In some workplaces, depending on their field of activity, a number of chemical substances, and in particular metals with toxic effects, are exposed by inhalation. The levels of these substances, which are grouped as heavy metals, in the inhaled air should be analyzed and evaluated according to the international standards and by the experienced laboratories with the measurements made in appropriate periods.

These metals, which belong to the heavy metals group and adversely affect employee health, are aluminum, silver, barium, calcium, cobalt, cadmium, copper, iron, potassium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, nickel, lead, zinc, tin, chromium and sodium. .

Based on the Occupational Health and Safety Law The Dust Control Regulation published by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security aims to prevent the risks arising from dust in the workplaces. The Regulation sets out the principles for the measures to be taken in order to combat dust in terms of occupational health and safety and to ensure that workers in these workplaces are protected from the effects of dust. In addition, occupational exposure limit values ​​are given in the annex.

The law imposes obligations on businesses in many areas, from risk analysis, environmental measurements and the preparation of emergency plans. The Ministry controls whether the enterprises eliminate the hazards and risks related to health and safety.

Some of the national and international standards taken into account in heavy metal measurements and analyzes are as follows:

• OSHA ID 121 Metal and metalloid particulates in workplace atmospheres
• ASTM D 4185-06 Standard practice for measurement of atmospheres by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry
• NIOSH 7300 Elements by ICP (nitric / perchloric acid ashing)
• NIOSH 7013 Aluminum and compounds, as Al
• NIOSH 7029 Copper (dust and fume)
• NIOSH 7048 Cadmium and compounds, as Cd
• NIOSH 7030 Zinc and compounds, as Zn
• TS ISO 8518 Workplace air - Determination of lead and lead compounds in grain - Flame or electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric method