What calculation is necessary to determine the upper and lower control limits associated with industrial hygiene sampling?

Determining the upper and lower control limits in industrial hygiene sampling involves understanding the variability of sample data. The correct calculation encompasses the coefficient of variation, which is essential for establishing how much variation exists in your data set relative to the mean.

The coefficient of variation is a statistical measure of the relative variability, computed as the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean. This metric not only provides insight into the consistency of your samples but also plays a critical role in calculating the control limits. Specifically, control limits are typically defined as the mean plus or minus a multiple of the standard deviation or the standard error. By calculating the coefficient of variation, you can quantify this variation, which directly informs the determination of those upper and lower control limits.

Knowing only the number of samples collected, the average sample size, or the total number of employees lacks the necessary depth to evaluate variability in the data effectively and establish control limits. Therefore, calculating the coefficient of variation is crucial in the context of industrial hygiene sampling.