Project

Air quality sensors in the assessment and management of employee exposure

In industrial work environments, concentration of air impurities can vary rapidly depending on the work task, time and place. Traditional occupational hygiene measurements do not always capture these changes. In the Anturit ("Sensors") project, we study how continuous air quality sensors can be used in the assessment of employee exposure, air quality monitoring and occupational safety development. We compare the data generated by the sensors with occupational hygiene measurements and employees' observations and symptoms.

We draw up recommendations on the applications, strengths, limitations and use conditions of air quality sensors in industrial workplaces.

Timetable

8/2026–7/2029

Objectives

Sensor-based air quality measurement technology has developed in recent years, and the sensors allow continuous and long-term monitoring of air quality. We produce information on how measurement data can be utilised in air quality monitoring and exposure management in industrial work environments. We also compare measurement results with employees' observations and experiences regarding air quality .
Proper use of air quality sensors can improve the safety and health of the work environment. Appropriate use and interpretation of the results promote employee well-being and the development of exposure assessment and control measures in a more proactive direction.

Project objectives

Investigate the air quality in workshop and shipyard environments and its variability.
Evaluate the measurement accuracy and reliability of the sensors in relation to traditional occupational hygiene methods and more accurate reference equipment.
Study the connection between the measured air quality and employee observations and symptoms.
Identify workplace needs and challenges in the use of the sensors.
Produce recommendations and guidelines on how air quality sensors can be used for continuous monitoring and risk management of air quality in industrial work environments.

Data and methods

The project comprises four areas:

Laboratory measurements: evaluation and verification of the sensors' technical performance under controlled conditions.
Workplace measurements: long-term sensor measurements and occupational hygiene reference measurements at five industrial workplaces.
Questionnaire survey: surveying the measurement targets and observations, experiences and perceived symptoms of the employees in the
comparison group and comparing the responses with the measurement results.
Workshops: defining the needs, goals and boundary conditions for the use of sensors together with the target companies and stakeholders.

Results and impact

The project will draw up recommendations and practical instructions for the use of air quality sensors in industrial workplaces. The guidelines support the use of sensors in air quality monitoring and as part of the assessment and management of employee exposure.

The results can be used in particular by: