Exciting Career Option for Students with Interest in the Sciences

 

Do you excel in science and math? Are you interested in Public Health?

Are you concerned with emerging issues brought about by the events like September 11, 2001?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider industrial hygiene as a career. When the nation is rocked by disasters like the 9-11 attack on the World Trade Center, the attack on the Pentagon, or anthrax contamination on Capitol Hill, members of a largely unrecognized profession are there to help safeguard the public. Most of our work doesn’t make the headlines, but one thing is certain: The work is exciting, there is a lot of variety in the work that we do. 

 

Industrial hygienists are scientists and engineers committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community.  We are on the job every day in all types of workplaces, ranging from factories, laboratories, academia, construction sites, offices, public utilities, government, labor unions, hospitals, hazardous waste companies, insurance companies, consulting and chemical companies.

 

Think of industrial hygienists as workplace detectives. They investigate potential hazards and create solutions to protect the health and safety of workers and the public. Practicing industrial hygiene is also an art that involves judgment, creativity, and human interaction.  We communicate with management and workers every day to make sure everyone is safe and productive. When we find and fix the cause of a health problem, or prevent a problem from occurring in the first place, that’s what it’s all about.

 

Industrial hygienists may have responsibilities associated with employee exposure assessment, hazard evaluation and control related to the following areas:

 

·         Measuring or collecting samples associated with human exposures to toxins (e.g., solvents, asbestos, lead, hexavalent chromium, etc.) and employee noise exposures levels.

  • Indoor air quality (sick building syndrome, mold, lighting assessments)
  • Emergency response planning and community right-to-know
  • Occupational disease prevention (asbestosis, tuberculosis, silicosis)
  • Cumulative Trauma Disorders (repetitive stress injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome)
  • Radiation (electromagnetic fields, microwaves, lasers, radon gas)
  • Reproductive health hazards in the workplace
  • Setting exposure limits for chemical and physical agents
  • Assessing and controlling noise levels in the workplace and surrounding community
  • Laboratory Health and Safety—protecting workers involved in research and development.
  • Confined Spaces—establishing procedures to safely enter closed spaces not designed for human occupancy, such as storage tanks.
  • Ventilation – assuring process emissions are being exhausted in order to reduce or eliminate employee exposures

 

 The Federal Government’s Role

 

Industrial hygienists have played an important role in shaping and implementing government policy concerning worker health and safety. In 1970, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which formed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor, is responsible for setting and enforcing health and safety standards across the country.  Today, the industrial hygienist’s role is oftentimes more proactive; instead of correcting problems after they occur.

 

Preparing for a Career in Industrial Hygiene

 

Although more schools are beginning to offer undergraduate programs in industrial hygiene, currently few schools have an industrial hygiene major. Industrial hygienists generally prepare for their careers by pursuing an undergraduate degree in one of the sciences, such as engineering, chemistry, biology, etc. Many then continue on to attain a master’s or doctoral degree in industrial hygiene.

 

Where can I find out more?

 

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recognizes the value of recruiting talented new individuals and mentoring them to achieve leadership qualities required in the industrial hygiene profession. They also cosponsor the annual American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce).  At the annual AIHce, students can learn details about scholarships available from the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation (AIHF) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), learn about available internship opportunities, meet with other industrial hygienists and submit their resume to future employers.

 

To learn more about this challenging and rewarding profession, called industrial hygiene, contact the AIHA at www.aiha.org or 703-849-8888.

You may also send questions by email to Infonet@aiha.org