Industrial Hygiene; Is defined by the American industrial hygiene association 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 wellbeing, or significant discomfort among workers or among the citizens of the community.” Thus Industrial hygiene deals with the 1) Anticipation- Includes prior knowledge of possible hazards and there ill effect on health 2) Recognition- acceptance ill effect of identified hazards 3) Evaluation – measuring and calculating the degree of hazards by various instruments. Ex. Air sampling and analysis 4) Control measure- Engineering control, administrative control use of PPE education, and training, medical examination. Importance of industrial hygiene?
Improved worker health and increased life expectancy Reduction in the number of people who have to leave employment early through injury
or illness Lower social and healthcare costs as well as maximizing worker potential More efficient working processes with technological improvements and increased
productivity. Industrial hygiene attempts to eliminate or minimize the exposure of environment or work hazards on human or public health by engineering control, administrative control and good housekeeping and keep the workplace and environment free from pollution.
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. Control measure can be applied at following three level. 1) At source Substitution Change of process or technology Enclosure of process ( Barrier) Isolation ( by space or time) Wet method ( Water Blasting) Local exhaust ventilation Waste disposal