Metals and inorganics

HSE testing and monitoring helps you find the most effective ways to manage risk, prevent illness and injury and protect people at work.

Order online

You can order these products online:

Blood samples

Blood samples require pre-approval and an online account before ordering is possible

Other products

For other testing and monitoring services that are not available to order online, check the testing and monitoring price list.

How we analyse occupational exposures

Urine samples can used to determine exposures to a wide range of elements in workplaces. Some metals like cadmium and lead require a blood sample but the majority of exposures can be determined in a urine sample.

The most common elements measured at HSE’s Science and Research Centre include chromium, nickel, cobalt and mercury.

It is possible to analyse a range of metals in one urine sample for workplace exposures, for example:

welding – chromium, nickel, manganese, tungsten, vanadium
recycling – aluminium, mercury, chromium, antimony, copper, cadmium, lead (account approval required) and arsenic

We can analyse metals in samples such as wipes and filters to assess surface contamination or airborne exposures, for example platinum in wipe/filter samples to assess exposure to platinum-containing cytotoxic drugs.

We can also measure platinum levels in urine to monitor an individual's exposure and beryllium in urine and wipe/filter samples to assess exposure to beryllium-containing ore, metal and alloys in a wide range of workplaces.

New technologies

New technologies are increasingly using some less common elements such as hafnium, indium and yttrium. The health hazards of these elements are often not well characterised, making exposure assessment important in precautionary exposure control.

We have conducted research into the UK general population levels of these elements at our Science and Research Centre. We can therefore provide some interpretation of results, despite very few guidance values currently being available.

Monitoring hazards from welding

Welding processes expose workers (welders, flame cutters and burners) to many hazards, including the inhalation of toxic welding fumes and gases. Exposure to welding fumes can also occur through skin and eye contact.

Biological monitoring can assess exposure by all routes – inhalation, ingestion and skin absorption. A simple urine sample can provide information about an individual worker's exposure to the metals commonly found in welding fumes. Biological monitoring can specifically help to assess the effectiveness of the respiratory and personal protection equipment (RPE and PPE) being used.

An elevated urine result would suggest the worker has some welding fume exposure and that the RPE, PPE and/or engineering controls need to be improved. Biological monitoring is suitable for regular monitoring to check systems are working correctly and for investigating the extent of exposure following incidents.

Biological monitoring for welders should include measuring nickel and chromium in a urine sample, and this should be on an annual basis where there is shown to be good control. Samples should be collected at the end of a typical working week – online ordering is available.

It may also be possible to monitor for other metals depending on the type being welded, for example:

manganese and copper for mild steel
aluminium for alloyed steels
beryllium in copper beryllium alloy

Cadmium or lead should be measured if the stainless steel has been cadmium plated or if lead paint (lead oxide primer) is present. A blood sample is required to determine recent exposure to both cadmium and lead.

If workers experience symptoms consistent with metal fume fever or feel unwell outside of the normal biological monitoring regime, a urine sample should be taken as soon as possible to allow any exposure to be confirmed.

Get in touch

For more information or to make an enquiry about HSE’s testing and monitoring services get in touch on GOV.UK.