Overview
With Exposures you register, track and manage workplace exposure events: situations where employees come into contact with hazardous substances or conditions. It covers chemical, asbestos, biological, radiation and mining exposures, and exposures in job procedures, and ties them to your SDS library, locations and job procedures. Exposures are part of the Enterprise plan.
What is an exposure record?
An exposure record documents that one or more employees were, or will be, exposed to a hazardous agent at a workplace. Each record holds:
- what they were exposed to (category and type);
- where and when it happened;
- how long, and how (inhalation, skin and eyes, swallowing);
- how much (the concentration, measured or assessed);
- which PPE was worn;
- who carried out the work (the executor).
What types of exposures can I register?
| Type | When to use |
|---|---|
| Chemical | Contact with hazardous chemicals (dusts, vapours, liquids) |
| Asbestos | Any work with materials that contain asbestos |
| Biological | Exposure to bacteria, viruses, fungi or other biological agents |
| Radiation | Ionizing or non-ionizing radiation |
| Mining | Mining work: can combine chemical, asbestos and radiation in one record |
| Job procedure | Exposures that belong to a recurring job procedure. You create these from the job procedure's Exposure tab. |
What is a category?
Each exposure type has a tree of categories. Under Chemical, for example, you might have Solvents > Aromatic solvents > Toluene. Choose the most specific category, so that the right legal thresholds and SDSs are linked.
How do I create a new exposure?
- Go to Exposures and click Create exposure.
- Choose the exposure type (Chemical, Asbestos and so on).
- Select the category from the list.
- Fill in the required fields: name, location, executor and date.
- Add the concentration, the exposure routes and the PPE.
- Set the repetition: is it a one-off or a recurring event?
- Save.
What is the difference between assessed and measured concentration?
- Assessed concentration: you estimate the exposure as Low, Medium, High or Unknown - None of the above. Use this when nothing was measured.
- Measured concentration: you enter the measured value (for example 0.5 mg/m³) from air monitoring or a laboratory.
You choose one of the two for each exposure type entry.
What concentration units are available?
| Exposure type | Units |
|---|---|
| Chemical | µg/m³, mg/m³, ppb, ppm |
| Asbestos | fiber/cm³ |
| Radiation | Bq/m³, mSV |
What are exposure routes?
How the substance enters the body:
- Inhalation: breathing in dust, vapour or gas;
- Skin and eyes: direct contact;
- Swallow: swallowing it by accident.
You can choose more than one route for an exposure.
What is "Type of exposure" on a chemical exposure?
Some substances must be registered by law. When one of them is present, tick it under Type of exposure, for example carcinogenic or mutagenic substances, PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), nickel dust, hard wood dust or lead compounds.
What is a repetition?
A repetition is one planned occurrence of an exposure. One exposure record can have many repetitions when the task is done again and again.
| Repetition type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Per date | One occurrence on a given date |
| Per period | A recurring series (daily, weekly, monthly, bi-annually, annually) |
| Unknown date | The exposure will happen, but the date is not known yet |
For Per period, you set the frequency, the recurrence (for example every 2 weeks, on Mondays) and when it ends: on a date, or after a number of occurrences. Each occurrence is a repetition that you can track on its own. To add an extra occurrence outside the schedule, add a date to the series.
What are the repetition statuses?
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | Planned, not started yet |
| In Progress | The work is going on |
| Completed | Confirmed done |
| Not completed | Did not take place (you can add a comment) |
| Missed | The deadline passed without action |
Each repetition can have its own executor, and you can reassign it from the detail page.
How do I add PPE to an exposure?
On the form, click Add PPE. Choose PPE from your company's PPE library, or add your own with a name and a description. You can add several PPE items to one exposure.
What are the exposure statuses?
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| In Progress | Active: at least one repetition is pending or in progress |
| Finished | All repetitions are done; nothing more to do |
| Archived | Hidden from the active list, but kept for your records |
To finish an exposure, open it and click Finish exposure. This only works when every repetition has a final status (Completed or Not completed). To archive it, use the menu (⋮) and choose Archive; Un-archive brings it back. The same menu has Duplicate, which opens a new exposure with the same settings. To delete one occurrence, delete its date on the detail page.
What is My Exposures?
My Exposures lists only the repetitions where you are the executor. Use it as your own task list: see what is planned and when, update the status, add comments (for example why a task was not completed) and open the related job procedure.
Can I link an exposure to a job procedure?
Yes. On the job procedure's Exposure tab, click Add exposures to link existing exposures, or create a new one there. The exposure then becomes part of the documented procedure. Use Un-link to remove the link. For job procedure exposures, the schedule (start date, end date, recurrence) comes from the job procedure.
Who can see and edit exposures?
- Account owners and admins see all exposures on all locations.
- Other users only see exposures where they are the executor, or on a location they have access to.
When you create or edit an exposure, you choose what the executor may change on their repetitions: Change concentration, Change duration and Change exposure date. Anything you do not allow, only an admin can change.
Can I link an SDS to an exposure?
Yes. When you choose the category, SDS Manager can suggest SDSs from your library. You can also link an SDS to an exposure type entry yourself on the detail page.
How do I manage exposure categories and codes?
Go to Settings (More → Settings) and open the Exposure section. Under Exposure categories you create, edit and delete categories and subcategories. Your own categories are only visible to your company. Under Chemical you manage the statement codes your company uses for exposure registration. There are also sections for Asbestos and Radiation.
How do I find an exposure?
On the Exposures page, search by the exposure name and filter by Status (In Progress, Finished, Archived). The list shows exposures that are in progress by default.
Why can't I finish an exposure?
All repetitions must have a final status first (Completed or Not completed). Check the repetitions on the detail page: a pending or in-progress repetition blocks Finish exposure.
Why is an exposure missing from my list?
You may not have access to its location, or it has been archived. Filter on the Archived status, or ask your administrator to check your access.
Why is registration mandatory for asbestos?
Norwegian HSE regulations, and similar EU rules, require a health register for all workers exposed to asbestos. SDS Manager marks every asbestos exposure as a required registration.
What happens if I choose a biological category with risk group 3 or higher?
SDS Manager marks the exposure as a required registration: biological agents in risk group 3 or 4 must be reported to the health register under HSE law.