Industrial Hygiene

About the Program
Industrial hygiene professionals work as applied scientists to preserve and improve the safety of the workplace. They are problem solvers, seeking ways to protect workers and the community from potential health threats while working within fiscal realities and changing priorities. In addition to a strong background in the physical and biological sciences, they bring an interest in legal, administrative and policy issues to their work.

Majoring in industrial hygiene (or the related field of environmental health science) may be right for you if you want to protect the quality of air, water, shelter and food; are interested in enforcing environmental and public health laws; are concerned with making workers’ jobs as free from hazards as possible; and want to work to ensure a sustainable, high quality of life for future generations.

Graduates work in industry, corporations, insurance companies, food establishments, research facilities and government agencies. Many find employment in health-care settings, including hospitals public health departments, and environmental protection agencies. Still more options exist with public utilities, educational settings, natural resource departments, consulting firms and cruise ships. The program also prepares students for graduate study in public health and other disciplines.

Industrial Hygiene majors learn to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and control workplace factors that affect health, comfort, and productivity. The program also introduces students to policy issues critical to worker health and safety. With new technologies emerging rapidly, industrial hygienists have become increasingly valuable in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of workers, the community and the environment.

The program includes the study of these topics:

• Evaluation of chemical, biological and physical hazards
• Ergonomics – the science of adapting working conditions to suit the worker
• Air and water quality – evaluation and control of pollutants
• Indoor environmental air quality
• Industrial ventilation
• OSHA and EPA regulations
• Nuclear and electromagnetic radiation
• Sampling and analysis of airborne agents
• Workplace environmental exposure levels to noise, biohazards, and chemicals

Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Hygiene (BSIH) from one of the few undergraduate programs of its kind in the United States. Utilizing strong links to Ohio’s manufacturing and industrial base, the program has had great success in connecting students with paid internships. These internships, while not required, can greatly enhance a student’s job prospects.