Occupational Hygiene FAQs

An Occupational Hygienist assesses the workplace risk and evaluates the likelihood of exposure to chemical, physical and biological hazards.The information they gather from personal exposure monitoring and assessment can be used to implement prevention and control measures in eliminating or reducing exposure to these hazards.They can offer​ advice and guidance in establishing a monitoring regime the legal requirements and importance of risk reduction applying the principles of good practice in the control of exposure to substances hazardous to health undertaking on-site assessments to identify the level of personal exposure and the control measures required which are proportionate to that risk.

• establishing a monitoring regime
• the legal requirements and importance of risk reduction
• applying the principles of good practice in the control of exposure to substances hazardous to health
• undertaking on-site assessments to identify the level of personal exposure and the control measures required which are proportionate to that risk.

In some cases the sole use of PPE to reduce noise exposure will be a suitable solution but more often than not there are other more effective ways of reducing exposure to noise. PPE should always be considered as a last resort as its effectiveness relies heavily on the user and protects no one else but the wearer. The proper management of PPE in any business can be very time consuming, taking up management and supervisory resources not only in its set up but also in its ongoing management.

It should also be noted that the choice of hearing protection needs to be suitable for the type of noise being produced. A noise monitoring survey can evaluate the noise frequencies and determine what hearing protection will provide adequate attenuation protecting the employee from hearing damage. At Blue Turtle Ltd we always recommend having a noise survey carried out by a qualified occupational hygienist who can determine the noise sources, its type, who is affected and suitable actions to take to help reduce the noise either at source or through the pathway it travels.

​Exposure to vibration can come from a number of sources such as hand held powered tools or from vehicles being driven over bumpy ground. Regular exposure to high levels of vibration can cause serious long-term health effects causing damage to joints, nerves and blood vessels. A well known condition is white finger vibration or Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulation came into force on July 6th 2005 and sets clear action and limit values for vibration exposure. If your business undertakes activities where employees are exposed to vibration then a risk assessment must be carried out. If deemed necessary, measurement of the magnitude of the vibration to which an employee is liable to be exposed must be carried out hence, vibration monitoring would be required. Blue Turtle Ltd can help you carry out a risk assessment in regard to your vibration exposures to help determine if vibration monitoring is required.

You can read all about the benefits of what good Health and Safety practices bring all over the internet and they are all true. What we provide at Blue Turtle is experienced Safety professionals and knowledgeable Occupational Hygienists. But what does that mean for your business?

Quite simply it means that at Blue Turtle we have the skill set to provide a holistic approach for your business by truly assessing both Health & Safety hazards alike. As Occupational Hygienists we posses the skills, knowledge and equipment to carry out an array of occupational hygiene monitoring activities. These range from conducting an initial Health Risk Assessments to identify potential workplace health hazards through to carrying out noise monitoring, air quality monitoring and personal exposure monitoring of employees. Occupational Hygienists specialise in the field of "Worker Health Protection" and hold separate qualifications to that of safety professionals. This allows them to recognise, evaluate and advise on suitable solutions to the health hazards in the workplace. As Occupational Hygienists we can evaluate the exposure to hazards whether they be chemical, biological or physical and quantify the degree of risk to workers allowing for the development of suitable controls to prevent or limit ill health.

At Blue Turtle we are passionate about the protection of workers health and recognise the benefits not only to the individuals but also that of the business as a whole. We pride ourselves on providing a professional value adding service with clear advice and guidance allowing your business to make the right decisions and benefit from positive worker health protection. Let Blue Turtle help your business reach its full potential by helping protect your workforce from workplace derived ill health, increasing productivity, less absence and sickness and positive morale. Cost savings to the business can also be obtained through the adoption of new processes or substitution of chemicals resulting in lower operating costs through reduced requirements for PPE or waste disposal.

The missing cog for your business health is the Blue Turtle Cog!