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Occupational hygiene is an applied science, concerned with the

of chemical, physical and biological agents arising from work activities.

In you think about this definition for a little while, you will probably recognise that it is very similar to that used when explaining what is involved in a risk assessment, that is :-

So, in essence, occupational hygiene is concerned with risk assessment of health hazards in the workplace.

The occupational hygiene profession first developed in the United States in the 1930’s, and really took off there in the 1970’s with the implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The roots of the profession in the UK also go back to before the second world war, and today there are more occupational hygienists in the UK than in any other country except the USA.

The real skill of the professional occupational hygienist is identifying a potential problem in the first place, deciding how it should be assessed, interpreting the results from the sampling exercise (and other sources of information), and developing cost effective solutions.

Full time occupational hygienists are employed in industry (normally only in larger companies), by consultancies, and by the Health and Safety Executive (normally as Specialist Inspectors). However, there are only around 500 qualified hygienists in the UK, so occupational hygiene duties are often performed as an additional aspect of the job of other professionals, such as occupational health nurses and analytical chemists.

Most employers have a very low level of awareness of occupational hygiene and are not sure what to look for, when selecting either someone to employ directly, or an outside consultant. It can be a particular problem with consultants, as there are many organisations who offer hygiene services who are not necessarily competent.

So what should a prospective employer look for when selecting an occupational hygienist? As with other occupational health and safety specialisms, the occupational hygiene profession is governed by a professional body - the British Institute of Occupational Hygienists (BIOH). This organisation is involved in developing and promoting occupational hygiene, and is responsible for awarding professional qualifications. There are two main qualifications awarded by BIOH

Candidates for these qualifications have to sit both written and oral examinations and have to have significant practical experience - three years for the Certificate, and five years for the Diploma. Certificate holders should be capable of carrying out surveys for most common chemical and physical agents. Someone holding a Diploma should be able to offer professional advice, develop an occupational hygiene programme and devise practical control strategies.

A competent occupational hygienist will also normally be a member of BIOH. As with most professional bodies there are a number of membership grades :

Anyone seeking to employ someone to carry out occupational hygiene surveys should expect them to hold the Certificate and to be a Licentiate of the Institute. If an experienced professional is needed, perhaps to head a team of occupational hygienists, or to run a comprehensive occupational hygiene programme, then they should be expected to hold the Diploma and be a Member or Fellow.