Occupational hygiene programmes attempt to prevent illnesses and injuries arising from workplace hazards. Since the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act was passed in 1993, workplace illnesses have been recognised as just as important as injuries from occupational accidents.

These illnesses or conditions can mean many days or weeks out of work, or even permanent disability, causing serious economic hardship to a worker and his or her family. Occupational hygiene is the discipline of anticipating, recognising, evaluating and controlling health hazards in the workplac