Certified Industrial Hygienist And A Manufacturing Facility
A manufacturing facility would benefit greatly by having a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) stop by at regularly scheduled intervals
. The Certified Industrial Hygienist specializes in workplace safety and meeting new OSHA requirements. OSHA typically integrates several new mandates a year and will issue fines to businesses out of compliance.
A Certified Industrial Hygienist can monitor your facility to ensure there is a focus on workplace safety. Indoor Air Quality would be measured and evaluated if employees noticed a musty smell. That smell could be an indication of a deeper problem with mold that needs to be addressed. Air samples would be taken from different parts of the manufacturing plant to ensure each area received the proper attention.
Many different facilities work with hazardous material on a day to day basis. For these types of working environments a CIH could help with selecting and fit testing the right Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). PPE could be a respirator that is used in a paint booth with the proper filters to counteract the fumes incurred while in the booth. Each employee should also be fit tested to ensure the PPE is functioning properly for that individual. A mask that is too big or small may not create the proper seal and therefore be as if the employee was wearing no mask at all.
Test should be scheduled at regular intervals to have a CIH fit test each employee. Often times an employee could experience weight gain or loss, which can dramatically affect the fit and function of the equipment utilized. Each piece of equipment should be examined. Anything from the harness the employee wears while suspended in the air to the eye protection.
A Certified Industrial Hygienist is a multi-faceted resource that could help your company in many different ways. Anything from selecting the right personal protection equipment to ensuring new OSHA regulations are being met. This single resource can have a drastic influence over the outcome when OSHA makes a visit. Often times any violation can result in thousands of dollars in fines. The infractions can also increase the scrutiny for the business, which may result in more visits to look for other negligent areas. Therefore it is imperative that a Certified Industrial Hygienist works with your company to ensure regulation is being met. Click here to contact a CIH in your area and schedule a time for a consultation about the needs of your company.