History of Hygiene

8/8/2019 History of Hygiene

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BASIC PRINCIPLES INBASIC PRINCIPLES IN

OCCUPATIONALOCCUPATIONALHYGIENEHYGIENE

Day 1Day 1


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Course AimsCourse Aims

To provide a practical understanding ofTo provide a practical understanding ofoccupational hygienefor people who needoccupational hygienefor people who needto manageor adviseon workplace healthto manageor adviseon workplace health

issues in theiremployment.issues in theiremployment. To provide a foundation for students whoTo provide a foundation for students who

wish to undertake moreinwish to undertake morein--depth study indepth study in

individual occupational hygiene subjects.individual occupational hygiene subjects. Toinform andenthuse students about theToinform andenthuse students about the

fieldofoccupational hygiene.fieldofoccupational hygiene.


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IntroductionIntroduction

Human PhysiologyHuman Physiology Fundamentals ofToxicologyFundamentals ofToxicology

Examples ofHazardousExamples ofHazardous

Substances/ProcessesSubstances/Processes


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What is Occupational Hygiene?What is Occupational Hygiene?

TheInternational Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA)TheInternational Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA)

defines Occupational Hygiene as:defines Occupational Hygiene as:

'Thedisciplineof'Thedisciplineofanticipatinganticipating,, recognizingrecognizing,, evaluatingevaluating

andandcontrollingcontrolling health hazards in the working environmenthealth hazards in the working environment

with theobjectiveofprotecting worker health and wellwith theobjectiveofprotecting worker health and well--

being and safeguarding the community at large.'being and safeguarding the community at large.'


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HEALTH HAZARDSHEALTH HAZARDS

Chemical agentsChemical agentsGases, vapours, solids, fibres, liquids,Gases, vapours, solids, fibres, liquids,

dusts, mists, fumes, etc.dusts, mists, fumes, etc.

Physical agentsPhysical agents

Noise andvibrationNoise andvibration

Heat and coldHeat and coldElectromagnetic fields, lighting etc.Electromagnetic fields, lighting etc.

Biological agentsBiological agents Bacteria, fungi, etc.Bacteria, fungi, etc.

Ergonomic factorsErgonomic factors Lifting, stretching, and repetitive motionLifting, stretching, and repetitive motion

Psychosocial factorsPsychosocial factors Stress, workload and work organisationStress, workload and work organisation


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ANTICIPATING AND RECOGNIZINGANTICIPATING AND RECOGNIZING

ANTICIPATIONANTICIPATION this involves identifying potential hazardsthis involves identifying potential hazards

in the workplace before they areintroduced.in the workplace before they areintroduced.

RECOGNITIONRECOGNITION -- this involves identifying the potentialthis involves identifying the potential

hazard that a chemical, physical or biological agenthazard that a chemical, physical or biological agent -- or anor an

adverseergonomic situationadverseergonomic situation -- poses to health.poses to health.


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EVALUATIONEVALUATION

EVALUATIONEVALUATION of theextent ofexposure to the chemical hazards,of theextent ofexposure to the chemical hazards,

physical or biological agents (or adverseergonomic situation) in thephysical or biological agents (or adverseergonomic situation) in the

workplace. This often involves measurement of the personalworkplace. This often involves measurement of the personal

exposureofa worker to the hazard/agent in the workplace,exposureofa worker to the hazard/agent in the workplace,

particularly at the relevant interface between theenvironment andparticularly at the relevant interface between theenvironment and

the body, e.g. breathing zone, hearing zone, and assessment of thethe body, e.g. breathing zone, hearing zone, and assessment of the

data in terms ofrecommendedoccupational exposure limits (OELs),data in terms ofrecommendedoccupational exposure limits (OELs),

where such criteria exist.where such criteria exist.


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CONTROLCONTROL

CONTROLCONTROL ofthe chemical, physical or biologicalofthe chemical, physical or biological

agentagent -- or adverseergonomic situation, byor adverseergonomic situation, byprocedural, engineering orother means where theprocedural, engineering orother means where the

evaluation indicates that this is necessary.evaluation indicates that this is necessary.


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What is Occupational Hygiene?What is Occupational Hygiene?

Exposure

Work Activity

Disease

Occupational

Hygiene

OccupationalMedicine

Occupational

Health


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History ofOccupational HygieneHistory ofOccupational Hygiene

Ca 400 BC Hippocrates inCa 400 BC Hippocrates in

ancient Greecefirst notedillnessancient Greecefirst notedillness

in mercury sulphide workers.in mercury sulphide workers.


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History of Occupational HygieneHistory of Occupational Hygiene

Ca 1540 Paracelsus in AustriaCa 1540 Paracelsus in Austria

described lung diseases indescribed lung diseases in

mineworkersmineworkers


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Agricola (ca 1556)


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1700 Ramazzini, thefatherofindustrial1700 Ramazzini, thefatherofindustrial

medicine, and ProfessorofMedicinein Padua,medicine, and ProfessorofMedicinein Padua,

wrote DeMorbis Artificum Diatriba, thefirstwrote DeMorbis Artificum Diatriba, thefirstformal study ofindustrial diseases.formal study ofindustrial diseases.

It was he who added an addition to HippocratesIt was he who added an addition to Hippocrates

list ofquestions to patients when taking alist ofquestions to patients when taking ahistory, namely what is youroccupation?history, namely what is youroccupation?


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TheIndustrial revolution from the late 1700s through to theTheIndustrial revolution from the late 1700s through to thelate 1800s led toincreased urbanisation andlate 1800s led toincreased urbanisation and

industrialisation. PictureofManchester UK.industrialisation. PictureofManchester UK.


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1858 John Stenhouseintroduces a charcoal1858 John Stenhouseintroduces a charcoal

impregnated mask to control exposure to gasesimpregnated mask to control exposure to gases

andvapours.andvapours.


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18891889 -- Exposure limits are set for humidity and carbonExposure limits are set for humidity and carbondioxidein cotton mills in the UK.dioxidein cotton mills in the UK.


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1890s1890s -- Haldane undertakes work on the toxicity ofCarbonHaldane undertakes work on the toxicity ofCarbon

Monoxide by exposing rats mice andeven himselftovaryingMonoxide by exposing rats mice andeven himselftovarying

concentrations within an exposure chamber.concentrations within an exposure chamber.

He used these results todevelop

dosev time plots for severity anddiscomfort ofhealth effects.

Heintroduces the useofsmall

animals andin particularCanaries

as thefirst way ofmonitoring to givean indication ofthe levels oftoxic

gas.


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1910 Alice Hamilton works in1910 Alice Hamilton works in

the US as thefirst Industrialthe US as thefirst Industrial

toxicologist pioneering thetoxicologist pioneering the

fieldoftoxicology andfieldoftoxicology and

occupational hygiene.occupational hygiene.


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19171917 -- Dur ingDuring thethe firstfirst worldworld war,war, thethe urgencyurgency ofof thethe workwork ininmunitionsmunitions factoriesfactories ledled toto poorpoor workingworking conditionsconditions..

TheThe workwork ofof thethe HealthHealth ofof MunitionsMunitions WorkersWorkers CommitteeCommittee laidlaid thethe

groundground forfor manymany subsequentsubsequent practicespractices inin ergonomics,ergonomics, psychology,psychology,

welfarewelfare andand shiftshift--workwork regimesregimes..


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19201920ss--3030ss -- IndustrialIndustrial hygienehygiene developsdevelops andand growsgrows inin thethe USAUSA inin bothboth thethe

PublicPublic HealthHealth ServiceService (PHS)(PHS) andand largelarge privateprivate companiescompanies.. TheseThese

developmentsdevelopments laylay thethe foundationsfoundations forfor thethe creationcreation ofof twotwo professionalprofessional

organisationsorganisations..

19381938//99 -- TheThe AmericanAmerican ConferenceConference ofofG

overnmentalG

overnmentalIndustrialIndustrial HygieneHygiene(ACGIH)(ACGIH) andand thethe AmericanAmerican IndustrialIndustrial HygieneHygiene AssociationAssociation (AIHA)(AIHA) werewere

formedformed.. TheThe firstfirst independentindependent pr ofessionalprofessional organisationsorganisations forfor

industrial/occupationalindustrial/occupational hygienistshygienists .. IHIH numbersnumbers inin USAUSA growgrow rapidlyrapidly duringduring

WWIIWWII toto assistassist thethe warwarefforteffort..

19531953 -- British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) founded. SocietyBritish Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) founded. Societystarts publishing Annals ofOccupational Hygienein 1958.starts publishing Annals ofOccupational Hygienein 1958.

19601960ss -- OccupationalOccupational SafetySafety andand HealthHealth ActAct inin thethe USAUSA andand thethe HealthHealth andand

SafetySafety atat WorkWork ActAct inin thethe UKUK laylay thethe pathpath forfor RiskRisk AssessmentAssessment //

performanceperformance basedbased legislationlegislation..


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19701970ss -- OccupationalOccupational SafetySafety andand HealthHealth ActAct inin thethe USAUSA andand thethe HealthHealth

andand SafetySafety atat WorkWork ActAct inin thethe UKUK laylay thethe pathpath forfor RiskRisk AssessmentAssessment //

performanceperformance basedbased legislationlegislation..

19801980//9090ss -- TheThe practicepractice ofof occupationaloccupational hygienehygiene growsgrows widelywidely inin thethe

USA,USA, UK,UK, TheThe NetherlandsNetherlands andand AustraliaAustralia withwith legislationlegislation inin thesethesecountriescountries beingbeing introducedintroduced specificallyspecifically toto focusfocus onon chemicalchemical andand

physicalphysical hazardshazards..

20002000ss -- TheThe societiessocieties ofof 2525 differentdifferent countriescountries areare membersmembers ofof thethe

InternationalInternational OccupationalOccupational HygieneHygieneAssociationAssociation (IOHA)(IOHA)..

IndustrialisationIndustrialisation inin countriescountries suchsuch asas ChinaChina andand IndiaIndia increaseincrease thethe

needneed forfor OccupationalOccupational hygienehygiene..

TheThe developmentdevelopment ofofmodellingmodelling techniquestechniques forfor assessingassessing exposureexposure..


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The Importance of Occupational HygieneThe Importance of Occupational Hygiene

2,000,000 work2,000,000 work--relateddeaths per year.relateddeaths per year. 386,000 deaths each yearfrom exposure to386,000 deaths each yearfrom exposure to

airborne particulates.airborne particulates.

152,000 deaths per yearfrom carcinogens in152,000 deaths per yearfrom carcinogens in

the workplace.the workplace. 37% ofLower Back Pain is attributed to37% ofLower Back Pain is attributed to

occupation.occupation.

TheWorld Health Organisation estimatesthat globally there are:


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The Importance of Occupational HygieneThe Importance of Occupational Hygiene

That means approximately 228 people haveThat means approximately 228 people have

diedfrom work relatedinjury orill health sincediedfrom work relatedinjury orill health since

we started an hour ago.we started an hour ago.

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History of Hygiene