As industrial hygienists, our work lives at the intersection of science, judgment, and experience. We constantly balance exposure data, worker tasks, environmental conditions, and real-world constraints. The tools we rely on, both physical and informational, shape how well we do that work.
We operate in a digital-first world. Standards are online. Sampling methods are downloadable. Product specs are a few clicks away. That accessibility is valuable, and we use it every day. But what brings many of those helpful items together in one place?
The answer is: The SKC Catalog.
Not because I am required to use it, but because it genuinely helps me think through problems. I often describe it as “A Catalog Designed for How Industrial Hygienists Think.” Most catalogs function as extended price lists. They show products, but they do not support the reasoning process behind good sampling decisions. Industrial hygienists do not start with part numbers. We start with questions:
What is the hazard?
How is the worker exposed?
What particle size or phase matters?
Is this personal or area sampling?
What flow rate makes sense?
What will survive the environment in which I am sampling?
The SKC Catalog supports that thought process. It helps you move logically from problem to solution, without requiring you to already know exactly what you need. That distinction matters, especially when you are designing sampling strategies that need to be technically sound and defensible.
Why the PDF Catalog Is a Popular Primary Tool
If I had to guess which format is used most, it would be the PDF version of the SKC Catalog. Industrial hygienists rely on it constantly:
During exposure assessment planning
While building or reviewing sampling trains
On calls with coworkers and customers
When answering technical or application questions
While preparing training materials
The PDF is searchable, which means I can quickly find cyclones by flow rate, identify compatible sampling media, or confirm pump capabilities without hopping between tabs or guessing which keyword a website wants. The CTRL-F combo is a powerful shortcut to unlock this feature!
Just as important, anyone can download the PDF and use it offline. Anyone who has worked underground, inside a plant, or at a remote site understands how critical that can be. When connectivity disappears, the PDF doesn’t. I have the PDF version on both my iPhone and iPad for this very reason.
You can access the current SKC PDF catalogs anytime at: www.skcinc.com/catalogs
Consistency and Context Matter in Industrial Hygiene
Websites evolve. Pages get reorganized. Links break. Content moves.
A catalog, especially a PDF, provides consistency. When I reference something in the SKC Catalog, I know that others can see exactly the same information. That consistency matters when:
Training new industrial hygienists
Explaining sampling setups to technicians
Reviewing previous sampling plans
Comparing approaches year over year
Documenting decisions and rationale
The catalog becomes a shared reference point, which strengthens communication and technical alignment across teams.
A Real-World Planning Example
Here is a scenario many IHs and other OEHS professionals will recognize:
You are planning personal sampling for respirable dust with a silica component. Before ordering anything, you open the SKC Catalog. You review respirable samplers, flow rates, pump compatibility, and accessories. You confirm calibration requirements and think about how the equipment will be worn.
That entire thought process can happen in one place.
You are not just selecting products; you are validating your approach. That is where the SKC Catalog adds real value.
The Continued Value of a Paper Catalog
Many companies no longer offer a print catalog, and the logistical reasons are understandable. Print catalogs become out of date quickly, cost a lot to produce, and are inflexible – meaning you cannot just update one little thing when it happens, you have to update the entire catalog and have it go through a print run. But from a practitioner’s standpoint, something meaningful is lost in electronic documents.
Paper catalogs allow interaction in ways digital tools often do not:
Notes in the margins
Highlighted sections
Tabs on frequently used pages
Flow rates and reminders scribbled next to products
Site-specific comments like “worked well here” or “avoid in wet conditions”
Over time, a catalog becomes more than a reference. It becomes a record of experience. I have seen well-used IH catalogs over the years, and they tell a story of a professional’s growth, lessons learned, mistakes avoided, and solutions refined. That kind of knowledge does not live well in a browser window.
Discovery Happens Differently on Paper
One of the underrated strengths of a printed catalog is discovery. Online, we search for what we already think we need. On paper, we find things we did not know to look for.
Flipping through a catalog often leads to:
Discovering alternative sampling approaches
Finding accessories that simplify setups
Learning about tools you have not used in years
Rethinking how you have always done something
Some of the most meaningful improvements in practice start with moments like that.
However, there are some digital catalog platforms that allow you to flip through pages like a printed book, make your notes, bookmark pages, and highlight sections. So, I’m not ruling that out.
A Teaching and Mentoring Tool
The SKC Catalog is an excellent teaching tool.
For newer industrial hygienists, it helps connect theory to practice. It shows how concepts like particle size, flow rate, and media selection translate into real equipment. For seasoned professionals, it supports mentorship by providing a structured way to walk someone through a sampling strategy and explain not just what to use, but why.
I have even seen seasoned IHs pass down their SKC Catalog to someone new as a gesture of trust and support. That shared learning is something a well-designed catalog naturally enables.
Built by People Who Understand the Field
What stands out most about the SKC Catalog is that it clearly reflects input from people who understand industrial hygiene in the field, not just in theory. The organization, explanations, and cross-references demonstrate awareness and understanding of:
Sampling fundamentals
Field constraints
Regulatory expectations
Real-world conditions
That is not accidental, and it shows.
Print Will be Available for Those Who Want It
For those who appreciate having a physical reference, an updated print version of the SKC Global Catalog will be available in late 2026, alongside the PDF version.
If you value:
Making handwritten notes
Keeping trusted references nearby
Physical tools for planning or training
Building a personal IH library
You can reserve your print catalog copy at www.skcinc.com/catalogs by completing the form under “Reserve Your Print Catalog Copy.”
Final Thoughts
In industrial hygiene, the difference between average work and excellent work is often found in how we think through problems. The SKC Catalog supports that thinking. That is why I use it. That is why I trust it. And that is why it remains one of the most valuable tools on my desk, in my laptop, and on my tablet. The SKC Catalog, whether in PDF or print form, is what I use. Not because it is required. Not because it is nostalgic. But it is genuinely useful.
And in this profession, usefulness is what matters most.
Reserve an upcoming print copy of the SKC Global Catalog or access the current PDF versions at www.skcinc.com/catalogs!
Dusty Ott, CIH, is Corporate Industrial Hygienist for SKC Inc. He is based in Ogden, Utah, where he and his wife (also an industrial hygienist) are raising their family of four children. Dusty is passionate about making industrial hygiene concepts easy to understand at all levels. Follow Dusty on LinkedIn
