What is Industrial Hygiene, and How Should It Be?

What is Industrial Hygiene, and How Should It Be?

With the rapid growth of industrialization, the chemicals, machinery, noise sources, and biological agents used in workplaces have also increased, diversifying the risks to which workers are exposed. Therefore, the concept of industrial hygiene, a systematic approach to making the working environment safe and healthy, has emerged. Industrial hygiene is one of the fundamental building blocks of occupational health and safety science and aims to protect the long-term health of workers.

Definition of Industrial Hygiene

Industrial hygiene is the science of identifying physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic risk factors present or likely to arise in the workplace in advance and controlling them without harming workers' health.

In other words, it encompasses all preventive, measurement, and control activities carried out to create healthy working conditions in the workplace.

History

• Ancient Times: Hippocrates (4th century BC) was the first scientist to describe poisoning in workers exposed to lead.
• 1st Century: Agricola described lung diseases seen in miners.
• 19th Century: With the Industrial Revolution, chemical exposures and workplace accidents increased, and modern occupational health science began to develop.
• 20th Century: Industrial hygiene became a scientific field alongside engineering and medicine, and professional associations (AIHA, BOHS) were established.

Objectives of Industrial Hygiene

• To protect the health of workers
• To prevent occupational diseases
• To reduce workplace accidents
• To increase worker productivity
• To ensure sustainable production in the workplace
• To fulfill legal obligations

Scope of Industrial Hygiene

Industrial hygiene focuses on four main groups of hazards in the working environment:

• Chemical Agents: Dust, gas, fumes, solvents, acid-base vapors, pesticides.
• Physical Agents: Noise, vibration, temperature, lighting, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
• Biological Agents: Bacteria, viruses, fungi, biological toxins.
• Ergonomic and Psychosocial Agents: Heavy lifting, repetitive movements, stress, shift patterns.

Stages of Industrial Hygiene Implementation

Industrial hygiene is a systematic process consisting of the following steps:

Hazard Identification

All hazards that workers may encounter in the workplace are identified. For example: solvent fumes, noise, biological agents.

Measurement and Exposure Assessment

Measurements are taken to determine the level of exposure of workers to risks. For example:

• Air sampling pumps for dust and gas,
• Sound dosimeters for noise,
• Accelerometers for vibration,
• Luxmeters for lighting,
• Dosimeters for radiation.
• Risk Analysis

Exposure values are compared with national and international limits (e.g., ACGIH TLV, OSHA PEL, Turkish Occupational Exposure Limits).

Control Measures

Risks are reduced according to the hierarchy of controls:

• Elimination at source: Not using or substituting the hazardous substance.
• Engineering controls: Ventilation, isolation, automation.
• Administrative controls: Reduction of working hours, shift arrangements.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE): Mask, gloves, goggles, ear protection.
• Monitoring and Training

The effectiveness of the measures taken should be monitored regularly, and hygiene training should be provided to employees.

Legal Framework for Industrial Hygiene in Turkey

Industrial hygiene practices in Turkey are regulated by the Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 and related regulations. Specifically:

“Regulation on Occupational Hygiene Measurement, Testing, and Analysis”
“Regulation on the Procedures and Principles of Occupational Health and Safety Training for Employees”

specifies that workplace measurements must be performed by authorized laboratories and that employers are responsible for protecting employee health.

Effects of Industrial Hygiene in the Workplace

• Employee absenteeism decreases.
• Occupational diseases (silicosis, lead poisoning, hearing loss, etc.) are prevented.
• Morale and motivation in the workplace
• The business is protected from legal penalties.
• Productivity and production quality increase.

Industrial hygiene is the most important component of occupational health and safety culture. Scientific measurement, risk analysis, and control methods should be used to protect the health of employees and prevent occupational accidents and diseases. In the modern business world, industrial hygiene is not only a legal requirement but also the key to sustainable business success.