Introduction to Industrial Hygiene

Industrial Hygiene Part science, part art Industrial Hygiene is the application of scientific principles in the workplace to prevent the development of occupational disease or injury Requires knowledge of chemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology, mathematics

IH Topics Toxicology Occupational Health Standards Airborne Hazards Indoor Air Quality Skin Disorders Noise Exposure Radiation Thermal Stress Anatomy Biohazards Chemicals Illumination Personal Protective Equipment Ventilation Vibration Sampling

History of IH Disease resulting from exposure to chemicals or physical agents have existed ever since people chose to use or handle materials with toxic potential In the far past, causes were not always recognized

Earliest Recordings Lead poisoning among miners by Hippocrates, 4 th century BC Zinc and sulfur hazards by Pliny the Elder, 3 rd century BC

The Original Metallica Georgius Agricola published a 12 volume set in 1556, De Re Metallica Town physician in Saxony Silver mining Described diseases of lungs, joints, eyes Woodcuts (see next slides)

Metallica Quotes “If the dust has corrosive qualities, it eats away at the lungs, and implants consumption in the body” Later determined to be silicosis, tuberculosis, and lung cancer

Metallica Quotes “there is found in the mines black pompholyz, which eats wounds and ulcers to the bone; this also corrodes iron... There is a certain kind of cadmia which eats away at the feet of workmen when they have become wet, and similarly their hands, and injures their lungs and eyes.” Later recognized as manifestations of toxicity of arsenic and cadmium

Metallica cont. A young American named Herbert C. Hoover and his wife, L.H. Hoover, translated Agricola’s work into English. The translation was published in 1912 Hoover graduated from Stanford in 1891 as a Mining Engineer Hoover served as the 31 st president of the US (1929 – 1933)

Paracelsus Published work describing mercury poisoning of miners in 1567 His famous quote, “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy.” This provided the basis for the concept of the dose-response relationship.

Dose-Response Relationship The toxicity of a substance depends not only on its toxic properties, but also on the amount of exposure, or the dose Paracelsus differentiated between Chronic (low-level, long-term) poisoning Acute (high-level, short-term) poisoning

Bernardino Ramazzini ( ) Wrote a book, “De Morbis Artificum” (Diseases of Workers), starting the field of occupational medicine Urged physicians to ask the question, “Of what trade are you?” He described diseases associated with various lower-class trades, such as corpse carriers and laundresses.

Other Pioneers around 1770 Sir George Baker Linked “Devonshire colic” to lead in cider Percival Pott Linked soot exposure and scrotal cancer in chimney sweeps

The Mad Hatter Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” (1865) Mad Hatter exhibited symptoms of mercury poisoning, such as mental and personality changes marked by depression and tendency to withdraw Mercury was used in processing hides made into hats Bars were installed on windows at hat factories presumably to prevent afflicted workers from leaping during bouts of depression

Protection Starts to Arrive English Factory Act, 1833, allows injured workers to receive compensation English Factory Inspectorate, 1878 US Workers Compensation started in in several states (state programs, not federal) Occupational Safety & Health Act enacted in 1970 creating OSH Administration Created regulations, inspections, recordkeeping, enforcement, etc.

Birth of Industrial Hygiene A few industrial hygienists were practicing in early 1900s Physicians sometimes saw the industrial hygienist as a threat to their realm of expertise Dr. Alice Hamilton was a pioneer Occupational Physician and female pioneer. She helped foster the field of IH in the US American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) formed in 1939

Industrial Hygiene Other terms Occupational Hygiene Environmental Hygiene Environmental Health

Professional Organizations American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), member organization American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), member organization for government employeeswww.acgih.org American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), independent organization that administers certification programs for industrial hygiene professionals IHIT, Industrial Hygienist in Training CIH, Certified Industrial Hygienist Requires maintenance of certification

Definition of Industrial Hygiene An Industrial Hygienist is a person having a college degree in engineering, chemistry, physics, medicine, or related physical and biological sciences, who has also received specialized training in recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace stressors and therefore achieved competence in industrial hygiene. The specialized studies and training must be sufficient so that the individual is able to: 1) anticipate and recognize the environmental factors and understand their effects on people and their well-being; 2) evaluate, on the basis of experience and with the aid of quantitative measurement techniques, the magnitude of these stresses in terms of the stressor’s ability to impair human health and well-being; and 3) prescribe methods to eliminate, control, or reduce such stresses when necessary to diminish their effects.

Scope of IH Recognition, Evaluation, and Control of hazards or agents Chemical Agents Dusts, mists, fumes, vapors, gases Physical Agents Ionizing and nonionizing radiation, noise, vibration, and temperature extremes Biological Agents Insects, molds, yeasts, fungi, bacteria, viruses Ergonomic Agents Monotony, fatigue, repetitive motion

2 nd Aspect: Evaluation of Agents Observations Quantitative measurement of the agents of concern Experience and knowledge of Industrial Hygienist

3 rd Aspect: Control of Agents Controls in this order of preference 1. Engineering Controls Engineering changes in design, equipment, processes Substituting a non-hazardous material 2. Administrative Controls Reduce the human exposure by changes in procedures, work-area access restrictions, worker rotation 3. Personal Protective Equipment / Clothing Ear plugs / muffs, safety glasses / goggles, respirators, gloves, clothing, hard-hats

Knowledge Basis for IH Disciplines Involved Applications in IH Physics, math, anatomy, physiology Hazard evaluations of noise, illumination, lasers, radiation, and ergonomics Chemistry, anatomy, physiology, toxicology Toxic chemical exposure evaluations of carcinogen hazard assessment and reproductive hazard assessments Physics, chemistry, statistics Measuring exposures to chemical and physical agents, interpreting lab analytical reports. Use of direct reading instruments. Statistics, epidemiology, physics, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, toxicology, language skills Interpreting study and lab results, critical review of research, performing research Language skillsInteractions with workers, management, and clients; writing reports and papers; design of programs

IH as Part of an Overall Safety Program General Safety Ergonomics Industrial Hygiene Wellness / Fitness

IH Program: Minimum Elements 1. Recognition of health hazards 2. Evaluation of health hazards 3. Control of health hazards 4. Recordkeeping 5. Employee training 6. Periodic program review

1. Recognition of health hazards Walk-through survey with someone knowledgeable of the processes Regular intervals, keep records Planning stage reviews Modification reviews MSDS reviews

2. Evaluation of hazards Measurements Air sampling, noise meters, light meters, thermal stress meters, accelerometers (vibration) Calculation of dose Level and duration of exposure Keep records

3. Control of Hazards (Prioritized) 1Engineering Substitute a less hazardous material, local exhaust ventilation 2Administrative Worker rotation, training 3Personal Protective Equipment Respirators, gloves, eye protection, ear protection, etc.

4. Recordkeeping Important in all phases of the program Often required by regulation 29 CFR 1904 Increase program effectiveness Useful in legal challenges

5. Employee training Effective component if total program is implemented and engineering controls are first established Often required by regulation Right to Know or Hazard Communication Standard: 29 CFR Regular intervals Keep it interesting and effective, use a variety of techniques Keep records of dates, individuals, topics, effectiveness

6. Program review Regular intervals (~yearly, semi-annual) Review the written program as well as the implementation Updates for new regulations, new chemicals, new processes, or any changes Audit components of the program Internal “OSHA” inspection Involve employees, consultants, management