Predicting harmful chemical exposures and implementing corrective actions prior to overexposure

Abstract

A method of avoiding harmful chemical emission concentration levels, the method comprising implementing a cognitive suite of workplace hygiene and injury predictors (WHIP) that has learned to identify chemical emission sources and indicators of harmful chemical emission concentration levels, detecting an indicator, and implementing a corrective action by at least one of altering the operation of a chemical emissions source, modifying a time of a scheduled task, or changing prescribed personal protective equipment.

1 . A method of avoiding harmful chemical emission concentration levels, comprising:
 monitoring one or more sensors in a workplace;   receiving a signal from at least one of the one or more sensors that is correlated with a scheduled task;   determine the likelihood of a harmful chemical emission level from the received signal; and   implementing a corrective action that alters the operation of a chemical emission source in the workplace.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors is selected from the group consisting of a machine activation sensor, a chemical detector, and a location detector. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the scheduled task is stored by a chemical emissions protection system of a cognitive WHIP system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising predicting a chemical emission exposure level of a person by determining the location of the person for the scheduled task, identifying a path used by the person to transit to the location, analyzing a chemical emissions map for the path, and calculating a predicted amount of cumulative chemical emissions exposure for the person. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising monitoring the actual chemical emission exposure levels experienced by the person in a chemical emissions zone using the chemical detector. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising identifying the location of a person in the chemical emissions zone, and transmitting a control signal to the chemical emissions source to slow down or turn off for a predetermined period of time to reduce the actual chemical emission exposure levels in the chemical emission zone. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the operation of the chemical emissions source is identified by the machine activation sensor. 
     
     
         8 . A chemical emissions protection system, comprising:
 one or more sensors in a workplace;   a receiver configured to receive a signal from at least one of the one or more sensors that is correlated with a scheduled task;   a cognitive WHIP system configured to determine the likelihood of a harmful chemical emission level from the received signal; and   a warning system configured to implement a corrective action that alters the operation of a chemical emission source in the workplace.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the cognitive WHIP system is trained by receiving signals from the one or more sensors, correlating the signals with the scheduled tasks, and identifying indicators corresponding to one or more chemical emission sources operating at the time of a harmful chemical emission concentration levels based on the scheduled task. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , which further comprises a scheduler configured to predict chemical emission exposure levels of a person, track cumulative actual chemical emission exposure levels for the person, and pre-emptively adjust the time of a scheduled task in anticipation of predicted chemical emission exposure levels. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the monitoring interface is configured to determine the location of the person for one or more assigned tasks, identify a path used by the person to transit to the location(s), analyze a chemical emissions map for the location(s), and calculate a predicted amount of cumulative chemical emissions exposure for the person. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the monitoring interface is configured to monitor the actual chemical emission exposure levels experienced by the person in a chemical emissions zone. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the monitoring interface is configured to identify the location of a person in the chemical emissions zone, and transmit a control signal to the chemical emissions source to slow down or turn off for a predetermined period of time to reduce the actual chemical emission exposure levels in the chemical emissions zone. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the indicator is identification by facial recognition, activation of an interlock, detection of an RFID at a portal, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for predicting exposure to harmful chemical emission concentration levels, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of:
 monitoring one or more sensors in a workplace;   receiving a signal from at least one of the one or more sensors that is correlated with a scheduled task;   determine the likelihood of a harmful chemical emission level from the received signal; and   implementing a corrective action that alters the operation of a chemical emission source in the workplace.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: learn to identify chemical emission sources and indicators of harmful chemical emission concentration levels by receiving signals from the one or more sensors, correlating the signals with the scheduled task, and identifying indicators corresponding to one or more chemical emission sources operating at the time of the harmful chemical emission concentration levels based on the scheduled task. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: predict chemical emission exposure levels of a person, track cumulative actual chemical emission exposure levels for the person, and pre-emptively adjust the time of another scheduled task in anticipation of predicted chemical emission exposure levels. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: predict chemical emission exposure levels by determining the location of the person for one or more assigned tasks, identifying a path used by the person to transit to the location(s), analyzing a chemical emissions map for the location(s), and calculating a predicted amount of cumulative chemical emissions exposure for the person. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: monitor the actual chemical emission exposure levels experienced by the person in a chemical emissions zone using a chemical detector. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to: identify the location of a person in the chemical emissions zone, and transmit a control signal to the chemical emissions source to slow down or turn off for a predetermined period of time to reduce the actual chemical emission exposure levels in the chemical emissions zone.