Data Utilization and Records Management - Occupational Health and Workplace Monitoring at Chemical Agent Disposal Facilities - page 24

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Data Utilization and Records Management

Data generated by workplace monitoring programs
and activities are immediately useful as real-time, or
near-real-time, indicators of exposure to chemicals of
concern and as operational tools for mitigating risk and
facilitating operating decisions. In addition, monitor-
ing data collected and stored in a readily accessible
form can provide a basis for a variety of other analyses.
For example, cumulative monitoring data can be used
to document the frequency and magnitude of chemical
releases and/or exposures.

site-specific monitoring plan for the continuous emis-
sion monitoring system (CEMS) and specifies the
documentation and data parameters this plan must ad-
dress (U.S. Army, 1997a). For instance, at TOCDF, the
CEMS monitoring plan addresses continuous monitor-
ing of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and oxygen
in exhaust sampled from each incinerator/furnace; NO x
emissions are only sampled from exhaust from the
common stack (EG&G, 1994). Routine CEMS data are
generated and maintained in accordance with records
requirements in the PMCD Quality Assurance Program
Plan (QAPP) for all of the CEMS at each facility
(EG&G, 1994). Data parameters are forwarded to the
laboratory project officer upon request.
The CSDP Generic Medical Support Plan states that
the CSDP medical director is the custodian of medical
records for CSDP workers (U.S. Army, 1998a). The
records, which are considered private and confidential
information, must be complete enough to provide data
for use in health maintenance and treatment, epidemio-
logical studies, and government and contractor pro-
gram evaluations. Medical records must identify the
patient, support the diagnosis, justify the treatment, and
document follow-up care or referrals. Record keeping
for employees in the nerve agent or mustard agent
medical surveillance programs is described in the Army
pamphlets Occupational Health Guidelines for the
Evaluation and Control of Occupational Exposure to
Nerve Agents GA, GB, GD and VX and Occupational
Health Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of
Occupational Exposure to Mustard Agents H, HD and
HT (U.S. Army 1990, 1991). Screening of medical

DATA REQUIREMENTS

Several CSDP documents require the establishment
and maintenance of on-site databases. PMCD's Moni-
toring Concept Plan requires that personnel maintain
documentation of all monitoring activities during op-
erations, including daily logs of air monitoring, equip-
ment calibration, maintenance, inspections, and agent
responses, as well as sample records, standard operat-
ing procedures for air monitoring and laboratory analy-
sis, authorizing signatures, and other documentation
(U.S. Army, 1997a).
The ACAMS laboratory is required to transmit the
electronic file and the results of data collection to the
laboratory project officer. Routine ACAMS parameters
are tracked and maintained by the disposal facility labo-
ratory according to site-specific protocols. The same is
true for DAAMS analyses.
In addition to a site-specific agent monitoring plan
and related documentation, the Monitoring Concept
Plan requires that the laboratory at each site develop a

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