The Industrial Hygiene Audit: Purposes and Implementation

The increased implementation of industrial hygiene programs in industry, with the associated increase in funds allocated to safety and health programs, has introduced the concept of evaluative measures for program performance. The audit is a frequently used and valuable tool for the safety specialist, but it has been infrequently used by the hygienist. We differentiate the audit from 1) program guidelines and 2) program evaluation. The latter implies relating program activities to articulated measures of effectiveness. The audit, in contrast, utilizes widely accepted industrial hygiene program structural elements. In an audit a qualitative or numerical rating scale is assigned each audit program element to indicate the extent to which the element is present. The audit is an essential tool for the manager of an industrial hygiene program. Audits are not a substitute for program evaluation, but program evaluation is a very uncertain matter because the industrial hygiene profession has yet to focus on measures of program progress in terms similar to those of the safety field, i.e. accident frequencies and severities. Program elements and qualitative and quantitative rating scales are described. Preparation, conduct and reporting of the audit are discussed.