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| | Industrial Hygiene Sector | |
Occupational Hygiene is a discipline concerned with the prevention of occupational diseases through the identification, assessment, and control of environmental factors in the workplace that may affect workers’ health and well-being. Unlike occupational medicine, which focuses on the individual and the diagnosis of diseases, Industrial Hygiene focuses on the work environment and sources of risk, with the goal of taking proactive measures to eliminate or reduce exposure to harmful substances.- Risk Identification: Production processes and job tasks are analyzed to identify the presence of risk agents (chemical, physical, and biological). This can be done through site inspections, interviews with workers, and analysis of production cycles.
- Risk Assessment: Once risk factors have been identified, we proceed to measure exposure levels. Specific instruments are used to sample air quality and measure noise, vibrations, lighting, the microclimate, etc. The collected data is compared with the limit values established by regulations (e.g., TLV—Threshold Limit Values, VLEP—Occupational Exposure Limit Values).
- Risk Control: Based on the results of the assessment, the necessary prevention and protection measures are implemented. The industrial hygienist proposes solutions that follow a hierarchy of control, starting with the most effective:
- Elimination: completely remove the hazardous substance or process.
- Substitution: Use a less hazardous substance or process.
- Engineering controls: Implement local exhaust ventilation systems, safety cabinets, general ventilation, etc.
- Administrative controls: Adopt safe work procedures, limit exposure time, and ensure worker rotation.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide workers with gloves, masks, goggles, and ear muffs as a last line of defense when other measures are insufficient.
| Workplace Monitoring of Pollutants
Risk assessment and risk control through environmental sampling are crucial steps in industrial hygiene. These processes aim to protect workers by measuring exposure to pollutants and implementing corrective measures. After implementing control measures, it is necessary to repeat environmental sampling to verify whether exposure has actually decreased and whether the risk has been reduced to an acceptable level.
The main pollutants targeted by environmental monitoring are as follows.
Quantitative determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (solvents):- Environmental or personal sampling—Gas chromatography analysis (M.U. 652-631);
- Determination of solvents, chemicals, and volatile organic compounds.
Quantitative determination of airborne particulate matter (dust):- Environmental or personal sampling (inhalable or respirable fraction);
- Weight analysis;
- Determination of airborne wood dust, mineral dust, and crystalline silica;
- Quantification of metal content—Atomic absorption analysis;
- Quantification of crystalline silica—molecular absorption spectrophotometry;
- Quantification of airborne oil mists;
Detection of airborne microorganisms using active SAS (Surface Air System) sampling:- Standardized technique for monitoring microbiological contamination of the air. This method falls under the scope of industrial hygiene and is used in environments where air quality is critical, such as cleanrooms, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical and food industries.
| | Occupational
Medicine: Quantitative determination of urinary metabolites for monitoring occupational exposure to solvents (VOCs).
Chromatographic analysis using HPLC.
Determination of metals and xenobiotics in blood, urine, and hair in individuals exposed to specific work processes.
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Asbestos
: Quantification of airborne asbestos fibers.
Assessment of the condition of asbestos-cement roofing (Eternit).
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| ACCREDIA-Accredited Laboratory |
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