Best Practices to Consider for Industrial Hygiene
Let's explore best practices in industrial hygiene, with a focus on OSHA's role in regulating and promoting workplace safety.
- By Elis Enano
- Nov 15, 2023
Industrial hygiene plays a vital role in safeguarding the health and well-being of workers in various industries. It involves identifying and controlling potential hazards to minimize exposure to harmful substances and conditions. In the United States, OSHA sets regulations and guidelines to ensure that workplaces maintain high standards of industrial hygiene. Let’s explore best practices in industrial hygiene, with a focus on OSHA's role in regulating and promoting workplace safety.
What Is Industrial Hygiene?
Industrial hygiene is the science and art of identifying, assessing and managing workplace hazards to safeguard the health and well-being of workers. It encompasses various disciplines—including occupational toxicology, epidemiology and engineering—to address potential risks.
Industrial hygiene, also known as occupational hygiene, encompasses a range of practices aimed at protecting workers from workplace hazards. These hazards can include exposure to toxic chemicals, noise, radiation, ergonomic issues and other physical or biological factors. Implementing effective industrial hygiene measures not only ensures the well-being of employees but can also lead to increased productivity and reduced healthcare costs for businesses.
7 Key Principles of Industrial Hygiene
Industrial hygiene is a crucial field that aims to protect the health and well-being of workers by identifying, evaluating and controlling workplace hazards. To achieve these goals, industrial hygiene follows a set of principles and best practices. Here are seven key principles of industrial hygiene:
1. Recognition of Hazards
The first step in industrial hygiene is the recognition of hazards in the workplace. This involves identifying and understanding potential sources of danger, such as chemical substances, physical agents, ergonomic stressors and biological agents. OSHA provides comprehensive guidelines and resources for recognizing workplace hazards, which is essential for the subsequent steps in the industrial hygiene process. In addition, OSHA also recommends workers complete OSHA safety training, which provides site safety knowledge and awareness to prevent the most common workplace hazards and maintain a safe and healthy work environment.
2. Assessment of Exposure