What is Occupational Hygiene?
Occupational hygiene is the discipline of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling health hazards in the working environment with the objective of protecting worker health and well-being and safeguarding the community at large. Occupational hygiene is considered a "science"; but it is also an art that involves judgment, creativity and human interaction.
The field of Occupational Hygiene today has also expanded to included Environment, Health and Safety. Occupational hygiene has a long history and a bright future as a potential career.
What is an Occupational Hygienist?
Occupational hygienists are scientists and engineers committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community. Traditionally occupational hygienists worked primarily in factories and other industrial settings but as our society has changed, so has the definition of occupational hygiene. Today, Occupational hygienists can be found in almost every type of work setting.
What is the difference between Industrial and Occupational Hygiene?
There is no difference. The term Industrial Hygiene originated in the USA while in other parts of the world the discipline is known as Occupational Hygiene. In some ways, Occupational is a better descriptor because health risks occur in all places that people work, including offices, shops, banks, hospitals and farms, not just in those workplaces that one thinks of as industrial.
What does an Occupational Hygienist do?
The goal of the occupational hygienist is to keep workers, their families, and the community healthy and safe. They play a vital part in ensuring that federal, provincial/territorial, and local laws and regulations are followed in the work environmentOccupational Hygienists may be found working to prevent ergonomic injuries in the office; measuring noise levels at an airport; supervising the safe removal of lead, mold or asbestos; and in thousands of other settings. Occupational hygienists may sample air, soil or water to determine if there are harmful substances present. They may fit test a respirator to ensure that a worker is breathing cleaner air.
Typical roles of the occupational hygienist include:
- Investigating and examining the workplace for hazards and potential dangers
- Making recommendations on improving the safety of workers and the surrounding community
- Conducting scientific research to provide data on possible harmful conditions in the workplace
- Developing techniques to anticipate and control potentially dangerous situations in the workplace and the community
- Training and educating the community about job-related risks
- Advising government officials and participating in the development of regulations to ensure the health and safety of workers and their families
- Ensuring that workers are properly following health and safety procedures
Educational Institutions with Occupational Hygiene Programs
Postgraduate programs in Occupational Hygiene are available at the following institutions:
In addition, a variety of certificate and diploma programs in OSH are also available from colleges and universities across Canada. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) provides a summary of these programs in Canada, available at http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/information/courses.html.
Awards/Scholarships
External Awards/Scholarships
- Dick Martin Scholarship Award (PDF). Contact CCOHS for more information.
- OHAO is also establishing an award for essays on Occupational Hygiene. Contact OHAO for further information.
Internal awards/scholarships/financial aid offered by academic institutions
The following links connect to examples of scholarships offered by three Canadian universities for the study of occupational hygiene/health. Prospective students are advised to contact their respective schools for a complete listing of financial awards and aid available to them.
- University of British Columbia
- Scholarships and teaching/research assistantships and awards available from the School of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
- University of Toronto
- Richard Jaan Helmeste Memorial Award
- Occupational Hygiene Scholarship Fund (Community Health)
- McGill University
- Dr. Premysl (Mike) Pelnar Academic Enrichment Award
Mentoring and Student Outreach Programs
- AIHA’s Mentoring Program
- University of Toronto Public Health Sciences Alumni Association Mentorship Program (PDF)
Resources
The following are a few websites that may be of interest to student and prospective student readers:
- AIHA website for students/young members: This website includes an on-line video on Occupational/Industrial Hygiene, Student Campaigns and Committees and Job Hunting Resources.
- OHAO: “What is Occupational Hygiene?” and brochure “Become an Occupational Hygienist.”
- University of Toronto: “What is Occupational Hygiene?” and “Career Opportunities.”
- International Occupational Hygiene Association: “What is Occupational Hygiene?” "What is the difference between Industrial and Occupational Hygiene?” and “Why Hygiene?”
- University of Manitoba Career Center: “National Occupational Classification” and information on the Labour Market and Outlook.
