Industrial hygiene is concerned with identifying, evaluating, and controlling real or potential workplace environmental stressors or hazards that can affect the wellbeing of workers and community members. Hazards are identified and controlled when a workplace is being planned, when conditions or processes change, or through yearly reviews, before they become an issue for workers.

1. Noise
2. Temperature and humidity
3. Indoor air quality
4. Chemical exposure
5. Radiation
6. Biological hazards
7. Eliminating or controlling hazards

In order to help ensure proper industrial hygiene and thus the health and safety of your workers, you can employ an industrial hygienist. Applied Environmental has qualified Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH) whose role is to “anticipate health and safety concerns and design solutions to prevent them. They are the guardians of workplace safety, applying science to identify and solve health and safety problems. Industrial hygienists also unite management, workers, and all segments of a company behind the common goal of health and safety. The American Board of Industrial Hygiene certifies industrial hygienists, providing a well-respected benchmark in the field.

An industrial hygienist will use rigorous scientific methods to evaluate and control hazards in the workplace, including risk assessment tools and information, such as Safety Data Sheets, which are put together by chemical manufacturers and contain detailed information about each chemical. Industrial hygienists can also conduct a worksite analysis to evaluate all jobs, operations, machinery, and work activities at that site, in addition to problem solving on specific activities or work areas. Optimizing these components of industrial hygiene through monitoring and analyzing hazards and engineering solutions to minimize those hazards will help control potential health risks that impact both workers and your organization. These hazards can cause a wide range of negative outcomes from disease and injury to lost time and reduced productivity in your organization. Understanding the principles of industrial hygiene will help you control these factors more effectively and thus have a healthier, more productive workplace.