AltrexChimie, a Web Application for the Management and the Interpretation of Occupational Exposure Measurements to Chemical Substances

Abstract

In most occupational settings, several chemical agents are commonly found, and the associated exposure risk for workers must be assessed. For this purpose, air samples can be collected and analyzed. AltrexChimie is a web application that helps industrial hygienists in the organization of the air sampling strategy and in the subsequent phases of data management, analysis, and communication. AltrexChimie contains a database of more than 550 chemical substances and their respective French Occupational Exposure Limit Values (OELV): Custom OELVs can also be defined by the user. AltrexChimie helps with the definition of key features of the sampling strategy, in particular by promoting a methodology for the design of Similar Exposure Groups (SEGs). Once measurement data are entered, they can be analyzed to obtain exposure diagnostics. Data management features allow for the easy storage and retrieval of measurements, and comprehensive dashboards help industrial hygienists (IHs) in the communication of results. Finally, with AltrexChimie it is also possible to assess exposure to multiple chemical substances and their additive effects. While most free software applications for the assessment of chemical exposure focus on the statistical computation of specific indicators, AltrexChimie offers several tools to assist IHs in the exposure assessment workflow.