Queensland Laboratory News Details
Occupational Hygiene - AIOH Communication
Added: 15 April, 2009Download the PDF
Occupational Hygiene Management Program Priorities
An AIOHCC Publication by Andrew Kleier
Occupational hygiene is an exciting and dynamic specialty in the safety spectrum. Occupational hygiene is the process of anticipation, recognition, evaluation, communication and control of environmental stressors in the workplace that can affect the health and well being of the workforce. Occupational hygienists assist to identify the risk level of occupational exposures to stressors (hazards) and assist in the control of this exposure before disease or harm manifests.
The following are some basic tips to assist non Hygienists to identify some of the most important elements of a hygiene monitoring program:
Health hazard identification is the first step to developing an occupational hygiene program. This process will develop a list of the stressors that the workforce are potentially exposed to. These will be under the categories of Biological (legionella), Chemical (Lead, Cyanide), Physical (Vibration, Heat, Noise), Ergonomic and Psychosocial. This will often consist of a walk through survey to identify the issues and list detail of the potential for harm. The health hazard identification needs to be conducted in the workplace with input from the operational staff.
Qualitative risk assessment is performed to identify the potential exposures that require monitoring. This is a risk management process to establish the priority exposures for further review and uses judgment of the hygienist, engineers, managers and operators. Use the operational staff to assist with the process, this also helps in justification for the survey if an area management have signed off on the process.
Quantitative risk assessment is the process of obtaining data to determine what the actual exposure is in the workplace through scientific data. Conduct the program in line with accepted standards for example the publications simplified monitoring strategies (a guide on how to apply NOHSC’s exposures standards for atmospheric contaminants in the occupational environment) from the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists and a strategy for assessing and managing occupational exposures third addition from the American industrial hygiene association. The standards assist with deciding what should be sampled, how many samples to take and what the data can mean.
Blanks are incredibly important during for analysis of samples. In general keep 2 blanks for every 10 samples. Handle the blank exactly the same as a real sample except do not sample with it. You will have the blank weight, put it into the sampling equipment, remove and have the sample post weighed and analyzed with the live samples. The blank provides correction for handling and sampling media back ground levels of moisture or trace elements.
The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists is an organization the assists development and networking of occupational hygienists and other professionals. Membership helps developing hygienist and safety professionals access a network of experience that are happy to assist and advise on issues as required. The institute holds an annual conference to present the latest knowledge and issues. The 2009 AIOH conference will be held in Canberra with the theme of “Emergency Issues” www.aioh.com.au has further detail.
Calibration of equipment is essential and can be the undoing of any hygiene program. Follow the relevant Australian Standard for the type of equipment you have. Remember to calibrate equipment pre and post use, however send the equipment away for third party calibration as required. Develop a register of all equipment and list due dates for calibrations. Back this up by setting reminders in Microsoft outlook.
Records are the life blood of any hygiene program. These must be maintained for long term retention (30 years or more under most legislation.). It is important to ensure that records can be located and identified. Procedures need to be developed for managing samples, sample records and reports. The data sets from many years of sampling can be compared to indicate the trend of a companies exposures and reports will provide record of decision making that has occurred.
There are many aspects to an occupational hygiene program. Contact with the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists can assist hygiene professionals. However the institute is also a resource for companies that require either short term services of hygiene professionals, advice on exposures/issues in the work place or are seeking to employee an occupational hygienist. Media enquires are also welcome for any topics of interest.