An occupational hygienist specialises in identifying risks in the workplace and advises organisations on how to avoid and resolve them. Working in a variety of locations, including building sites, offices and factories, they promote responsible practice and raise awareness of health and safety issues.
Occupational hygiene is where science and engineering meet the human element of work; it is a specialised discipline within the broad area of occupational health and safety which aims to prevent people injuring themselves or getting ill as a result of their work activities.
Occupational hygienists usually operate as part of a multi-disciplinary team that includes managers, safety practitioners, occupational physicians, therapists and employees. The routine work of a hygienist is to ensure that a workers’ environment does not cause ill health and that levels of exposure are in compliance with the statutory Occupational Exposure.