Air Emissions & Dispersion Modelling
Air emissions from a wide range of industrial, commercial and other land activities can be estimed and modelled. This type of service is usually part of site licensing, environmental impact and risk assessment studies, town planning conditions, policy assessment for local authorities or industry planning. Computer-based modelling (eg. Ausplume) is used to generate or predict various levels of exposure which may form the basis of risk assessments and design of risk management.
Applications include:
- Dust emissions
- Chemical emissions (eg. solvents, combustion gases)
- Spills
- Fire and explosion effects
Simmonds & Bristow’s environmental team have undertaken a wide variety of projects relating to Air Emissions and Dispersion Modelling including:
- Environmental Assessment of Aerial Discharges (Stages 1, 2 and 3): This assessment involved testing of all stack emissions on site (in the order of 30 sources) under normal operating conditions and air dispersion modelling to predict impacts on nearby residents and students within the grounds. The highest risk activities were identified and solutions recommended. The project provided a database of emission rates from the types of activities conducted in these facilities.
- Hanson Tweed Sands - Dust monitoring
- Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts - Environmental and dust monitoring
Indoor Air
If staff or inhabitants are experiencing irritated eyes, nose, skin or throat, headaches, lethargy or poor concentration, an Indoor Air Quality Assessment may be needed.
Key performance indicators include:
- Physical parameters: climate, thermal comfort, fresh air ventilation, carbon dioxide, particulates, light, noise/vicration, EMR
- Chemical parameters: carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, insecticides
- Microbiological parameters: total plate counts, mould, fungi, legionella, mites, lice
Recent clients who have used Simmonds & Bristow's services to undertake indoor air quality investigations include:
- Royal Wolf: Assessment of indoor air quality of demountable living quarters
- Project Services: Assessment of indoor mould growths and ventilation system
- Queensland University of Technology: Dust emissions during construction, incursion of extraction fumes in an office environment
- Qld Health: Hygiene assessment of airborne and surface moulds.
Occupational Hygiene
Simmonds & Bristow offers a broad range of occupational hygiene (including monitoring and analytical) services to ensure workplace compliance with health and safety regulations and public safety. Exposure to substances in the workplace is regulated by state and federal bodies and requires assessment of workplace exposure levels, which may include regular monitoring.
Consulting staff have the experience to tailor a management and monitoring program to meet your needs. The sampling design (parameter, number, frequency, location) is site specific. Results are compared with relevant standards (eg. Australian Workplace Exposure Standards) and guidelines.
Recommendations are made for the risk management of the substance(s). Simmonds & Brisow offers the following services in the field:
- Sampling program design (site-specific)
- Microbiological & chemical assessments
- Results interpretation: results are compared with relevant standards (e.g. Australian Workplace Exposure Standards) and guidelines.
- Health risk assessments and management
- Occupational hygiene audits or workplaces
- Training workshops
We have recently undertaken extensive occupational safety assessments for clients including:
- NCI Packaging: investigation of fumes in new packaging line
- EGR: Occupational health assessments at screen-printing facilities and manufacturing workshops.