Introduction to INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

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Introductionto INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
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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

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OSH Act of 1970

• The purpose of the OSH Act is to
• assure so far as possible every working,
• man and woman in the nation safe and
• healthful working conditions and to
• preserve our human resources.

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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

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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

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Routes of Entry

• Inhalation
• airborne contaminants
• Absorption
• penetration through the skin
• Ingestion
• eating
• drinking

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OSHA Hierarchy of Control

• Engineering controls
• Work practice controls
• Administrative controls
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

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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

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Types of Air Contaminants

• Particulates
• dusts, fumes, mists, and fibers
• non respirable particles
• gt 10 ?m in diameter
• respirable particles
• lt 10 ?m in diameter

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Types of Air Contaminants

• Fumes
• volatilized solids condenses in cool air
• lt 1.0 ?m in diameter
• hot vapor air (reaction with) oxide
• Mists
• suspended solid droplets
• generated by a condensation of liquids from a
  vapors to a liquid state

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Types of Air Contaminants

• Fibers
• solid, slender, elongated structures
• length several times the diameter
• Gases
• formless fluids that expand to occupy a space
• arc-welding, internal combustion engine exhaust
  air
• Vapors
• liquid changed to vapor
• organic solvents

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Exposure LimitsAir Contaminants

• OSHA
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• NIOSH
• National Institute of Occupational Safety and
  Health
• ACGIH
• American Conference of Governmental Industrial
  Hygienists

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Exposure LimitsAir Contaminants

• OSHA
• PEL
• permissible exposure limit
• NIOSH
• REL
• recommended exposure level
• ACGIH
• TLV
• threshold limit value

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Hearing Conservation Program

• Mandatory
• at an 8-hour TWA gt 85 dBA
• Exposure monitoring
• Audiometric testing
• Hearing protection
• Employee training
• Recordkeeping

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Bloodborne Pathogens

• Bloodborne pathogens include
• Hepatitis B
• HIV
• Others
• 29 CFR 1910.1030
• describes actions employers must take to reduce
  risk of exposure in the workplace

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Industrial Hygiene

• ANTICIPATION
• RECOGNITION
• EVALUTION
• CONTROL

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Consultation Assistance

• For Industrial Hygiene help, contact The Office
  of Safety Health Consultation at [phone]
• Or
• Click on the Consultant staff link on the Main
  Page to E-Mail a Consultant.