HOW DO I FIND AN EXPERT IN SILICA?
AIOH SILICA HUB
Guide to selection of Occupational Hygiene services for silica
Occupational hygiene is an multi - disciplinary science drawing on aspects of toxicology, chemistry, physics, physiology, maths and engineering to assess workplace hazards such as dust and fibres, toxic gases and other hazardous chemicals and physical hazards such as noise, vibration, ionising and non-ionising radiation.
An Occupational Hygienist (OH) is a professional who anticipates, recognises, and evaluates, health and safety hazards and controls risk by designing workable solutions to eliminate or mitigate them to protect workers’ health and safety. Occupational hygiene professionals are usually tertiary trained in a quantitative science or engineering. Most have completed post graduate study in occupational hygiene or related skills and have qualified as full members of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene (AIOH). The AIOH is the only certifying body for Australian occupational hygienists. AIOH members are bound by a Professional Code of Conduct to only undertake occupational hygiene services and give advice within their expertise. Certified Occupational Hygienist ® are also required to undertake continuing professional development.
Requirements for Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) in relation to crystalline silica substances (CSS) became effective on 1 September 2024. PCBU must engage a competent person in relation to respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) risk assessment (including planning, sampling, analysis, interpretation of air monitoring results) and development of risk control plans.
The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) considers that best practice is for PCBU to use a Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) to support them fulfil their duties under WHS Regulations. Where a COH is not available, a person with knowledge and experience in occupational hygiene practices can be used instead. The following table details the qualifications that that can be expected in those providing services or advice in respect of the recognition, evaluation and control of risks from CSS.
Task
Conduct a risk assessment (qualitative and quantitative) of a workplace process involving CSS to determine whether the process entails a high risk; Model WHS Regulation 529C(A)
Plan air monitoring at the workplace (including establishing similar exposure groups and developing a sampling plan) Model WHS regulation 50 & 529C(E)
Who is qualified
• COH or person with recognised equivalent competency under an international certification scheme e.g. the American Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).
• Full Member (MAIOH) of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists.
Conduct personal exposure monitoring at the workplace Model WHS regulation 529C
• COH or person with recognised equivalent competency under an international certification scheme.
• COH or person with recognised equivalent competency under an international certification scheme; or
• MAIOH or Provisional Member of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists; or
• Occupational hygiene technician with the relevant competencies described below under the supervision or direction of a COH.
Interpret the results of air monitoring, draw conclusions, assess compliance with the RCS workplace exposure standard (WES) and present findings to regulators
Develop silica risk control plans (including exposure reduction and control effectiveness testing); Model WHS regulation 529C(C)
• COH or person with recognised equivalent competency under an international certification scheme
• COH or person with recognised equivalent competency under an international certification scheme; or
• Professionals with competencies in the specific controls, such as ventilation engineers.
• RESP-Fit Accredited Fit Tester; or
Conduct Respirator Fit Testing in accordance with AS/NZS 1715:2009 and provide associated training for respirator users.
• Person who has successfully completed a RESP-Fit approved training course and who work under supervision of a RESP-Fit Accredited Fit Tester.
• AIOH members and other professionals with competencies in respiratory protection standards.
To undertake personal exposure monitoring for respirable dust and crystalline silica, a Hygiene Technician must have achieved at least one of the following competencies:
• W201 Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene
• W501(or M501) Measurement of Hazardous Substances from the Occupational Hygiene Training Association
• BSBWHS419/BSBWHS409 Monitoring Respirable Dust in Coal Mines, Mineral Mines and Quarries (QLD)
• Mine Air Quality Technician (WA), formerly known as Surface Ventilation Technician
• Mine Air Quality Officer (WA), formerly known as Surface Ventilation Officer.
Internal training may also be acceptable if accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) for the sampling & analysis of respirable dust Regulators may also specify the competencies to undertake exposure monitoring according to their state based or industry specific schemes.
The expertise of COH® and other AIOH professional members can be accessed from Find an AIOH Consultant The services of accredited respirator fit testers can be accessed from RESP-FIT.