Industrial Hygiene A Passion for Protecting People in

Industrial Hygiene: A Passion for Protecting People in the Workplace

What We’re Talking About Defining Industrial Hygiene Examples of Workplace Hazards How Industrial Hygienists Help People Careers in Industrial Hygiene Resources for Learning About Industrial Hygiene

What Is Industrial Hygiene? In the workplace, industrial hygienists: Anticipate Recognize Evaluate Control Environmental factors that might cause health and safety problems

Who Are Industrial Hygienists? Industrial hygienists are workplace detectives, finding and fixing health and safety problems.

Why Are Industrial Hygienists Important to Organizations? Industrial hygienists unite management and workers behind the common goal of having a healthy and safe workplace.

Industrial hygienists are the guardians of The health and. Bottom safety in the. Line workplace

Why Industrial Hygiene Is Important Every day, an average of 9, 000 U. S. workers sustain disabling injuries on the job, 16 workers die from an injury at work, and 137 workers die from workrelated diseases. (National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety) Five of every 100 workers will suffer an illness or injury from work this year. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

More Reasons Why Industrial Hygiene Is Important On-the-job injuries cost $156. 2 billion in 2003, of which $78. 3 billion was wage and productivity losses. (National Safety Council) For every $1 invested in safety, a company saves between $3 and $6. (Liberty Mutual Research Institute)

More Reasons Why Industrial Hygiene is Important Many health problems are things you can’t see – industrial hygienists are trained to solve these complex problems People need to be confident they are safe to do their best work and be productive

More Reasons Why Industrial Hygiene is Important All organizations have a moral obligation to protect their workers

The People Behind the Numbers and Let’s look at some of the people statistics don’t tell behind the numbers the whole story about industrial hygiene

The People Behind the Numbers Workers had warned John Arsenaeu of combustible was a pipefitter at hazards at the plant a steel for years, but nothing manufacturing was done. He and five plant wheredidn’t an other workers explosion survive the explosion. occurred.

The People Behind the Numbers Louis Harrell displays the plaque recognizing his “loyal and faithful service” to his employer Louis Harrell as he dies from brown lung disease, contracted by working in a cotton processing plant.

The Welding Truck The People Behind the Numbers Mickey was a welder working in the midst of gigantic tanks of petroleum in a plant in Pennsylvania. The welding procedure caused a fire. The explosion flung the tanks into the air and across the yard where they landed on top of a trailer and crushed two workers. Mickey was on fire, and was found nearby later. She died soon after reaching the hospital.

The People Behind the Numbers Bill fell off a roof while supervising a construction job. His wife, Elaine, has seen him through two comas, one amputation, and two years in a nursing home. Now Elaine must go back to work and Bill must try to find a new job that doesn’t require physical activity – a tough proposition in the construction industry.

The People Behind the Numbers Butch Koptchak on a coal mine Roof falls tests are thetorque leading cause expansion bolt. of injury and death in coal mines. Two years earlier, his father died doing the same job.

It’s About Life and Death Losing a co-worker is a tough experience. Industrial hygienists work hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Industrial Hygiene Solutions Thanks to industrial hygienists, today’s coal mines include new safety features such as this machine that now installs expansion bolts in mine roofs, reducing the danger to workers.

Industrial Hygienists Involved in Emergency Response Industrial hygienists were on hand after 9 -11 at the site of the World Trade Centers collapse to test for environmental contamination.

Don’t Take the Fall Part of industrial hygiene is instructing workers on the proper use of safety harnesses in dangerous work environments where falling is a risk.

Laser Tag Was Never Like This Laser lights in manufacturing operations can damage eyesight. Industrial hygienists help ensure that proper safety precautions are taken.

Down on the Farm workers A farm. Farm worker gets are at high risk injuries, readyfor to dust a lung diseases, hearing vegetable crop loss, with skin diseases, and certain pesticides as hiscancers associated withon. chemical use and son looks prolonged sun exposure.

Relief for Your Aching Back The extreme bending required to tie off these rebar joints on a bridge construction project was eliminated by industrial hygienists who developed a device to accomplish the same task from a standing position.

Safety Education Begins with Teens Each year about 64, 000 teenagers who work in fast food restaurants require treatment in hospital emergency rooms. Good safety practices in the workplace need to begin at an early age.

Feeling the Heat exposure can be a health and safety issue in many workplaces, both indoors and outdoors. Industrial hygienists can help develop solutions to keep workers safe from dehydration and heat stroke.

The Kids Are All Right Industrial hygienists help protect workers and children in daycare settings, where infectious diseases can spread easily and children can be injured by improperly designed toys and play equipment

Applying Safety in the Workplace This furniture finisher is exposed to vapors from petroleum-based varnish. His hands Industrial are hygienists can also inrecommend direct ways to protect this contact with the type of worker, including wearing wet varnish. gloves and respiratory equipment.

Industrial Hygiene in the Community Their health and safety recommendations go beyond the workplace and into the community. Industrial hygienists protect the public from environmental hazards.

Industrial hygienists are important people! They help prevent sickness, death, and injury in the workplace.

Dilbert Weighs In On Health and Safety

ity ativ Cre Skill Sets for w. Technical riting Industrial Hygienists Curiosity Science (Toxicology, Epidemiology, Microbiology, etc. ) g in er ne gi En d n a p l e H ople to e e t. P r i s ec e D rot P C om m on se ns e t n e m g d u J n o e i t v i t ica c a un r e m t In m co Listening

Why Industrial Hygiene is Exciting You use a variety of skills all the time It’s positive work – you are solving problems and protecting people If you like the TV show CSI, you’ll love industrial hygiene It’s “applied science” – you can use what you learn in the classroom

Health and Safety Issues that Industrial Hygienists Investigate and Solve Mold Asbestos Airborne contaminants Radiation

Health and Safety Issues that Industrial Hygienists Investigate and Solve Water quality Ergonomics Heat stress Anthrax Noise

More Health and Safety Activities Hazard evaluation Exposure assessment Biological monitoring Accident investigation Inspection and auditing Environmental site assessments

More Health and Safety Activities Hazardous waste handling and monitoring Laboratory health and safety Emergency response Meth lab investigations and cleanup Nanotechnology workplace safety

Cool “Toys” for Industrial Hygienists

What It Takes to Be an Industrial Hygienist Undergraduate Degree in Industrial Hygiene (or at least a science-related major) Graduate Degree in Industrial Hygiene (not required but can increase marketability and earning potential) Practical Training Internships

What Kinds of Jobs Can I Get? Corporate Industrial Hygienist Government Industrial Hygienist Consultant Scientific Research Specialist Academician Teaching Industrial Hygiene Regulatory Official with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration

Who Employs Industrial Hygienists? Emergency response Public utilities Government Space exploration Labor unions Research laboratories Hospitals Hazardous waste companies Colleges and universities Insurance companies Consulting firms Chemical companies Manufacturing companies Agriculture National parks Military And many more !

What Are the Job Prospects? Excellent! Baby Boomers hired in the 1970 s are all retiring – you can take their places!

Career Advancement Opportunities Industrial hygienists are at the center of the action for health and safety issues – they are well-positioned to become chief health and safety officers Industrial hygienists know the science – if they have good management and communication skills they can advance within their organizations

Scholarships Are Available! The American Industrial Hygiene Foundation has awarded more than $760, 000 to more than 30 universities and 310 students in the past 13 years Each year the Foundation awards up to 10 scholarships of up to $5, 000 each Contact Jennifer Steffan at 703 -846 -0768 or e-mail aihf@aiha. org for more info

Show Me the Money! Industrial hygienists usually make $40, 000 or more in their first job Salaries can top $100, 000 with experience

Are You Certifiable? Earning a certification in industrial hygiene can increase your knowledge (and your salary!) Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Many Others

Top 10 Reasons to Be an Industrial Hygienist 4. Indu stria biol l 3. Everyone hyg to know what ogy wants i e , n ean c e ngindustrial h hygienist comdoes emi inee s b t fuand r i r n i y n in I getnto e tell them. , g s , peo to o ple ne p skill rofe ssio s, an d n.

Industrial Hygienists You Can Call any of these people to get a firsthand account of what industrial hygiene jobs are like – Carter Ficklen, CIH, NASA Langley Research Center 757 -864 -3205 or c. b. ficklen@larc. nasa. gov – Jane Maslowski, Canadian Science Center for Human/Animal Health 204 -789 -7040 or Jane_Maslowski@hc-sc. gc. ca – Perry W. Logan, CIH, 3 M Corporation 651 -778 -4630 or pwlogan 1@mmm. com – Steven E. Lacey, Ph. D, University of Illinois at Chicago 312 -996 -7344 or slacey@uic. edu – Dianna Bryant, CIH, CSP, Central Missouri State University 660 -543 -4971 or ihgoddess@hotmail. com – Neil J. Zimmerman, Ph. D, PE, CIH, Purdue Univ. School of Health Sciences 765 -494 -1439 or neil@purdue. edu

Networking and Learning Opportunities American Industrial Hygiene Association (www. aiha. org) 703 -849 -8888 AIHA Local Sections AIHA Student Sections American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo

More Information on Careers in Industrial Hygiene American Industrial Hygiene Association (www. aiha. org) Development of the profession Types of jobs available Education requirements List of colleges and universities with industrial hygiene programs

More Information on Careers in Industrial Hygiene National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) NIOSH has a list of academic degree programs and research training opportunities in industrial hygiene available through universitybased Education and Research Centers. Learn more online at http: //www. cdc. gov/niosh/oep/centers. html or call 1 -800 -356 -4674

Special Thanks AIHA offers special thanks to Earl Dotter, an award-winning photojournalist and author of the book, “The Quiet Sickness, ” a photographic chronicle of hazardous work in America. He provided many of the photographs used in this presentation. To learn more about Dotter and his work, visit www. earldotter. com or call 301 -589 -3061.

American Industrial Hygiene Association www. aiha. org 703 -849 -8888 info@aiha. org