Foundation Partners Group Formaldehyde Monitoring
via Assay Technology (formerly Sensors Safety Products)
Purchase 2 of item W571K for each Team Member who may be exposed to formaldehyde. Please note that each badge has an expiration date and they are usually good for about 1 year.
Wear one badge for a 15-minute STEL (Short Term Exposure Limit) and one for an 8-hour TWA (Time Weighted Average) while in the Prep Room. Clip the monitoring badge near the breathing zone of the Team Member during a time period of normal formaldehyde exposure. Record the start time and stop time of the test on the lab request form, along with the other required information. Both badges may be worn at the same time.
Return badges to the laboratory for analysis using a trackable shipping method. Please return the badges within one week after completion.
The manager should review the results with each Team Member and have the results signed and filed accordingly. Contact the FPG ESH Department with any questions and for any results which are above the regulatory limits, such as the Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of 2 ppm, or the Action Level of 0.5 ppm for the 8-hour TWA, as additional regulatory steps must be taken.
The Assay Technology Technical Support hotline is 1-800-833-1258, or email custservice@assaytech.com.
Order Online
You may order online at any time by going to www.assaytech.com/product/571-aldehyde-formaldehyde-monitor and adding the desired number of W571K (or X571AT, the boxes of 5 badges) to your cart. Before checking out, be sure to enter your coupon code, FPGSPECIAL, to receive discounted pricing on W571K.
How do I sample?
To begin sampling, open the hermetically sealed foil pouch containing the sampling badge. Attach the blue clip included with the badge, so as to be able to clip it onto a collar or lapel. Once you are ready to begin sampling, open the badge’s lid and proceed to work as usual.
Tips to avoid false high results: If you are working on a wet process, try clipping the badge closer to your neck to avoid accidental splashing onto the badge. Avoid making direct contact with the badge with items or gloves that may be contaminated.
Once sampling is complete, press the badge lid closed. Assay Technology sampling badges come with a tan-colored lab request form. If needed, you may download extra copies below or photocopy the form provided with your sampling kits.
Please note the badge serial number (on the bottom of the back of the badge, in the format of AA12345) on paperwork. Paperwork can be folded up and placed inside the foil envelope or placed outside the pouch in the same shipping package, whichever is most convenient.
After sampling, aldehyde badges should be returned as soon as possible, and must be received by our lab no later than 28 days after the sampling date. When preparing to return your badge(s), reseal each badge into its foil envelope (watch this video for a demonstration) and place the envelope(s) in a shipping box/envelope. We recommend a trackable shipping method. Do not place badges into a paper letter envelope, as these can easily be ripped open by postal sorting machines.
Once received, turnaround time for formaldehyde analysis is 6 business days. Your results will be emailed to you as a pdf file. If you do not receive your results, please check your spam/junk folder.
Forms & Documents
Assay 571 Badge Instructions for Use – How to use the badge.
Badge Lab Request Form – If you’ve lost your included lab request form, follow this link to download a new one. You may print first and fill in manually, or type the information in and then print. Send these in with the samples.
Assay 571 Badge Technical Insert – Technical information about the badge.
Assay Particle Screen Instructions – If using particle screens, please follow these instructions exactly. Be sure to note on the lab request form that a screen was used during sampling, as it will affect your result.
Reading my report
Each sample line on your report will list a “Sample Time” (highlighted blue in the example image) and a “Concentration Found” (highlighted yellow in the example image). The Sample Time column will list the amount of time you sampled for in minutes. The Concentration Found column will indicate your exposure value for that amount of time.
If you have exceptionally low results, a less than sign (<) will appear next to the reporting limit. This indicates that your sample was found to have values below what our laboratory can confidently report. Please know that the reporting limit is NOT a regulatory limit, but rather a laboratory standard.
To see if you are below OSHA requirements, look towards the bottom of your report for a “Method References” section (highlighted red in example image). There are two columns of particular importance – TWA and STEL.
- A TWA (Time-Weighted Average) sample is typically based on 8 hours and has an OSHA regulatory limit of 0.75 ppm (with an Action Level of 0.5 ppm).
- A STEL (Short-Term Exposure Limit) sample is typically based on 15 minutes and has an OSHA regulatory limit of 2 ppm.
If your results are very close to or over these regulatory values, you may want to consider re-examining safety and ventilation options and possibly re-sampling. When re-sampling, please refer to the date sampled (highlighted green in example) on your return paperwork so that you can indicate conformance to corporate.