Summary
In short
- A qualitative exposure assessment is an assessment used in KnowHealth that rates likely exposure using professional judgement, task knowledge and existing data, before any sampling. It is built against AIHA, ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2 and forms part of the Hearing Conservation programme.
- Run for each exposure group. Carried out by a hygienist.
- The template holds 45 fields across 4 sections.
- Scoring is aiha category 0 to 4, where high is bad.
- ISO 45001 is occupational health and safety management systems. The international standard for managing worker health and safety. Certifiable, and the backbone of most of this library.
- It connects to the rest of the library: links SEG, Substance.
What it is
What it is
What is a qualitative exposure assessment?
A qualitative exposure assessment is an assessment used in KnowHealth that rates likely exposure using professional judgement, task knowledge and existing data, before any sampling. It is built against AIHA, ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2 and forms part of the Hearing Conservation programme.
When is a qualitative exposure assessment completed?
A qualitative exposure assessment is completed when the task, area or population being assessed is new or has materially changed. Run for each exposure group.
When to use it
When to use it, and when not to
This assessment is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work that belongs to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.
Use it for
- The event or activity this assessment covers has occurred, or is about to
- A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form QEA-2026-000
- You are running the Hearing Conservation programme and this is one of its steps
- A linked record needs this one to exist: links seg, substance
Not for
- Similar Exposure Group Register, which groups workers who share the same tasks, agents and exposure patterns.
- Personal Air Sampling Record, which records a sample taken from a worker's breathing zone over a shift.
- Area Monitoring Record, which records fixed point sampling in a work area rather than on a person.
- Anything outside KnowHealth, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Standards
What it is built against
ISO 45001Occupational health and safety management systems
The international standard for managing worker health and safety. Certifiable, and the backbone of most of this library.
ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
AIHAAmerican Industrial Hygiene Association
Professional body publishing exposure assessment strategy and statistical guidance.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the qualitative exposure assessment template based on?+
It is built against AIHA, ISO 45001 cl.6.1.2. ISO 45001 is occupational health and safety management systems. The international standard for managing worker health and safety. Certifiable, and the backbone of most of this library. ISO is international Organization for Standardization. A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
What sections does the qualitative exposure assessment contain?+
There are 4 sections: header, the exposure, judgement inputs, outcome. Together they hold 45 fields, 33 of which are required.
How often is a qualitative exposure assessment raised?+
A new record is raised when the task, area or population being assessed is new or has materially changed. Each one is given an ID in the form QEA-2026-000, so it can be traced and referenced from other records.
Which programme does the qualitative exposure assessment belong to?+
It is part of Hearing Conservation, Occupational Health Surveillance. Exposure known, controls attempted before protection, and shifts in hearing detected early.
How is a qualitative exposure assessment scored?+
Scoring is aiha category 0 to 4. High is bad. Scores exist to make the form tell you something, not to produce a percentage for its own sake.
Can the qualitative exposure assessment template be changed?+
Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it for a cycle, then adjust.
The agents
What the agents do with it
The form is the easy part. Keeping it current, routing it to the right owner and holding the evidence together is the work that actually slips.
Holds the qualitative exposure assessment library against your registers, routes each record to its owner, and keeps the evidence trail together.
Coordinates the crew, rolls completion and exceptions into one view, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowHealth — employee wellbeing. Exposure monitoring, health surveillance, case management and return to work.
Meet KnowHealth→Sources
Sources
- ISO 45001 — Occupational health and safety management systems
- ISO — International Organization for Standardization
- AIHA — American Industrial Hygiene Association