Doing the right thing — that is what we do.
We care for our families and we care for our friends
because it is the right thing to do.
We care for each other in our cities, in our villages, at school, and at home.
And we care for each other at work, because well, it is the right thing to do.
We care for each other at work by protecting each other's health,
protecting each other from the hazards — the dangers — at work:
chemical hazards such as harmful liquids and gases,
biological hazards such as bacteria and viruses,
and physical hazards such as too much noise and heat.
We also protect each other from the hazards of repeated movements
such as sewing, assembling parts, and typing,
where we make the same movement again and again.
And we protect each other from the mental and emotional stress at work
that can cause illnesses and injuries.
And the reason we protect each other from all these hazards is simple,
because at the end of the day
all of us want to go home in good health
to care for ourselves, our families, and our friends.
It is the right thing to do.
Now at work, the name for all this protection is "industrial hygiene,"
which is also called "occupational hygiene,"
but it all means the same thing.
Both "industrial" and "occupational" mean "work."
And "hygiene" means "protecting health."
In other words, we're simply talking about protecting people's health at work.
When we do this, we plan ahead
so we can identify these dangers at work
and study these dangers at work
so that we can decrease those dangers, or better yet,
remove those dangers completely,
no matter what kind of work we do, no matter how big or how small.
For example, people's breathing and health can be harmed by possible hazards
such as dust or spray painting.
These hazards can occur at large operations such as construction sites
or industrial painting sites,
at small and medium operations,
and with one person working alone.
But regardless of the size and type of work,
the people who are key to all of this are the industrial hygienists.
They are the champions that protect workers.
They are the eyes and ears of the workplace,
the ones who help find health hazards and correct them.
So, how do they do it?
First, they start with expert, scientific knowledge in chemistry, biology,
and physics, and mathematics, and toxicology (or poisons),
and epidemiology (or diseases), and well, you get the idea.
Then, they focus all that scientific training,
add strong ethical standards, also known as "doing the right thing,"
and bring all these skills to the workplace.
In the end, industrial hygienists are about people —
listening to people, talking with people, working with people,
protecting people from workplace hazards.
Together, workers and industrial hygienists form a team
where everyone plays an equal part,
where industrial hygienists bring their technical knowledge to the workplace,
and where workers bring their personal knowledge and expertise
about their work, their values, and their relationships.
And this team shares one purpose,
something that we all value,
that everyone understands how to protect themselves and each other at work,
so that everyone goes home in good health at the end of each day.
Now at work, there are a lot of things going on —
workers, managers and supervisors, budgets and costs,
equipment and materials, production —
and industrial hygiene works with all of these.
First, industrial hygiene connects workers' physical safety
with environmental health.
This protects not only workers,
but also everyone in the surrounding community.
Industrial hygiene unites workers and managers,
so that everyone comes together to protect each other.
Industrial hygiene also links healthy workers with a healthy business,
where healthy workers create a healthier and stronger business,
with fewer illnesses, fewer injuries, and fewer costs,
all creating greater health and greater productivity for everyone.
But most importantly, industrial hygiene connects work and home.
because when everyone's health is protected at work,
those same workers can care for and protect their families
and friends when they return home.
It is the right thing to do.
Today, hundreds of millions of workers across the globe
remain at risk from work hazards.
Over 2 million people worldwide
die each year due to work-related illnesses and injuries,
with 160 million new cases of work-related illnesses occurring each year.
And in addition to all the human suffering, these illnesses and injuries
create an economic loss of 4% of the world's gross national product.
But with the improved use of industrial hygiene,
just imagine how we could use that money to improve people's lives,
improve their work conditions,
and improve productivity where they work.
So, how can we improve industrial hygiene — occupational hygiene — where we work?
The American Industrial Hygiene Association, AIHA, can help.
AIHA connects industrial hygienists and workers around the world,
providing a network of experts
where people can come together, identify problems, and find solutions.
In addition, AIHA provides education and technical expertise,
helping governments, organizations, and companies
to develop the policies and practices that protect workers.
For more information about AIHA, or to become a member, contact
the American Industrial Hygiene Association at: www.aiha.org