INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

CH153
Q3 AY2021

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 What is Industrial Hygiene?
• the science devoted to the identification,
evaluation and control of occupational
conditions that cause sickness or injury
• the science and art devoted to the
anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and
control of environmental factors or stresses
arising in or from the workplace which may
cause sickness, impaired health and well-
being, or significant discomfort and
inefficiency among workers or among
citizens in the community - AIHA
• includes the selection and use of
instrumentation to monitor the workplace
during the identification and control phases
Typical projects
Monitoring toxic airborne vapor
concentrations
Reducing toxic airborne vapors through the
use of ventilation
Selecting proper personal protective
equipment to prevent worker exposure
Developing procedures for the handling of
hazardous materials
Monitoring and reducing noise, heat,
radiation and other physical factors to ensure
that workers are not exposed to harmful
levels
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 What is Industrial Hygiene?

Industrial hygienists are scientists and engineers committed to

protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace
and the community. The industrial hygienist is part of a
broader family of professionals often referred to collectively as
the practice of occupational and environmental health and
safety.

The goal of the industrial hygienist is to keep workers,

their families, and the community healthy and safe. They
play a vital part in ensuring that federal, state, and local
laws and regulations are followed in the work
environment.

American Industrial Hygiene Assoc. (AIHA)

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 What is Industrial Hygiene?

Four phases in an industrial

hygiene project
1. Anticipation
2. Identification
3. Evaluation
4. Control
 What is Industrial Hygiene?
In chemical plant and laboratories, the
industrial hygienist

• identifies and evaluates hazards;

• makes recommendations relevant to control
techniques;
• works closely with safety professionals as an
integral part of a safety and loss prevention
program;
• ensures (together with safety and plant
operation personnel) control measures are
applied and maintained
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 Phases of an Industrial Hygiene Project
expectation of the presence of
workplace hazards and worker
Four phases in exposures
an industrial
hygiene application of
project determination of
appropriate
the presence or
technology to
possibility of
reduce workplace
workplace
exposures to
exposures
acceptable levels

determination of the
magnitude of the exposure
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Anticipation
One of the major responsibilities of the IH is to anticipate, identify, and solve
potential health problems within plants.

expectation of the
presence of
workplace Task requires the combined
hazards and efforts of IHs, process
worker exposures designers, operators,
laboratory personnel and
management.

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Identification All potential hazards in a chemical plant must be identified and controlled.

Requires a thorough study of:

Chemical Process Operating Conditions Operating
Procedures
Sources of Information

Process
Operating
design Safety reviews
instructions
description

Equipment Information Information

vendor from chemical from operating
specifications suppliers personnel

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Identification
Identification of Potential Hazards Data Useful for Health Identification
Potential Hazards Data
Liquids Noise Threshold Limit Values
Vapors Radiation Vapor pressure of liquids
Dusts Temperature Reactivity with other chemicals
determination of Fumes Mechanical Odor threshold for vapors
the presence or
possibility of Entry Mode of Toxicants Rates and heats of reaction
workplace Inhalation Ingestion Noise levels of equipment
exposures Physical state
Injection Absorption
Potential Damage Hazardous by-products
Types and degrees of radiation
Lungs Skin
Sensitivity of chemical to temperature or impact
Ears Eyes
Explosive concentration of chemicals, dust or vapors
Kidneys Liver
Circulatory System Nervous System
Reproductive Organs
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Table AG-1 cont’d.
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Table AG-1 cont’d.

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Table AG-1 cont’d.

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Table AG-1 cont’d.

Identification
Section 1 Section 2
Material Safety Data Sheets
Chemical Product and Composition / Information on
Company Identification Ingredients
Product name as written on the label Components which make the
Other names by which the product is material potentially hazardous
known Exposure limits
Manufacturer’s name, address and
telephone number
Emergency numbers

Section 3
Hazards Identification
Characteristics: color, odor, physical
Emergency overview
attributes
Immediate potential hazards Long-term health effects
Potential health effects: routes of entry, symptoms of exposure, immediate
health hazards
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Identification
Section 4
Material Safety Data Sheets
First Aid Measures
Section 5
Fire Fighting Measures
Why a material may present a fire
or explosion hazard
Under what conditions the hazard
exists
Hazardous by-products of burning
Basic fire fighting guidance
Section 6
Accidental Release Measures
Reporting requirements
Special procedures in the event of
a spill
Section 7
Handling and Storage
Specific procedures for handling
and storage to protect against
accidental release or ignition
and to protect against
dangerous reactions with other
materials
Section 8
Exposure Control and
Personal Protection
Engineering controls like
ventilation
Exposure levels to be maintained
Personal protective equipment
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Identification
Section 9 Section 12
Material Safety Data Sheets
Physical and Chemical Ecological Information
Properties
Section 13
Physical state
Disposal Information
Physical appearance
Classification, identification,
Properties: boiling and freezing limitations and restrictions
points, vapor pressure,
evaporation rate Section 14

Section 10 Shipping Infomation

Stability and Reactivity Section 15

Materials that are incompatible Regulatory Information
with the material stability
Section 16
Section 11 Additional Information
Toxicological Data Updates, revisions, references, label
(Lab Test Results) texts, hazard ratings
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Example:
A survey of a laboratory is
made and the following
chemical species are
identified: sodium chloride,
toluene, hydrochloric acid,
phenol, sodium hydroxide,
benzene, and ether. Identify
the potential hazards in this
laboratory.
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

END OF THIS PART

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