Walk-through Survey
A preliminary survey, sometimes called an observational survey, involves a walking tour of the workplace (hence the more descriptive name, "walk-through"). Some of the benefits of a preliminary survey include:
obtaining an overview of the whole operation;
identifying the key hazards in each area; and
assessing the effectiveness of any control methods in place.
During a walk-through, the occupational hygienist will be asking:
Are measurements needed in this area?
If so, what hazards should be measured?
Where should they be taken?
Which workers should have their exposure assessed?
When should the measurements be made?
What conclusions might be drawn from the results?
The hygienist might then recommend a monitoring survey to obtain quantitative exposure levels or even a formal occupational health risk assessment.