Industrial Hygienist Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for an industrial hygienist job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an industrial hygienist. Feel free to use our industrial hygienist job description template to produce your own industrial hygienist job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an industrial hygienist.
Who is an Industrial Hygienist?
An industrial hygienist is a specialist who can identify and address potential health and safety risks in the workplace, surrounding environment, or public area. These risks can be physical, chemical, biological, or environmental. An industrial hygienist can also guide how to reduce or manage a worker’s exposure to hazardous situations and substances.
An industrial hygienist (IH) is a specialist who finds and stops unhealthy exposures that could result in illnesses or accidents at work. The IH uses scientific knowledge to foresee hazardous situations that might hurt a worker’s or the environment’s health. Additionally, the IH must be able to identify current dangers and foresee the possibility of their impacts. The IH assesses hazards and decides how to prevent or control them using measures and expert judgment.
Industrial hygienists are experts in occupational health and safety who are dedicated to keeping industrial workers healthy. They make an effort to reduce environmental health risks at work and avoid occupational diseases in employees. They are taught to foresee, identify, assess, and take steps to mitigate unfavorable working situations that could lead to disease or worsen workers’ health. The presence of dust, fumes, chemicals, and other potentially dangerous items that are typical of some industrial environments may be one of these situations, as well as excessive noise levels.
Industrial hygienists usually take samples of the air or water, and they keep an eye on the level of noise to see whether any hazardous circumstances are present. To gauge the degree of radiation at workplaces they could also undertake radiological investigations. Industrial hygienists also look at the health issues related to stress brought on by the expansion of the high-technology and service industries.
Industrial Hygienist Job Description
What is an industrial hygienist job description? An industrial hygienist job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of an industrial hygienist in an organization. Below are the industrial hygienist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an industrial hygienist job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of an industrial hygienist include the following;
- Advise management and work together to address workplace health challenges.
- Research data evaluation and analysis, statistical summary, and report compilation.
- Establish and take the lead in the execution of initiatives to safeguard employee health, as well as the application of ergonomics.
- Conduct routine program audits
- Ensure that staff members are aware of initiatives, policies, and training related to occupational health and safety.
- Set in place corrective measures and, if necessary, stop operations.
- Guide different parties on workers’ compensation claims including workplace exposures.
- Keep up with changes in workplace health and safety regulations.
- Use industrial hygiene field measurements, to determine the extent of the workplace’s pollution
- Conduct surveys and observe work circumstances to identify practices with those a danger to the health of employees
- Analyze and evaluate test data to create recommendations for bettering working conditions
- Inform clients of an industrial assessment’s findings
- Organize training to inform employees of the health and safety standards required for a hazard-free environment.
- Conduct research to determine whether the ventilation, lighting and other factors are adequate for employee safety.
- Provide suggestions for ways to safeguard employees from ionizing radiation as much as possible.
- Organize information into reports and keep a record of observations, contaminant analysis, and suggested controls.
- Educate university workers about workplace safety and health, and hold lectures for them.
- Keep abreast with state and federal laws about workplace safety.
- Attend educational events and conferences to broaden your knowledge and expertise in your field.
- Consult industrial health engineers and other occupational experts to develop corrective actions for dangerous conditions.
- Ensure that company policies adhere to the requirements set forth by the regulatory health and safety body.
- Control programs for workplace health and safety.
- Create, implement and maintain programs and procedures for industrial hygiene.
- Control over the health and safety of employees at the project level.
- Use the most recent data on legislation, and federal, state, and municipal rules about industrial hygiene, and provide consultancy services to senior management and project officials.
- Follow up on program performance by creating and putting in place any necessary corrective measures.
- Direct examinations of the health and program to find practices that could endanger people, property, equipment, or the environment.
- Gather samples of potentially harmful materials for analysis and conduct investigations into accidents and occurrences to establish their causes and potential solutions.
- Create and put into place workplace policies and practices that shield employees from potentially dangerous working circumstances.
- Examine and assess workplace settings, tools, and procedures to ensure they adhere to business and governmental health and safety standards and regulations.
- Describe the risks at work.
- Provide instruction on a range of subjects, including disaster preparedness.
- Visit industrial facilities, building sites, and other locations to conduct inspections and collect samples.
- Assess the level of safety compliance at industrial or manufacturing sites’ working practices.
- Test the quality of the soil or water before construction projects begin or in response to environmental safety concerns.
- Collaborate with management experts to increase employee safety standards at industrial sites.
- Examine protective gear and safety tools to see if they offer sufficient defense against dangerous chemicals or physical harm
- Create instructional materials and give managers and industrial workers safety training.
- Find viable ways to reduce hazards to other people’s health and safety and identify those risks.
- Decide whether a work location complies with legal requirements by comparing their evaluations of the site to government rules or regulations.
- Examine the ventilation systems at workplaces that handle hazardous chemicals to ascertain the extent of exposure to workers and the neighborhood.
- Interview employees to learn more about previous workplace injuries, health issues, and safety concerns.
- Keep an eye on workplace factors like temperature and humidity to make sure they don’t endanger the health of the workers.
- Conduct studies on the environment to find potential dangers like lead paint.
- Teach employees emergency response plans and safety procedures.
- Create reports on workplace risks and suggest improvements to safety conditions.
- Evaluate the employees’ occupational health to see whether they have any conditions that could be affecting their performance, such as stress, exhaustion, or other physical or mental issues.
- Keep track of employee exposure to potentially toxic substances over time to assist spot trends of overexposure or spotting potential new dangers.
- Conduct health and safety training sessions for staff on subjects like first aid and the usage of protective gear.
- Examine equipment to make sure it is secure for usage by workers.
- Conduct pre-employment drug testing and illness screens for TB and HIV.
Qualifications
- A chemical or closely related subject bachelor’s degree.
- Certification as a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).
- 3+ years of experience in a comparable position.
- A thorough understanding of the relevant laws, rules, and regulations.
- Excellent written and vocal communication skills.
- Proficiency with computers.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Excellent organizing abilities.
- The capacity to prioritize and multitask.
Essential Skills
- Technical talents: Your ability to carry out activities and finish projects depend on your technical skills. Technical abilities might include an understanding of software, technology, and machinery. It may also involve your capacity to read and comprehend technical manuals, charts, and other written materials.
- Communication: Industrial hygiene professionals interact with a wide range of people, including employees, managers, clients, and patients. They must be able to communicate ideas simply and succinctly. They must also be able to listen to others and give suitable responses.
- Problem Solving Ability: Industrial hygiene specialists employ their problem-solving abilities to spot potential workplace risks and come up with methods to get rid of them. They employ their problem-solving abilities to locate the origin of workplace ailments and create fixes to stop them from happening again. They also utilize their problem-solving abilities to decide which procedures are the most effective for keeping the workplace tidy and safe.
- Organization: Working in teams with other professionals, such as engineers and other industrial hygienists, requires organizational abilities from industrial hygiene technicians. You can stay on top of the numerous chores you might have to complete during the day if you have great organizing skills.
- Collaboration skill: To connect with your coworkers, share information, and finish projects jointly, the hygienist makes use of collaboration skills. Industrial hygienists Work in a team to develop their collaboration skills and learn more about industrial hygiene and how to use their knowledge in the workplace.
- Physical stressor evaluation: Industrial hygienists do a sort of assessment known as physical stressor evaluation when they examine workplaces for potential hazards. This entails examining the effects of heat, confined spaces, noise levels, and other things that could put workers under physical strain.
- Water testing: Testing for contaminants like lead or pesticides also involves determining the pH of a water supply. To make sure there are no risks to the quality of the water, industrial hygienists examine the water in bodies of water close to industrial plants or building sites.
- Chemical testing: To collect air samples in industrial settings, industrial hygienists employ chemical testing kits. For instance, they measure the concentrations of asbestos, mercury, glyphosate, or lead.
- Soil testing: Industrial hygienists do soil testing by drilling into the ground, retrieving soil samples, and analyzing them for various dangers like radiation or lead.
- Ethical mindset: Industrial hygienists should possess an ethical mentality that enables them to adhere to legal compliance regulations or laws and to report harmful workplace behaviors.
How to Become an Industrial Hygienist
- Achieve a bachelor’s degree: The initial step toward becoming an industrial hygienist is to enroll in a four-year bachelor’s degree program. Industrial hygienists must have completed this level of schooling at a minimum. Degrees in industrial engineering, environmental health and safety, occupational health and safety, chemistry, biochemistry, and public health are all advantageous. Students who choose these degree options gain knowledge of chemical reactions, how chemicals affect biological processes, health and safety regulations, engineering procedures, and public health efforts.
- Complete an internship in occupational health and safety:By completing one or more internships, you can deepen your understanding of industrial hygiene and occupational health and safety while earning your bachelor’s degree. You might be able to look for and apply for job possibilities online, but you can also discuss possible internship positions with your college teachers. When you apply for industrial hygienist positions, you can improve your resume and make an impression on employers by completing an internship in environmental or occupational health.
- Apply for entry-level positions: By conducting an online search and looking for entry-level positions with local, state, or federal governments, industrial hygiene firms, industrial facilities, or construction companies, you can locate entry-level industrial hygienist responsibilities.
- Think about getting your master’s:It is not required for students to pursue a master’s degree in industrial hygiene, although doing so gives them access to more in-depth knowledge about industrial hygiene procedures. Your employability and chance to land mid- or senior-level industrial hygiene positions can both be improved by obtaining a master’s degree in the field.
- Become certified as an industrial hygienist: Although obtaining a certification is another optional step, doing so can help industrial hygienists develop their skills, react to market changes, and promote themselves to employers. Industrial hygienists with a bachelor’s degree and specialized training in industrial hygiene can get certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.
Where to work as an Industrial Hygienist
- Manufacturing industries
- FMCG companies
Industrial Hygienist Salary Scale
In the USA, the average industrial hygienist earns $77,738 per year or $39.87 per hour. Most experienced workers earn up to $114,046 per year, while entry-level roles start at $65,211.
In the United Kingdom, an industrial hygienist makes an average pay of £46,001 per year or £23.59 per hour. Most experienced workers earn up to £60,357 per year, while entry-level roles start at £35,000.
In Ireland, the average yearly salary for an industrial hygienist is 53,100 EUR. The lowest salary is 26,600 EUR, and the highest is 82,400 EUR (highest).
In Germany, An industrial hygienist with 1-3 years of experience starting may expect to make an annual income of 43.132 euros. On the other hand, an industrial hygienist with senior-level expertise (8+ years of experience) makes an average pay of 75.590 euros
In Nigeria, the average monthly salary for an industrial hygienist is roughly 418,000 NGN. The lowest salary is 209,000 NGN, and the highest is 648,000 NGN (highest). This is the typical monthly wage, which also includes housing, transportation, and other amenities.