is no single portable “black box” that can be used to measure all hazards in all environments, industry is making significant strides in developing field-portable analytical equipment specifically for this purpose.
Nonetheless, there are tools that were not created for environmental health survey purposes that can potentially be beneficial. It was proposed that the advancement of smart phones, think pads, and their supporting software affords the potential move towards mobile analytical environmental health assessment devices. Available applications (apps) were assessed for their potential for inclusion into a mobile environmental and occupational health survey suite.
Numerous apps were identified to be tremendously useful for quick reference to regulations and standards, occupational exposure limit values, and EHS assessment forms. Additionally, mobile-device based sound level meters and light meters developed for photography, music studio work, and other purposes were evaluated for industrial hygiene (IH) use against commercially available IH instruments. Noise and light data were collected via both methods and analyzed for linearity, correlation, and agreement. In most cases, there was no significant difference observed between the mobile-based applications and the gold standard methods. In summary, currently available mobile device apps can be packaged into a mobile EHS suite and used, at the very least, for rapid on-site assessment prior to complete environmental or IH evaluation.
This year the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) has added a new way to participate in the Call for Abstracts process for the Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition. It is called, "Be a voice" and it gives you the opportunity to tell us what you’d like to experience at the AEC. Tell us topics you’d like to hear about and speakers you’d like to see. Review abstracts and provide input.
Help NEHA develop a training and education experience that continues to advance the proficiency of the environmental health profession AND helps create bottom line improvements for your organization!To search for specific abstracts, please use the search box located at the top left of the page (*next to the Blogger icon).
HELPFUL LINKS: How to Participate and Use this Blog | Disclosure | NEHA Blog Policy and Participation Guide
ADDITIONAL WAYS TO PARTICIPATE: Submit An Abstract | Suggest a Topic | Suggest a Speaker | Questions?
Good topic. I was just thinking of how great it would be to have a Star Trek "Tricorder" to help us identify everything that's in the air. I'd like to see this at the conference.
ReplyDeleteExcellent!!! I do ergonomic assessments in offices and constantly carry around multiple pieces of equipment and clipboards and notebooks, etc... It would be nice to have an iPad or something like it to be able to do all the work. And it would be phenomenal if it could also be the light meter. EH App Suite sounds like a wonderful plan. I can't wait to see this lecture at the AEC.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting. Does this mean that there are apps available for the general EH practitioner to be able to look at noise control issue? I'd be interested to see this.
ReplyDeleteFunny I'm reviewing these abstracts on my iPad now. This is a great topic, especially as NEHA is working with Decades to develop the EH software...would be great to have the programs a available for mobile EH work. Great idea, can't wait for the lecture.
ReplyDeleteThermometer? Check! WGBT? Check! iPhone? Check!
ReplyDeleteWith growing use of mobile phones in India, and all frequency of sanitation problems existing, it would be very beneficial to be able to preview this presentation at the national conference. Any chance similar presentation at International Environmental Health Federation Symposium in Lithuania next year?
ReplyDeleteDear anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThat is cool that you are viewing this on your ipad!
Dear Hagit,
ReplyDeleteThat is a good question and I am not sure.
Being a new member in NEHA, & not certain if I'll have funding to attend the AEC, will this presentation be available for viewing online to members?
ReplyDeleteFinally, cell phone apps for construction inspections!!!
ReplyDeleteAre these smart phone apps? iPhone? I'm on my iPhone now looking at these topics. I've examined some of the computer software for tablets, but most of them are for food inspections. I'm currently involved in a great deal of hearing conservation program assessments and inspection of audiometric testing as part of my consulting services. Frankly, I'm tired of hauling books, manuals, notebooks, and digging through my handbag for a pen. And carrying noise monitoring equipment along with all my other EH tools makes things uncomfortable. If there's an app that allows me to use my iPhone or even a netbook to do noise sampling and to cover inspection data storage, I'd love to know about it. This is one of the 3 talks on the site that O'll definitely attend at the conference. Who knows, maybe I'll even pick up an iPad or its Android cosin if this stuff really works.
ReplyDeleteHas this been published? If so, what journal & which search engine can I find it on? If not, is it being published in the JEH? Which issue?
ReplyDeleteAre we talking about phones? Or unique novel computers especially for this purpose? Is this about real-time detection systems? For noise and inspections only? Or for temperatures? Air sampling of any kind?
ReplyDeleteAs mobile services has increased a lot and thus there is great benefit of this service as people can now have the knowledge of the occupational therapy through these services.
ReplyDelete