Conversations about keeping your workplace safe usually starts with physical safety. But industrial hygiene plays just as important a role in protecting employees and maintaining regulatory compliance. If you’re unfamiliar with the topic, this blog will cover what industrial hygiene is, why it matters, and the obvious and invisible ways it can impact your business.
What is Industrial Hygiene?
Industrial hygiene is the science of identifying, evaluating, and controlling environmental hazards in the workplace that affect employee health. This can include contaminants like mold, lead, radon, asbestos, airborne particles, and biological agents such as bacteria and viruses.
Going Beyond Cleanliness
Despite what the name may indicate, industrial hygiene is about much more than keeping a facility clean. It involves monitoring air quality, water systems, surface contamination, and exposure risks, especially in workplaces that handle chemicals or operate in older buildings.
Who Needs It?
Your business doesn’t have to be a manufacturing plant or chemical facility to need industrial hygiene services. Offices, schools, healthcare centers, restaurants, and government buildings can all face serious environmental health concerns.
Older Buildings and Hidden Risks
If your business is located in a structure built before 1980, there’s a much higher chance it could contain asbestos or lead-based paint. Routine inspects can help you identify and mitigate these issues before they impact your workforce or create legal liabilities.
The Benefits of Being Proactive
Conducting industrial hygiene assessments isn’t just about avoiding regulatory trouble. It’s about creating a workplace where people can be productive without risking their health.
Healthier Employees, Better Productivity
When employees feel safe and aren’t being exposed to irritants or toxins, they’re more productive, miss fewer days, and are more likely to stay with the company.
Lower Risk of Legal Action
Businesses that ignore environmental hazards often end up facing fines, lawsuits or even shutdowns. Industrial hygiene programs help you stay compliant and build a strong foundation of trust with your employees and customers.
What Testing Might Include
An industrial hygiene assessment may involve air sampling, surface swabs, humidity and ventilation analysis, and water quality testing. Depending on the industry, it may also include exposure monitoring for hazardous chemicals or biological agents.
Call Axiom Service Professionals for Reliable Environmental Testing
Here at Axiom Service Professionals, we specialize in identifying environmental contaminants that put your business and team at risk. If you’ve got mold in your walls, asbestos in your ceiling tiles, or bacteria in your water system, we have the accurate and reliable testing you need to keep your workplace safe. Contact us today to learn more about our services!
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