Badly Drawn Stickman's guide to "Why should I become an occupational hygienist?" Presentation for recent university graduates considering their next career move.

1. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Badly Drawn
Stickman’s guide to
“Why should I become
an occupational
hygienist?”
Helen Pearson, LFOH
Young Hygienist Award

2. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
What is occupational hygiene?
Who should consider it as a career?
What skills would I need?
What does an occupational hygienist
actually do?
Where could occupational
hygiene take me?
How can I become an occupational
hygienist?
Why should I consider
occupational hygiene as a career?

3. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
What is
occupational
hygiene?

4. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Occupational
hygiene is a multi-skilled
discipline combining science
and engineering to identify,
assess, and then eliminate or
control health hazards in the
workplace.

5. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Its aim is
‘worker health
protection’ by working to
ensure that employees are
not made ill by health
hazards present in
their workplace.

6. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Every year
1,000s of UK workers
suffer occupational ill-heath
leading to absence from work,
early retirement and, in
some cases, premature
death.

7. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Occupational
hygienists work to
prevent this by helping
organisations protect
their employees.

8. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Who should consider
occupational hygiene
as a career?

9. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
If your interest is in.....
Chemistry
Human
Health
Engineering
Health and Safety
Another
science
based
subject
... you should
consider a career in
occupational hygiene.

10. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
What skills would I
need?

11. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
An occupational hygienist needs...
good
observational
skills
good communication
skills
good problem
solving skills
to be
methodical
to be able to
engage with
managers and
workers

12. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
What does an
occupational hygienist
actually do?

13. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
The job of an occupational hygienist is...
part
detective
work
part worker health
awareness training
noisy
machinery
part
technical
measurement
part
worker
observation

14. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Where could
occupational hygiene
take me?

15. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Many sectors need occupational hygienists
including...
Heavy
manufacturing
Pharmaceuticals
Onshore/offshore energy
& petrochemicals
Food and drink
manufacturing
Public and
education
sector
Construction &
civil engineering

16. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Occupational hygiene is a growth area in
many countries and you could end up working
anywhere in the world...
Source: Daniel R. Strebe (15 August 2011)

17. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
How can I become
an occupational
hygienist?

18. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Whether you are self
financing, employer
supported, or a combination
of the two, there are several
routes to becoming an
occupational hygienist.
BOHS
International
Modules
MSc.
Inhouse
apprenticeship

19. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Where can I find
out more about
development
paths?

20. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
If you are in the UK, the British
Occupational Hygiene Society, the chartered
society for worker health protection, is best
placed to advise you further.

21. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Outside
the UK there
are other many
other organisations
who can advise you
on becoming an
occupational
hygienist.
Source: OHTA

22. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Why should I seriously
consider occupational
hygiene as a career
choice?

23. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Governments
Regulators
Industry
& the health and
safety sector
are
beginning to
realise that worker
health protection is a
really big deal....

24. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
... so you
would be joining
the profession at a
really exciting time
when the spotlight
is being turned on
worker health
protection.

25. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
At a time when graduate jobs are scarce in
many fields there is currently a shortage
of occupational hygienists in the UK and in
many other countries.
Law Interviews
Occupational
Hygiene
Interviews
Source: Anas Ramadan - www.flaticon.com (CC BY 3.0)

26. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
More importantly, the work of an
occupational hygienist is interesting, varied
and rewarding.
Being albeit a badly drawn
representation of an occupational
hygienist, Stickman usually has a
smile on his face as he knows that
every day he is helping to reduce
the number of workers who will
suffer from occupational disease.

27. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Become an occupational hygienist and join
a small army of professionals working to
improve working conditions for all workers.
For more information visit www.bohs.org

28. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Special
thanks to
for sponsoring
the BOHS Young
Hygienist Award
2015.

29. Copyright © 2016 Helen Pearson
Copyright © 2016
Helen Pearson