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Occupational hygienist Giel Beijer

'I consider social importance to be very important.'

Giel Beijer is 55 years old and has been an occupational hygienist at DEKRA Industrial Safety since January 1, 2025. He talks about the challenges and what drives him as an occupational hygienist. This gives you a glimpse behind the scenes of the occupational hygiene profession and lets you read about what this unique job really entails.

How would you describe in two or three sentences what occupational hygiene means—and why it is really important for organizations?

When asked the standard birthday question, "What do you do for a living?", I notice that people often associate the term "occupational health and safety" with the company doctor. And most people have a clear idea of what "safety engineering" entails. But when it comes to an "occupational hygienist," people usually look confused and say, "Oh, something to do with hygiene, clean toilets, and stuff like that?!"
The formal definition: occupational hygiene is the field that focuses on preventing health problems caused by harmful factors at work. Occupational hygienists are involved in identifying, assessing, and controlling risks. These include chemical factors (e.g., hazardous substances), physical factors (e.g., noise, vibrations, and radiation), biological factors (e.g., bacteria and fungi), and ergonomic factors (such as lifting and working posture)."

What appeals to you most personally in your work as an occupational hygienist at DEKRA?

"The consultants at DEKRA Industrial Safety support and advise our clients on a daily basis in the area of safe and healthy working practices. The prevention of incidents or accidents is often the starting point here. Figures from the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) show that more than 4,000 people die each year from work-related causes, such as exposure to carcinogenic substances, usually at a later age. Occupational hygiene has an impact on the long-term health of employees. I consider this social importance to be very significant."

Can you describe a specific situation in which your work directly contributed to a healthier workplace?

As mentioned, the health effects in the occupational hygiene domain are often only visible in the long term. However, there are certainly cases where poor occupational hygiene has an immediate effect. I experienced this at a company with very dusty conditions, where employees suffered from many respiratory complaints. Sometimes measurements are needed to properly assess the situation—and in this case, dust measurements showed that the limit values were being exceeded by a wide margin. The employer immediately introduced respiratory protection to protect employees. Because tackling the source is better, technical measures were also taken, such as source extraction to limit the release of dust. The employees felt they were being taken seriously and the respiratory complaints decreased."

What role does occupational hygiene play in an organization's broader HSE policy — and how does DEKRA support this?

The Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E) often forms the basis for HSE policy. Occupational hygienists also play an important role in the RI&E in identifying, assessing, and controlling risks. DEKRA's safety experts and occupational hygienists (and, where necessary, occupational and organizational experts) frequently carry out such RI&Es for a wide range of clients in various industries."
"The occupational hygienists also conduct in-depth RI&Es on topics such as hazardous substances, physical strain, and noise. In addition, we provide support in drawing up and implementing specific policies on the aforementioned topics or in carrying out measurements."

What do you think will be the biggest challenges in occupational health and safety in 2026—for example, in relation to hazardous substances, climate, or new technologies?

"Exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic substances, or CMR substances, is a highly topical issue. This is also evident from the alarming figures regarding employee mortality as a result of exposure to such substances. More and more is becoming known about CMR substances, limit values are becoming stricter, and controlling exposure is therefore a challenge. With our experience and expertise, we are well placed to advise on this."

DEKRA operates in a wide range of sectors—what makes DEKRA an attractive employer for professionals in your field?

"During my first year at DEKRA Industrial Safety, I have come to appreciate this organization. The lines of communication are short, the assignments are very diverse, and this organization has a wealth of knowledge and experience in-house. Quality, and very importantly, integrity, are of paramount importance."

Can you describe your immediate team? How do you work together?

Many safety experts (IVK, MVK, HVK) work together at DEKRA Industrial Safety. In comparison, the number of occupational hygienists is relatively small, with only four people (Karin Verkuijlen, Edwin Gielissen, Martin Spitteler, and myself). Many projects are carried out independently, but there is always an opportunity to exchange ideas. We also consider it important to review each other's advice. In addition, we meet several times a year for occupational hygiene consultations. During these meetings, we follow developments, discuss assignments, and coordinate our working methods."
"It's worth mentioning that we organized an in-depth workshop for our fellow safety experts at the end of 2025. The aim of this day was to reintroduce the field of occupational hygiene, in addition to networking and socializing. Through interaction and practical examples, we explored together where and when safety experts can best call on occupational hygienists. It is increasingly important to carefully monitor the scope of expertise. It was a very successful day, which once again demonstrated that working together is both enjoyable and educational."

What skills or character traits help you most in your work as an occupational hygienist?

As an occupational hygienist, you have to form an opinion about complex work situations. To properly assess the situation, you often have to deal with various 'stakeholders' such as employees, supervisors, senior management, technicians, etc. They all speak a 'different language' and all have different interests. The trick is to ask the right questions and, above all, to listen carefully. You verify all the information you gather and then test it against the applicable frameworks. In my experience, the advice should not be too complicated, but of course you do need to substantiate it properly."

What would you say to young professionals who are considering training to become occupational hygienists?

"After more than 25 years, I still enjoy this profession (almost) every day. No two days are the same. It's a combination of analytical work, technology, contact with people from all walks of life in a wide variety of organizations, and you get to see behind the scenes everywhere. Your advice really matters, because you contribute to the health of employees, from their working lives to their retirement."