ANHE

Industrial hygiene is the practice and study of workplace exposures to chemical and physical hazards.  In addition to chemical exposures, they also address heat/cold exposures, vibration, slip/fall risks and other workplace risks.  Industrial hygienists have created a very helpful framework for developing interventions to reduce exposures.  This is called the “industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls”:

1) Elimination of the exposure entirely

2) Substituting a safer chemical or process

3) Modifying the work environment so that workers are not present (i.e. use of robotics)

4) Containing the exposure or isolating it using engineering controls

5) Changing the ventilation (i.e. using negative flow hoods; increasing the room air turnover so that indoor air contaminants are diluted.

6) Work practices – rotating employees so that they are exposed for shorter periods

7) Personal Protection – fitting the worker with gloves, glasses, suits, respirators, etc.

Industrial Hygiene Resources:

Industrial Hygiene Fact Sheets Concise guidance on 16 components of industrial hygiene controls by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services

industrial hygiene, workplace exposure

essentials

Last updated 461 days ago by Katie Huffling