Industrial Hygiene

Department Head Dr. Terry Spear  (406) 496-4445 SE 321 Department Overview

Front row left to right: John Amtmann, Terry Spear, Roger Jensen. Back row left to right: Julie Hart, Sally Bardsley, Bill Spath

Industrial Hygienists are responsible for the recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace environmental factors that may affect the health, comfort or productivity of the worker. Industrial hygiene is considered a “science”; however, it is also an art that involves judgment, creativity, and human interaction. Communication skills are very important.

Although some occupations may appear more dangerous than others, potential short-term and long-term health hazards occur in every profession whether a person is employed in an office or chemical plant. Industrial hygienists play an important role in ensuring that the workplace is as free from hazards as possible and that the workers and the community at large are protected from potential health threats. Moreover, industrial hygienists work with management to anticipate problems that could occur and take action to prevent them before they happen. Also, industrial hygienists play an important role in shaping and implementing government policy concerning worker health and safety.

Job diversity is a major benefit to consider when choosing a career in the health/environmental sciences. A wealth of unique employment opportunities exists for industrial hygienists. Unlike many other professions, industrial hygienists are not limited to one particular type of industry; they are employed in a variety of organizations such as Public Utilities; Government; Academia; Research Laboratories; Hospitals; Insurance Companies; Consulting Firms; Oil, Chemical and Manufacturing Companies; and Mining Operations.

The Industrial Hygiene Graduate program provides an exceptional opportunity for advanced study in the field of Occupational Health. The overall goal of our Industrial Hygiene program is to provide individuals with the technical competence to recognize, evaluate, and control occupational health hazards. The curricula is designed to provide graduates with the academic preparation needed to pass the certification examination administered by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene. The specific learning objectives of our Industrial Hygiene program are:

		To provide a firm scientific basis for the recognition of health hazards associated with occupations. Use basic scientific and engineering principles to anticipate and identify potential hazards in the work place.
		To provide the background to interpret toxicology literature and health data and incorporate these into the management of occupational health hazards.
		Apply principles of engineering in the design of appropriate controls for workplace hazards, with emphasis on noise and general and local exhaust ventilation.
		Select, evaluate, and manage the use of appropriate types of personal protective equipment for control of worker exposures.
		Utilize critical thinking in the development, management, and evaluation of industrial hygiene/occupational health programs.
		Communicate to labor, management, and the community, both verbally and in writing, the nature, risks, and remediation of workplace and environmental hazards.
		Interpret and assure the compliance with applicable government regulations and standards pertaining to occupational safety and health.

ASAC-ABET Accredited On-Campus Curriculum

*Graduate students with a B.S. Degree in OSH from Montana Tech will have matriculated these courses and will be required to complete 9 elective credits to replace the 9 core credits.

**Graduate students can choose from the following courses to satisfy the Safety Core requirement: OSH 4276 Mining Safety; OSH 4956 Behavior Based Safety; I.H. 5606 Systems Safety & Process Safety Management.  Graduate students with a B.S. Degree in OSH from Montana Tech have an adequate background in safety are not required to complete the safety core. These students will be required to complete an additional 3 credit elective.

Questions or Comments? Contact Cindy Dunstan
406-496-4304 • Fax: 406-496-4710