Biological working environment
Occupational hygienists assist with risk assessment of exposure to animal allergens, molds, bacteria and viruses. Risk assessment also includes advice on protection and infection-reducing measures and further follow-up of the employee through targeted health control.
Description of service: Ordering occupational hygiene mapping and risk assessment
Tips and advice:
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Familiarise yourself with the work procedure, special risk conditions, protective equipment and protective measures, cf. safety data sheet and SOP/SJA.
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Is the use of a fume cupboard, point extraction, safety bench or LAF bench required?
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Do you have access to personal protective equipment, cf. safety data sheets and SOP/SJA, and have you received training in the use of protective equipment?
Related information:
Chemical working environment
The occupational hygienist assists with risk assessment of exposure to chemical substances, gases and vapours. The risk assessment also includes advice on protective measures as well as any further follow-up of the employee through targeted health checks.
Description of service: Ordering occupational hygiene mapping and risk assessment
Tips and advice:
- Familiarise yourself with the work procedure and special risk conditions, protective equipment and protective measures, cf. the safety data sheet and SOP/SJA.
- Is the use of a fume hood or point extraction required?
- Do you have access to personal protective equipment specified in the safety data sheet and SOP/SJA, and have you received training in the use of the protective equipment?
Related information:
Physical working environment
The occupational hygienist assist with risk assessment of physical working environment conditions. The risk assessment also includes advice on protective measures and further follow-up of the employee through targeted health checks.
In the risk assessment, occupational hygienists can map and measure air temperature, humidity, CO2, lighting intensity, noise, dust, ventilation/fume hood, etc.
The occupational hygienist does not carry out annual/periodic inspections and adjustments of ventilation systems and fume hoods. This must be regulated in a service agreement that the unit itself enters into, or any agreement with the Estate Department to enter into with a supplier, or equivalent.
Lighting
Description of service: Ordering occupational hygiene mapping and risk assessment
Tips and advice:
- The light source must be selected based on the type of work and vision task to be performed.
- In an office environment, daylight should fall in from the left side of the work table for right-handed people. For left-handers, daylight should fall in from the right side. Daylight must have the option of shading inside or outside.
- General lighting must be correctly positioned in relation to the workplace. The light fixtures must have a shield that does not cause glare on the work table.
- Extra space lighting if needed. This should have asymmetrical light scattering and brightness adjustment.
Related information: Lighting (arbeidstilsynet.no) (Norwegian)
Indoor climate
The occupational hygienist can assist with indoor climate mapping before risk assessment and measures are assessed.
Complaints and health problems due to indoor climate are often due to a combination of several factors. Indoor climate problems can be due to building-related illness, discomfort and comfort problems and/or the so-called "Sick Building Syndrome".
Description of service: Ordering occupational hygiene mapping and risk assessment
Tips and advice:
- Contact your manager if you experience indoor climate problems.
- Avoid air temperature > 22 ° C in winter. Temperature problems are reported to the Estate Department.
- On hot summer days, interior and exterior sun protection, window ventilation and table fans can be used.
- Keep the workplace tidy so that the cleaners can easily wash surfaces in use. Remember annual cleaning of high-lying surfaces (top of bookcases, light fixtures, etc.).
- Open bookshelves are dust collectors. Use bookcases and drawers for storing papers.
Related information:
- Indoor clomate (arbeidstilsynet.no) (Norwegian)
- The Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association (naaf.no)
Noise
The occupational hygienist can map noise in the workplace and the employee's personal noise exposure. Noise conditions can be divided into annoying noise from ventilation systems etc. as well as harmful noise from machines and equipment.
When assessing the risk of noise, the noise dose and the maximum sound pressure level are mapped throughout the working day for the employee. Advice on choosing the right type of hearing protection and other noise measures is also included in the risk assessment.
Description of service: Ordering occupational hygiene mapping and risk assessment
Tips and advice:
- Avoid noise as much as possible. Therefore, examine noise data when purchasing new machines and equipment. Choose the one that makes the least noise.
- Place noisy machines and equipment in a separate noise-insulated room where possible.
- Choose the working process that is least noisy.
- Poorly maintained machinery and equipment emit more noise.
- Hearing protection with too high noise attenuation means that warning and ambient sounds are not perceived. Music headphones are not defined as hearing protection.
Related information:
- Occuptional health and pregancy
- Hearing-damaging chemicalsr (arbeidstilsynet.no) (Norwegian)
- Noise (arbeidstilsynet.no) (Norwegian)
Contact
- Occupational Hygienist Cheau Ling Poon
- Occupational Hygienist Knut Andresen