Introduction to INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

1. Introductionto INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

2. Industrial Hygiene • “that science or art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of those environmental factors or stresses, arising in or from the workplace, that may cause sickness, impaired health and well-being, or significant discomfort and inefficiency among workers”

3. Industrial Hygienist • “a person who possesses a baccalaureate degree or diploma in industrial hygiene, engineering, chemistry, physics, biology, medicine or related physical and biological sciences and who, by virtue of special studies and training, has acquired competence in industrial hygiene” CIH ROH RPIH RIH CIHT ROHT RIHT

4. History • Circa 400 BCE • lead toxicity in miners recognized • 1st Century CE • zinc and sulfur hazards recognized • 2nd Century • copper miners exposure to acid mists recognized

5. History • 15th Century • publication of paper on occupational illness in gold miners • occupational diseases of coal miners recognized • preventive measures theorized • 18th Century • birth of ‘industrial hygiene’ as a science

6. Objectives • Defining Industrial Hygiene • How Industrial Hygienists Can Help • Examples of Workplace Hazards

7. What Is Industrial Hygiene? In the workplace, industrial hygienists: Anticipate Recognize Evaluate Control the environmental factors that are known to, or may cause health and safety issues

8. Who Are Industrial Hygienists? Industrial hygienists are workplace ‘detectives’, finding and fixing health and safety problems. Industrial hygienists also provide technical input toward balancing risks against benefits

9. Why Are Industrial Hygienists Important to Organizations? • Industrial hygienists: • help unite management and workers behind the common goal of having a healthy and safe workplace.

10. Environmental Factors or Stresses • Chemical hazards • gases, vapors, dusts, fumes, mists, and smoke • Physical hazards • non-ionizing and ionizing radiation, noise, vibration, extreme temperatures and pressures

11. Environmental Factors or Stresses • Ergonomic hazards • workstation design, repetitive motion, improper lifting/reaching, poor visual conditions • Biological hazards • insects, mold, yeast, fungi, bacteria, and viruses

12. Types of Exposure • Acute • Short term period between exposure and onset of symptoms • Chronic • Long time period between exposure to an agent and the onset of symptoms

13. Hierarchy of Risk Reduction Eliminate Mitigate (Isolate) Protect (Eg. use PPE) Inform (Eg. administrative controls)

14. Types of Air Contaminants • Particulates (dusts, fumes & mists) (Eg. nuisance dust, welding smoke, oil or paint suspensions) • Fibers (Eg. Asbestos) • Gases (Eg. Asphyxiants) • Vapors (Eg. Hydrocarbons)

15. Units of Concentration • ppm • parts per million • mg/m3 • milligrams per cubic meter • mppcf • millions of particles per cubic foot • f/cc • fibers per cubic centimeter

16. Exposure LimitsAir Contaminants • Local Jurisdiction(s) • NIOSH • U. S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health • ACGIH • American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists

17. Exposure LimitsAir Contaminants • WorkSafe BC & HRDC • TWA - time weighted average or adopted ACGIH TLV • NIOSH • REL - recommended exposure level • ACGIH • TLV - threshold limit value

18. Exposure LimitsAir Contaminants • TWA • takes into account variable exposure through a full shift, 8 hour work day • STEL • limit of exposure during a short period (15 minute ‘excursion’) • CEILING • absolute maximum level of exposure not to be exceeded

19. Exposure LimitsAir Contaminants • Legally enforceable • TWA • AL (action level) • ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable)

20. Exposure Control Plans must be implemented when • exposure monitoring indicates that a worker is or may be exposed to an air contaminant in excess of 50% of its exposure limit • (b) measurement is not possible at 50% of the applicable exposure limit, or

21. Situations where a Hygienist can assist • assisting Management & Labour in navigating all of the foregoing • avoiding/defending against prosecution by regulating authorities

22. Situations where a Hygienist can assist • Asbestos-testing for, and during removal • Fungal Contamination (mould) • Bio safety-ensuring that materials such as bacteria, viruses, used syringes and needles, etc., are handled safely

23. Situations where a Hygienist can assist • Confined Spaces-entry hazards & procedures • Ergonomics-helping to limit disabilities due to repetitive and/or prolonged movement • Environmental Lead- identifying unsafe levels of lead found in old paint, contaminated water, and other materials

24. Situations where a Hygienist can assist • Exposure to Assessment Strategies-measuring human exposures to toxins (i.e., solvents, asbestos) • Hazard Evaluation-determining the real potential for hazardous gases and vapors, noise levels, etc., and evaluating results and tests • Indoor Environmental Quality- IAQ / IEQ

25. Situations where a Hygienist can assist • Laboratory Health and Safety Radiation-testing and controlling radiation emitted from power lines, electromagnetic fields, radioactive materials, etc. • Workplace Environmental Exposure Levels • Soil & water contamination –identification & remediation

26. In conclusion • The industrial hygienist's role is ideally proactive - correcting problems before they occur, by working to anticipate and take action to prevent them. • Industrial Hygienists can play an important role in the organization to help increase worker productivity and reduce insurance and medical costs, thus lowering overall costs while keeping workers safe and healthy.