THE INDUSTRIAL

HYGIENE PROGRAM
PERNG-JY TSAI, PH.D.
DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR,
DEPT. ENVIRON. OCCUP. HEALTH, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE,
NATIONAL CHENG KUNG UNIVERSITY.

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INTRODUCTION

• The primary objective of industrial hygiene (IH) is the prevention of occupational

disease and injury
• The IH program helps manage these risks by implementing methods for anticipating,
recognizing, evaluating, and controlling health hazards
• An effective program begins with obtaining the right skills for designing and
implementing industrial hygiene programs
• In most cases the industrial hygienist is a professionally trained specialist with a science
background consisting of a blend of experience and education.

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COMPONENTS OF AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
• The industrial hygiene program has a number of components usually beginning
with a policy statement which outlines the organization’s commitment to
employee health and safety.
• The written program contains elements for hazard recognition, evaluation and
exposure assessment, hazard control, employee training and involvement,
program evaluation, and documentation

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COMPONENTS OF AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
• The format of the program depends on a variety of factors including
• the size and type of the organization,
• its management philosophy,
• the range of occupational hazards at the facility, and
• the available health and safety resources.

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COMPONENTS OF AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
• Small companies
• may rely on the services and programs
• provided through their insurance companies or consulting agencies.

• Larger corporations and government agencies

• may have more comprehensive programs and
• staff support appropriate for their organization’s needs.

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BENEFITS OF AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
• The industrial hygiene program provides social and economic benefits by
sustaining a healthful and fit workforce to help meet company objectives.

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BENEFITS OF AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
• The following benefits have been cited in well-established programs:
• Employees are protected from all known occupational health hazards at the workplace.
• Compensable injuries or illnesses are reduced, thus lowering insurance premiums and
associated medical and recordkeeping costs.
• Productivity is usually increased
• Improved working conditions reduce lost time
• Operating costs are reduced by anticipating and controlling potential occupational health
hazards during the design phase of new projects.
• Government regulations concerning industrial hygiene are implemented

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 ISO STANDARDS

• ISO 9000 (Quality Management and Quality Assurance Standards):

• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems)
• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System)
• Each of these approaches generally
• begin with a policy statement
• And a cycle of Plan, Do, Check, and Act, devised by W. Edwards Demming in the 1950s.
• This cycle, which is known and applied in larger organizations, demonstrates how programs
which include industrial hygiene contribute to company objectives by maintaining and
improving employee health and safety.

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ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
(WRITTEN PROGRAM AND POLICY STATEMENT)

• A policy publicly states a company’s commitment to employee health and

safety.
• The industrial hygiene program should align itself with the policy provided by
the chief administrator, or top management, of the organization.

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ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
(WRITTEN PROGRAM AND POLICY STATEMENT)

• IH Policy should state the purpose of the program and require active participation by
all employees reflecting the following:
• The importance that management places on the health and safety of its employees.
• Management’s commitment to occupational safety and health, which is demonstrated by its
placing health and safety at the same level of authority and accountability as production.
• The company’s pledge to comply with all federal, state, and local occupational safety and
health regulations.
• The necessity for active leadership, direct participation, and the enthusiastic support of the
entire organization.

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ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
(PLANNING ACTIVITIES: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES)

• A goal is a desired outcome, whereas an objective is a specific activity or means of

achieving a goal.
• Goals should be realistic and, when possible, measurable.
• For example,
• if ergonomics-related injuries are a problem, the goal may be to reduce the number of
accidents by 25 percent within a three-year period.
• The objectives/activities to achieve this goal could include establishing an ergonomics
committee, providing ergonomic training for the committee and affected personnel, and
selecting an ergonomics consulting firm to provide initial workplace surveys.
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ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
(PLANNING ACTIVITIES: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES)
• Typically, a young or immature program will focus on reactive activities such as incidents or new
legal/regulatory requirements.
• As a program matures, more time will be spent in the planning phase of the Demming cycle (Plan,
Do, Check, Act), determining ways for continual improvements, voluntary commitments, and
preventive actions.
• The establishment of a strategic plan for long- and short-range goals and objectives is vital to the
development of an effective industrial hygiene program.
• These goals and objectives should also be part of the written program.
• They are often established by a committee, such as a joint labor–management health and safety
committee.
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ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
(PLANNING ACTIVITIES: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES)

• Goals and objectives should not be static––they should be evaluated and

updated on a regularly scheduled basis (Table 27–A).
• The evaluation process may determine that the objectives are inadequate or
that the goals are not well enough defined.
• In addition, as conditions change, there may be new problems to address, in
which case new goals and objectives should be developed.
• The written program thus becomes a continually updated document.
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ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE PROGRAM
(PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPONENTS OF THE IH PROGRAM)

• The written industrial hygiene program can be subdivided into individual program components, each with its
own set of requirements and procedures.
• An example of a list of IH programs is provided in Table 27–B.
• These requirements identify what should be done, how it should be done, who should do it, and how often.
• Besides effectively communicating the program to the rest of the organization, it also documents how the
organization identifies and deals with industrial hygiene related issues.
• This information can be used to demonstrate compliance and commitment to employee health and safety
during an internal or external audit or inspection.
• More importantly, written procedures provide measurable performance guidelines for worker protection and
helps assure continuity from one program owner to another.

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HAZARD RECOGNITION

• Hazard recognition is the identification of workplace occupational health hazards.

• These include chemical, physical, and biological hazards.
• The identification depends on the professional judgment of the industrial hygienist,
based on information gathered during
• Walkthrough surveys,
• inspections,
• interviews with employees and management,
• and review of applicable documentation such as purchases of new equipment and chemicals.

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HAZARD EVALUATION

• Hazard evaluation is the determination of whether worker exposure to these

environmental hazards is acceptable, or if additional engineering,
administrative, or work practice control measures are necessary.
• Knowledge of acceptable exposure limits such as those set by OSHA or the
ACGIH is vital to ensuring a proper assessment of a potential health risk.

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HAZARD EVALUATION

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HAZARD EVALUATION
WORKPLACE CHARACTERIZATION

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HAZARD EVALUATION
WORK FORCE CHARACTERIZATION

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HAZARD EVALUATION
WORK FORCE CHARACTERIZATION

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HAZARD EVALUATION
SAMPLING STRATEGY

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HAZARD CONTROL

• If exposure levels are judged to be unacceptable based on established limits

or professional judgment, measures must be taken to eliminate or reduce the
exposure.
• The industrial hygiene program includes specification of control measures,
whether included in its documentation (e.g., exhaust ventilation, hearing
conservation, respiratory protection, hazard communication, ergonomics
programs) or as a result of recommendations following surveys and
assessments.
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HAZARD CONTROL

• Controls may be substitution, engineering, administrative, personal protective

equipment, or a combination of these methods.
• In almost every case, substitution (elimination) and engineering controls are
preferred over personal protective equipment, which should be the last choice
for control measures.

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HAZARD CONTROL

• An effective program is one that considers the use of appropriate control

measures during the design of new processes or equipment before use in
production.
• Maintenance of operational controls should be documented along with clearly
assigned responsibilities.

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EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND EDUCATION

• Training has become a standard part of most OSHA regulations.

• In most categories listed in Table 27–B, there is an element of training,
education, and awareness ranging from labels and postings to classes and
certifications.

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EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND EDUCATION

• Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines (OSHA 1992)

and provides a guidance for establishing training:
• Determine if Training is Needed
• Identify Training Needs
• Identify Goals and Objectives
• Developing Learning Activities
• Conducting Training
• Evaluation of Program
• Improving the Program 29

• Document the Training

DOCUMENTATION/RECORDKEEPING

• Industrial hygiene related documentation must be maintained.

• The decisions made by industrial hygienists can have legal as well as regulatory
consequences.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.20 mandates that exposure records must be maintained for at
least 30 years.
• The documentation is needed to demonstrate that the work has been conducted in
accordance with professional standards, and it may be useful for future industrial
hygiene or medical evaluations

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EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT

• Effective health and safety programs includes a commitment by the employer to

encourage employee involvement in decisions that affect worker safety and health.
• There are many methods and those selected have much to do with the culture of the
company and/or location.
• One approach is the use of safety and health committees
• At a minimum, employees should be encouraged to participate by reporting unsafe
work conditions and signs

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PROGRAM EVALUATION AND PROGRAM AUDIT

• Methods must be developed to periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the

industrial hygiene program.
• Audits are commonly used to determine whether the elements of the program
have been implemented in accordance with established procedures, and
whether these procedures have been effective in achieving their goal

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PROGRAM EVALUATION AND PROGRAM AUDIT
• There are generally five phases to an audit.
• It usually begins with an opening conference with the management of the facility, during
which the purpose, scope, and schedule of the audit is discussed.
• Then there is the information gathering stage.
• Next, the information is analyzed, key facts confirmed, and contradictions resolved.
During this phase the auditor can usually generalize from specific situations to underlying
program deficiencies.
• Then the auditors present their findings to management during a closing conference, at
which time any remaining concerns can be discussed.
• Finally, a report of findings is issued.
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ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organizational responsibilities for the program should be clearly defined.

• Industrial hygiene may be part of the safety department or another
department, or it may be a department by itself.
• There should be a statement, such as policy or other document, that clearly
communicates health and safety responsibilities including where the industrial
hygiene program gets its authority and to whom it reports.

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ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

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MEDICAL PROGRAM

• Medical programs usually offer the following services:

➣ Health examinations
➣ Diagnosis and treatment
➣ Medical recordkeeping
➣ Medical or biological monitoring
➣ Health education and counseling
➣ Wellness activities
➣ Medical case management

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ENGINEERING

• Engineering professionals are involved with the design and modification of

manufacturing processes and facilities supporting these processes.
• Because these processes may introduce health and safety hazards into the workplace,
engineers must coordinate their plans with the safety professional and the industrial
hygienist. It costs much less to anticipate and eliminate a hazard in the planning
stage than it does to manage it afterward.
• In cases where there is an existing hazard, the industrial hygienist must work with the
engineer to develop control methods to reduce or eliminate the hazard.

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SAFETY

• The safety professional’s main responsibility is to run an effective safety program.

• An effective safety program lends credibility and builds support for all health and
safety related work at the facility.
• It also enhances the safety program’s recognition of industrial hygiene issues and will
work them into such safety activities as workplace inspections, accident investigations,
and accident trend analysis and make appropriate referrals to the industrial
hygienist.

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PURCHASING

• The purchasing department has the responsibility to ensure

• that only equipment and material approved by the industrial
• hygiene, safety, environmental, or other responsible reviewing
• organization are purchased.

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GENERAL MANAGER

• General managers (also known by such titles as location managers and

operations managers) have the ultimate responsibility for the industrial
hygiene program and the safety of their employees at their facilities.

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SUPERVISOR
• The supervisor is a key person in the implementation and maintenance of
safety and health requirements on a day-to-day basis.
• Their responsibilities include
• setting a good example,
• ensuring that safety and health rules are followed,
• ensuring that employees are provided training concerning potential safety and health
hazards and control measures associated with their jobs,
• ensuring that all necessary personal protective equipment is provided and used, ensuring
that employees receive all required medical examinations,
• promptly reporting any operation or condition that might present a hazard to employees.
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EMPLOYEES

• Employees have the responsibility to perform their work in a manner that

ensures their own personal safety as well as the safety of fellow employees.

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SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE

• The safety and health committee(s) provides a forum for securing cooperation,
coordination, and exchange of ideas among those groups involved in the safety and
health program.
• It typically has three major functions:
• It examines company safety and health issues and recommends changes in practices or
policies to management, conducts periodic workplace inspections, and evaluates and promotes
interest in the program.
• It also provides a means of involving employees in the program. Joint management-labor
health and safety committees are often used if the employees are represented by a union.
• At the committee meeting, key industrial hygiene program matters should be discussed and
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policies formulated.
SUMMARY

• To accomplish the goal for preventing occupational illness and injury, there must be
an effective industrial hygiene program.
• It requires the cooperation of employees and all levels of management.
• The program consists of a written program and policy statement, hazard
identification, hazard evaluation and exposure assessment, hazard control, employee
training and involvement, program evaluation and audit, and
documentation/recordkeeping.
• Each component must be periodically evaluated to determine continuing effectiveness.
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梵谷 梵谷一生
一位用盡生
命創作的畫 梵谷短暫的一生，坎坷多磨及負
家，瘋狂追 悲劇意味，他一生追求簡樸真實。它
求真愛及真 用強烈的色彩、奔放粗野的線條、扭
實的感受。 曲誇張的形體來表現對客觀世界的主
觀感受。敏感的梵谷在生活中屢屢遭
受失敗，但這種失敗的滋味卻成就他
在藝術上的輝煌表現。
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