Page 51: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q3 2011)

www.maritimeprofessional.com Maritime Professional 51 TTesting A Major Crew Benefit for MLC Compliance by Graham Birch, Director Business Development, Argentic BENZENE EXPOSURE TESTINGFirst drawn up in 2006, wide rang- ing regulations known as the Maritime Labor convention (MLC) will soon make mandatory the provision of consistent and appropriate health, safety and welfare for seafarers. Beyond the implementation of suitable health and safety monitoring, operatorswill be required to demonstrate thateffective health and safety monitoring processes are documented and carriedout. Vessels will be audited accordingly. A number of signatory flag stateshave drawn up their standards for MLC compliance, and those of the MarshallIslands Registry include a specific ref- erence to SPMA testing as an example of appropriate health and safety moni-toring. What does this mean to you and why should you care? WHAT IS BENZENE? A colorless liquid, given off as a gas at room temperature or above, Benzene has a characteristic but faint odor, and may be absorbed by breathing, inges-tion, or skin contact. Present in highlevels in crude oil and bunkers, Benzene is also found in a wide range of work- place and other environments, including the oil and chemical industries. Listedas a class 1 carcinogen, repeat or highlevel exposure can cause blood and bone related cancers, includingleukaemia and can cause irreversible gene damage. In recent years, permissi-ble limits for workplace exposure to Benzene have become increasingly stringent, reflecting the health conse-quences for individuals who encounter the substance. HISTORICAL APPROACH From an exposure limit of 200 ppm (parts per million), in 1920, levels have reduced to 1 ppm today, with some nations proposing that a standard of0.5, or 0.3 ppm for an 8 hour TWA (time weighted average) should be adopted. Until recently, health protec- tion measures for employees involved a blood test. Usually performed on anannual basis, such tests show changes in white cell count or other blood abnor-malities. These changes can be indica- tive of the early stages of leukaemia, and the normal course of preventive action would be to move the employee to a position where Benzene exposure would no longer possible. Such tests are of limited use in detection and preven- tion of Benzene exposure, and as such, employees have successfully brought action against their employers in com- pensation for workplace acquired ill- ness.NEW DEVELOPMENTSIn recent years, assays have been developed that can identify recent expo- sure to Benzene by analysis of urinesamples from donors. These tests ini- tially utilized measurement of phenol,which is a metabolite of Benzene. But,Phenol testing has limitations, as it maybe present as a result of diet, smoking,or other metabolic processes. In addi-tion, the phenol assay is not sufficiently sensitive to measure down to the current exposure level standards required by the health and safety authorities of many nations. The oil industry has therefore worked to devise more effective assays that would be highly specific for Benzene; accurately measuring down to the lower detection levels required by today?s regulatory requirements. A novel metabolite of Benzene, SPMA (S-phenyl mercapturic acid), was identified as meeting these demanding requirements, and a uniqueassay was developed that would enable rapid and straightforward measurement of SPMA in a small sample of urine.MP #3 (50-64):MP Layouts 8/17/2011 4:37 PM Page 51