Industrial hygiene has been defined as “that science and art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of those environmental factors or stresses arising in or from the workplace, which may cause sickness, impaired health and well-being, or significant discomfort among workers or among the citizens of the community.” Industrial hygienists use environmental monitoring and analytical methods to detect the extent of worker exposure and employ engineering, work practice controls, and other methods to control potential health hazards.

What Is an Industrial Hygienist?

An industrial hygienist is a highly trained, usually certified expert who works to reduce safety risks and hazards in an industrial setting. These professionals focus their days on developing programs and strategies to improve safety. They often work with Environmental Health and Safety Managers to develop proper safety protocols. Common job duties of an industrial hygienist include the following:

• Assess an industrial facility to determine what hazardous practices or conditions are present within it
• Develop new strategies and procedures that reduce those hazards
• Oversee the implementation of programs, policies, and procedures for hazard reduction
• Monitor those programs to ensure they are being followed and that they are effective
• Conduct on site monitoring, gather and analyze data about safety
• Conduct studies on new equipment to determine the risks and hazards associated with it
• Review plans for new installations for safety issues
• Monitor locations to ensure total compliance with state and federal regulations
• Create reports and present them to superiors concerning safety within the workplace

In short, an industrial hygienist looks at every aspect of a facility and works to improve the level of safety that the workers have during their daily routine. They may visit multiple locations, and work in a variety of different industries depending on the situation. Good occupational hygiene benefits workers and industry alike, resulting in:

• Improved worker health and increased life expectancy;
• Reduction in the number of people who leave employment early through injury or illness;
• Lower social and health care costs as well as maximizing worker potential;
• More efficient working processes with technological improvements and increased productivity.

RECOGNIZING AND CONTROLLING HAZARDS

Industrial hygienists recognize that engineering, work practice, and administrative controls are the primary means of reducing employee exposure to occupational hazards. Engineering controls minimize employee exposure by either reducing or removing the hazard at the source or isolating the worker from the hazard. Engineering controls include eliminating toxic chemicals and substituting non-toxic chemicals, enclosing work processes or confining work operations, and the installation of general and local ventilation systems. Work practice controls alter the manner in which a task is performed. Some fundamental and easily implemented work practice controls include

1. Changing existing work practices to follow proper procedures that minimize exposures while operating production and control equipment;
2. Inspecting and maintaining process and control equipment on a regular basis;
3. Implementing good housekeeping procedures;
4. Providing good supervision; and
5. Mandating that eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum, and applying cosmetics in regulated areas be prohibited.

Administrative controls include controlling employees' exposure by scheduling production and tasks, or both, in ways that minimize exposure levels. For example, the employer might schedule operations with the highest exposure potential during periods when the fewest employees are present. When effective work practices or engineering controls are not feasible or while such controls are being instituted, appropriate personal protective equipment must be used. Examples of personal protective equipment are gloves, safety goggles, helmets, safety shoes, protective clothing, and respirators. To be effective, personal protective equipment must be individually selected, properly fitted and periodically refitted; conscientiously and properly worn; regularly maintained; and replaced, as necessary.