Occupational Hygiene

Occupational Hygiene

Occupational (or "industrial" in the U.S.) hygiene is generally defined as the art and science dedicated to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, communication and control of environmental stressors in, or arising from, the workplace that may result in injury, illness, impairment, or affect the well being of workers and members of the community. These stressors are divided into the categories biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic and psychosocial. The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) define that "occupational hygiene is about the prevention of ill-health from work, through recognizing, evaluating and controlling the risks". The International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) refers to occupational hygiene as 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.

The term "occupational hygiene" (used in the UK and Commonwealth countries as well as much of Europe) is synonymous with industrial hygiene (used in the US, Latin America, and other countries that received initial technical support or training from US sources). The term "industrial hygiene" traditionally stems from industries with construction, mining or manufacturing and "occupational hygiene" refers to all types of industry such as those listed for "industrial hygiene" as well as financial and support services industries and refers to "work", "workplace" and "place of work" in general. Environmental hygiene addresses similar issues to occupational hygiene, but is likely to be about broad industry or broad issues affecting the local community, broader society, region or country.

The profession of occupational hygiene uses strict and rigorous scientific methodology and often requires professional experience in determining the potential for hazard, exposures or risk in workplace and environmental studies. This aspect of occupational hygiene is often referred to as the "art" of occupational hygiene and is used in a similar sense to the "art" of medicine. In fact "occupational hygiene" is both an aspect of preventative medicine and in particular occupational medicine, in that its goal is to prevent industrial disease, and risk management, risk assessment and industrial safety, in that it also seeks "safe" systems, procedures or methods to be applied in the workplace or to the environment.

Read more about Occupational Hygiene:  The Social Role of Occupational Hygiene, Workplace Assessment Methods, General Activities, Education, Professional Societies, Occupational Hygiene Peer-reviewed Literature, Examples of Occupational Hygiene, Examples of Occupational Hygiene Careers, Standard References, International Organization For Standardization

Other articles related to "occupational hygiene":

British Occupational Hygiene Society - Occupational Hygiene
... Occupational hygiene is the scientific discipline that protects people against the wide range of health risks that can arise from exposure to health hazards at work ... The breadth of knowledge and skills brought together in occupational hygiene is unique ...
British Occupational Hygiene Society - Faculty of Occupational Hygiene
... The Faculty of Occupational Hygiene is the professional arm of BOHS ... Membership is restricted to BOHS members with specific qualifications in occupational hygiene and related subjects ... the Faculty administers a suite of examinations and awards qualifications in occupational hygiene and allied subjects, and provides a qualifications’ verification service ...
Occupational Hygiene - International Organization For Standardization
... ISO is at ISO 9000 Quality management (set) ISO 90002005 Quality management systems — Fundamentals and vocabulary ISO 90012008 Quality management systems — Requirements ISO 90012008 / Cor 12009 Technical Corrigendum 12009 to ISO 90012008 ISO 90042000 Quality management systems — Guidelines for performance improvements ISO 100012007 Quality management — Customer satisfaction — Guidelines for codes of conduct for organizations ISO 100022004 Quality management — Customer satisfaction — Guidelines for complaints handling in organizations ISO 100032007 Quality management — Customer satisfaction — Guidelines for dispute resolution external to organizations ISO 100052005 Quality management systems — Guidelines for quality plans ISO 100062003 Quality management systems — Guidelines for quality management in projects ISO 100072003 Quality management systems — Guidelines for configuration management ISO 100122003 Measurement management systems — Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment ISO/TR 100132001 Guidelines for quality management system documentation ISO 100142006 Quality management — Guidelines for realizing financial and economic benefits ISO 100142006 / Cor. 12007 Technical Corrigendum 1 to ISO 100142006 ISO 100151999 Quality management — Guidelines for training ISO/TR 100172003 Guidance on statistical techniques for ISO 90012000 ISO 100192005 Guidelines for the selection of quality management system consultants and use of their services ISO 190112002 Guidelines for quality and/or environmental management systems auditing ...

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