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INDUSTRIAL SANITATION AND OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE: GLOBAL
EVIDENCE, META
‐
ANALYSES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Khadirov Bakhodir Salomovich
Teacher in Andijan Pedagogical technicum.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17438077
Abstract.
Industrial sanitation and occupational hygiene are critical disciplines aimed at
safeguarding worker health and ensuring product safety by identifying, assessing, and
controlling workplace hazards. Recent systematic reviews and meta‐analyses (2019-2025) by
organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour
Organization (ILO) have revealed the significant burden of disease attributable to occupational
exposures including dust, heat, and noise. For example, exposure to silica, asbestos and coal
dust among workers is shown to persist at high prevalence levels globally. Meanwhile, excessive
heat places more than 70% of the world’s workforce at risk. This paper reviews major hazard
categories, presents key global statistics and meta‐analytical findings, analyses international
standards, and offers practical recommendations for manufacturing and other industrial
workplaces. The goal is to guide policy-makers, occupational health professionals and industry
managers in implementing evidence‐based interventions.
Keywords:
industrial sanitation; occupational hygiene; occupational exposure; dust and
respiratory disease; noise exposure; heat stress; meta‐analysis; global workforce.
ПРОМЫШЛЕННАЯ САНИТАРИЯ И ГИГИЕНА ТРУДА: ГЛОБАЛЬНЫЕ
ДАННЫЕ, МЕТААНАЛИЗЫ И РЕКОМЕНДАЦИИ
Аннотация.
Промышленная санитария и гигиена труда являются важнейшими
дисциплинами, направленными на охрану здоровья работников и обеспечение
безопасности продукции путем выявления, оценки и контроля рисков на рабочих местах.
Недавние систематические обзоры и метаанализы (2019–2025 гг.), проведенные
такими организациями, как Всемирная организация здравоохранения (ВОЗ) и
Международная организация труда (МОТ), выявили значительное бремя заболеваний,
связанных с воздействием на рабочем месте таких факторов, как пыль, жара и шум.
Например, воздействие кремнезема, асбеста и угольной пыли на рабочих
сохраняется на высоком уровне во всем мире. В то же время, чрезмерная жара
подвергает риску более 70% рабочей силы в мире. В данной статье рассматриваются
основные категории рисков, представлены ключевые мировые статистические данные и
результаты метаанализа, анализируются международные стандарты и предлагаются
практические рекомендации для производственных и других промышленных предприятий.
Цель — предоставить руководству директивные органы, специалистов по охране труда
и руководителей предприятий помощь в реализации научно обоснованных мер
вмешательства.
Ключевые слова:
промышленная санитария; гигиена труда; воздействие вредных
факторов на рабочем месте; пыль и респираторные заболевания; воздействие шума;
тепловой стресс; метаанализ; глобальная рабочая сила.
Introduction
Occupational hygiene is defined as the science and art devoted to the
anticipation,
recognition, evaluation, and control
(AREC) of workplace factors that may cause illness,
impaired health or well‐being.
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International organisations emphasise that the majority of the global workforce continues
to be exposed to elevated levels of workplace hazards, many of which are preventable through
engineering, administrative and personal protective measures. In manufacturing and production
settings, industrial sanitation complements occupational hygiene by ensuring that the physical
workplace environment—including ventilation, cleanliness, waste management, and safe
equipment design—supports worker safety and product integrity. Given globalisation of
production and supply chains, adoption of international evidence and standards has become
increasingly important. This paper synthesises recent meta‐analytical evidence (2019-2025) on
primary hazard categories, presents global statistical trends, examines relevant international
standards, and outlines recommended interventions for industrial settings.
Major Hazard Categories and Evidence
Dust and Fibre Exposure (Chemical/Particulate Hazards)
A landmark systematic review and meta‐analysis authored under the WHO/ILO Joint
Estimates project evaluated prevalence and levels of occupational exposure to silica, asbestos
and coal dust. The review included studies from 1960 to 2018 across multiple industry sectors
and found that exposure remains widespread, and data are suitable for estimating worker disease
burden.
In another meta‐analysis, organic dust exposure among industrial workers in Africa (32 studies,
n≈7,085) was associated with significant reductions in lung function indices: mean difference in
FVC = –0.53 L (95% CI –0.83 to –0.36), FEV₁ = –0.60 L (95% CI –0.77 to –0.43), FEV₁/FVC =
–0.43 (95% CI –0.57 to –0.29) and PEFR = –0.69 L/min (95% CI –0.88 to –0.50). These data
reinforce the significance of dust control and ventilation as core industrial hygiene measures.
Noise and Vibration Exposure (Physical Hazards)
The prevalence of occupational noise exposure has been systematically reviewed: one
meta‐analysis (Teixeira et al., 2021) assessed prevalence among workers and found that
occupational exposure to noise is common across settings globally. Noise‐induced hearing loss,
tinnitus and other auditory effects remain key occupational health concerns, especially in
manufacturing and heavy industry contexts.
Heat Stress and Climate-Related Hazards
In recent years, extreme heat has emerged as a major occupational hazard, amplified by
climate change. The WHO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on 22 August
2025 issued a joint report “Climate change and workplace heat stress” documenting that daytime
temperatures above 40 °C and even 50 °C are increasingly common, posing severe health and
productivity risks for workers worldwide. The report notes that worker productivity drops by 2-
3% for each degree above 20 °C, and that approximately half of the global population suffers
adverse consequences of high temperatures in their working lives. Other data estimate that more
than 70% of the world’s workforce (≈2.4 billion workers) may face excessive heat exposure
annually. Heat exposure is linked to increased injuries, kidney dysfunction, heatstroke and
mortality.
Emerging Exposure Routes and Risk Considerations
Recently, a meta‐analysis explored occupational oral exposure (via ingestion of
hazardous substances) as a relevant yet under-assessed route of exposure in workplace settings
(Dietz et al., 2025). This finding underscores the evolving complexity of occupational hygiene
risk assessment beyond inhalation and dermal routes.
International Standards and Regulatory Frameworks
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Occupational hygiene frameworks emphasise the AREC approach: anticipation,
recognition, evaluation and control. The International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA)
promotes this as the foundational principle for industrial hygiene practice globally.
In terms of industrial sanitation, standards such as EN ISO 14159 (hygienic design of machines)
and other ISO standards for hygiene and safety are referenced in manufacturing and
food/pharmaceutical industries. National regulatory frameworks (e.g., Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States) provide guidance on heat exposure and
workplace hazard recognition. Adoption of these standards ensures alignment with global best
practices and enables multinational manufacturing operations to maintain compliance across
geographies.
Practical Recommendations for Industrial Workplaces
Based on the evidence base summarised above, the following interventions are strongly
recommended:
1.
Engineering Controls & Ventilation
: For dust and particulate hazards, implement
source capture, local exhaust ventilation and effective filtering systems. The significant
lung‐function deficits identified in meta‐analyses mandate prioritising these controls.
2.
Hearing Conservation Programs
: For noise hazards, implement monitoring of noise
levels, enforce exposure limits, provide hearing protection, and periodically test worker auditory
function.
3.
Heat Stress Management
: Develop workplace heat risk plans—monitor
temperature/WBGT, adjust work/rest schedules, provide hydration and shade, inform workers.
Given productivity declines of ~2-3% per degree above 20 °C, addressing heat is both a health
and operational imperative.
4.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Administrative Controls
: Although PPE
is a lower‐tier control, ensuring appropriate respirators, hearing protection, thermal protection
and training remains essential. Administrative controls such as job rotation, shift scheduling and
training further mitigate risks.
5.
Surveillance, Monitoring and Audit
: Regular monitoring of hazard levels (dust,
noise, heat), worker health surveillance (e.g., spirometry, audiometry, heat illness tracking) and
audit of compliance with standards enable evidence‐based adjustments and continuous
improvement.
6.
Training and Culture
: Cultivating a safety and hygiene culture among workers and
management increases adherence to sanitary practices, proper use of controls and early reporting
of symptoms or hazards.
7.
Climate Adaptation and Future Planning
: Given emerging challenges such as heat
stress and oral exposure routes, manufacturing enterprises must integrate adaptation strategies,
monitor new exposure pathways and update risk assessments accordingly.
Discussion
This review consolidates recent global evidence indicating that workplace hazards remain
significant contributors to morbidity and impaired productivity in industrial settings. The
systematic review on dust/fibre exposure confirms that, despite decades of regulatory focus,
elevated exposures persist and are linked to measurable decrements in lung function. Similarly,
noise exposure remains prevalent and undertreated worldwide. The emerging threat posed by
heat stress—amplified by climate change—is particularly urgent; the scale of exposure (over
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70% of workforce) and the dual impact on health and productivity underscore the need to
integrate occupational hygiene with climate resilience strategies.
It is worth noting that heterogeneity exists across studies in terms of exposure
measurement methods, worker populations, regulatory environments and industrial sectors.
Many meta‐analyses highlight high I² values, indicating variability among primary
studies. For example, the African dust exposure meta‐analysis reported I² = 92.4% for pooled
prevalence of respiratory symptoms. Future research should focus on longitudinal designs,
harmonised exposure assessment methods and inclusion of low‐ and middle-income country
settings, where regulatory and infrastructural gaps may magnify risks. Moreover, the advent of
new manufacturing modalities (e.g., biopharmaceuticals, clean technologies) and new exposure
routes (oral ingestion of chemicals) calls for evolving risk assessment frameworks.
From a sanitation perspective, industrial hygiene and production hygiene must be
integrated rather than treated separately; safe product manufacturing and worker protection go
hand‐in‐hand. Adhering to hygienic design standards (e.g., ISO/EN) not only supports product
safety but also enables cleaner, more controllable environments for workers.
Conclusion
Industrial sanitation and occupational hygiene are indispensable for protecting worker
health, ensuring product safety and maintaining operational efficiency in manufacturing and
production environments. The latest meta‐analytical and global statistical evidence demonstrates
that dust, noise and heat remain pervasive hazards with measurable health and productivity
impacts. Adoption of international standards, implementation of engineering controls, rigorous
monitoring and a proactive safety culture are essential. Given evolving risks—such as climate-
driven heat stress and novel exposure pathways—industries must continually update their
hygiene and sanitation strategies. Policymakers should prioritise regulatory frameworks,
resource allocation and capacity building to support safe and sustainable industrial workplaces
worldwide.
References
1.
Schlünssen V, Ádám B, Momen NC, Nemery B, Pega F; WHO/ILO Working Group on
the Prevalences and Levels of Occupational Exposure to Dusts and/or Fibres.
The
prevalences and levels of occupational exposure to dusts and/or fibres (silica, asbestos
and coal) – A systematic review and meta‐analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of
the Work‐related Burden of Disease and Injury.
Environ Int. 2023;179:108165.
2.
Ashuro Z et al.
The effect of occupational exposure to organic dust on lung function
among African industrial workers: a systematic review and meta‐analysis.
Front Public
Health. 2024; 12:1424315.
3.
Teixeira LR, et al.
The prevalence of occupational exposure to noise: systematic review
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Environ Res. 2021;197:111123.
4.
WHO & WMO.
Climate change and workplace heat stress: technical report.
WHO;
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5.
Dietz M, et al.
Mechanisms leading to occupational oral exposure: systematic literature
search and meta‐analysis.
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Ireland A, Johnston D, Knott R.
Heat and worker health.
arXiv. 2023;2301.11554v1.
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OSHA.
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U.S. Department of Labor.
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ILO.
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ILO; 2023.
