A Healthy Working Environment for Everyone

What does an occupational hygienist actually do?

It’s not about cleaning - it’s about worker health protection!

Occupational hygienists use science and engineering to control risks to health, by designing out hazards and applying engineering controls to reduce exposures to a minimum.

This approach is designed to protect workers from serious, and even fatal, illnesses caused by work-related activities.

Examples of typical projects for an occupational hygienist to work on might include:

• Conducting a noise survey in a factory to determine the noise levels to which workers are exposed
• Measuring and sampling levels of dust in an aggregates plant or quarry, using specialist equipment, to evaluate worker exposure
• Effectively managing the handling of chemical products in a factory, to prevent ill health conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, asthma and dermatitis