Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Air movement visualization in the workplace: current methods and new approaches.

A Maynard1, J Thompson, J R Cain

  • 1Health and Safety Laboratory, Sheffield, U.K.

AIHAJ : a Journal for the Science of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety
|April 20, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Disposable smoke tubes for workplace airflow visualization pose health risks. Safer alternatives like heated element generators show promise for developing less hazardous air movement assessment methods.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Erratum to 'Longitudinal characterisation of haematological and biochemical parameters in cancer patients prior to and during COVID-19 reveals features associated with outcome': [ESMO Open Volume 6, Issue 1, February 2021, 100005].

ESMO open·2021
Same author

Longitudinal characterisation of haematological and biochemical parameters in cancer patients prior to and during COVID-19 reveals features associated with outcome.

ESMO open·2021
Same author

State of knowledge on the occupational exposure to carbon nanotubes.

International journal of hygiene and environmental health·2020
Same author

CD19-positive antibody-secreting cells provide immune memory.

Blood advances·2018
Same author

Guidelines for treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.

Indian journal of cancer·2014
Same author

Prospective study of outcomes of surgically treated larynx and hypopharyngeal cancers.

Indian journal of cancer·2014

Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Environmental Monitoring

Background:

  • Workplace airflow visualization is crucial for assessing ventilation and containment.
  • Current methods often rely on disposable smoke tubes generating hazardous sulfuric acid fumes.
  • Concerns exist regarding inhalation and dermal exposure risks, as well as sharps injuries associated with smoke tubes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review alternative methods for airflow visualization that mitigate health risks.
  • To identify commercially available or developable technologies that offer safer alternatives to traditional smoke tubes.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of various smoke and bubble generation techniques for air movement visualization.
  • Evaluation of alternative methods including heated element generators, combustion generators, metallic chlorides, neutral density bubbles, and water fog.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Assessment of alternatives based on cost-effectiveness, ease of use, applicability, and safety.

    • Main Results:

    • Several alternative methods exist, such as heated element smoke generators and water fog.
    • No current alternative fully matches the smoke tube's combination of cost, usability, and broad applicability while ensuring safety.
    • Heated element generators, particularly those using water/glycerol mixtures, show significant potential as safer alternatives.

    Conclusions:

    • The traditional smoke tube poses unacceptable health risks for occupational hygienists.
    • Further development of technologies like water/glycerol smoke generation is needed.
    • Viable, lower-hazard alternatives for air movement visualization are feasible with continued research and development.