The maximization of industrial profits has been the objectives of many plants both within and without the United States. However, it is important to understand that the safety and health of workers in these industries is instrumental to the success of the industries. This essay looks at some of the ways in which industrial hygiene is enhanced in many industrial settings in the United States.
First of all, the limitation of food stuffs in working areas is one of the key measures that have been maintained by many industries. Many industries in the United States prohibit the bringing of food in some designated areas. Considering that some of the industries are involved in the production of chemical material, the bringing of food in these areas is likely to lead to the contamination of food. Food contamination can lead to contentious problems within the work force. In some dire cases, food poisoning within the industrial setting can lead to the death of the workforce on which the running of the industrial depends. One thing that is worth noting is that the death or health implications on the workforce could lead industrials into legal battles that would cost industries in terms of resources. It is therefore important for industries to avoid such legal battles by putting in place laws and regulations that prevent such accidents from happening.
Another important way in which industries maintain industrial hygiene is through the creation of laws that provide for people to have grooves and wash their hands before handing industrial goods that are meant for human consumption. One thing that is worthy understanding is that the level of hygiene that is employed in the production process is instrumental in dictating the hygiene of the final product. Industries that do not work towards promoting hygienic ways of goods handling are likely to produce goods that are unhygienic for human consumptions. This means that the goods that are sold to the consumer market would be health hazards to them instead of helping them address their wants. Unhygienic goods would harm customers and make an industry vulnerable to law suits by the consumer market. In addition, industries that do not maintain high levels of hygiene in the production process are likely to face shrinkage in the size of consumer base. Fewer customers would be willing to purchase goods that are not produced with high levels of industrial production hygiene. The shrinking of the consumer base would reduce the profits that industries generate from the sale of the products.
It is also important to understand that industrial hygiene should not only be focused on the production process but should also be focused on the ability of a company to hygienically dispose its waste. Companies have a social responsibility to the community in which they operate. The running of industrial sewage into water catchment areas would not be considered as being industrial hygiene. This is because hazardous waste from the industrial can be detrimental to the health of community and would sour the corporate relationship and the community on which they do serve (Plog, 1988, p.36).
A sour relationship between an industrial and the general public can be detrimental to the profits of given industry. A good example of industries that have been affected by poor corporate irresponsibility in terms of disposal and operations hygiene is BP, which polluted the Gulf of Mexico. Therefore industrial hygiene in both the production process and the disposal hygiene are important if companies are going to stabilize their profits.
References
Plog, B. A. (1988). Fundamentals of industrial hygiene (3rd ed.). Chicago, Ill.: National Safety Council.
