Industrial hygiene is the science of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling workplace conditions and illness. Environmental monitoring and analytical methods are used to detect the extent of worker exposure. Specifically, industrial hygienists identify particular health hazards within the workplace, such as pesticides, communicable diseases, asbestos, noise and lead. Industrial hygienists are engineers and scientists who protect the safety and health of people in the workforce, and ensure that state and federal regulations are followed.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), industrial hygienists are trained to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and recommend controls for environmental and physical hazards that can affect the health and well-being of workers.” Becoming an industrial hygienist with the skills needed to recognize and abate health hazards requires a combination of education and practical experience.