Work practice controls – Such practices alter the way tasks are performed for the purposes of mandating safe work practices and asking workers to follow the proper procedures to minimize exposures.Such controls include confining work operations, installing general and local ventilation systems, eliminating toxic chemicals and replacing them with non-toxic ones. Engineering controls – These aim to reduce or remove the hazard at its source or isolate the worker from the hazard itself.ControlĪccording to OSHA, there are 3 main ways on how to reduce employee exposure to occupational hazards: Strictly done by qualified professionals such as industrial hygienists, the process involves evaluating the exposure risk and determining the who, what, where, when, and how, based on the work environment and industrial hygiene instruments necessary. This is where the exposure assessment comes in. Employers must consider the layout of the workplace as employees working close to each other, also called as simultaneous operations, can affect their hazard exposures. Having a system on surveying each worker about how they get their work done is a key part of recognizing hazards. In this phase, using a hazard identification checklist would be useful. This step also covers the importance of identifying any potential exposure issues caused by workplace hazards. Employers must ensure SDSs are readily available to all workers to serve as their guide on how to handle hazardous chemicals in the workplace. SDSs include important information on the properties of each chemical, the various hazards, protective measures, and safety precautions for proper handling, storing, and transporting of the chemical. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). One notable example of anticipating industrial hygiene hazards is the use of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) as required under the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) of the U.S. This step entails a thorough documentation of the workplace design, operations, processes, specific work tasks, materials, and worker population. Before conducting assessments, it’s a must to understand first the fundamentals of industrial hygiene. Industrial hygienists perform risk assessments to anticipate health and safety concerns so that they can create and implement solutions and plans for prevention. ![]() On the other hand, industrial hygiene aims to reduce or remove work hazard exposure by implementing a series of controls and programs toward keeping the workplace clean, free from environmental stressors, and hygienic. Ultimately, OHS aims to assess potential occupational diseases so that continuous healthcare assistance can be provided to workers. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) refers to the process of dealing with the effects of hazard exposure such as damage to human health, prescribing medicines for treatment and prevention, and conducting pre-employment, along with periodic, medical examinations. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) vs Industrial Hygiene One common way of practicing industrial hygiene is by mandating the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to improve working conditions, provide respiratory protection, and prevent or eliminate workers’ exposure to hazards. This practice helps protect employees from various types of injuries and illnesses, such as nonfatal illnesses, respiratory conditions, skin diseases, poisoning, hearing loss, and repetitive stress injuries among others. Industrial hygiene aims to focus on the safety of workers by implementing effective control of workplace hazards.
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