The definition used by OSHA is:
Industrial hygiene is the science of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling workplace conditions that may cause workers’ injury or illness. 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.
Industrial Hygiene has also been defined as the practice of identifying of hazardous agents; chemical, physical and biological; in the workplace that could cause disease or discomfort, evaluating the extent of the risk due to exposure to these hazardous agents, and the control of those risks to prevent ill-health in the long or short term.
What is an Industrial Hygienist?
Industrial hygienists are committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community.
Some Industrial hygienists work in manufacturing, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, steel, mining and other industries. Others work in national governments, hospitals and public utilities. Some are employed as consultants or in research or academia.
What does an Industrial Hygienist do?
Industrial hygienists keep workers, and the communities surrounding workplaces, healthy and safe. They also ensure compliance with laws and regulations in the work environment.
Industrial hygienists assess health risks in a workplace; sample air to determine if there are harmful substances present; measure noise levels in factories; and provide practical advice on how workers can be protected from job-related health and safety risks.
How can you become an Industrial Hygienist?
Education, training and experience are all important aspects of an Industrial hygienist’s career.
Education can be obtained through postgraduate program run in ISTAR college “Master of Industrial Hygiene & Safety” (MIHS), For more details, please refer link section.
How are OSHA & Industrial Hygiene related ?
Under the Act, OSHA develops and sets mandatory Industrial safety and health requirements applicable to the more than 6 million workplaces in the U.S. OSHA relies on, among many others, industrial hygienists to evaluate jobs for potential health hazards. Developing and setting mandatory Industrial safety and health standards involves determining the extent of employee exposure to hazards and deciding what is needed to control these hazards, thereby protecting the workers. Industrial hygienists, or IHs, are trained to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and recommend controls for environmental and physical hazards that can affect the health and well-being of workers.