IOH Solutions

The Crucial Role of the Occupational Hygienist In Employee Health and Safety


The main task of an occupational hygienist is to identify, evaluate and manage factors that threaten health and safety at work. Not surprisingly, their role involves cleaning up the workplace. However, one should not be misled by the reference to hygiene in their professional title. Theirs is not a simple bucket and mop task but an in-depth scientific exercise that requires intensive training, specialised skills, experience, and formal certification by an appropriate authority, such as the Department of Labour and the South African Institute for Occupational Hygiene.



The prospective perils in industries like mining, construction, petrochemicals and the oil and gas sector are well-known, and effective countermeasures have long been in place to protect their workers. However, almost all occupations have inherent hazards that could impact staff health and safety, but they are often more subtle and detecting them can be challenging. Nevertheless, although such potential threats may be less obvious, they can, and frequently do, lead to work-related illnesses and injuries.



One might think that those in sedentary occupations like clerical workers experience little that might threaten their well-being during an average working day. However, they could be at risk of pain and debilitating illness due to poorly designed furnishings or tasks and maladjusted work surfaces.



One could think of the occupational hygienist as a combination of a detective and forensic scientist. Their task is to scour the workplace for clues in the form of hazards, analyse them to see if they threaten the health or safety of employees, and suggest ways to minimise or eliminate them.



The Occupational Hygienist at Work


The fundamental role of industrial hygiene begins with a detailed inspection of a company’s workplace to spot anything that might prove harmful to employees, visitors or the surrounding environment. Like any detective investigation, the first step is talking with the witnesses.



Often, the only sign of a potential workplace hazard is increased absenteeism. Learning where the sick or injured individuals worked provides an occupational hygienist with the first clue. Perhaps some of them have developed asthma, have been diagnosed with severe pneumonia or are displaying signs of acute hearing loss. These conditions are commonly the result of allergens or irritants in indoor air, Legionella bacilli in the water supply or repeated, prolonged exposure to excessive ambient noise levels, respectively.



Accidental injuries are often due to physical hazards, like missing guardrails on machinery, exposed electrical wiring, slippery surfaces, and flammable or explosive materials. Whether physical, chemical or biological in origin, these industrial hygiene gurus must be competent in the use of a wide range of specialised equipment and techniques. These include:

occupational hygienist

Collecting swabs of surfaces, clothing and personnel and the use of appropriate aseptic techniques to maintain their integrity
Sampling indoor air quality for evidence of gaseous or particulate contaminants such as asbestos fibres and fungal spores
Monitoring ambient noise and personal exposure levels
Assessment of heat stress based on temperature and length of exposure
Monitoring ionising radiation


Need an Occupational Hygienist?


IOH Solutions provides a one-stop accredited industrial hygiene inspection service to South African businesses. We offer all the above services and more. To safeguard your workers, why not click here to book our innovative occupational hygiene solutions?

ERGONOMICS:

Did you know that sitting for too long can negatively impact your brain function?

Studies have found that sitting for extended periods of time can lead to a decrease in blood flow to the brain, which can impair cognitive function and lead to mental fatigue.

Further, prolonged sitting has been linked to a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety, as well as an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.

To counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting, it is recommended to take frequent breaks to stand up and move around throughout the day. Not only will this have a positive impact on your brain health, but on your work productivity too!

Number 1 in the UK!! 🙏🏽🥳🥂 Official UK Charts

The Growing Importance of Noise Dosimetry
by iohsol_admin | Aug 13, 2021 | Blog, Noise
Importance of Noise Dosimetry
The incidence of hearing loss has been growing steadily. While this condition was once mainly confined to elderly subjects, it has become common in younger people, even affecting teenagers and pre-teens. Deafness can have various causes. Until the mid-twentieth century, infections and, perversely, some of the antibiotics used to treat them were common culprits, along with congenital causes. However, today, noise dosimetry, a technique for measuring ambient sound intensity, confirms that the most common cause is prolonged and repeated exposure to deafening noises.

Noise Measurement Requirements
Feb 25, 2022
The Compliance Requirements for Noise Measurement You can get a pretty good idea of the ambient noise level to which you may be exposed merely by turning on your smartphone and running one of the numerous apps now available for this purpose. However, while the results...
read more

New Ergonomics Regulations requires all companies to do a workplace ergonomics risk assessment.

We do your back to work, legally required, Health Risk Assessments. We also provide you with a management procedure manual for the implementation of an action for identified risks.

We provide induction training regarding COVID 19 in the workplace

IOH Solutions Solutions is an industry EXPERT company registered by SANAS, the Department of Employment and Labour and South African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH)
All our services are inline with the requirements set out by the Oms
Please contact us by following the link below

Occupational Hygience Specialists | IOH Solutions Choose IOH Solutions - Registered & Approved Inspection Authority with the Department of Labour. View the services we offer and request a free quote!

We do your Occupational Health Risk Assessments as per the Gouvernent gazette

The Department of Employment and Labour declared Occupational health as an essenstial service.

According to the Gazette that was released, all employees MUST implement a management programme for the prevention of exposure to the Novel Corona COVID 19 virus.

Innovative Occupational Hygiene Solutions is a Department of Employment and Labour approved inspection authority. We also carry local, SANAS acreditation, and international accreditation.

Home COVID-19 Resources For more Regulations & Guidelines- Coronavirus Covid-19 Click here >> NIOH Resources READ MORE NDOH COVID19 OHS Resources READ MORE COVID19 Factsheets READ MORE COVID19 FAQ's READ MORE COVID19 Videos & training READ MORE COVID19 Presentations

What Health and indistrail Hygienists link is with the COVID - 19

Contact us for assistance
Lindi Bouwer
082 805 8373

COVID-19 and the Industrial Hygienist FAQs on practicing industrial hygiene in a pandemic.

Workplace Ergonomics
Ergonomics is broadly accepted as the science of fitting the man to the job by means of ensuring that tool and workstation design minimises the need for awkward body postures and the straining of muscles by lifting heavy objects. Although the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 does not directly refer to the need for ergonomic assessment except for its mention in the Construction Regulations, ergonomic assessments are beneficial in that they assist employers to implement controls that may reduce the number of onsite injuries and musculoskeletal disorders and thus reduce the number of man-hours lost.

Benefits of Occupational Noise Measurements
by iohsol_admin | Mar 5, 2019 | Blog |

The Importance and Benefits of Occupational Noise Measurements

Occupational noise measurements should form an integral part of an employer’s health and safety strategy. The process involves measuring how much workers are exposed to noise in the workplace and what impact it has on their health. Protective equipment and various safety mechanisms must be set in place if work processes generate any level of noise. When working in an environment that is constantly noisy, it can have quite a profound impact on hearing over time.

What is involved during occupational noise measurements processes? Sound pressure levels are measured using various instruments and techniques in order to determine if occupational noise is at an acceptable level or not. Most working environments will require a certificate of compliance or reports that state the findings of ongoing noise measurements tests over the year.

Before strategies can be set in place, it is important to determine what the noise situation is. Your workplace probably needs occupational noise measurement solutions if the noise within the building is louder than outside traffic, voices need to be raised to communicate effectively, or employees are struggling outside of the work environment to hear normally. In order to set effective noise solutions in place, noise measurement data must be gathered and translated.

Nowadays, it is legally required of the employer to protect the health and safety of employees. A great deal of time and attention must go in to ensuring that the workforce is aware of potential dangers, and are highly educated about the risks and how to protect themselves in the workplace. Set safety mechanisms in place to protect all workers.

Understanding the Risk of Occupational Noise Measurements

An occupational health and safety officer will be tasked with understanding the potential hazards of too much noise generated in the workplace. This is why a professional occupational health and safety officer is required. Some potential problems that work environments suffer from include:

Non-compliance with industry standards and legislation.
Potential annoyance of the surrounding community.
The pitch of the noise and how it can impact on human hearing.
Physical and psychological impact of constant noise.
Occupational noise measurements will allow the health and safety officer to recommend methods of reducing noise, protecting staff members from exposure (usually with protective equipment and gear), and providing ongoing health tests that include hearing tests. It is also important to ensure that employees are educated on how to avoid potential hearing damage and what the various noise risks are within the working environment.

Outsource Your Occupational Noise Measurements to the Professionals

By outsourcing your occupational noise measurements to the professionals, you can save yourself the expense of hiring full-time employees, and ensure that your business is always up to date with the latest regulations. To learn more about the process involved, and to set up an assessment of your work environment, we welcome you to get in touch with us at IOH Solutions. Simply give us a call or send us an email to discuss your needs and requirements with one of our professional consultants.

Benefits of Outsourcing Occupational Hygiene Services

In the past, common occupational hygiene services focused mainly on challenges, such as exposure to asbestos, crystalline silica, lead, and solvents. While exposure to these substances is more controlled nowadays, they must still be monitored and limited. But that is not all that occupational health and hygiene is about. As time has progressed, workplace health risks have increased and progressed too.

In addition to chemical exposure risks, workers are now also faced with other heath hazards, such as temperature fluctuations, noise, infectious disease, poor lighting, dust, ergonomic stress, microwaves, and even psychological stress.

The Benefits of Having an Occupational Health and Hygiene Program in Place

Hiring occupational hygiene services is beneficial to both the industry and employees. With the right strategy in place, businesses and workers can expect the following benefits.

Better health and a longer life expectancy.
Improved employee retention.
Less company money spent on healthcare costs.
Improved productivity and fewer sick days taken.
Efficient processes making tasks less stressful to workers
The Task of an Occupational Hygienist

Occupational hygienists have their work cut out for them, as health risks across all industries are constantly changing. Every business is required to have a health and hygiene strategy in place, and to be compliant with the legislations and regulations imposed by government and industry. This can prove to be a challenging task, as legislation can change at any time, and so does the working environment. As businesses expand and diversify, so must their occupational health and hygiene strategy.

Outsourcing Occupational Hygiene Services

While some companies employ in-house occupational hygienists, other companies benefit greatly from outsourcing the service. Your business can benefit from outsourcing occupational hygiene services in the following ways:

Health and safety compliance and certifications will always be up to date. Your occupational hygiene team will ensure that your certificates of compliance are always valid and current. If there are new requirements, you will be advised, so that arrangements can be made.
The work environment will be truly safe for both employees and outside visitors. By law, you are required to provide a safe environment. When accidents happen, they will be investigated and you could get a fine or worse, if the correct mechanisms are not in place. Occupational hygiene services will assess the workplace and ensure that safety measures are incorporated effectively.
Your business will be audited regularly by professionals who are up to date with the latest health and safety regulations. This means that if any authorities decide to do a check-up, you can rest assured that your business is always safe and, of course, compliant with latest laws and regulations.
You will not have to deal with employment issues. When your occupational hygiene services are outsourced, there is no need to worry about recruitment, employee retention, and high monthly salaries and benefits.
Outsource Occupational Hygiene Responsibilities to IOH Solutions

At IOH Solutions, we provide professional occupational hygiene services to many industries. Whether you need some advice or want to implement a fully-fledged occupational hygiene strategy, we can assist. To discuss your needs and requirements, contact us via email or telephone today.