Industrial hygiene is the science devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of the environmental factors or stresses in the workplace that may cause illness, injury, impaired health or well-being, or significant discomfort for a worker.

The role of the industrial hygienist is to:

• Protect the health of the employees.
• Have an objective attitude toward occupational health hazards regardless of external influences in order to recognize, evaluate and control the hazards in the work environment for the safety of the employees.
• Counsel employees regarding the health hazards and the precautions necessary to avoid adverse health effects.
• Know the effects of the chemical and physical agents at various exposure levels on the health of the employee.
• Monitor and analyze the extent of exposure.
• Engineer methods of control to reduce or eliminate workplace hazards.