‘The discipline of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling health hazards in the working environment with the objective of protecting worker health and well-being and safeguarding the community at large’.
ANTICIPATION – this involves identifying potential hazards in the workplace before they are introduced.
RECOGNITION – this involves identifying the potential hazard that a chemical, physical or biological agent – or an adverse ergonomic situation – poses to health.
Chemical agents – Gases, vapours, solids, fibres, liquids, dusts, mists, fumes, etc.
Physical agents – Noise and vibration, Heat and cold, Electromagnetic fields, lighting etc.
Biological agents – Bacteria , fungi, etc.
Ergonomic factors – Lifting, stretching, and repetitive motion.
Psychosocial factors – Stress, workload and work organisation.
Basic Principles in Occupational Hygiene
EVALUATION of the extent of exposure to the chemical hazards, physical or biological agents (or adverse ergonomic situation) in the workplace. This often involves measurement of the personal exposure of a worker to the hazard/agent in the workplace, particularly at the relevant interface between the environment and the body, e.g. breathing zone, hearing zone, and assessment of the data in terms of recommended occupational exposure limits (OELs), where such criteria exist.
CONTROL of the chemical, physical or biological agent – or adverse ergonomic situation, by procedural, engineering or other means where the evaluation indicates that this is necessary.
Occupational hygiene therefore focuses essentially on a preventative approach through the minimisation of exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents in the work environment and the adoption of good ergonomic practices.
