The Filter - September 2024

2024 SeptemberThe

FILTER

SEPTEMBER EDITION 2024

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Wednesday 4th December, 2024

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The Filter 2024

Welcome to the September edition of the Filter 2024

With just 3 months to go until the 2024 AIOH Conference in Perth, we are counting down the days, and whipping up our costumes!

In this edition read about AIOH’s new ‘Silica Hub’ – a one-stop-shop for all your silicarelated information, find out what’s happening around the world in Occupational Hygiene, and don’t forget to check out the special conference section for all the gossip and a sneak peek inside this year’s conference.

We can’t wait to see you there! Kelly, Ash, Cecilia, Hamish, David

The AIOH Communications and Marketing Committee Chairs: Ash Boss-Handley & Kelly Jaunzems, Commitee - Hamish Rae, Cecilia Mason & David Macgill.

AIOH Development Awards 2024

NOWOPENFORSUBMISSIONS

The AIOH is excited to announce that submissions for our Professional Development Awards are now open We are dedicated to fostering the growth and development of our members at every stage of their careers.

Whether you're just beginning your journey with the AIOH, are mid-career, or are planning your next professional step, these awards offer a valuable opportunity to fast-track your development We encourage all members to explore the various awards available and consider applying to take your career to the next level

Conference PackageAward

TheAIOHConferencePackageAwardis designedtofacilitatetheattendanceatthe annualAIOHConferenceofa"deserving" memberoftheInstitute.

BestAIOH ConferencePaper

The3MBestPaperAwardisgiventothe paperjudgedbytheawardsandsponsorship committeetobethebestoccupational hygienepapersubmittedfortheannual AIOHconference

EurofinsInnovation Award

TheAwardrecipientwillrepresenttheAIOHat thehighestlevelsoftheprofessionatageographic location(i.e.Australiaoroverseas)thathasbeen approvedfortravel,topresentandsharethe benefitsoftheinnovationtoimproveworkerhealth protection

Post-Graduate Scholarship

Thescholarshipwillprovideforattendanceat anAIOHaccreditedpost-graduatecourse majoringinoccupationalhygiene,oratan Australianbasedacademicpostgraduate coursewherethesubjectmatterstudiedis principallyoccupationalhygiene.

BestConference ElectronicPoster

BestAIOHConferenceElectronicPoster Awardisgiventotheelectronicposter judgedbytheAwardsCommitteetobethe bestoccupationalhygieneelectronicposter submittedfortheAIOHAnnualConference

YoungHygienist Award

ItcomprisestraveltotheBOHSConference intheUKandDraeger'sresearch& developmentfacilityinGermanyandother industryandgovernmentinstitutionsinthe UKorEurope.

Professional AdvancementAward

Theawardprovidesaselectedapplicantwiththe opportunityforprofessionaldevelopmentthrough attendanceattheAmericanIndustrialHygiene ConferenceandExposition(AIHCE)andan invitationtotravel,post-AIHCE,toSKCIncin Pennsylvaniaandotherindustryandgovernment institutionsinUSAandorCanada

Jane Whitelaw FAIOH, Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH)®, CIH®

Ignite Your Passion with us!

This month we are celebrating two students who certainly ignited more than their passion with UOW. Shai Malone and Ben Shelton are the 2023 winners of the coveted 3M award for best Occupational Hygiene Project for their research conducted with the NSW RFS: “Evaluation and Recommendations for Control of Respiratory Exposures during hazard reduction activities”.

The study utilised a combination of measurement methods to determine the concentration of the various respiratory contaminants. Air sampling methodology was used to measure RD, RCS, aldehydes, and PAHs. Real-time data logging devices were also used to measure for RD, as well as UFP, and gases including CO, SO2, NO2, and HCN. Individual VOCs were measured using diffusive samplers, and total VOCs were measured using real-time data logging gas detectors.

A big thank you to 3M and Phil Scott for presenting this award.

You can hear more about his comprehensive study at AIOH24 and stay tuned for the publication coming in 2025.

There is no better time to start than the present, and enrolments for 2025 are now open. Apply now for the dual accredited Master of Occupational Hygiene.

If you have completed the AIOH Basic Principles Course and have workplace experience, you might choose to get started with a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Hygiene . Commonwealth Supported Places are available for domestic students, making study very affordable; e.g. a Graduate Certificate of 4 subjects costs under $4,500 in fees and can be completed part-time in 1 year. Or talk to us about just doing one or two subjects – we are an OHTA approved training provider.

Our courses integrate practical hands-on time and networking with leading COHs to focus on occupational hygiene techniques and apply skills and knowledge to a broad range of workplace issues. Our support and networking are legendary! Contact Jane Whitelaw for more information.

Research News

Congratulations to David Noi (An in-field method for the calibration of near real-time instrumentation for Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS), Deon Swanepoel (Quantifying productivity gains from the application of Emissions-Based Maintenance in mining environments), and Marcella Donnellan (Organizational and human factors that affect safety culture in the high-risk construction industry) on the submission of their theses.

Dr Adélle Liebenberg FAIOH, COH E: a.liebenberg@ecu.edu.au

At Edith Cowan University (ECU), we have been making significant strides in enhancing our Occupational Hygiene programs in alignment with the evolving needs of our students and the industry.

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality education and supporting career advancement, we have implemented several key changes to our courses.

To offer a clear and concise overview of these updates, we have developed an infographic, which is designed to guide both current and prospective students through the recent changes, helping them navigate the options available for furthering their education and career in Occupational Hygiene.

In addition to the core degree programs, we are also excited to highlight a range of short courses aimed at building critical skills for occupational hygienists and OHS professionals.

it Testing for Respiratory Protective Devices

RESPFIT accredited

3 hrs online theory, 3 hrs practical (Joondalup)

Ethics for the Occupational Hygienist and OHS Professional AIOH endorsed (CM points), fully online, 2 hrs

Principles of Applied Toxicology ACTRA accredited, fully online, 6 months

ICAM Lead Investigator

Injury Management Coordinator

The Safety Journey: Risk Management Training

Food Microbiology 101

Little Aussie Bugs: Promoting personal hygiene, health, and wellness through early years’ literacy

AtECU,weprideourselvesonfosteringavibrantandenergeticlearningenvironmentthat embracesthechallengesoftheever-evolvingfieldofOccupationalHygiene

Ourcommunityisdrivenbyarelentlesspursuitofknowledge,innovation,andgrowth,allowing ustostayaheadofthecurve).

These courses are tailored to enhance specific skill sets, ensuring that our graduates are wellprepared for current challenges and equipped to lead in future advancements within the field. We remain dedicated to fostering the growth of our students and contributing to the broader Occupational Hygiene community.

Save the date: AIOH Conference

ECU’s alumni event at the annual AIOH Conference has been scheduled:

Where: Elisabeth Quay, Perth

When: Saturday, 30 November 2024

Time: 18:15 – 20:00

You can register by scanning the QR code provided – it is important that you register as we are limited with numbers.

BePartofGroundbreakingResearchProjects

TheECUteamispartofseveralnationalandinternationalresearch projects!Tofindoutmoreaboutenrolmentsortogetinvolvedin researchprojects

Stayinformed,stayinspired,andkeepadvancingtheworldof occupationalhygieneYoursinbetterworkerhealthoutcomes! TheECUOEHSTeam

DrAdélleLiebenberg(CoursesEnquiries,Research)

CourseCoordinator:PostgraduateOcc.HygienePrograms E:a.liebenberg@ecu.edu.au

ProfJacquesOosthuizen(Research) ProfessorofOccupationalandEnvironmentalHealth Ejoosthuizen@ecueduau

Program Director – Associate Professor

Kelly Johnstone

E: k johnstone2@uq edu au

Start your Masters of Occupational Hygiene Journey with UQ in 2025

I V E R S I T I E S

Applications are now open for a February 2025 start studying part-time or full-time. UQ offers the Master of Occupational Hygiene (18-months fulltime equivalent), or the dual accredited (AIOH and AIHS) Masters of Occupational Hygiene/ Occupational Health and Safety Science (24 months full-time equivalent). Both programs offer Commonwealthsupported positions for domestic students and emphasise hands-on learning with a focus on work-integrated experiences. Each week, students hear from experienced, AIOH-certified occupational hygienists during

lectures, practical classes, and field visits.

This semester, students are enjoying learning all about noise and vibration with well-known expert, Beno Groothoff (COH and AIOH Fellow) They have also enjoyed a practical case study class on biological hazards facilitated by Noel Pinkerton (COH)® and Bradley Geinitz (COH) from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

Amelie Reitmayer, one of our PhD students, spoke at the International Ergonomic Association (IEA) 2024 conference held in Korea and received lots of interest in her research on indoor dynamic temperatures. You can read more about her PhD research topic in the following paper:

Reitmayer, A., Johnstone, K. R., Madigan, C., Cook, M. M., & Arsenijevic, S. (2023). How do dynamic and time-dependent indoor temperature patterns impact on the health of office based workers? –A scoping review. Building and Environment, 244 , 110745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110745

Nikky LaBranche has submitted her PhD thesis on the characterisation of coal mine dust and is due to graduate in December 2024 – a well-earned congratulations to Nikky.

RecentPublicationsfromourTeam:

1 Leung, R , Cook, M M , Capra, M F , & Johnstone, K R (2024) Do non-healthcare workers report physical, physiological, psychological or communication impacts associated with wearing hearing and respiratory protection? International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 101, 103595 https://doi org/10 1016/j ergon 2024 103595

2 Madigan, C , Johnstone, K , Way, K A , & Capra, M (2023) When Is Legitimating Legitimate? An Exploration of Health and Safety Professionals’ Use of the ‘Legitimating’ Tactic When Attempting to Influence Work Health and Safety Journal of Work Health and Safety Regulation, 2(2), 110–128 https://doi org/10 57523/jaohlev oa 23-001

The Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Crystalline Silica Substances) Amendment 2024 presents one of the most significant WHS legislative changes in recent decades. These far-reaching regulations provide much-needed changes to protect the health of workers.

We anticipate that these new Regulations may present a steep learning curve for industries such as construction, demolition, and manufacturing of crystalline silica substances (CSS), which have not experienced such prescriptive dust regulations previously.

In response, a consortium of volunteers from the AIOH came together to create a suite of new guidance material, along with a new home for all things silica –welcome to the Silica Hub!

Here in one place, you can find the new and existing AIOH guidance and government resources relating to the assessment and control of Respirable Crystalline Silica to help you get up to speed with best practices in the management of crystalline silica in your workplace.

Written in plain language and targeted to PCBUs, workers, and risk professionals alike, the following new guidance materials are designed to assist you navigate these new requirements:

Guide to selecting occupational hygiene services for crystalline silica

List of potential high risk processing of crystalline silica substances (CSS)

Guide to air monitoring for purposes of determining if crystalline silica processes (CSP) are high risk, or not

Real world considerations - Silica & Respirators

Natural and industrial materials likely to containing Crystalline Silica (CS)

Methods for measurement of the Crystalline Silica (CS) polymorphs in bulk materials and the estimation of the Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) fraction.

NOTAN AIOH MEMBER?

In our life, if fortune favours us, we may experience key moments that can be described as career defining. This certainly rings true of my experience of the inaugural International Occupational Hygiene Association’s (IOHA) Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI). This sentiment has been echoed in the words and reflections of many of my peers since.

In June I was lucky enough to have been selected amongst a cohort of 36 people from 19 countries to attend the first ELI program in Dublin. A testament to the passion of our Australian occupational hygiene community, the Aussie contingent was well represented!

The program was held over 3 days, where we listened, shared stories, and worked our way through various challenges to learn about what it takes to be an effective and impactful leader. The first deep-dive was introspective as we explored our colour personality assessment about our individual Driving Core Motive and how this underpins our behaviours and how we interact with others. As with most deep introspection I found this to be very interesting, if verging on the edge of uncomfortable at times (which, as we know is where growth happens!).

Next we explored Dublin CBD and tested out our new teamwork and leadership skills with a version of The Amazing Race. Considering I am basically a human labrador when it comes to any sort of challenge or games I was in MY ELEMENT, and we topped it off with a pseudo-human pyramid to celebrate!

One of the most rewarding activities we undertook was exploring how different cultures and backgrounds can impact the way in which we engage with one another. Listening to the stories shared by my new friends about their experiences from such a broad range of cultures was enormously impactful. In some ways, our challenges are completely different. In others, they are exactly the same, and highlighted how much there is to do to improve the lives of workers and their families globally, and that the fastest way to achieve this is together.

Amongst the deep reflection and debate, there were of course plenty of bonding activities, a team-based strategy game that changed the way I think about negotiation forever, Irish dancing, plenty of Baby Guinness, and a few visits to Bad Bobs after the official IOHA functions (IYKYK).

MEMBERSSPOTLIGHT

One of the things that made our shared experience so profound was the openness, vulnerability and authenticity in which each individual brought to the group. From the beginning of the first day, individuals showed great courage and goodwill in sharing personal stories with the group, which fostered a shared connection of the likes that I have only ever experienced during the height of my sporting career. For the rest of the IOHA Conference we spent all of our free time together cementing these bonds. I am pleased to report that since ELI we have continued to maintain regular contact within this network and have begun to collaborate on initiatives to drive our profession forward (watch this space!).

Of course, none of this would be possible without the investment of our legendary facilitators, Alex Wilson, Megan Canright Racicot, Sammy Connell, Perry Logan and Andrea Hiddinga-Schipper, who were responsible for creating the magic of ELI. This team of OH royalty invested countless hours and made personal sacrifices to invest in the next generation of leaders and bring this vision to life.

There was a key moment at the end of the ELI program where we thanked our facilitators, and the emotion in the room was palpable. They were met with a standing ovation, during which one of my quick-thinking peers whipped out her phone to take a quick video, which found many moist eyes throughout the room. Watching this video still gives me goosebumps. This gives an insight into the impact and legacy handed down by these five individuals. Learning from Alex, Megan, Sammy, Perry and Andrea as well as my 35 new friends has been such an immense privilege that I will be forever grateful for.

MEMBERSSPOTLIGHT

ELI came about because a small group of incredibly tenacious, selfless, and dedicated people had a vision 10 years ago, had the guts and perseverance to bring it to life, and selfless individuals donated resources to get it off the ground. I implore you to speak organisations you may be facilitated with and encourage them to support this initiative so that another cohort can be lucky enough to experience the magic that is ELI and seed it back into their respective organisations and communities. I will leave you with a final thought that became very apparent to me during my ELI experience and has not left my mind since: If not us, who?

Images from Top: Sammy & Alex, Megan & Perry, Andrea & Megan

Milestone Achieved:

AIOH Membership Growth And The Year So Far

CELEBRATINGA MILESTONE FINANCIALYEARFOR AIOHMEMBERSHIP ANDLOOKING FORWARDTOTHE FUTURE!

As we reflect on an incredible 2023/24 for the AIOH, we were thrilled to announce that our community had reached a significant milestone of 1,600 members! YAY!

This achievement is a testament to the continued dedication and passion of our members who play a vital role in advancing the field of occupational hygiene.

ourmembershipbasehasgrowntoincludeover450FullMembers,130ProvisionalMembers,andmore than750AssociateMembersandstudents.Wewanttoremindeveryoneoftheimportanceofkeeping theirmembershipdetailsuptodateandensuringthatrenewalsarepaidontime,itisneverafunday whenIneedtolapsemembers(headtotheMYAIOHandseeifyourrenewaliscurrentlydue)Your continuedengagementandsupporthelpusmaintainourmissionandextendourimpactacrossthe industry

OursuccesswouldnotbepossiblewithoutthetirelesseffortsofourvolunteersWeextendour gratitudetothosewhodedicatecountlesshoursreviewingprofessionalapplicationsinourM&QThis taskiscurrentlyexperiencingslightdelaysduetotheoverwhelmingnumberofapplicationswe’ve receivedTheircommitmenthelpsshapethefutureofourprofession,andwethankourvolunteersand applicantsfortheirpatienceanddedication.Thisgoesforallourcommitteemembersand representatives,wecannotdothiswithoutyou.

Thisyear,wealsowelcomednewfacestotheAIOHoffice,includingagrowingeventsteamledbyKelly andClaire.Theirhardworkandinnovativeideasaredrivingourannualconferenceandmonthly webinarstonewheightsWelookforwardtoseeingtheirbright ideascometolifeinthecomingmonthsandinto2025

As AIOH24 approaches, it’s great to know that the AIOH team, with the exception of Craig who will be holding the fort in Melbourne, will be in attendance. We’re looking forward to reconnecting with you all in person. Pre-CES hugs will once again be on offer, along with our warm welcome. The opportunity to share excitement and reflections with you at these events is always a highlight for me.

Behind the scenes, we’re working on several initiatives designed to add more value to your AIOH membership. Our website is constantly evolving with new features, including the Silica Hub, Work Exposure videos, and a Digital Library. Additionally, we are developing pages for Accredited Universities, Affiliated courses, and the Emerging Hygienists Group, among other updates. These enhancements are part of our commitment to providing valuable resources that support your professional growth and keep you informed on the latest in occupational hygiene.

AIOH Membership Growth and The Year So Far

We’vehadourshareofsmallwinsalongtheway,fromstreamliningprocessestoexpandingourmember services It'stheseachievements,bothbigandsmall,thatkeepusmovingforward Chancesare,I’ve probablyemailedorspokentomostofyouatsomestage,andasourcommunitygrows,sodoesour connectionandcollectivestrength.Thisrelationshipcontinuestobuildaswelookaheadtoanexciting futureforAIOH.

It’salsoexcitingtoseenewvolunteerssteppingupinvariouscommitteesandrepresentingAIOHin severalorganisations.Fromourhumblebeginningsin1980withjust29memberstoathrivingcommunity of1,600injust44years,weshouldallbeproudofthegrowthandimpactwehaveachieved.Theworkof ourmembershasundoubtedlysavedcountlesslives,oftenwithoutpublicrecognition,andthatis somethingtrulyremarkable

AtAIOHHQ,weunderstandthatwhenwearebusy,ourmembersareequally,ifnotmore,busyintheir roles.Thisyear,ourchapters/sundownershavebeensomewhatlimited,largelyduetotheheavydemands placedonourdedicatedstateliaisonsandvolunteers.Weencourageallmemberswhenyouseeachapter eventpopup,tomakethetimetoattend Thesechaptereventsarecrucialforfosteringmember engagement,andweareexcitedabouttheopportunitiesforincreasedinteractionandnetworkinginthe comingmonths.

Aswecontinuetogrow,weencourageallmemberstostayinvolved.Ourcommitteesarealwaysseeking freshideasandadditionalsupport Whetheryou’reconsideringaroleonthe2025Council,whichis currentlyopenfornominations,orparticipatinginourprofessionaldevelopmentawards,thereareendless opportunitiestocontribute.It’snotaboutasking,"ShouldI?"butratheraffirming,"Ishould."

I am honoured to have had the privilege of witnessing the accomplishments of our members during the past three years with AIOH. It fills me with pride to see the impact you all make in the field of occupational hygiene, and I have to admit, when I first started, I had no idea what an occupational hygienist actually did!

It’s been a bit of a whirlwind—this community is a little different, extremely fun, and uniquely dedicated, but the goal remains the same: to save lives.

Whether it’s by analysing air quality, assessing noise levels, or testing workplace safety, your work, though often behind the scenes, makes a huge difference. And let’s be honest, where else can you find a group of professionals who can make dust and noise seem fascinating?

Every day at AIOH HQ, we look up to those who have stepped into big shoes to guide us as a council and put AIOH’s best foot forward. This needs to continue, and we encourage you to consider nominating for the 2025 Council or contributing to the AIOH as a volunteer in one of our many committees, we are also searching for Mentors to help guide our newest and future leaders in the industry. It’s not just about wondering if you’re ready—it’s about recognising that your contribution can make a significant difference.

AIOH Membership Growth And The Year So Far

Our professional development awards are also open, offering fantastic opportunities for anyone willing to put themselves out there.

So, as we look to the future, I encourage you all to stay connected, ensure your AIOH details are correct, and keep your subscriptions current (Pretty please with cherries on top).

Together, we can continue to push forward, innovate, and achieve even greater heights. Thank you for being an integral part of the AIOH community, and here’s to another incredible year ahead!

KeyDates:

MEMBERSHIPMANAGER ALICIAGORMAN

COB Friday 11th October - AIOH Award Submissions close

COB Monday September 30, 2024 - Fellow Nominations close

COB Tuesday 8th October 2024 - 2025 Council Nominations Close

Tuesday 3rd December 2024 - AIOH 42nd AGM

Exciting Membership Updates

We’re delighted to welcome our newest members at Full, Provisional, Associate, and Student levels, and to celebrate those advancing through our Professional membership!

Due to a high volume of applications this year, there’s a slight delay in reviews. We’re working hard to process everything and appreciate your patience A big thank you to our M&Q panel and interviewers for their dedicated efforts during this significant time Don’t hesitate to apply; just be aware of the delay caused by the amazing influx of applications.

It’s an exciting time at the AIOH as we experience significant growth. Stay tuned for more updates, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions Welcome again to all our new members!

R O V I S I O N A L F U L L

John Snooks

Kara Hower

Lauren Gajda

Leisa Puckering

Leon Pretorius

Ranjbar

S S O C I A T E S S T U D E N T

Aimee Eyles

Alan Green

Albert Atabila

Amy Robertson

Andrea Screaigh

Angelo Eglezos

Anju Bala Sharma

Ann Khuu

Ariunbold Munkhbaatar

Ashlee Joyce

Beatrice Plyuschaeva

Beatrice Plyuschaeva

Benjamin Elliot

Bianca Cooke

Brock Hazzard

Bryan Chong

Bryn Walker

Darcy Bouwman

David Carey

David Gomez

David Leslie

David Parkinson

David Turner

Dayna Salway

Deborah Razey

Elizabeth Skinner

Emily Ball

Emily Guy

Emily Ross

Eric Ng

Grace Beech

Hailey Blatchford

Hana Purwanto

Jordan Harley

Joshua Bonsing

Kasey Shaw

Kasey Veryzer

Kate Larin

Keelia Kelly

Kevin White

Michael Shearer

Michele McKenna

Michelle Gadellaa

Michelle Vogt

Molly Krushka

Muhammad Abdullah

Nicholas Avramidis

Khloud Alabsi Nikky LaBranche

Kiara Jefferies

Kirsty Ann de Klerk

Krishnaraj Kalirajan

Kristina Lazarevic

Kyle Heir

Olivia Hewitt

Patrick Crawford

Phil Scott

Philip Lancaster

Philip Muthu

Leigh Johnston Rosa Keshavarzi

Liam Pethebridge

Liane Pocock

Rosalie Mayo-Ramsay

Roy Sutton

Ivan Kuznetsov Lisa Allen Ryan Tremain

Cameron Andrew Jack Edmiston Lisa Daffen

Cameron Becker Jackson Lodge

Carina Diaz

Carolyn Moore

Chris Pollard

Jacqui Tosswill

James Phillips

James Renton

Christine Taylor Jaye Hesse

Christopher Tasdarian

Claire Howard

Courtney Hunter

Courtney Keen

Dalal Abdulrazzaq

Daniel Thompson

Iyanu Ayorinde

Sureshkumar Pandiyan

Tujia Zhu

Patrick Amoatey

Keith Rogers

Nihal Albuquerque

Jeanne Derwort

Jennifer Low

Long Hoang

Sam Stevens

Satinder Singh Brar

Lucas Fulford Satish Kumar Matta

Luke Mirowski Saul Pickett

Madison Armstrong Scott Beaton

Makalah Hedges Sinead Singleton

Marc Fox

Masomah Alsafar

Jessica Maistry Mathew Coverdale

Jodie Doherty

Jody Delfsma

Joel Wilson

Megan Lynch

Melena Scott

Sloane Hobbs

Stuart Roseby

Venne Kurilowski

Vicki Kotua

Wenny Fatikasari

Michael Clewes Zainab Al Showiheen

Uyen Nguyen Dalkin

Moreen Gatambo

Nicola Surtees

Jill Byatt

Cassandra Adams

Apply to join or upgrade via our online form

CELEBRATING YEARS OF SERVICE AT THE AIOH

25, 30 & 35 Year Milestones

We express appreciation to our members for their continuous support of the AIOH throughout the years. The list below highlights members commemorating their twenty-fifth, thirtieth and thirty-fifth anniversaries with the AIOH, featuring milestone dates for those who joined in 1989 and 1994 1999.

Brian Eva

Gregory Hewson - retired

Andrew Batterson

Susan McGurty - retired

Orano Bianchin

Lindy Nield

Julia Norris

Kerry McDougall

John Ehret

June Schofield

Malcom Fabiny

Linda Apthorpe

Michael Weller

Ken McDonald - retired

Philip Turner (Vic) - retied

Shaun Jones

Fritz Djukic

David Hughes

Julie Buchanan

David Cooper

Melanie Windust

Brian Smith - retired

Dan Singh - retired

Call for Nominations - Nominations for Fellowship

The AIOH council are pleased to announce that online nominations for Fellowship applications are now open.

Awarded for distinguished contribution to the advancement of the profession of occupational hygiene. Membership at this level enables occupational hygienists to use the post-nominals FAIOH. Fellow Members must have been a Full Member of the Institute for at least five years and have worked for more than fifteen years in a professional capacity in the field of occupational hygiene or one of its specialist branches.

Fellow Members are nominated by a Full or Fellow member of the Institute and are to be seconded by a Full or Fellow member of the Institute. Applications will be open until COB Monday September 30, 2024 and will be awarded during the awards ceremony at the AIOH Annual Conference & Exhibition Gala dinner.

YOUR STATE

AIOH host Chapter Meetings across Australia, offering members and industry professionals the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and enhance their knowledge of occupational hygiene practices. These meetings serve as a forum for discussing emerging issues, regulatory updates, and innovative solutions in the field.

Each Chapter Meeting features guest speakers, interactive sessions, and case studies, providing attendees with insights into the latest trends and developments. These gatherings also foster networking opportunities, enabling members to exchange ideas and strengthen professional relationships.

LIASION

Keep an eye on the AIOH website for a Chapter Meeting in your state.

We are also looking to expand our State Liaison Officers (SLOs) to New Zealand. If you’re an AIOH member based in New Zealand and interested in becoming a State Liaison, please contact Alicia, Membership Manager, at membership@aioh.org.au

AIOH Chapter Meetings are integral to promoting a culture of continuous learning and collaboration in the occupational hygiene community.

Research Study: Respirable crystalline silica exposures in Australian tunnelling

We are conducting a research study on exposures to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in tunnelling in Australia.

We are seeking persons who have worked in tunnelling for more than 6 months on projects in Australia. This includes employers, workers, and occupational hygienists for example. The information collected from the survey will provide researchers with a better understanding of exposures to RCS in tunnelling and the factors that have prevented or contributed to dust-related diseases in this industry.

Taking part in this study will involve completing a survey that should take approximately 20 to 35 minutes. Participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous.

To get more information and to take part in this study, please click the following link: It’s possible that you have received this invitation from more than one source. Please only complete the survey once.

Please contact the researchers if you would like any questions about this study:

Survey Survey

Tim Driscoll, Chief Investigator, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney: tim.driscoll@sydney.edu.au

Kate Cole OAM, PhD Candidate, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney: kcol0275@uni.sydney.edu.au

This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of The University of Sydney [2024/HE000568].

Ethics ref.: 2024/HE000568 Version 0.02, 19/07/2024 Page 1 of 1

ADVERTISE WITHUS! Coming Soon

AIOH COMMITTEE UPDATES:

WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

RESP-FIT

Non-complaint Practices

Position Statement

Recently RESP-FIT published a position statement on “Non-compliant practices” which was sent out to all accredited fit testers and AIOH members. This document came about as RESP-FIT was approached by several workplaces and accredited fit testers about various practices being requested and performed as part of respirator fit testing that breached validated fit test protocol and standard requirements.

Non-compliant fit test practices include any practice or method not referred to or specifically banned within accepted fit testing and respiratory protection standards including AS/NZS ISO 16975.3:2023 (ISO 16975.3:2017), OSHA 1910.134 App A Part I. OSHA Accepted Fit Test Protocols A. Fit Testing Procedures – General Requirements, AS/NZS 1715:2009 and other validated methodologies. Non-compliant practices include but are not limited to: Beard Wrap / Singh Thatta technique, Facial hair underneath respiratory interface sealing surface area, Testing tight-fitting positive pressure respirator facepieces under positive pressure, Incorrect CNC probe location, Not conducting the 5-minute comfort assessment period, and Use of Vaseline, bandages or any modification of the sealing surface area.

The use of fit test equipment, terminology, and references with non-compliant practices and/or non-validated protocols does not make the process compliant. This is at the heart of much of the confusion/misunderstanding in industry as non-compliant practices will appear as a compliant fit test for workplaces and workers not familiar with ALL the fit testing protocol requirements and definitions. Hence the importance of competent person fit testers and workplaces/workers being provided correct, consistent, and reliable information.

We hope this document assist accredited fit testers, workers and workplaces to communicate what involves a compliant fit test to the protocols. It is to also differentiate what is a compliant fit test to what may be a manufacturer requirement for a specific product so should not be referred to as a fit test.

If you have not read the full document you can read and/or download it from the link below. https://respfit.org.au/resp-fit-postion-statement-non-compliant-practices-in-respirator-fittesting/

Re-Accreditation Process

As detailed in an earlier Filter edition, we have a new full online re-accreditation process for accredited fit testers for their 1st re-accreditation cycle The feedback has been well received from applicants going through the online process, not having to undertake the video process. We continue to seek feedback from applicants for any ways we can improve the process.

Accreditation and Approved Training Providers Annual Reporting

Annually accredited fit testers and approved training providers annually submit the numbers of people fit tested or trained to help the program gauge how it is growing and how wide the impact of competent person fit testing We have been gathering these numbers and will be part of the Annual RESP-FIT update provided at the Conference in the poster boards. With the growing number of Accredited fit testers, I am looking forward to share these fantastic numbers

If you have any questions regarding respirator fit testing competencies or training, please contact RESP-FIT at respfit@aioh org au

RESP-FITCHAIR MARKREGGERS

CERTIFICATION AIOH COMMITTEE UPDATES: WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

We are pleased to provide you with the following updates from the COH Board on four key areas:

COH Exams

We are delighted to report significant progress in our examination program. This year, we have successfully delivered 20 COH exams, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining high professional standards. Looking ahead, we have plans to conduct another 20 exams at the upcoming annual AIOH conference in Perth. We are pleased to announce that these conference exams are now at full capacity, reflecting the strong interest in professional certification.

For those who are still keen to take their exams, we encourage you to email Alicia Gorman to express your interest. We will place you on a waiting list for future examination opportunities. This approach ensures that we can accommodate as many candidates as possible while maintaining the high standards of our examination process.

Regarding future opportunities, we will be announcing the dates for next year's exams during the conference. We advise all interested parties to stay tuned for this information.

COH Audits

We have recently completed our audit process, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to our COH Board members for their diligence in conducting these audits. We also appreciate our COH members for their timely submission of the required paperwork.

Regarding the COH Audits, it is important to note the following: All COHs undergo an audit every five years.

The audits are not an assessment of competency, rather it is a matter of compliance.

We kindly remind you of the importance of regularly updating your CM points and activities to ensure a smooth audit process.

Full members planning to take the COH exam are urged to familiarise themselves with the updated policy before applying.

We recognise the external pressures from both industry and government for Occupational Hygienists to pursue certification. However, it is crucial to emphasize that obtaining Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) status is not merely a membership grade; rather, it represents a lifelong achievement. It serves as an acknowledgment of an occupational hygienist who possesses a comprehensive understanding and extensive knowledge acquired over an extended time, working in multiple industries and roles.

WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

CERTIFICATION

Certification Policy

Our commitment to excellence extends to our policies as well. We are currently reviewing the COH policy to ensure it remains relevant and effective Once finalised, we will distribute the updated policy to all members in our next newsletter We once again, strongly encourage both current and aspiring COHs to familiarise themselves with the current policy and stay informed about the expectations for certification.

Special Thanks to Our Volunteers

I would like to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to all our volunteers. Your time, dedication, and expertise form the backbone of our organisation. It is no exaggeration to say that none of our initiatives would be possible without your tireless efforts. Your commitment to advancing the field of occupational hygiene and supporting your fellow professionals is truly commendable. The COH Board is profoundly grateful for your continued support, which serves as the driving force behind our success.

We appreciate your ongoing engagement with the COH. Should you have any questions about these updates, please do not hesitate to contact us.

CertificationBoardChair

DrAdelleLiebenberg

WORKPLACE EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AIOH COMMITTEE UPDATES: WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

HISTORY OF WEAC

The Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee (WEAC) was formed in 2019 from the previous Workplace Exposure Standards Committee (which had been in place for over 20 years prior).

The AIOH established WEAC to provide expert guidance and comment to the exposure standards / limits setting process at a State and National level and internationally. Where appropriate, the WEAC does this through development of AIOH Position Papers, AIOH guidance publications or through comment on relevant Standards, Regulations and Codes of Practice. The Committee's remit is to confirm that changes to the exposure standards or limit values, and Standards and Codes of Practice, are for valid occupational hygiene and scientific reasons. The Committee is also concerned with the integrity of the exposure assessment process whereby sampling results for airborne contaminants are compared against exposure standards.

OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS (WHO WE ARE)

WEAC currently has 12 volunteers who work as a team to develop and review various publications including the AIOH position papers.

List of committee members: Brad Geinitz, Marcus Brooks, Rob Golec, Lee Cherry, Ian Firth, Justin Collins, Jackii Shepherd, Mark Desira, Geza Benke, Stephen Turner, Nathan Aust and Linda Apthorpe.

Committee members willingly volunteer their time to develop material. This involves taking time out of personal lives and work commitments to develop material on behalf of AIOH members.

WEAC members’ expertise includes occupational hygiene practice, exposure science, toxicology, risk assessment, academic research and publication, epidemiology, and analytical chemistry. They work, or have worked, across a wide range of industries such as policy setting and regulatory enforcement, mining and minerals processing, oil and gas, construction, consulting and manufacturing. They are experienced in risk assessment and managing workplace exposures to; RCS, asbestos, formaldehyde, titanium dioxide, lead, arsenic, mercury and other heavy metals, welding fume and gasses, noise, vibration, radiation, heat stress, benzene, DPM, PAHs, mould, legionella, and indoor air pollutants. They also have knowledge of LEV, water quality, post-fire contamination, and respiratory protection. WEAC also utilise AIOH members who have special / recognised/expertise to assist as required in the material that WEAC develop

2024 has seen the largest demand on our members in recent history. This has in part been due to the release of the Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) and the impact assessments of nine proposed exposure limits (RCS, formaldehyde, copper, hydrogen cyanide, chlorine, hydrogen sulphide, benzene, nitrogen dioxide and titanium dioxide). The WEAC has been requested to provide detailed feedback and positions in relation to the above, often at very short notice.

WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

WORKPLACE EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

WHAT WE DO

1. PURPOSE OF THE POSITION PAPERS

The AIOH WEAC is not an exposure standard setting body. Through the AIOH Position Papers, the WEAC seeks to provide all relevant information on substances of interest where there is uncertainty or controversy about existing Australian exposure standards/limits or where there is an identified need to provide collated information that can support the practice of AIOH members. This is done primarily through a review of the existing published, peer-reviewed scientific literature but may include practical experience of certified and specialist AIOH members. The Position Papers attempt to recommend a health-based guidance exposure value that can be measured; that is, it is technically feasible to assess workplace exposures against the exposure value. Where relevant it also provides guidance on the range of available exposure monitoring methods. It does not consider economic or engineering feasibility. As far as reasonably possible, the Position Papers aim to recommend a level of exposure which a worker can experience without significant risk of adverse health effects which supports the vision of the AIOH for healthy workplaces

Whilst all WEAC members are invited to contribute to, and review our various publications, it is acknowledged that this is not always possible due to competing work and personal commitments. However, key contributors are always listed in the publications, unless there is an identified conflict.

2.. CONSULTATION WITH AIOH MEMBERS

Consultation with AIOH members forms an integral part of the Position Paper development process. WEAC appreciates and relies on all constructive feedback during the member feedback stage of publication development.

Further, all documents produced by WEAC are endorsed by Council before release. Council must be satisfied that the documents reflect the views of the membership as far as possible. To this end, all responses from members are available to Council and the Committee attempts to address the often diverse range of responses in a final draft Paper.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024

Formaldehyde – Draft Position Paper has been sent for member comment and is due for publication in 2024

RCS PP – Draft Position Paper has been sent for member comment and is due for publication in September 2024

RCS Measurement Paper – available now on the AIOH website

NOUS group feedback on 9 proposed WELS listed by Safe Work Australia for further consideration

Titanium Dioxide – Draft Position Paper due to go out for member comment

Chlorine – Draft Position Paper to go to Council and out for member comment

Copper – Draft Position Paper sent to Council for review and comment

WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

WORKPLACE EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

POSITION PAPERS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Benzene

Nitrogen Dioxide

Hydrogen Sulphide

PROPOSED WORK (2025 and beyond)

Review of the simplified risk assessment methodologies

Shift adjustment tool

Welding fume measurement technical paper

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Commenting on draft Position Papers

The WEAC relies on the expertise of AIOH members to finalise Position Papers. You can stay up to date on the current member comment papers through the AIOH member portal and communications coming from the Office.

In particular, the WEAC need member feedback about: Whether you support the position made in the draft Paper If there is additional research or publications that should be considered If there are any specific industries or exposures that are out of the norm that should be considered. Feedback should be provided directly to the WEAC Chair so it can be quickly disseminated and considered

· External specialist input is also sought as required and valued greatly.

·

Becoming a member of WEAC

To maintain numbers as an AIOH Committee and to ensure that the WEAC have a broad range of expertise, there is an EOI process to become a member of WEAC. You can stay up to date on this process through communications coming from the Office.

Expressions of Interest as an AIOH Committee Member

AIOH COMMITTEE UPDATES:

WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

COMMUNICATION & MARKETING

What an exciting year 2024 is looking to be for the Hygienist community!

Our Communications and Marketing Committee is growing! We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are keen to channel their passion to benefit the occupational hygiene community. Our committee is multifunctional and we are looking for volunteers to help us with the below:

Generation of the quarterly AIOH e-magazine, The Filter This includes sourcing material, writing articles and editing.

Social media management, including strategy and planning, sourcing and generating written material and graphics.

Ad-hoc initiatives and special projects

This may include reactive communication pieces, videos and editing, or any number of other activities that support the AIOH Strategic Plan Please note, positions on our committee are on a volunteer basis, with an approximate time commitment of 1-2hrs per week including meetings. Whether you’re a big ideas person, or more of a “doer”, we’ve got a role for you!

Get your EOI in via the online form here

THEC&MCOMMITTEE

AIOH COMMITTEE UPDATES:

WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT&EDUCATION

“Thefunctionofeducationistoteachonetothinkintensivelyandtothink critically.Intelligencepluscharacter—thatisthegoaloftrueeducation.”

MartinLutherKingJr

ThePD&Ecommitteehasbeenactivebehindthescenescreatingeducationopportunitiesforour membersthroughavarietyofinitiativesHere’sasummaryofwhatwe’vebeenupto 2024Webinar&MasterClassProgram

DrCarmenNaylordeliveredanexcellentandverytopicalissueof“Whatdoesgoodhealthlooklike? RaisingtheStandardofOccupationalHealthPerformanceIndicators”.Findtherecordingofthewebinar aswellasasurveyonleadingandlaggingindicatorsdevelopedformembers here

TheJunewebinar,“WeldingFume–WhathasChangedandWhatdoestheFutureHold”,waspresented byourPanelofExperts,PerditaDickson(WorkSafeVIC),HalilAhmet(WorkSafeVIC),AndrewBatterson (ResourcesSafetyandHealthQLD) &BruceCannon(AustWeld).Itwasveryinformativeparticularly aboutthechallengesofthereducedexposurestandardsaswellasChromiumVIexposures.Itwasour biggestwebinarwith224registrants,bothfromAustWeldandAIOHmembers.

Accesstherecording here

August included an excellent webinar titled “The Evolution of a Fast Fit Test Protocol” presented by Gregory Olson, Senior Industrial Hygienist for TSI. The presentation included a brief update

on future PortaCount™ Respirator Fit Tester, and software developments around improvement to centralised record-keeping capabilities. Mark Reggers (Mr RESP-Fit) also provided a brief update on the AS/NZS ISO Suite of Standards Adoption and Transition.

September will feature our Masterclass titled “Investigation of Workplace Lighting Complaints” presented by Dr Dino Pisaniello & Professor Bruno Piccoli

This should be of interest to a number of members as it is an important issue impacting on the quality of the work environment as well as the job safely.

All webinars and Master Classes are recorded and can be accessed by members on the AIOH website.

2024 Webinar & MasterClass Program

The BPC has been an amazing success this year with 8 courses offered in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth in 2024 A big thank you to Jen Hines, Linda Apthorpe, and Melanie Cox for their amazing energy and enthusiasm running these courses

WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

The University of Wollongong re-accreditation was completed in August. The Review Panel has been redesigned to be consistent with that of the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board (AOHSEB, https://www.ohseducationaccreditation.org.au/). The members of the Review Panel were:

One academic from an AIOH accredited university - Dr Adelle Liebenberg, COH, FAIOH

One academic (active or retired) from a non-accredited university - Prof Deborah Glass, COH, FAIOH

One non-academic from the PD&E committee - Dr Sharann Johnson AM, COH, FAIOH

One non-academic COH, external to the PD&E committee - Nathan Redfern COH, FAIOH

The Master in Occupational Hygiene (MOH) course was given a conditional accreditation, as staffing changes had created a 0.5 FTE occupational hygienist gap in staffing numbers. The UOW has been requested to respond by 30th November with recruitment details about closing the 0.5 FTE gap for the 2025 course. All other aspects about course content meet the requirements of the AIOH procedure for Accreditation and Re-accreditation on University Courses.

An update on the UOW MOH course reaccreditation and responses from the UOW management will be included in the next edition of The Filter.

TheSilicaHub

TheSilicaHubisupandavailableformembershttps://wwwaiohorgau/resources/silica-resourcehub/ ThiswasanideafromthePD&Ecommitteetosupportmemberswiththelatestinformation RCS and legislation. It is a great resource website so make sure you have a look.

Career Development

Dr Jane Whitelaw has kindly classified the upcoming AIOH Conference CES’ in line with the AIOH Career Pathway.

This will help AIOH members identify the right CES for their needs, and the training contribute to their personal learning portfolio and career development

Finally a big thank you to the dedicated team behind these initiatives – Rob Alcock, Luke Dunk, Kelly Johnstone, Adelle Liebenberg, Ken Osakwe, Sue Reed and Jane Whitelaw. In addition our fabulous AIOH team, Membership Manager, Alicia Gorman, Senior Events Manager Kelly Phypers, and newest team member Claire Phypers.

PD&ECHAIR

SHARANNJOHNSONAM

COH, FAIOH

MENTORING AIOH COMMITTEE UPDATES: WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

We Need Mentors (oh… and Mentees as well!)

The AIOH Mentoring Program needs YOU!

We have had a few mentors and mentees come on-board which have been great! BUT…we still need more Mentors.

Please think about it and if can spare a couple of hours a month, the AIOH mentees would really, really appreciate it!

COH Points are earned by Mentors!! – 1CM per year per allocated Mentee

Get involved and share your knowledge & experiences

MENTEES NEED THESE:

The top 5 things Mentees are looking for in a mentor: Support, advice and learn from experience. Assistance with the road to Full membership and/or COH and beyond!

Someone to be there as a sounding board for OH scenarios. Provide feedback and comments about direction. Provide networking advise, ideas and opportunities.

Awesome Mentoring -related further reading

1. Why Mentors Matter - “Looking at Myself in the Future”: how mentoring shapes scientific identity for STEM students from underrepresented groups | International Journal of STEM Education | Full Text (springeropen.com)

2. Career benefits associated with MentoringBenefits of Mentoring Programs and Mentorship | Guider AI (guider-ai.com)

AIOH Upcoming Events

Basic Principles Courses 2024

Brisbane 28th October - 1st November

Dont miss out on attending our final Basic Principals Course for the year. The Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene course provides a solid introduction to occupational hygiene. It's an ideal first step for professionals looking to further their knowledge in this area. Click here for more information and enrol.

Upcoming Webinars & Masterclasses

Masterclass: Investigation of Workplace Lighting Complaints - Recording is avalible to purchase

Thursday 7th of November ‘Lessons from Past Turnarounds’ Presented by Neil Goulding & Fouad Rizk *Webinars are recorded and available on the AIOH website within a week after the presentation. If you can’t join us live or want to review the content later, be sure to check our website

AIOH24 Annual Scientific Conference

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this year conferenceregister now!

Health & Safety Month Breakfast Partnership with WorkSafe & AIOH

Wednesday 23rd October

The Hotel Windsor 111 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Registrations opening soon! Keep an eye out on the AIOH website to register

USATAIOH24? Register Now

Registrations NOW OPEN!

Early bird pricing ends on Friday 18th October

We are excited to announce that registrations are now open for the AIOH Annual Scientific and Exhibition Conference in Perth. Our premier event brings together industry experts, thought leaders, and professionals dedicated to advancing occupational health and safety.

Come and listen to over 40 concurrent speakers, take your pick of over 20 CES sessions, and hear from an array of keynote and plenary speakers, including a New York Times best seller, world-renowned science podcasters, and expert speakers in the fields of PFAS, fatigue, and psychosocial risks, to name a few

Don’t miss your chance to participate in engaging sessions, hear from expert speakers, and network with peers from around the globe. Secure your spot today and be part of shaping the future of our industry

Visit our conference webpage to register and learn more about the conference program and sponsorship opportunities.

EARLY BIRD COMPETITION

Be among the first 100 early bird registrants and enter the draw for an exhilarating joy flight over Perth in a Seaplane, courtesy of our early bird sponsor!

Conference attendees will also have access to the special discount code C24AIOH, granting them reduced rates on all Swan River Seaplanes services. Our discount code will allow conference attendees to take to the sky and explore the beautiful surrounds of Perth.

*Eligibility: Must be in Perth on Saturday, 30th November

DATE

CES Program Announced

We are thrilled to announce our CES program for AIOH24 With over 20 offerings covering technical and non-technical topics, our half and full day CES sessions range the full spectrum of occupational hygiene and exposure science, from the traditional risks of heat stress, chemical hazards, and noise, through to new and emerging areas such as real time particulate monitoring, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and exposure modelling Whether you are a practitioner, an EHS generalist, an academic, or indeed an ‘emerging’ hygienist, there is something for everyone in this program. All of this, of course, is underpinned by our conference theme of ‘Scientific Storytelling’.

Visit our conference webpage to download the CES program and register!

Annals of Work Exposures and Health Partnership

In a first for the AIOH, the 2024 conference organising committee has formed a partnership with the journal Annals of Work Exposure and Health, the pre-eminent journal globally for occupational hygiene research and professionals. The Annals will peer review selected papers and publish them in a special AIOH Conference edition in 2025.

Guest Editor and AIOH24 Scientific sub-committee member, Associate Professor Marcus Cattani commented “The AIOH conference brings together a wide variety of practitioners, and it is great that the conference will now make a lasting contribution to the science of the occupational hygiene through the special edition. I hope that authors, conference participants and readers of the journal all benefit from this new partnership! See you in Perth in December”.

Professor Rachael Jones, Chief Editor of the Annals commented, “I value the opportunity for Annals to partner with and support occupational hygiene associations around the world and am looking forward to meeting the hygiene community and learning about the great work that is going on in Australia.”

To read more about the Annals Journal Publications please click here

Opportunity to Interact with a world leader in Risk Communication

Peter Sandman is an expert in risk communication, specialising in managing public outrage and crisis communication using his “Risk = Hazard + Outrage” formula

We invite you to submit your questions for Peter ahead of the conference. This will allow Peter to provide insightful and relevant answers to your questions

To view some of Peters work click here.

Calling all debaters!

We are pleased to announce that we will be holding our first members debate designed to present varied views on a controversial or widely discussed issue that impacts our profession and our professionals. Our format will include two teams, each consisting of three debaters, mediated by an impartial facilitator.

Voting options will be available for attendees to

gauge which side was the most convincing Our debate topic will be announced soon, however if you would like to be involved in the above, please express your interest here

Theme Night Announcement

GET CREATIVE FOR AIOH24 THEME NIGHT

AIOH24 is pleased to announce that the theme night, sponsored by 3M will be happening once again! The Theme Night is arguably viewed as a highlight of the social event during the conference. Inspired by Book Week and the magic of storytelling, the 3M event theme will be

Once Upon a Time

Join us on Monday 2nd December dressed as your favourite ‘Once Upon a Time’ storybook character for a night to remember

Scientific Storytelling: Tackling Fatigue with This Podcast Will Kill You

In the spirit of Scientific Storytelling, we are excited to announce our partnership with the creators of the world-renowned medical and science podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You Increasingly, management of fatigue features on the health and hygiene risk profiles of the workplaces that our members support Addressing fatigue is crucial in our industry to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of workers

The creators will be recording a live episode in collaboration with the AIOH, focusing on the critical issue of Sleep and Fatigue. This special live recording will take place during our event, providing attendees with a unique behind-the-scenes experience. The episode will be released after the event on popular streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, reaching listeners in numerous countries worldwide.

We are also offering a unique opportunity for one of our members to get involved and share their firsthand experience with fatigue. Whether it’s from working long hours, extended durations at a site, a major life event, or even becoming a new parent, many of us have stories to share about fatigue We would love to hear yours By sharing your experiences, you can help listeners of the podcast understand the complexity of sleep and fatigue and the vital role that occupational hygienists play in protecting worker health

Our themed night is proudly sponsored by

Share your fatigue story here

Meet some more of our confirmed speakers!

WorkSafe Commissioner for WA

Sally North is the WorkSafe Commissioner in Western Australia In this role, she serves as the work health and safety regulator for the resources and general industries sectors Sally holds qualifications in chemistry, occupational safety and health, occupational hygiene, and business administration She values the opportunity to make a difference to the community through WorkSafe’s education, support, and compliance teams, and through collaborating with stakeholders.

Sally is dedicated to enhancing workplace safety and health standards across various industries.

Dr Max Hills is the Regional Medical Manager for Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East and Africa for Chevron. In that role he leads a multinational team combining health and medical expertise with business knowledge to enable Chevron’s workforce and communities where Chevron operates to thrive. Max was the Chief Medical Officer of Chevron Australia from 2017 to 2024. In that role he led Chevron’s health and medical team to deliver remote site medical services, the fitness for duty and injury management programs and a comprehensive wellness program Dr Hills is a General Practitioner by training, and holds a master’s degree in

Her commitment to fostering a safer work environment is evident in her proactive approach to regulation and her emphasis on education and support for both employers and employees

In addition to her regulatory duties, Sally will be giving a plenary address on the national agenda for workers’ health. This address will highlight key initiatives and strategies aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of workers nationwide. Sally’s insights and leadership in this area are expected to drive significant advancements in workplace health policies and practices

health informatics and a diploma in occupational medicine. He worked as a remote site clinician before taking up the role of Chief Medical Officer for the Chevronoperated Gorgon Project (the largest single resource project in Australia’s history), then Chief Medical Officer at the Irish Government Department of Social Protection before joining Chevron. Max is passionate about protecting people, utilising technology to optimise healthcare delivery and fostering a culture of health to promote workforce and community prosperity

In Australia, Max led Chevron’s medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic which was awarded the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) 2020 Safety Project Award for deployment of near point of care COVID-19 PCR testing He led the team that developed and implemented Chevron’s

Mental Health Risk Assessment Procedure to support effective and comprehensive psychosocial risk assessment across the business. Working on the industry safety forum, Safer Together Health Working Group, Max developed and led the implementation of Safer Together’s Medical Assessment Guidelines across remote and offshore oil and gas operators in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. With Chevron’s local and global occupational hygiene and medical teams, Dr Hills implemented standardised acute exposure assessments for potential hazardous substance exposures

Max combines clinical and technical training and over 20 years of experience with a collaborative, multi-disciplinary teaming approach to identify and implement practical solutions to support worker health and wellbeing

Therese Manning, with over three decades of expertise in human health and ecological risk assessment, has been a pivotal figure in the field. Her extensive experience includes working with the NSW EPA and as an environmental consultant, where she has prepared numerous risk assessments, offered chemical effect advisories to various government levels and industries, and developed a range of guidance documents. Her commitment to education is evident through her provision of training in environmental chemistry, toxicology, and risk assessment.

In recognition of her significant contributions, she was honored with the Public Service Medal in 2011 for her outstanding work in environmental risk assessment

As a Fellow of the Australian College of Toxicology and Risk Assessment (FACTRA), her insights are highly valued.

At the upcoming conference, Therese will be engaging with the community through a Continuing Education Session (CES) and a Plenary talk, where she will delve into the latest research and findings concerning PFAS and its implications on human health. Her sessions are anticipated to shed light on the current understanding and advancements in the study of PFAS, further solidifying her role as a leading voice in environmental risk assessment.

Welcome Dinner Entertainment

Join us on Sunday, 1st December, at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre for the AIOH24 Welcome Dinner, sponsored by AES, featuring Australia’s Comedy Hypnotist, Matt Hale, Winner of three national comedy awards and former TV presenter Matt has dazzled audiences worldwide, including Vegas, where even Mike Tyson was impressed!

Known for his fast-paced, funny shows, Matt will entertain with a performance that promises unforgettable memories for all He has also released hypnosis audio programs and offers seminars on various topics, including stress management and motivation.

Don’t miss this exciting kickoff to AIOH24! Our Welcome Dinner is proudly sponsored by AES

For more information and updates, visit our website and follow AIOH on LinkedIn

AIOH Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Couse

Congratulations to the 62 students who have attended and successfully passed the recent AIOH Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene courses in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne from May to July 2024.

Our teaching team continues to receive amazing feedback from our students who cite their course highlights as the hands-on practical sessions, the knowledgeable presenters and the discussion and networking with fellow students. Our student feedback also tells us that at least half of each class are interested in going on to pursue Occupational Hygiene as a career, with some taking on the challenge directly after finishing the course!

When asked by OHTA for testimonials to support the promotion of the course on an international scale, Peter Hunt provided these fabulous words of support below After completing the AIOH BPC he is now on his way to become an Occupational Hygienist!

BPC

Regards,KaseyShaw

IthoughtthecoursewasfabulousandIdefinitelyrecommenditforanyandall topicsOccupationalHealthandSafetyprofessionals,thecourseprovidednewinsightson refresherssuchasairsamplingfundamentals,toxicologyandradiationandgreat onarangeoftopicssuchasnoise,vibrationandcontrolofhealthrisks.I alsoreallyenjoyedlearningalongsidesuchavastarrayofprofessionals(Occupational Physician/Environmentalpractitioners/Asbestosremovers)andbeingtaughtby esteemedOccupationalHygienists,10/10,Iamlookingforwardtoapplyingmynew knowledgeandskills.

HSEQManager–Australia

The AIOH BPC continues to be proudly supported by our equipment specialists (AES, Air-Met, and 3M) who generously provide sampling equipment and practical demonstrations for each course. This support now includes the provision of a permanent complete set of noise and air sampling equipment for the dedicated use by the AIOH BPC. This provides continuity and streamlining of the course logistics. We thank you for this contribution - it is very much appreciated!

The final AIOH BPC courses for 2024 will be held in Sydney (September - Sold Out), Perth (October - SoldOut) and Brisbane (late October). Book now to attend as the remaining places are filling up quickly!

DON’T MISS OUT - REGISTER TODAY

Course Dates & Location

SYDNEY - SOLD OUT | PERTH - SOLD OUT

SPOTS AVAILABLE:

BRISBANE: 28TH OCT - 2ND NOV

The AIOH have partnered with GCG TechLab to offer a series of awareness courses on the fundamentals of dust, mould, and mould remediation for cleaners. All courses are 100% online. A W A R E N E S S C O

AIOH Fundamentals of Dust

About this course

Dust occurs naturally and from man-made activities like driving on a dirt road or sawing a piece of timber In most workplaces, dust is considered problematic and a hazard, especially as dust can impact your health. This course is designed to give you a fundamental level of knowledge and understanding of dust. You will learn what dust is, how to identify dust and the risks associated, the negative health effects of dust, and the controls use to manage the risks associated with dust

AIOH Mould Cleaning for Cleaners

About this course

Mould is everywhere It's a naturally occurring organism that plays an important role in nature's ecosystem Low levels of mould can virtually be found everywhere, even in the most sterile rooms. Mould may grow indoors in wet or moist areas lacking adequate ventilation, including walls/ wallpaper, ceilings, bathroom tiles, carpets, insulation material and wood

AIOH Mould Awareness

About this course

If moisture accumulates in a building mould growth will often occur Mould affects people differently depending on their health and the type of mould It can cause nasal and sinus congestion, hay fever, sore throats, headaches, eye irritations, body rashes and other aches and pains. Mould not only has the potential to cause health problems, but it can also cause damage to the buildings and surfaces it inhabits. AIOH's Mould Awareness online training module is designed to help learners identify mould, understand the conditions that can promote mould growth and develop an awareness of the steps for safely managing the presence of mould

ADVERTISE YOUR VACANT JOB POSITION VIA THE AIOH

The AIOH can assist with advertising to our members and subscribers. We offer this service to ensure that you reach a captive audience and increase your likelihood of finding the perfect addition to your team. By providing a customised broadcast email to over 5,000 subscribers and placing the advertisement on our exclusive members only jobs board, you will maximise your reach to the right candidate.

JOBS BOARD

A D O S E O F R E S E A R C H

The importance of assessing wall deposits in samplers for airborne particulates.

White,K.T.,Ashley,K.,&Harper,M. (2024) JournalofOccupationaland EnvironmentalHygiene,21(7),451–454

DetailsHere

Sources of noise exposure across Australian workplaces: cross-sectional analysis and modelling the impact of a targeted noise-source reduction initiative.

Kate Lewkowski, Jane S Heyworth, Kahlia McCausland, Warwick Williams, Lin Fritschi, , Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Volume 68, Issue 6, July 2024, Pages 626

Details Here

Occupational health and safety in flour Mills: A research and risk assessment.

Özbakır, O. (2024). International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences, 8(2), 446-459. https://doi.org/10.31015/jaefs.2024.

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Evaluation of PVC and PTFE filters for direct-on-filter crystalline silica quantification by FTIR.

Osho, B., Elahifard, M., Wang, X., Abbasi, B., Chow, J. C., Watson, J. G., … Parks, D. (2024). Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 21(8), 539–550.

Details Here

Characterization of particle exposure during tunnel excavation by tunnel boring machines.

Torunn K Ervik, Mimmi Leite, Stephan Weinbruch, Karl-Christian Nordby, Dag G Ellingsen, Bente Ulvestad, Kari Dahl, Balazs Berlinger, Nils Petter Skaugset, , Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Volume 68, Issue 7, August 2024, Pages 713–724

Details Here

Impact of cotton dust, endotoxin exposure, and other occupational health risk due to indoor pollutants on textile industry workers in low and middle-income countries.

SubramaniamS,RajuN,GanesanA, RajavelN,ChenniappanM,Stonier AA,PrakashC,PramanikA,Basak AK JAPH 2024;9(1):75-96

DetailsHere

A portable dust generation system for calibrating real time RCS measuring instruments

David Noi, Brian Davies, Linda Apthorpe, Vinod Gopaldasani, Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Volume 68, Issue Supplement 1, June 2024, Page 1

Details Here

Relationship Between Patient Activation and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Self-management and Clinical Outcomes in Saudi Arabian Primary Care Setting.

Almutairi, N., Gopaldasani, V., & Hosseinzadeh, H. (2023). American Journal of Health Promotion.

The butterfly effect of emissions-based maintenance: Small change in preventative maintenance has significant impact on breakdowns and exposure risk.

Swanepoel, J , Hines, J , Gopaldasani, V., Badenhorst, C. J., & Davies, B. (2024) 188 Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 68(Supplement 1), 1

Details Here

A systematic review of the effectiveness of dust control measures adopted to reduce workplace exposure.

Anlimah, F., Gopaldasani, V., MacPhail, C. et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 54407–54428 (2023).

Details Here

From AIOH Accredited Universities!

Details Here A D O S E O F R E S E A R C H

In today’s fast-paced world, staying informed about health issues is essential. Our Health Alert page provides the latest updates on emerging health threats, medical research, and public health advisories. This section aims to help you stay safe by offering expert insights, practical tips, and timely updates, enabling you to make informed decisions for your family and business.

WorkSafe Victoria are issuing a reminder about the serious risk of injury workers face when filling portable equipment with petrol.

Background

Tenworkershavesustainedburnsinseparateincidents,afterfuelvapoursignitedwhilerefuellingportable petrol-poweredequipment,includingpressurewashers,pumpsandgenerators. Autemountedvacuumunitandvehiclewerealsodestroyedwhenpetrolvapoursignitedbystatic electricity.

SafetyIssues

Fillingportableequipmentwithpetrolcreatesvapoursthatcanbeeasilyignitedbyhotsurfacesorstatic electricity.Workerscanbekilledorseriouslyinjuredifpetrolignites.

Legalduties

Ifyourworkinvolvesthestorageandhandlingof dangerousgoods,suchasflammableliquidslike petrol,therearespecificdutiesandobligationsyou needtocomplywithundertheDangerousGoodsAct 1985andtheDangerousGoods(Storageand Handling)Regulations2022.

Employersmustidentifythehazardsrelatedtothe dangerousgoodsattheirpremises,assesstherisks, andimplementriskcontrols

EmployersalsohavedutiesundertheOccupational HealthandSafetyAct2004ThesegeneralOHS dutiesrequiretheemployerto: eliminateriskstohealthandsafety,sofarasis reasonablypracticable reduceriskstohealthandsafety,sofarasis reasonablypracticable,ifitisnotreasonably practicabletoeliminatetherisks.

Recommended ways to control risks

Before using petrol-powered portable equipment, consider the following: Is the equipment necessary?

Is there an electric version available?

Is there a diesel version available?

Where it is not practical to use electric or diesel equipment, it may be necessary to use a petrol version When refuelling petrol-powered portable equipment, consider the following measures:

Do not fill portable equipment in low lying areas where vapours could accumulate, increasing the risk of ignition.

Do not fill equipment inside a vehicle, trailer or surface that prevents the discharge of static electricity, for example on a plastic surface.

Ensure suitable fire extinguishers are immediately accessible in the area you are refuelling

Inform workers of the hazards and control measures required to make the refuelling process safe

Allow the equipment to cool down as petrol can ignite at 280 degrees celsius

Always ensure the equipment is placed on firm ground and in a well-ventilated area, away from any heat and ignition sources

Ensure that any ute or trailer mounted equipment is appropriately earthed before undertaking refuelling process

Ensure that any trolley mounted equipment is earthed either via metal wheels or a drag chain. Ensure the container cap is replaced tightly on the filled equipment before moving it.

Only use containers designed for the storage of fuel:

Plastic,metalorequivalentcontainersmusthave theappropriateUNapprovalinordertobeusedas portablefuelcontainers.

UNpackageapprovalmarkingswillindicatethatthe containerismanufacturedtomeetthemandatory requirementsoftheAustralianCodeforthe TransportofDangerousGoodsbyroadandrail (ADGCode)

Drinkbottlesorplasticfivelitreoilcontainersare notdesignedforthestorageoffuelandshouldnot beused

INDUSTRY

New CSS Regulations in Effect

On 1st September 2024, the new Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Crystalline Silica Substances) Amendment 2024 came into effect, with new requirements for the management of crystalline silica in workplaces.

New requirements include the following:

New terminology and definitions, including:

Crystalline silica substance (>1% crystalline silica w/w%)

Crystalline silica processing

High-risk crystalline silica processing

Silica risk control plan

Processing of crystalline silica must be controlled in accordance with the definition in Regulation 529B.

Risk assessments are required to determine high-risk crystalline silica processing.

Silica risk control plans are required for high-risk crystalline silica processing.

Air monitoring and health monitoring required for high-risk crystalline silica processing.

Exposure standard exceedances are notifiable to the regulator.

New penalties apply.

View the Amendment here.

Given the reach and impact these regulations are expected to have on the industry, the AIOH has created several new resources in the Silica Hub to help PCBUs, workers, and professionals navigate these new requirements

ANSI/IICRC S500 to be adopted as Australian Standard

The ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration is scheduled to be adopted as an Australian Standard. The first draft was released for public comment on 25th July 2024.

You can contribute to the review before 26th September 2024 here.

Note: A (free) Standards Australia account is required to provide commentary on this document. The link will take you to the Standards Australia login/signup page to access the document.

Updates

An industry update provides readers with the latest news, trends, and developments within the field, offering concise and relevant information to help professionals stay current and make informed decisions

The Dust Diseases Tribunal has awarded $3.2 million in damages to a former coal miner diagnosed with Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis.

A plant operator who worked across four coal mines in NSW and Queensland between 2008 and 2018 has been awarded $3.2 million in damages in what lawyers are calling a landmark case to set the standard for future workers' compensation cases.

The worker’s conditions included coal workers' pneumoconiosis, silicosis, mixed dust pneumoconiosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and emphysema. The Commissioner found that all four defendants failed in their duty of care.

Read more about the case here.

LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE OUTBREAK

Between 26 July and 20 August 114 confirmed cases of legionnaires disease were attributed to inhalation of Legionella pneumophilia bacteria from a contaminated cooling tower in Melbourne, Victoria.

The majority of the cases were adults aged over 40 years and most cases required hospitalisation, with a number of admissions to intensive care. The cause of the outbreak was attributed a cooling tower, which was tested on 30 July and disinfected within 24 hours of the visit. For an update on the outbreak, refer to the Department of Health Alert No 240729.

What should Hygienists know about legionella and managing the risk from cooling towers?

If you are a site hygienist with cooling towers on-site or are asked to provide guidance around the management of cooling towers, these are the fundamentals I would anticipate you consider:

Verify if the cooling tower(s) is registered with the relevant Department of Health For states requiring registration (e g Victoria, NSW, QLD, WA) or with local council (e g SA)

Ensure that a risk assessment has been conducted for the cooling tower and associated water handling system. The risk assessment should consider:

S P E C I A L R E P O R T

the system design and components engineering controls such as drift eliminators water chemistry and treatment regime potential sources of nutrient growth such dust or aerosols from kitchen extraction systems maintenance strategies including access to all areas to perform safe inspections and mechanical cleaning of the cooling tower. and scale accumulation, the biocides used to treat for microorganisms, and anti-corrosion chemicals.

Cooling towers are often situated on the roof with working at height restrictions. Without safe means of access and egress, maintenance personnel can’t perform routine inspections, maintenance, and pressure cleaning of drift eliminators and surfaces.

Water treatment – whilst I wouldn’t expect hygienists to be experts in water chemistry, a basic understanding of the water treatment and corrosion control program is required. Most sites will contract this out to chemical/water treatment providers; however, you should be able to understand what chemicals are used to treat the ower to prevent biofilm

The critical control for microorganisms should be an on-line automated biocide dosing system. The dosing system will be set to maintain a continuous supply of biocide and other agents between pre-set amounts which is circulated in the water system to prevent the build-up of biofilm and harmful pathogens such as Legionella.

LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE OUTBREAK SPECIAL REPORT

Frequent monitoring of the system is required to verify the water treatment program is working as intended. This will include taking samples to conduct tests for conductivity, pH, concentration of biocides and water clarity. Representative samples are also required to be collected and analysed in an approved laboratory. Simple dipstick tests are also available to provide additional assurance outside of defined laboratory analysis. Engineering Controls – drift eliminators complying with AS3666.1 must be installed on the cooling tower to reduce aerosols leaving the cooling tower and becoming airborne for inhalation. If your cooling tower doesn’t have drift eliminators, this is a significant risk and needs to be rectified.

If your site does have a positive legionella sample, maintenance should immediately investigate whether the controls are adequate, and the system measures should be reviewed to identify any failures to be rectified before further sampling in order to verify the effectiveness of the intervention.

Legionnaires’ disease is a nationally notifiable disease. According to the Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA), there are approximately 400 cases of confirmed and probable legionellosis cases in Australia each year.

The site hygienist is not responsible for the design, engineering, maintenance and routine sampling, however you may be part of the risk assessment team, and might be requested to review or audit the risk management plan. These fundamentals will support you, along with the plethora of information on the various Department of Health and Workplace Health and Safety webpages, to ensure the risk of Legionnaires’ disease is managed accordingly.

Response to Glass ET AL Reply on the Filter

Feature on Asbestos: June 2024 Edition

Ian Firth, Alan Rogers, Robert Golec, Linda Apthorpe & Geza Benke

The Filter provides editorial space for opinion pieces from our members Such pieces offer an author's perspective on a specific topic or issue, with the aim of persuading readers to consider their points of view.

The AIOH does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in opinion pieces and therefore disclaims any and all guarantees, undertakings, and warranties, express or implied, as well as any liability for any loss or damage resulting from the use or reliance on the information or advice in such articles. Before acting on any advice, readers should consider its appropriateness to their own circumstances and accept sole responsibility for any use of the material in this publication, regardless of its purpose or outcome.

The authors note that the original prepared ‘opinion piece’ paper provided a far more detailed scientific presentation to address each of the author’s assertions. However, it was deemed by ‘The Filter’ editors to be too detailed for such a publication, hence the authors pared back the article. The original paper ‘A Lower Asbestos Exposure Limit!’ is available upon request from the AIOH Administration to all AIOH members and other interested parties.

Regarding point 1 in the Glass et al response, the Calabrese (2022)1 article was not the only paper cited regarding the Linear No Threshold (LNT) model in the original paper. Yes, the LNT model had its origins in the field of ionising radiation but was adapted to hazardous chemical substances, including asbestos and silica. The controversy around the validity of the LNT model and its impact on the derivation of an exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica and asbestos has been documented in the 2023 AIOH best conference paper ‘Validity of the Linear NoThreshold (LNT) Model and its Impact on Derivation of Exposure Limits’. As noted by Bogen (2019)2, cancer risk assessments for various inorganic agents (e.g. arsenic, asbestos, crystalline silica) have traditionally utilised various dose-response models that extrapolate risks from high doses assuming low-dose linearity without a threshold; the LNT model. This model is deemed by a number of scientists not to be valid.

1 Calabrese, EJ (2022). Linear non-threshold (LNT) fails numerous toxicological stress tests: Implications for continued policy use. Chemico-Biological Interactions, 365 – available from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009279722002691.

2 Bogen, KT (2019) Inflammation as a Cancer Co-Initiator: New Mechanistic Model Predicts Low/Negligible Risk at Noninflammatory Carcinogen Doses Dose Response, 17(2); - available from https://journals sagepub com/doi/full/10 1177/1559325819847834

Regarding point 2 in the Glass et al response, references for a threshold effect for asbestos, noobserved adverse effect levels (NOAELs) have been reported in asbestos exposed populations. Beckett et al (2023)3 updated two previous analyses that evaluated the exposure-response relationships for lung cancer and mesothelioma in chrysotile-exposed cohorts in the published literature. NOAEL was defined as the highest minimum cumulative exposures at which no effects were observed in the study. NOAEL values ranged from 2.3-<11.5 f/cc-years to 16003200 f/cc-years for lung cancer and from 100<400 f/cc-years to 800-1599 f/cc-years for mesothelioma. The range of best-estimate NOAELs was estimated to be 97-175 f/cc-years for lung cancer and 250-379 f/cc-years for mesothelioma. Beckett et al also proposed best-estimate amosite and crocidolite NOAELs for mesothelioma of 2-5 f/cc-years and 0.6-1 f/cc-years, respectively. Weill (1994)4 reported on the dose response relationships for both pleural changes and lung cancer found in New Orleans asbestos cement manufacturing workers exposed to both chrysotile and crocidolite. Excess lung cancer risk was limited to those workers who had radiological evidence of asbestosis at the start of the follow up. Those without evidence of lung fibrosis on X-ray or had only pleural effects did not have an excess of lung cancer mortality. Weill found that at very low theoretical risk values the most likely threshold/non-threshold result is unable to be proven in a real-world study. The NOAEL value appears to be around 2-3 fibre/ml,years.

Ilgren and Browne (1991)5 suggested that their review of the relevant animal and human literature supports the concept of a mesothelioma threshold. Gibbs and Berry (2008)6 suggest that a practical threshold for mesothelioma seems to exist for exposure to chrysotile, but it is unlikely to exist for the amphibole asbestos minerals, especially for crocidolite. Cox (2019)7 concludes that combined physiologically based

3 Beckett, EM, A Abelmann, B Roberts, RC Lewis, D Cheatham, EW Miller, E Hall, JS Pierce (2023). An updated evaluation of reported no-observed adverse effect levels for chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite asbestos for lung cancer and mesothelioma. Crit Rev Toxicol, 53(10); pp 611-657 – available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38126124/

4 Weill, H (1994). Biological effects: asbestos-cement manufacturing. Ann Occup Hyg, 38(4); pp 533-538 – available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7978975/.

5 Ilgren, EB & K Browne (1991). Asbestos-related mesothelioma: Evidence for a threshold in animals and humans. Reg Toxicol & Pharma, 13(2); pp 116-132 – available from https://www sciencedirect com/science/article/abs/pii/027323009190017P

6 Gibbs, GW & G Berry (2008) Mesothelioma and asbestos Reg Toxicol & Pharma, 52(1); Supplement pp S223S231 – available from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273230007001511.

7 Cox, LA (2019). Dose-response modeling of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated diseases: asbestos, lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma as examples Crit Rev in Toxicol, 49(7); pp 614-635 – available from https://www tandfonline com/doi/abs/10 1080/10408444 2019 1692779

pharmacokinetics (front end) with inflammation-driven two-stage clonal expansion modelling predicts that there are practical thresholds for exposure concentration below which asbestos exposure does not cause chronic inflammation in less than a lifetime, and therefore does not increase chronic inflammation-dependent cancer risks.

Quantitative examples using model parameter estimates drawn from the literature suggest that practical thresholds may be within about a factor of 2 of some past exposure levels for some workers. Cox (2020)8 later notes that, for asbestos, excursions (i.e. spikes in concentrations) and especially the times between them are crucial drivers of internal doses and time until chronic inflammation.

Regarding point 3 in the Glass et al response, with chronic inflammation being the cause of the cancer, there should be a threshold level where the bodies natural defences can protect from the inflammation (refer to Cox, 2019 & Bogen, 2019).

Regarding point 4 in the Glass et al response, the authors agree. The inhalation, deposition and clearance of asbestos fibres in human lungs is a complex issue and varies depending on fibre type as presented in a few hundred published papers. As a reference point the normal Australian adult male population at autopsy has considerable quantities of asbestos fibres in their lungs (50th%ile 5.5 million, 95th%ile 27 million light microscopy size uncoated fibres). The level of fibres in the lungs found using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is much higher (95th%ile ~55 million of chrysotile, ~55 million of amosite, and ~100 million of crocidolite). The levels of TEM size fibre types found in the lungs of mesothelioma cases range from within the normal population level to a 95th percentile of 100-150 million for each of the fibre types indicating the short term and long-term efficiency of the lung clearance mechanisms (Rogers, 1984)9. The ‘one fibre kills’ hypothesis has certainly been debunked.

Regarding point 5 in the Glass et al response around mesothelioma cases, the authors agree in principle but argue whether a 10-fold reduction in the TWA WEL is necessary, as in these instances, besides other controls in place, workers are automatically required to wear respiratory protective equipment (RPE) which by itself provides a minimal protection factor of 10.

The source of mesothelioma cases has changed dramatically over the last 40 or more years. Most of this change is in cases from the highly exposed traditional mining, processing and user industries which no longer exist. Furthermore, the change occurred

8 Cox, LA (2020). Nonlinear dose-time-response functions and health-protective exposure limits for inflammationmediated diseases Environ Res, 182 – available from https://www sciencedirect com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935119308230

9 Rogers, AJ (1984) Determination of mineral fibre in human lung tissue by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Ann Occup Hyg, 28(1); pp 1-12.

due to the discovery of the link with amphiboles such as crocidolite and later amosite and the subsequent removal of these asbestos types from Australian industry. The drop in the number of cases from these industries has been consistent and predictable as was the original predictions of reduction in all sources of case numbers after allowances for latency. This has resulted in the recorded exposures in current cases reflecting allegations of very low asbestos levels (such as living in an asbestos cement clad house) as these are somewhat speculative compared with the cases investigated in the late 1970’s through the 1980’s and into the early 1990’s (Rogers et al, 199710 & Yeung and Rogers, 200111).

According to Armstrong and Driscoll (2016)12, “Australia’s cancer registries indicate that the incidence of mesothelioma is not rising. The most recent data suggest that, after rising for at least 20 years, the age-standardised incidence of mesothelioma plateaued in 2002 for women and in 2004 for men. Although the average latency period for mesothelioma may be 30 plus-years, it may take up to 60 years between exposure and diagnosis. This may be a reason that there is such a long tail in the mesothelioma register. Additionally, Glass et al haven’t considered the background incidence of mesothelioma (e.g. due to exposure to radiation, chronic inflammatory diseases, spontaneous idiopathic mesothelioma, etc.), which may account for 20-30% of cases and means that the numbers in the registry will never drop below a certain level. The authors note that it is rare to measure actual personal asbestos exposures during demolition/asbestos removal works. It is not required as workers are already wearing RPE, hence comparison to a WEL is redundant. In addition, personal exposure monitoring is not necessary to determine the level of RPE required as the class and type required is specified for all circumstances in the relevant Code of Practice for asbestos removal. Most airborne asbestos monitoring is static and is conducted for control and background purposes. So, it is a somewhat spurious argument that reducing the WEL will be more protective as we are not implementing/enforcing the current WEL and even less likely to implement/enforce a WEL that is 10 times lower and requiring Electron Microscopy (EM) to detect.

10 Rogers, AJ, P Yeung, A Johnson, J Leigh, P Davidson (1997) Trends in Occupational Groups and Industries Associated with Australian Mesothelioma Cases 1979–1995 Ann Occup Hyg, 41 (S1); pp 123-128 – available at https://academic oup com/annweh/article/41/inhaled particles VIII/123/191441

11 Yeung, P & AJ Rogers (2001). An Occupation Industry Matrix Analysis of Mesothelioma Cases in Australia 19801985 App Occup Environ Hyg, 16(1); pp 40-44 – available from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/104732201456113.

12 Armstrong, B & T Driscoll (2016) Mesothelioma in Australia: cresting the third wave Public Health Res Pract, 26(2) – available at https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9066/31e4eb44419846065a0796a7dbcba416ca36.pdf.

Regarding Glass et al’s comments on the fibre counting method, the authors deal in more detail with this in their original paper. Eypert-Blaison et al (2018)13 found, as in previous studies, that there was no simple relationship between results by Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) and TEM counting methods. The authors note that the question remains, “what TEM-based OEL will be set as a PCM equivalent concentration?”

Glass et al have not considered the practicability of using EM for measuring asbestos exposures. The cost differential between PCM fibre counts and EM counts may be as high as a factor of 10 times, meaning that few employers will pursue the EM route. Additionally, EM fibre counting takes many times longer than PCM counting; requires specialised high-cost sample preparation and analysis equipment and laboratory conditions; and requires experienced/highly qualified and highly dedicated analysts. The work incorporates thorough and accurate analysis techniques to find the fibres, and then measure and record the size and identity each fibre type correctly. Analytical TEM is not a viable nor practical option for routine monitoring, especially for testing of leakage from asbestos removal enclosures where the static monitoring is conducted to ensure the removal work/process is under control.

When TEM sampling and testing was specified in the ‘asbestos in buildings saga’ conceived by the US EPA in the 1980’s, the lessons learnt included that it was a very expensive, and hugely time-wasting exercise with little to no benefit. Therefore, this mistake should never be repeated in Australia.

Regarding point 6 in the Glass et al response, the question of an action level for airborne asbestos fibre levels also comes into play. Under Australian legislation in all jurisdictions, where the measured airborne asbestos fibre concentration exceeds 0.01 f/mL (a factor of 10 times below the WEL), the cause of such a result needs to be investigated, remedied and controlled. By analogy, are we suggesting that at a WEL of 0.01 f/mL, we need to set an action level of 0.001 f/mL? What does this mean in practice?

The authors contend that, with the current exposure limit of 0.1 f/mL and action level of 0.01 f/mL, if adhered to, there should be few/no new measurable cases of asbestosrelated disease. The WEL is largely irrelevant in Australia as the focus should always be on control as it is a community expectation that no one is exposed to any airborne respirable asbestos fibres.

13 Eypert-Blaison, C, A Romero-Hariot, F Clerc & R Vincent (2018) Assessment of occupational exposure to asbestos fibers: Contribution of analytical transmission electron microscopy analysis and comparison with phasecontrast microscopy J Occup & Environ Hyg, 15(3); pp 263-274 – available from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15459624.2017.1412583?journalCode=uoeh20. Response to Glass ET AL Reply on the Filter Feature on Asbestos: June 2024 Edition Response to

Summary of AIRAH IAQ Conference

15-16 July 2024, Melbourne

Dino Pisaniello, Brad Prezant and Philip Turner

TheAustralianInstituteofRefrigeration,AirConditioning andHeating(AIRAH)IndoorAirQualityConferencewas recentlyheldinMelbourne AIRAHhasabout4000 membersandanumberofspecialtechnicalgroups,one ofwhichisIAQ

Thetwo-dayno-frillsconference,thesecondinan ongoingannualseries,wasattendedbyabout150 peoplewithsurprisinglydiversebackgrounds.All presentationsandpanelsessionswerewellcurated, whichcoupledwithextendedbreaksmadefor exceptionalnetworkingopportunitiesandin-depth discussion

IAQhasn’talwaysfiguredasakeyissueinWHSbutthe areaisrapidlygainingpoliticalmomentum.TheCOVID19pandemicandtheBlackSummerbushfireshave kickstartedseriousconversations,culminatinginahighlevelCleanAirForuminCanberraon18Marchattended bypoliticiansandmultiplehealthandadvocacy organisations Therearesomeparallelsherewith engineeredstoneadvocacy

KeyspeakersatIAQ2024inMelbourneincluded BrendanCrabb(Director,BurnetInstitute)andBronwyn King(SpecialAdviser,BurnetInstitute).Thesespeakers addressedopportunitiesforactionincludingstandards andregulation,includingaccessibilityrightsfor vulnerablepersonsinpublicbuildings,anddirectordue diligence Oneanalogytoindoorairqualitystandards inpublichealthterms,promulgatedbyLidiaMorawska, JasonMontyandGuyMarksintheMedicalJournalof Australia,arelong-standingAustraliandrinkingwater standards Shouldn’twealsohaveindoorairquality standardsofsimilarsignificance?

Themajorityofthepresentationscovereda widevarietyoftechnicaltopics,andincluded theopportunityforcommentsanddiscussion amongpanelistsandtheaudience Presentationtopicsincludedoutsideair contaminantinfiltrationinbuildings,moisture controlandmould,indoorairpollutant sourcesandcontrol,infectiousdisease transmission,susceptiblebuildingoccupants, post-occupancyevaluation,airpurification, riskassessmentwithorwithoutmathematical models,IAQsensors,theInternetofThings, dataanalyticsandhowwemightuse shoppingcentresandpublicbuildingsassafe havenswhenambientairqualityispoor Ifyouthinkyou’veheardthisallbefore,think again.Theissuesaddressedconsideredthe perspectivesofarchitects,engineers,medical andpublichealthprofessionalsaswellas scientistsandHVACindustrypractitioners Therewereseveraloccupationalhygienists present,includingtwoofthespeakers.

InthecontextofCOVID-19,bushfires,floods andtighterbuildings,theterm“quality”should perhapsbereplacedby“riskmanagement”. Thenewparadigmencompassesfitfor purposebuildingdesign,implementation science,enforceablestandardsandgeneral communityawareness.

1. Air conditioning systems need to be optimised to avoid condensation and mould, in the context of tighter buildings and a warming climate.

2.Sustainability needs to be integrated. HVAC and its mechanical systems have a huge carbon footprint. Just the single operational component of air filtration in Australian commercial buildings is estimated to involve 5 Terawatt hours of electrical energy or $1 billion dollars per annum. At the moment, energy costs and efficiency, rather than IAQ, are key drivers for engineers, building owners and managers. In the future both IAQ and sustainability should go hand in hand.

3.Workspaces in buildings need to be carefully designed to provide clean air volumetrically and directionally.

4.The concepts and principles of ASHRAE 241 (control of infectious aerosols) should be adopted.

5.Many if not most workplaces are indoors. WHS professionals have an important role in the multidisciplinary mix required to manage IAQ. We are particularly well-trained in areas such as exposure management, inhalation toxicology and risk assessment, risk communication, and air monitoring. AIRAH can facilitate this with other professional bodies including AIOH.

6.If you are a WHS systems manager or Head of Safety in a large organisation you need to advocate for, and integrate, IAQ into the systems. Legal cases of building-induced disease and/or Director Due Diligence enforcement issues are likely to crop up in the not too distant future.

Summary of AIRAH

IAQ Conference, 15-16 July 2024, Melbourne Dino Pisaniello, Brad Prezant and Philip Turner

The 7th ANOH conference Connect for Innovative Change will be held in Kuala Lumpa, Malaysia from the 17th to 23rd of October 2024.

Thanks to the financial support generously provided by the AIOH, the Asian Network of Occupational Hygiene [ANOH] has been able to commit to a variety of training inputs in the Asian region to complete its works plan for 2024.

ANOH will be providing Course Trainers for an M501, Measurement of Hazardous Materials Course in Manila in November, in partnership with the IHAP, the Industrial Hygiene Association of the Philippines.

ANOH has two [2] further courses planned for 2024/early 2025, namely an M501, Measurement of Hazardous Substances in Kathmandu, Nepal and a repeat M201, Basic Principles Course [BPC] in Hanoi in Vietnam.

Once this scheduled package is completed ANOH intends to continue it’s work at the BPC level and to partner with Asian associations to offer the complete suite of Advanced course to allow a Certification level package of courses to be obtained, within Asia, at an affordable cost to developing economy participants.

Stay tuned at this very exciting time!!

Terry Elms

Philip Hibbs FAIOH, COH-RET FAIOH, COH

ANOH Training Group Member

ANOH President, 2024

AIHA has released the AIHA Heat Stress application beta version (iOS & Android) which utilises an adjusted Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) calculation to determine heat stress under current conditions and forecast the next 5 days. It was developed in a partnership between AIHA and East Carolina University for outdoor workers and managers of outdoor workers. The application is expected to be launched in September 2024.

IOHA, has an upcoming webinar with Dr Ross Di Corleto & Lawerence Sloan presenting on Managing Heat – Old Concepts & New Ideas. The webinar will cover heat stress, its effects, tools to conduct assessments and the new AIHA Heat Stress App.

There are two sessions, September 12th @ 18:00 to 19:30 AEST & September 19th @ 10:00 to 11:30 AEST Those wishing to attend can register here, IOHA in conjunction with the Occupational Hygiene Society of Ireland (OHSI) and British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) had a very successful 13th International Scientific Conference on Advancing Worker Health Protection in Dublin, Ireland. 50 hours worth of Hygiene content was recorded and is available via a digital delegate pass (£246) for those who would like to access the content. The 14th Conference is to be held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2027.

IOHA provide the Global Exposure Manager with quarterly updates and links to training, international events, news and webinars. Recently they conducted a webinar on an Introduction to Ototoxicants which is available through their webinars page.

The BOHS have published the latest issue of The Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Vol 68 Issue 7 in August 2024 with article titles including ‘Characterization of particle exposure during tunnel excavation by tunnel boring

machines’ and ‘Validation of a sampling method and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analysis method for measurement of fentanyl and five other illicit drugs’. For those interested an international membership to the BOHS includes access to The Annals of Work Exposures and Health Journal.

As the UK has seen a rise in silicosis cases the BOHS has issued an Urgent Guidance to Prevent Kitchen Worktop Manufacture Disease Outbreak (June 2024). The guidance material was developed with AIOH materials and hygienists, supporting workers around the world.

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