Industrial hygiene highlighted at career day

University of North Alabama - Industrial hygiene might sound like rope-thick floss or bench-sized toothbrushes, but the specialty, highlighted at a University of North Alabama career day Tuesday, actually focuses on creating healthy industrial workplaces.

The little-mentioned field described as "the science and art devoted to the protection of worker's health," by Crescente Figueroa, professor and director of UNA's industrial hygiene program, combines disparate disciplines including toxicology, human anatomy and physiology and even Department of Labor regulations, Figueroa said.

"We're dealing with human life and health," he said. "This is very important."

Nonfatal injuries among private industrial workers decreased in 2006 to 4.1 million total cases, or 4.4 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers down from 4.6 cases in 2005, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About a quarter, or 1.2 million, of the injury cases required that the worker take days off from work.

Injuries and illness were highest in mid-sized companies that employed up to 249 workers whereas small companies with 11 or fewer employees had the least number of injuries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

UNA is one of about two dozen universities that offer undergraduate majors in industrial hygiene; about a hundred more universities offer graduate degrees in the field, according to the American Industrial Hygiene Association, a trade group. Figueroa estimated that 40 students enrolled at UNA's program.

One student, Whitney Northcutt, said she stumbled into UNA's industrial hygiene program after she decided she wasn't the type to pursue medical school or lab research. The senior now is about to graduate in May with a double major in industrial hygiene and chemistry and is a member of the UNA Industrial Hygiene Association.

"I like to get out in the field; it's really hands on," she said, "It's nicer than staying in an office all day or doing research."

During one semester-long apprenticeship at International Paper, she got to experience equipment first-hand, talk with the workers and monitor noise and air quality.

Her biggest surprise? "One accident can cost the company a lot of money," she said. "I was a little bit surprised how much goes into it," including lost man hours, additional training and, of course, paperwork.

The career fair, which also includes chemistry-related jobs, was developed for students to learn about post-graduation jobs.

Industrial hygienists from Wise Alloys LLC, ENSR and several other companies were on hand to explain their jobs.

"I would encourage (you to do) any kind of work, even if it's free, before you graduate," advised Todd Hogue, industrial hygienist for 3M in Decatur for 15 years, to students such as sophomore Chris Davis.

"The field has evolved from shotgun sample taking to more structure," he said. "It's a more methodical approach now."

For UNA, the fair was important to introduce students to professionals in the field.

"Students are familiar with jobs they come in contact with every day and what they see on TV," said Amanda Hofacker, assistant professor of chemistry at UNA. "The closest thing to this on TV is CSI."

Trevor Stokes can be reached at 740-5728 or trevor.stokes@timesdaily.com