Introduction toINDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

What is Industrial Hygiene?

The science of Anticipating, Identifying, Evaluating, and Controlling Environment Hazards in the Workplace.

The science of protecting the worker through the control of the work environment.

Things to Consider

Industrial Hygienists look at;

• Health issues rather than just Safety.

• Illnesses rather than Injuries.

COST

What is the cost of illnesses to Industry?

• In 1990 the average cost of an Illness was

$27,386.

• Skin Disorders, averaged $3,368.

• Pneumoconiosis, averaged $77,467.

HAZARDS

In Industrial Hygiene we want to be concerned with 4 Types of Hazards.

What are they?

CHEMICAL

The FIRST group and the one that comes to mind for most people is Chemical Hazards.

EXAMPLES INCLUDE:• Paints/Solvents• Welding Fumes• Wood Dust• Carbon Monoxide• Exhaust Fumes

Chemical Effects

• Local– Damage to the part of the body that comes in

contact with the substance.

• Systemic– Chemical is absorbed by the body and attacks a

target organ.

PHYSICAL

The SECOND group is Physical Hazards.

Examples Include:

• Noise

• Extreme Heat

• Extreme Cold

• Light

BIOLOGICAL

The THIRD group is Biological Hazards.

Examples Include:

• Infectious Blood/Body Fluids

• Bird Droppings

• Mold & Mildew

• Tuberculosis/Hepatitis

• Hypersensitivity Pnuemonitis

RADIATION

The FOURTH group is Radiation Hazards.

Examples Include:

• Ultra-Violet (UV) Light

• Infra-Red (IR) Radiation

• Microwaves

• Radar

• Lasers

• X-Rays

ROUTES of ENTRY

• Inhalation

• Ingestion

• Skin Absorption

• Injection

Acute vs. Chronic

Many illnesses are not obvious because they take so long to Develop (latency period).

DISEASE YEAR TO DIAGNOSIS

Asbestosis Usually 10-20 Years

Silicosis Usually After 10-20 Years

of exposure

Black Lung Usually after 10 Years

PLAN of ACTION

What do you want to do as far as dealing with these hazards? The first thing is to Develop a Plan.

• Recognize the Hazard

• Evaluate the Hazard

• Control the Hazard

RECOGNITION

How can you find the Potential Health Hazards in your Facility?

* Walk-Through Survey * Ask Employees* Check The Inventory * Inquire With Assoc.* Inquire with Unions * NIOSH* OSHA * Safety & Health

Organizations

Many Organizations Publish valuable information like trade assoc., unions, NIOSH, OSHA and others.

EVALUATION

Once you have identified the hazards, how do you evaluate them?

Is the exposure necessary?

• If not, eliminate it.

• If the exposure can’t be avoided, measure it for comparison with published standards or background levels.

Evaluating Risk Factors

Frequency (how often)

Intensity (how much)

Duration (how long)

Individual Sensitivity

Toxicity of the Chemical

Keep in Mind…...

“What is it that is not poison? All things

are poison and nothing is without poison. It is the dose only that makes a thing not a poison.”

To Evaluate, We Must Measure

Units of Measurement

• Parts per Million (ppm)

• Milligrams per Cubic Meter (mg/M3)

• Fibers per Cubic Centimeter (f/cc)

Organizations

OSHAOccupational Safety and Health Administration

NIOSHNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

ACGIHAmerican Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists

AIHAAmerican Industrial Hygiene Association

Exposure Limits

• OSHA - Permissible Exposure Limit

• ACGIH - Threshold Limit Value

• NIOSH - Recommended Exposure Limit • AIHA - Workplace Environmental Exposure Limit

Threshold Limit Value• TLV - Airborne concentrations to which nearly all

workers may be routinely exposed without adverse health effects.

• TWA - Time Weighted Average. Based on an 8 hour exposure and assumes a 40 hour work week.

• STEL - Short Term Exposure Limit (4/15/60)

• C - Ceiling Limit (should never be exceeded)

• IDLH - Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health

• Skin - Capable of cutaneous skin absorption

CONTROLLING HAZARDS

The final step is controlling the potentially hazardous exposure.

• Engineering Controls

• Administrative Controls

• Personal Protective Equipment