2 - Methods for Measuring and Evaluating Health Hazards

Abstract

This chapter presents an organized method for recognizing and evaluating health hazards within the occupational environment. The overall objective of an industrial hygiene engineer is to recognize potential hazard exposures, determine if they are really exposures, and develop methods for controlling those hazard exposures. In reviewing the operation for the various types of exposures, tools such as fault-tree analysis, job-safety analysis, and failure mode and effect are of value. Through the use of these tools, it is possible to describe where potential problems, which are not necessarily obvious, may exist. An industrial hygiene engineer should become familiar with the use of these and similar tools to improve the results obtained from a preliminary hazard analysis. The next important item to consider is the number of potentially affected employees that require the most immediate action. Another item to consider for a given hazard exposure is its level of effect on the human system. It is desirable that the professional make some judgment concerning the probability of the existence of the hazard. In many cases, it is possible to determine that there is little likelihood that the exposure is not being controlled even though the potential hazard is a very serious one. In the field of occupational safety and health, it is desirable that rather than reacting to problems, the professional plans and organizes his or her work to seek out problems before they become emergencies that need immediate solutions.