Understanding Industrial Hygiene: Commitment to Workplace Safety

Industrial hygiene is an important sub-discipline of occupational safety and health that centers on recognizing, evaluating, and controlling workplace hazards that may impact workers’ health and well-being. It consists of a comprehensive group of activities, programs, and practices designed to control actual, or potentially harmful, exposure to environmental aspects which may be chemical, biological, physical, and ergonomic. By employing industrial hygiene, businesses will work towards a safer and more productive working environment.

 

Why Industrial Hygiene Matters

Industrial hygiene is an essential discipline to prevent workplace-acquired illnesses and injuries. When businesses do not recognize hazards, or put controls in place, they put workers at risk for respiratory health issues, chronic conditions, or even life-threatening diseases. There are a variety of benefits to an organization when developing and implementing an industrial hygiene program which will aid in:

 

• Decreasing absenteeism while increasing productivity
• Improving employee morale and well-being
• Ensuring compliance with OSHA and other governing entities
• Reducing liability and financial risk

Identifying the most common workplace hazards that Industrial Hygiene addresses

Industrial hygiene in Rajkot aims to control multiple hazards that impact the health and safety of workers. The following list is the most common hazards:

1. Chemical Hazards

Exposure to inhalation of chemicals can result in harmful effects on the human body. For example, workers can be exposed to solvent fumes or heavy metals in a chemical lab or sampling sites.

2. Physical Hazards

There are also physical hazards present in the workplace such as extreme levels of noise, heat, radiation, and vibration of machinery that also have a great effect on health.

3. Biological Hazards

Biological hazards are present in the workplace, especially in hospitals and laboratories, but also in food processing plants. There are exposures to bacteria, viruses, and fungi that can result in harmful effects to the individual, including an infectious disease.

Occupational health and safety includes a Certified Industrial Hygienist who is responsible for preventing or reducing exposure to the worker in a workplace. When workplace hazards are identified, assessed, and controlled, occupational health can improve workplace health and productivity.