1. Introduction to Occupational Hygiene (OH)
Dr. Lim Jac Fang
Occupational Health Doctor
Department of Health, Sabah

2. Definition
“The science and art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of factors and stresses (arising in or from the workplaces), which may cause sickness, impaired health and well being or significant discomfort, and inefficiency among workers or among the citizens of a community” - ACGIH

3. The science devoted to recognition (or identification), evaluation and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace, which could impair the health and well being of people at work, while also taking into account the possible impacts on the general environment - BIOH
“Detection and Assessment of Occupational Hazards”

4. Industrial Hygienist
The person having a college or university degree or degrees in engineering, chemistry, physics, health physics, nursing, medicine, or related field, by virtue of special studies, training, experience, and/or certification has acquired competence in IH.

5. Scope of OH
Anticipation
Recognition
Evaluation
Control

6. Anticipation Design of process, equipment
Future legislation/regulations
Research

7. Recognition Raw materials, by-product, products Process and operations
Records of accidents and diseases
Walkaround – senses, talk to workers, etc
Grab samples

8. Evaluation Purpose Sampling technique and strategy
Instrumentation (Real time & non Rt)
Standard, regulations etc

9. Control Principle of control measures Hierarchy of control measures
ALARA

10. Benefits of IH Program Improve health and hygiene Reduce compensation
Improve job satisfaction
Reduce absenteeism
Improve productivity
Improve workers’ attitude towards management

11. Historical Perspective of OH in Malaysia
Development of legislation
Provisions of FMA, 1967
Industrial Hygiene Unit –
Industrial Hygiene Division –
Industrial Health Division, DOSH

12. Objectives
To create awareness among employers and workers on the importance of OH practices in industry to preserve and protect the health of workers from being affected by hazards in the working environment.
To investigate the effect of specific hazard on the health of workers so that the short and long term measures can be taken to control the hazard

13. Activities Occupational Hygiene Inspection
Monitoring of occupational hazards
Biological monitoring
Enforcement
Investigation of complaints / accidents
Training

14. Industrial Hygiene Instruments
Noise level – Dosimeter, SLM
Lighting – Luxmeter
Heat – WBGT, Hygrothermometer
Gas/Vapour/Fumes – Gas detector, Drager pump
Dust – suction pump

15. Occupational Hygiene Inspection
What are you going to inspect???
- Refer to the checklist on factory inspection

16. Industrial Hygiene Monitoring
Monitoring of occupational hazards
Chemical
Biological
Physical
Ergonomic/mechanical
Psychosocial

17. Biological Monitoring
Blood – Pb, Hg, Cd etc
Lung Function Test
HCP
Textile workers
Padi mill workers
Timber processing workers
Audiometric testing

18. Enforcement
DOSH

19. Accident/Incident Investigation
(refer notes)

20. Training 4 T’s Target group Type of training Timing
Training techniques

21. Result and Action Medical surveillance Medical examination Removal
Control
Laws (USECHH 2000)
Enforcement

22. Thank you!