Research
Occupational Hygiene MS students must complete a ‘Plan B Project’ that most often takes the form of a short research paper. Students may conduct research that is laboratory-based or field-based or some combination of the two.
The Occupational Hygiene Laboratory occupies 2,500 square feet and is equipped with the latest instrumentation for measuring gasses, vapors, particulate matter, and biological aerosols. Large research apparatuses housed in the laboratory include a new walk-in exposure chamber, a wind tunnel, a filter tester, three laboratory hoods, and a biological safety cabinet. The Occupational Hygiene program maintains a wide variety of portable samplers and instruments that can be used to measure exposure to hazards at work sites.
Finding better ways to detect and measure infectious viruses in the air
A study led by Professor Peter Raynor — found that a two-sampler approach may be necessary to detect viruses and accurately measure their concentrations.
Examples of recent projects
- Evaluation of Real-Time Low-Cost Sensors in a Controlled Environment
- Understanding the Association between Frequency of Contact by Healthcare Workers on Surfaces and Level of Antineoplastic Drug Contamination in Healthcare Settings
- Noise Exposure Assessment for Animal Care Workers in Canine Facilities
- Evaluation of Potential Airborne Exposures to Noncritical Surface Disinfectants during Simulated Cleaning
- Characterization of Volatile Organic Compound Exposures in One Nail Salon and Manicure Table Orientation Concept as an Exposure Control Method
