Recording of data of individual measurements of occupational exposure: guideline of the Dutch Society of Occupational Hygiene (October 1999).

Following the recommendations of the European Working Group on Exposure Databases, a Working Group (on Storage of Data of Measurements of Occupational Exposure) of the Dutch Occupational Hygiene Society has developed a Guideline which was presented at the International Symposium on Occupational Exposure Databases and Their Application for the Next Millennium, November 1-3, 1999, London. To establish the present situation, a small-scale telephone survey of monitoring practices and storage of data was done within the Society. The results of the telephone survey and the draft guidance document were discussed with the occupational hygienists and other stakeholders (e.g., authorities, industry, labor unions, and occupational physicians) in a society meeting. This meeting was used to gather ideas on the need and support for a guidance document and to get input for improving the draft guidance document and for implementation of the Guideline. After this meeting, the Guideline was further developed and published by the Dutch Occupational Hygiene Society. The Guideline concentrates on the data elements required when storing exposure data. The data elements presented are the minimum and should be stored minimally to ensure proper interpretation of results at present and in the future and definitions of the items used are given. The Guideline does not prescribe how the data should be stored, or which procedures need to be used to guarantee the quality of the recorded data elements.