English: This historic image depicted an industrial hygienist as he was taking air samples in the immediate vicinity of a factory worker, who was in the process of pouring a scoop of an unknown substance into a hopper. By testing the air quality, and its content of potentially-dangerous particulates, a determination could then be made as to whether or not the air was being adequately ventilated, and if filtered breathing gear, such as a mask, need be worn. This image was published in the April 1951 issue of the Industrial Hygiene Newsletter.

In gaining a better understanding of workplace hazards, through hands-on and on-site information acquisition, protocol-formulating bodies such as NIOSH, are better able to create a safer workplace through substantiation of appropriate safety regulations. Occupational medicine is the branch of clinical medicine most active in the field of occupational health and safety. Its principal role is the provision of health advice to organizations and individuals, in order to ensure that the highest standards of workplace health and safety can be achieved, and maintained.

The NIOSH Historic Photo Collection was the "picture file" of the Industrial Hygiene Division of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) (c. 1930-1960). It is both a unique mid-20th century image collection of people in workplace environments, and a documentary record of the science of studying workers and the workplace. The collection consisted of photographs, and some original drawings.