Workplace safety is paramount in any industrial setting. And worker safety is not just about protective gear and employee training. The owners of the industrial building and business must be aware of the working conditions of the place, and be proactive about it. This is where industrial hygiene monitoring services come into play. They can successfully identify and control potential health hazards before they can turn serious. They will systematically evaluate, analyze and educate the employees and staff on workplace hazards that could affect employees’ health and safety. Working with industrial health and safety consultants would help reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals, physical agents, and biological threats, ensuring a safer and more productive working environment. In this blog, we will look deeper into industrial hygiene monitoring and how understanding them better can take your workplace to the next level of success.
What is industrial hygiene monitoring?
Through industrial hygiene monitoring, it is possible to identify and measure environmental hazards in the workplace. There are all kinds of hazards depending on what industry you run. This includes chemical agents like dust, fumes, gasses, etc., physical pollutants like noise, temperature, radiation, etc., and biological hazards like bacteria, viruses, molds, etc. Through professional monitoring, it is possible to evaluate workers’ exposure levels and see if they are likely to remain below permissible limits. These limits are mandated by regulatory bodies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). by following the regulations, you can ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and protect your workers from respiratory illnesses, hearing loss, and occupational diseases. It would also help companies to implement appropriate engineering and administrative controls.
Compliance with health and safety regulations
There are some permissible limits and threshold values that every factory or manufacturing unit must maintain to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. These limits are set to protect workers from harmful exposure. If any industry doesn’t follow the rules, then they would have to suffer through legal penalties, fines, or even shutdowns of operations. Following compliance is very important not just to prevent fines and penalties, but also to ensure that the employees are safe and productive.
Making the workplace safe for all
Many health issues arise because the workplace is not safe for the employees. They are constantly exposed to toxic chemicals or excessive noise, and though you will not feel the immediate effects, it will be felt after sometime. For example, if your workplace has silica dust, then it will lead to respiratory diseases like silicosis, and daily exposure to extreme sounds will lead to hearing loss. After inspection and monitoring the workplace, the industrial health and safety consultants would tell you how to combat the situation, like installing ventilation systems to improve air quality, personal protective equipment (PPE) like respirators, earplugs, safety shoes, or gloves, depending on which all would be more apt for your business,
Conclusion
Employees love to work in an environment where they are safe, where their needs are looked after, and where they can be productive. With a little bit of care and caution, you can run a safe and compliant workplace where results will be delivered just the way you want them. Listen to what HESS has to say regarding industrial hygiene monitoring. Their industrial health and safety consultants can give you tailored guidance on this.