Statistical Methods for Establishing Equivalency of Several Sampling Devices

Abstract

The problem of comparing several alternate sampling devices to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard, or the comparison of several sampling devices among themselves, is considered. A test based on the OSHA criterion that states that “90% of the readings of the sampling device should be within ± 25% of the readings obtained by the standard” is developed. Type I error rates and powers of the test are studied using Monte Carlo simulation. The study indicates that the proposed test is quite satisfactory for applications. The method is illustrated using a simulated data set.

Keywords:

• Intersection-Union test
• power
• Type I error

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Notes

^A The numbers in parentheses are the critical values c satisfying Eq. 11 when p = 0.1 and α = 0.05; these values are taken from Table I of Krishnamoorthy and Mathew.^{( 7 )}

^A The numbers in parentheses are the critical values c satisfying Eq. 11 when p = 0.1 and α = 0.05; these values are taken from Table I of Krishnamoorthy and Mathew.^{( 7 )}