Any company operating in the industrial sector must put in place the necessary measures to provide a healthy and risk-free living environment for its employees. This is also the reason why the largest brands often have one or more industrial hygienists among the members of their teams. However, finances do not always allow hiring this type of specialist on a full-time basis, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. At Benjel Chimistes Conseils, we offer you a practical and more affordable solution with our industrial hygiene service.
Who are we?
Now more than 30 years old, our company specializes in air quality analysis in residential, industrial and commercial buildings. To do this, we have built a team of experts made up of chemists, microbiologists and technicians experienced in the field.
We also have a lab that participates in the American Industrial Hygiene Association, or AIHA, EMPAT program. Our customers recognize us above all for our professionalism, our ability to listen and the reliability of our tests and analyses. We are also proud to announce that the members of our team regularly undergo external training in order to sharpen their knowledge, improve their working methods and maintain a quality of service that meets your expectations.
Most of our clients are located in the greater Montreal area. However, we also travel to more remote areas such as Sherbrooke, Quebec or Gatineau if you need us.
What should you know about our industrial hygiene service?
We have in our team a certified occupational hygienist and PhD Chemist who has been working in the air quality sector for around 15 years. It is thanks to her that we can now offer you the industrial hygiene service. And his expertise in the field is highly appreciated by our customers.
The role of our industrial hygienist
The main role of the industrial hygienist is to help you create a healthy work environment for your employees:
- Accompanying the client in identifying the health risks to which the employees of its factories are exposed;
- Establishment, programming and implementation of periodic sampling visits in order to build a database on the exposure of its workers and monitor its evolution, according to the requirements of the ROHS (art.43) (Regulation respecting occupational health and safety);
- Establishment of an action plan to limit the risks to the health of workers;
- Accompanying the client in the development of safe working procedures in the most dangerous departments;
- Training of company employees on health risks related to chemical, physical and microbiological aggressors.
Our industrial hygiene service
As part of our industrial hygiene service, we carry out the following analyzes and tests:
- Dust analysis (mass and concentration): total dust, respirable dust, silica, asbestos and metals;
- Analysis of chemicals in the air: metals, formaldehydes, TVOC or Total Volatile Organic Compounds, acid and ammonia;
- Gas analysis: explosive gas, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, breathable compressed air and H2S;
- Measurement of physical parameters: air change per hour, relative humidity and temperature;
- Measurement and detection of biological parameters (and water analysis): yeasts, molds in the air as well as molds and bacteria on surfaces;
- Solution analyses: metals and acidity.
You can also call on us for expert advice on industrial hygiene or occupational health and safety. We can also collaborate with your OHS team. Finally, we remind you that we set up projects according to your needs and therefore offer personalized services perfectly adapted to your company.
What health risks are workers exposed to in a factory?
The activities within an industrial zone can cause situations that are dangerous to the health of the individuals who work there. By way of example, we can cite gas leaks linked to the deterioration of equipment, the formation of mold due to humidity and lack of ventilation, the release of chemicals during certain procedures or the contamination of the air by volatile organic compounds.
All of this, and many more, can lead to more or less serious illnesses such as respiratory disorders, skin and respiratory allergies or even various forms of cancer, following exposure to the court, middle and the long term. There are even risks of explosion, the consequences of which can be disastrous. Furthermore, poor physico-chemical and microbiological conditions are harmful to equipment and products. This accelerates their deterioration and decomposition.
How important is industrial hygiene?
Employees who work in poor conditions fall ill more often and become weaker and more fragile. Absences will then be more frequent and productivity may drop considerably. Industrial hygiene is precisely a discipline that aims to identify, assess and control the dangers to which workers are exposed within an industrial area.
The results of the tests and analyzes allow the competent team to find effective solutions to limit the risks and provide a healthier environment for the workers so that they are more productive and the company is more prosperous in the long term . In addition, we have seen previously that this is required by law.
Conclusion
Although the investment may seem huge at first, providing a healthy and safe working environment for your employees will benefit you in the long run, as it will limit sick leave and increase their productivity, which will surely have a positive impact on your finances.
Our industrial hygiene department, whose executive team is made up of a certified occupational hygienist, can help you with this type of project. We therefore invite you to contact us by telephone or online, via our website, for additional information or to call on us.
About The Author: Cedric Pharand
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