Occupational hygienist

Occupational hygienists identify, assess and control health hazards in the workplace in order to protect workers' health and wellbeing, and to ensure the safety of the wider community

As an occupational hygienist, you may work in a range of settings, including factories, offices and building sites. You'll need to understand how chemical, physical, biological and ergonomic agents can affect the health of the workforce and, in turn, the health of the business.

You'll be concerned with controlling workplace health risks in practical and cost-effective ways by assessing and resolving practical problems. This will involve looking at the short and long-term health effects, caused by both acute and chronic exposure to hazards, and helping organisations to respond effectively to legislative requirements.

You will often work as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes other health and safety professionals, occupational health nurses and occupational health physicians.

Occupational hygienists may also be known as industrial hygienists.

Types of workplace hazard

These can include:

• biological - bacteria, parasites, viruses, enzymes and other proteins
• chemical - liquids, gases, dusts, fumes, vapours
• ergonomic - posture, motion, musculoskeletal, manual handling, workplace layout, controls and displays
• physical - extreme heat and cold, light, noise, radiation, vibration, electromagnetic fields
• psychosocial - stress, violence.

Responsibilities

As an occupational hygienist, you'll need to:

• undertake surveys and evaluate risks to health in the workplace
• accurately measure and sample levels of exposure, often through precise use of specialist equipment
• record facts or details of procedures, processes and tasks in the workplace
• eliminate or significantly reduce risk by making organisational changes, and selecting and designing relevant facilities
• consider all options of control, such as containment, local exhaust ventilation and personal protective equipment, and find cost-effective solutions
• develop relationships with a range of people including employees, managers and directors
• conduct research, compile data, write reports and present findings to clients and/or managers
• provide clear and accurate information and advice on complex health and safety issues
• make sure projects are delivered on time and to budget
• train staff on health issues such as asbestos and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations awareness
• persuade company management to develop effective hazard controls when required
• investigate health complaints in the workplace
• provide expert witness services in legal cases when there are allegations of failures to achieve acceptable standards of occupational hygiene
• liaise with regulatory bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
• keep up to date with current legislation, standards, guidelines and technical developments within your field of expertise.

For more information on the activities of an occupational hygienist, see the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).

Salary

• Salaries at trainee level start at £22,000 to £28,000 for those with a scientific background.
• With experience, you could earn between £30,000 and £50,000.
• Salaries for those in senior roles such as manager or director of occupational hygiene or with an established consultancy business can exceed £60,000.

Salaries vary according to your experience, professional qualifications and training, responsibilities, the type of employer and work, and location.

Some employers provide additional benefits, such as a company car, health insurance, pension scheme, bonuses (in addition to your salary) and funding for recognised training courses.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours vary depending on the industry you work in. Shift work, early starts and late finishes, weekend and evening work are required in some roles.

It's possible to become self-employed or find work as a freelance consultant once you've gained extensive experience.

What to expect

• You can work for a company that has an in-house team of occupational hygiene staff or for a consultancy that covers all types of hazards.
• You can choose to work in general industry, where you might visit a range of sites such as a quarry, foundry, brewery, car repair shop or bakery. Alternatively, you can work in a specific sector, such as construction or manufacturing.
• Jobs are available throughout the UK, with opportunities in most large towns and cities. However, this is a small profession overall.
• The range of fields you can work in is broadening due to increased legislation and growing recognition of other factors that impact on staff health, such as workplace design and stress at work.
• Travel within a working day is common if you work for a consultancy or for a company that has various sites. Overnight absence from home for site visits is possible. Overseas work and travel is possible, particularly if you work for an international company or for the offshore industry.

Qualifications

Most employers look for a strong scientific background and a science, technical, engineering or occupational hygiene degree or postgraduate qualification. In particular, the following subjects may increase your chances:

• biology
• biochemistry
• biomedical science
• chemistry
• engineering
• environmental health
• environmental science (biological)
• health
• mathematics
• medical laboratory science
• occupational health and safety
• physics.

There are a range of postgraduate diplomas and Masters in occupational hygiene or health available. Some provide exemption from exams that are run by the BOHS. See BOHS Accredited Degrees for details.

Occupational hygiene can be a second career, with workers moving from roles such as laboratory technician, chemist, engineer, biologist or physicist, or from general health and safety roles. You'll usually need to do further training to obtain professional qualifications.

Skills

You will need:

• the ability to apply the underlying principles of occupational hygiene to the workplace
• excellent communication, listening and interpersonal skills to gain the confidence and cooperation of the workforce and senior managers
• excellent written and report writing skills
• curiosity and questioning skills
• analytical skills and attention to detail
• problem-solving skills and the ability to operate effectively under pressure and to tight deadlines
• negotiating skills and the ability to persuade and motivate others in order to achieve results and initiate action
• operational decision-making skills
• project management and organisational skills
• an understanding of practical conditions in industry and the ability to apply workable solutions
• the ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet health objectives
• self-motivation and the ability to use your initiative
• technical and IT skills for using specialist equipment
• a flexible approach to work and working hours
• an interest in, and understanding of, UK Health and Safety requirements
• a commitment to continuing professional development.

You will often need a full driving licence.

Work experience

Pre-entry experience provides a valuable insight into the realities of the role. As a start, you could take on health and safety responsibilities within your current part-time job. This will help you to start learning about risks in the workplace.

Full-time students can join the BOHS, which provides access to networking opportunities, industry news, educational resources and job vacancies.

Some employers might look for experience in another science or engineering role, where you could have started to build competencies that help to lead to industry qualifications.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Jobs are available in all sectors and workplaces due to the nature of workplace hazards. For example, you could find work with large industrial companies in areas such as:

• chemicals
• construction
• energy
• engineering
• manufacturing
• mining
• oil and refining.

Other employers include:

• environmental monitoring companies
• government agencies
• health services
• transport industries, such as rail and aviation
• academic institutions.

You can also work for regulatory bodies such as:

• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - England, Wales and Scotland
• Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

In these types of organisation, you'll help to set national policy and ensure health and safety regulations are met.

There are also opportunities with occupational hygiene consultancies. Consultancies may specialise in providing services for a particular sector, such as construction or engineering, or offer support to a range of organisations. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often use consultants to fulfil their health and safety requirements. You can search for consultancies via the BOHS Directory of Occupational Hygiene Services.

Look for job vacancies at:

• BOHS Jobs board
• SHP4Jobs
• New Scientist Jobs

You can also search for vacancies on networking sites such as LinkedIn.

Professional development

As a trainee occupational hygienist, you'll typically start by work shadowing more experienced colleagues to gain a thorough understanding of the role. You'll receive on-the-job training and will usually be encouraged to work towards British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) professional qualifications.

Once you have three years' professional experience, you can take the BOHS Certificate of Operational Competence in Occupational Hygiene (CertOH). On successful completion, you're eligible for licentiate membership of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene.

You'll need at last five years' professional experience, as well as a BOHS-accredited postgraduate degree, the CertOH/ICertOH or an IOHA-accredited professional qualification in order to take the Diploma of Professional Competence in Occupational Hygiene (DipOH). On successful completion of the DipOH, you can become a chartered member of the Faculty. Once you've gained at least five years' experience as a chartered member and have made a distinct contribution to the industry, you may be eligible for chartered fellow status.

You must carry out continuing professional development (CPD) throughout your career to keep your knowledge and skills up to date. The BOHS has details of presentations, conferences and events to help with this. There is also a mentoring programme to help you connect with more senior occupational hygienists.

You can also take further study at Masters level. Search for postgraduate courses in occupational hygiene.

Career prospects

There is a structured progression route in occupational hygiene. As you gain experience and professional qualifications, you can progress through the levels:

• occupational hygiene technician or trainee
• occupational hygiene associate
• occupational hygienist (Licentiate)
• chartered occupational hygienist
• manager/director of occupational hygiene
• occupational health director.

The opportunities for promotion will depend on the size and nature of the company you work for, your skills, experience, and professional qualifications and training.

In more senior roles, such as manager or director, you'll typically lead a team of occupational hygienists. At the very highest levels, you're likely to manage a multidisciplinary occupational health team and have responsibility for strategy. There are fewer opportunities available at senior level.

You can choose to specialise in a particular area of occupational hygiene, such as asbestos or legionella, or you could move into management, consultancy or roles within government departments.

With experience, you could become an independent consultant, but you'll need to have built up a good list of contacts and may find this easier if you have a specialist area. It's also possible to develop a career internationally.

There are some opportunities to undertake research and lecture in academic departments. You could also move into managerial and wider health and safety roles.