The department of occupational hygiene is one of the pioneering department, since the inception of the institute. The institute has dust monitoring records over five decades in the Kolar Gold Fields and other mines. The institute is conducting research in occupational hygiene and serving the different clientele organization in the public and private sector.

The department is conducting area and personal noise monitoring studies, respirable dust surveys along with free silica analysis, whole body vibration studies, heat stress and illumination studies in mines and mineral based industries.

The infrastructure of in occupational hygiene department includes

1. DGMS approved air borne respirable dust sampler:-
   • Casella MRE 113A gravimetric dust samplers
   • Casella personal dust samplers
   • Airlco CIP-10 personal dust samplers.
   • SKC sidekick 51Ex personal dust samplers
   • SKC air check-2000 personal dust samplers(Not approved by DGMS)
    

2. Dust Analysis:-
   • Free silica analysis by FTIR.
   • Elemental analysis for zinc, lead, manganese and copper
    

3. Noise monitoring and mapping
   • Quest Q-1900 sound level meters
   • Quest Q-500 Noise dosimeters
    
4. Vibration Monitoring and analysis
   • HVM 100 whole body and hand arm vibration analyzer
    
5. Heat and humidity
   • Q-1034 area heat stress monitor
   • Q-10-I/II personal heat stress monitor
    
6. Others
   • HD-1003 hazardous high volume samplers.
   • Gas detectors multilock 2000
   • Lux meters
   
   All facilities are being further upgraded.