The Filter - February 2023

The Filter

Welcome to AIOH's official publication

Here's to a brand new year and the first edition of The Filter for 2023.

It’s been an action-packed season since our last edition.

We held the AIOH conference, welcomed two new mini AIOH members ��, gained access to AI chatbots, and created the Emerging Hygienists Group. Then there was the lost radiation source in WA (seen the memes?!) and a new look for The Filter. And it’s only February!

The Year of the Rabbit is off to a cracking start, along with some unique obstacles. But OH professionals love a challenge, so on we charge in pursuit of healthier . ait to see what the rest of 2023 brings – watch

As always, we’d love to hear from you. Please send any articles, research or intriguing titbits you find along the way.

Please email us at admin@aioh.org.au

Here’s to a healthy and happy 2023, Ash, Kelly, Kate and Frances

The advice provided in this publication is general advice only. Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Inc disclaims all and any guarantees,undertakings and warranties,express or implied,and is not liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising out of,or in connection with,any use or reliance on the information or advice in this publication Before acting on this advice,you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your own circumstances You must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the material in this publication, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied

President Handover

Thank you Kate Cole, and welcome to Tracey Bence

Our 2022 president, the fabulous Kate Cole, has handed over the reins to the incredible Tracey Bence

Hear Kate's reflections on why she wanted to be president of the AIOH, what she wants our members to know, what she hopes her legacy will be, and a snapshot of her presidency in three words.

As incoming president of the AIOH, Tracey Bence talks about her bold vision and goals, what she's looking forward to, the challenges she may face as president, and what she sees for the AIOH in 10 years.

Their Shared Vision? A Healthier Workplace for All

Hear from these two innovators – watch the video of our chat with Kate and Tracey recorded at the 2022 AIOH conference.

AIOH 2022 A Recap

People and perspectives shaping our purpose

President's Update

Hello to all members and friends of the AIOH.

I’m Tracey Bence, your AIOH president for 2023 There’s no better year to be an AIOH member, an occupational hygienist and a leader of the peak body advocating for healthy communities and an end to occupational illness.

2023 also marks the beginning of a simple but ambitious five-year plan for the AIOH We're committed to chasing the 40-year-old AIOH vision of a 'healthy working environment for all.’ Too many Australian employees are still made sick by an unhealthy work environment. When it comes to preventing workplacedriven harm, illness and disease – now isn’t soon enough

Are you dissatisfied with the status quo and want to raise the bar?

Do you believe the acceptable standards of worker protection need to shift?

Are you open to challenging long-held norms that aren’t protective enough?

Are you prepared to use your energy and expertise to cement our profession as the scientists of occupational exposure and champions for worker health?

These aren't rhetorical questions They’re genuine opportunities for AIOH members in 2023

To hear more about what we currently do and want to do at the AIOH in 2023 – read on, or email me.

Meet the 2023 AIOH Council

Get to know the people driving change this year.

AIOH 2022: A Recap

A snapshot year in review from our conference chair

As Conference chair and on behalf of the organising committee, a herculean thanks to all attendees, exhibitors presenters and sponsors Your support and contribution made the 2022 AIOH Conference and Exhibition a stellar success

It was great to see everyone together: sharing and learning, making new connections, and strengthening old ones

Some of my conference highlights included:

• Meeting Dr Karl and learning about the link between the Greek gods and occupational hygiene – who knew

Saturday and Sunday 3-4 December 2022

• Sitting in the front row watching the quirky and engaging Alan Parker talk about conflict and negotiating change

• Former president Kate Cole’s reality check regarding tunnelling and silicosis

• Hearing from BOHS president Chris Keen about the work of the society and the success of Breathe Freely whilst recognising we can do more to reach workers at risk of occupational diseases

Monday 5 December 2022

• Enjoying the collection of costumes at the 3M night, especially Aleks Todorovic’s standout flamingo outfit! We were honoured to contribute to one of the best conferences to date, and I trust you all enjoyed everything Brissie has to offer (the secret s out – we locals have it good)

Here’s hoping the conference has left you energised and inspired to explore your sustainable solutions to the occupational health and hygiene challenges of 2023 and beyond

Zachary du Preez 2022 AIOH Conference chair

Tuesday 6 December 2022

Wednesday 7 December 2022

2022 AIOH Conference and Exhibition

A Filter Feature

AI for industry innovation

We’ve all seen the 1984 film, The Terminator, but there’s a big difference between James Cameron ’s Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 and the new open-source AI platforms that have taken the tech stage The term AI comes with lots of sci-fi connotations but it s no longer fiction The future is here (minus Schwarzenegger)

Back To Basics

According to Forbes, Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to any technology that tries to replicate some broader aspect of human intelligence

AI can be categorised into five primary types:

• Interactive AI: chatbots and smart personal assistants

• Text AI: text recognition and speech-to-text conversion

• Visual AI: computer vision and augmented reality

• Functional AI: Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and robots

• Analytic AI: sentiment analysis and supplier risk assessment AI Goes Mainstream

According to The New York Times the emergence in December 2022 of OpenAI s ChatGPT signals the best artificial intelligence chatbot ever released to the general public This powerful platform is accessible to anyone and can generate sophisticated, comprehensive text

Rather than a force to be feared, AI is a powerful tool to be harnessed across numerous industries including Occupational Hygiene (OH) With its capability to access and analyse vast volumes of data with staggering speed and veracity AI can aid practitioners in making sound data-driven decisions to advance the health and safety of workers

AI As An Industry Innovator

With the ability to perform tasks typically in the domain of human intelligence, AI paves the way for process automation and the creation of new tech Constantly evolving through machine learning it continues to adapt and improve

Some ways AI can aid occupational hygienists today:

• Predictive Modelling

AI can forecast potential workplace health risks using data collected from prior incidents And by educating AI about existing data it can then find patterns in environmental factors like humidity, temperature and air quality which may trigger respiratory issues Information about these patterns helps occupational hygienists recognise and correct hazards before they cause harm

• Data Analysis

AI finds patterns by analysing massive volumes of data gathered from equipment such as air quality monitors These patterns then point to zones with concerning levels of contaminants, which, when monitored more closely can help reduce exposure

• Risk Assessment

To reduce the risk of exposure at work AI analyses data sourced from chemical sensors to identify and categorise harmful materials Armed with this information occupational hygienists can accurately establish the most suitable control measures for specific workers

• Predictive Maintenance

Access to wide-reaching data from vibration sensors aids in uncovering irregular patterns that can signal faulty equipment These warnings then incite action to help stop accidents and exposures in the workplace resulting from sub-optimal equipment function With this information, occupational hygienists can implement proactive maintenance schedules and thus reduce exposures, operational downtime and safety incidents

• Automation

It s no secret that repetitive tasks can be tedious The good news is AI can help with some of them in an OH context so you can get on with more inspiring things Data entry and analysis are two tasks fit for automation, redirecting resources to more pressing tasks This increases the productivity and efficiency of workplace safety initiatives

• Remote Monitoring

The world is going remote and aspects of OH are too AI can survey workplaces off-site by examining data from cameras and sensors to expose hazards and let workers know of possible dangers

The AI 'It List'

If you ’re keen to take the tech leap, according to medium com these are the top ten AI platforms to keep an eye on in 2023:

Google Cloud AI

IBM Watson

NVIDIA Deep Learning AI Software

Material DNA

Infosys Nia

Azure Machine Learning Studio

Microsoft’s Cortana

Salesforce Einstein

Chorus ai

Observe AI

The Twist

AI has proven itself within these paragraphs We asked ChatGPT to generate a list of how AI can play a significant role in the OH industry; see the main subheadings under the ‘AI as an industry innovator ’ section

AI is poised to play a significant part in this profession Reducing accidents and illness increasing accuracy and efficiency AI offers new insights into the risks within numerous work environments This all points to better health and safety

That’s a pretty intelligent tool

oto by na Demianenko Unsplash

Members in Industry & Media

Getting the AIOH out there

Who wouldn't welcome the opportunity to talk to the media?

Yes, the thought may fill some of you with fear, but we come prepared! The AIOH now has trained media ambassadors.

Armed with media-savvy, when approached by Quarry Magazine for a Q&A on silicosis prevention, AIOH President Tracey Bence was interview-ready.

Download the latest Quarry Magazine, and read what Tracey said to Editor Tara Hamid.

Emerging Hygienists Group

You're not alone; grow in company

Find your professional people

The Emerging Hygienist Group (EHG) officially launched the week of the 2022 AIOH conference in December 2022.

Put together by a small but motivated collection of young hygienists – the group aims to provide a supportive, professional networking community for emerging occupational hygienists.

Members of the EHG get access to events aimed at helping participants obtain the skills, support, and knowledge to successfully advance their careers, develop a network, and identify career opportunities.

The group hosted its first two successful events in January 2023: a Wine After Work networking event and an Ask Me Anything Q&A with 2022 president Kate Cole. To create community throughout the year, the EHG will host two monthly online events and an in-person event at the 2023 AIOH conference.

If you’re an emerging hygienist, please join our LinkedIn page using the QR code below. This is your space to share news, ask questions, and build your network. For senior occupational hygiene professionals interested in hosting an event or sharing knowledge, please email us

Accessing Scientific Literature

Pay less to read more published works

To further knowledge and support outcomes of any assessments they undertake – occupational hygienists need to access scientific literature. Historically, many journals have required a paid subscription, or a specific professional association membership, making them too expensive for many hygienists to access.

Today we can access journal articles via Open Access (OA) This means the reader doesn’t have to pay to see the article, but the cost is likely to lie with the authors, who may have to pay more than A$3000 to publish their research.

The easiest way to access OA articles is to go to Google Scholar and type in your topic keywords. Keywordmatching PDF article links display, usually indicating Open Access articles

Many universities offer students, and alumni, a lifetime of free (or for a small annual fee) access to online databases, eJournals and campus libraries Contact your institution for further information

Here are some occupational hygiene journals that are entirely Open Access (free to download):

• Environmental and Occupational Health Practice (80,000 Japanese yen)

• Environmental Health (£1890)

• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2,500 Swiss Francs)

• International Journal of Occupational Hygiene (no fee)

• International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health (US$1973)

• International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health (US$200)

• Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine (US$3150)

• Journal of Occupational Health (US$1500)

• Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (£1890)

• Occupational Medicine (£2725)

• Safety and Health at Work (no fee)

• Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health (2300 Euros)

Two occupational hygiene-related journals which provide limited Open Access papers are:

• Annals of Work Exposures and Health (GB£2560)

• Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) (A$4825)

(NB: for some articles, you need to pay to download at US$55 per paper)

If you’re aware of other journals with Open Access –please share them with the P&DE Committee and your fellow occupational hygienists.

Photo by Anna Demianenko on Unsplash

AIOH 2022 Survey

We value your feedback

Hello delegates, exhibitors, speakers and guests.

Thank you to everyone who attended the 39th AIOH Conference and Exhibition, held in Brisbane from December 3 – 7 2022. What an incredible array and calibre of international and local speakers

All 47 exhibitors and 450 delegates, attending 15 continuing education sessions, 27 concurrent sessions, and eight social events, contributed to a hugely successful conference

This outstanding event was made possible by each of our attendees and the most supportive sponsors an association could have.

We aim to push boundaries to deliver quality professional development for our members and the wider occupational hygiene networks. To up the ante for more exceptional events in future, we want your feedback. Help shape our strategy by telling us about the good, the bad and the ugly. No filter!

It only takes five minutes to complete the AIOH Conference 2022 Survey

Again – sincere thanks to all attendees, sponsors and exhibitors who made this event one to remember. We hope you enjoyed your experience; thanks for coming on this journey with us

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

A Dose of Research

Get up-to-speed with industry investigations

2022 AIOH Annual Conference Proceedings, Simple Sustainable Solutions

2022 AIOH Annual Conference Proceedings, Simple Sustainable Solutions (2022)

Impacts of Hot Climate Conditions on Work Health and Safety in Australia: A Case Assessment of Policies in Practice in the Construction Industry

Fatima S H Rothmore P Giles L C & Bi P Impacts of Hot Climate Conditions on Work Health and Safety in Australia: A Case Assessment of Policies in Practice in the Construction Industry Available at SSRN 4330163

Heat exposure and occupational health

Pisaniello, D , & Di Corleto, R (2023) Heat exposure and occupational health In Heat Exposure and Human Health in the Context of Climate Change (pp 109-131) Elsevier

Estimating the proportion of Victorians infected with COVID-19 during the Omicron BA 1 epidemic wave of January 2022 in Australia

Altermatt, A , Heath, K , Saich, F , Wilkinson, A L , Scott, N , Sacks-Davis, R , & Hellard, M (2023) Estimating the proportion of Victorians infected with COVID-19 during the Omicron BA 1 epidemic wave of January 2022 in Australia Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47(1), 100007

Strategies to reduce the health impacts of heat exposure In Heat Exposure and Human Health in the Context of Climate Change

Guo, Y , Zhang, Y , Yu, P , Wu, Y , Wen, B , Yang, Z , & Li, S (2023) Strategies to reduce the health impacts of heat exposure In Heat Exposure and Human Health in the Context of Climate Change (pp 293-322) Elsevier

Strategies for refinement of occupational inhalation exposure evaluation in the EPA TSCA risk evaluation process

Lynch, H N , Hallett, L , Hamaji, C M , & Maier, A (2023)

Strategies for refinement of occupational inhalation exposure evaluation in the EPA TSCA risk evaluation process Toxicology and Industrial Health, 074823372211459

Labour Welfare and Industrial Hygiene During COVID-19

Singhania, D , Jha, P C , Mishra, P , & Singh, K P (2023)

Labour Welfare and Industrial Hygiene During COVID-19 In Handbook of Research on Technological Advances of Library and Information Science in Industry 5 0 (pp 249269) IGI Global

An investigation into occupational-related stress of atrisk workers during COVID-19

Gerding, T , Davis, K G , & Wang, J (2023) An investigation into occupational-related stress of at-risk workers during COVID-19 Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 67(1), 118-128

Assessment of Occupational Exposures in the 3D Printing: Current Status and Future Prospects

Pavlovska, I , Akūlova, L , Lece, A , Martinsone, Ž , Paegle, L , Kļaviņa, A , & Mārtiņsone, I (2023) Assessment of Occupational Exposures in the 3D Printing: Current Status and Future Prospects Advances in 3D Printing

Occupational heat exposure and prostate cancer risk: A pooled analysis of case-control studies

Hinchliffe, A , Alguacil, J , Bijoux, W , Kogevinas, M , Menegaux, F , Parent, M E , & Turner, M C (2023)

Occupational heat exposure and prostate cancer risk: A pooled analysis of case-control studies Environmental Research, 216, 114592

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Our New Members

Leigh-Roy van den

Berg

Scott Bamford

Sam Harbert

Ash Boss

Erin Venticinque

Matthew Owen

Ryan Kift

Guillaume Lachapelle

Renier Nortje

Sandra McFadden

Andre Naude

Juliet Duffy

Richard Wilkinson

Leanne Pleydell

Andrea Holloway

Alex Armstrong

Mihaela Talcevski

Andrew Donald

Charday Wooten-Lane

Nicholas Cambridge

Calum Mathewson

Rajiv Paniselvum

Darcie McNamara

Jonathon Stephens

Joshua Martin

Jasvin Josen

Karl Thompson

Adrianne Darling

Jason Boyce

Yvonne Reilly

Rhys Thomas

Chris Johnsson

Monique O Toole

Carina Diaz

Samantha Bilske

Andrew Marom

Paul Baguley

Robert Galjaardt

Michael Tierney

Laura McKay

Dane Stewart

Evelyn Ong

Ruth Erby

Gemma Sheridan

Kerry Stratford

Luciano Contisciani

Benjamin Purcell

Norman Go

Meagan Egerton

Aidan Spencer

Kurt Neilson

Vincent Molloy

Jeff Moncrieff

Alexandra Marinovich

Stephen Challinor

Timothy Stewart

Sara Cecchetto

Thomas Trotman

Taryn Fletcher

Daniel Jackson

Bernadette Taylor

Rebecca Armstrong

Sarah Baker

Sharon Kratzmann

Paul Reglar

Elisa Nichols

Melinda Aisbett

Karl Zeman

Matt Hunter

Godlieb Combrinck

Andrea Holloway

David Green

Patricy Thiesen Cortes

Yufei Sun

Peter Weavers

Christie White

Maria Davoren

Teneille Koenig

Boovarahavan Arivalagan

Shan Wei

Harry Owen

Bradley Erceg

Yonas Reda

Debra Lee

Brian McKane

Kathy Ngo

Aman Kaur

Nikky LaBranche

Scott Hayward

Marius Meintjes

Corinn Gollner

Benjamin Gunn

Tim Lewis

Richard Cain

Scott McDonald

Nimue Pendragon

Patricia Pyman

Alisia Baker

Phillip Cole

Lauren Stowe

Tom Norris

Gavin Sheahan

Gavin Chappell

Rayneil Shandil

Glenda Squire

Todd Hastie

Jed Judge

Gertruda Adams

Megan Nottle

Caitlin Paxton

Teagan Young

Hussein Hafez

Hannah Lawson

Jemma Wilcock

Lesha Simons

Alexann Brook

David Egert

Cain Ewin

Oskar Urbas

Danielle Nguyen

Purevdorj Jigjidsuren

Khuderbat Enkhtaivan

Bolorsukh Odsuren

Richard Benbow

Adam Garnys

James Richardson

Tasawar Hussain

Natalie Reyes

Berner Duvenage

Derrick Scott

Carlie Roberts

Mona Izzeldin

Natasha Hicks

Leigh Mehmet

Jessica Cowper

Holly Warren

Christian Welman

Blake Fabling

Marylia Costa

Benjamin Rochester

Caitlyn Borg

Nini Siddiqua

Neetu Gupta

Anna Benny

Tyron Hughes

Nikita Motlani

Simran Julka

Navya Sai Kudapa

Shankar Ghisng

Thomas Weingarth

Lachlan Boyle

Maddison Costello

Dennis Clemence

Sriram Prasath

Paul Barankewitsch

Jubin Koshy

Industry & Legislative News

Trade talk and law-making

Helpful resources

OHTA has created an awareness-level module on silica hazard awareness training A Global Campaign to Eliminate Silicosis

Update to ISO 23875 - Mining - Air quality control systems for operator enclosures - performance requirements and test methods (airborne particulate)

Submission by Liam Wilson member of Standards Australia ME-018 Mining Committee and ISO TC-82 Mining Committee Standards

Key message Australia has adopted ISO 23875 - Mining - Air quality control systems for operator enclosures - performance requirements and test methods (airborne particulate)

Overview of the Standard ISO 23875 is an international standard that provides guidelines for designing and testing the air quality inside enclosures for equipment operators This standard aims to ensure that the air inside these enclosures is safe and suitable for breathing and meets minimum requirements for air quality The standard covers numerous topics including airflow and ventilation air filtration and air quality monitoring

One primary requirement is that the air inside the enclosure must meet certain minimum levels of purity as measured by the concentration of contaminants such as carbon dioxide and particulate matter To meet the requirements of ISO 23875 equipment manufacturers and operators need to follow design and maintenance best practices for their enclosures This includes properly sealing and ventilating the enclosure using appropriate air quality systems and regularly monitoring and maintaining the enclosure to ensure it meets the required standards

By following the guidelines equipment operators can be confident the workers health is protected

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

New Workplace Coal Dust Standard Commences in QLD

From October 1 2022 the workplace exposure standard for respirable coal dust has been revised from a time-weighted average of 3 milligrams per cubic metre (mg/m3) down to 1 5 mg/m3

Respirable coal dust can be generated and made airborne during several work processes using coal such as:

Breaking crushing or milling of coal

• Coal combustion processes

• Handling and transport of coal and coal fly ash

• Storage/stockpiling of coal

• Shutdown maintenance activities

• Housekeeping and cleaning of workplaces where coal is used

Find out more about the new standard

Plan Now to Avoid the Risk of Heat-related Illness

Despite a wetter-than-average year workplaces in Queensland still need to plan now to protect workers from heat-related illness and meet their duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Plan now to avoid the risk of heat-related illness

Manufacturing of Materials and Products for Construction that may Contain Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) dust

The Managing respirable crystalline silica dust exposure in construction and the manufacturing of construction elements code of practice will commence on May 1 2023

The code outlines how PCBUs can manage risks associated with RCS at the workplace and what they need to do to comply with legislation

Manufacturing of materials and products for construction that may contain respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust

SafeWork SA Asbestos Danger Rises with River Level River Murray residents shack owners andemergency response crews are being warned of the dangers of handling asbestos when rising flood waters subside Asbestos danger rises with river level

SafeWork NSW

Recent Incidents

SafeWork NSW publishes information on our website to inform you about serious workplace incidents and help prevent similar occurrences For details visit our incident information release page

SafeWork VIC Should Your Workers Have an Asbestos Medical Check?

Under the model work health and safety (WHS) laws

PCBUs must eliminate or minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable including those associated with chemical exposure A PCBU must also ensure workers aren t exposed to any airborne contaminant above the concentration listed in the Workplace exposure standards for airborne contaminants (WES list)

Respirable coal dust is an airborne contaminant found predominantly in coal mines Workers exposed to coal dust such as mine workers and those involved in coal processing and transport can develop occupational lung diseases such as coal workers pneumoconiosis

From October 1 2022 the WES for coal dust (containing less than five per cent quartz) (respirable dust) halved from an eight-hour time-weighted average of 3 mg/m3 to 1 5 mg/m3 The WES for coal dust has been reduced to better protect workers from the adverse health effects associated with breathing in coal dust See website

Identifying and Managing Psychosocial Risks

Safe Work Australia has released the following two infographics on psychosocial hazards:

• What psychosocial hazards sound like at work This infographic can help you think about how your workers might describe psychosocial hazards • Managing psychosocial hazards at work This infographic shows how to apply the four-step risk management process to manage psychosocial hazards

Australian Workers Compensation Statistics 2020-21

Safe Work Australia has published the Australian workers compensation statistics 2020-21 report which provides the latest national statistics on accepted serious workers

compensation claims

Transition Period to Adopt GHS7

The transition to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals Revision 7 (GHS 7) ended on December 31 2022 From January 1 2023 GHS 7 must be used to classify chemicals and prepare labels and safety data sheets (SDS) for newly manufactured and imported hazardous chemicals in Australia (unless otherwise advised by your work health and safety regulator)

The SDS for existing chemicals should also comply with GHS 7 from January 1 2023 Note that Western Australia s GHS 7 start date is March 31 2023

See our website for more details

Safe Work Australia Quarterly Update – November 2022

This newsletter highlights what Safe Work Australia is doing across the spectrum of work health and safety (WHS) and workers compensation

Comcare Emerging Evidence Alert – the latest peer-reviewed articles reports and evidence on a range of workplace health and safety prevention recovery at work and return to work topics

WorkSafe Victoria is reminding employers to play it safe when dealing with material that contains asbestos and to ensure they are meeting their legal obligations

Should your workers have an asbestos medical check?

Beware of Hidden Hazards in Flood Clean-Up

Victorians in flood-affected areas are urged to be alert for unexpected hazards in the workplace and fully assess the risks involved when commencing any clean-up activities

Beware of hidden hazards in flood clean-up

WorkSafe Western Australia

WA Dangerous Goods Guides

The department has recently released several dangerous goods publications:

• Safety equipment for road vehicles transporting dangerous goods - Dangerous Goods Safety Guide

• Road transport of dangerous in receptacles of more than 500 L or kg - Dangerous Goods Safety Guide

• Road transport of dangerous goods in receptacles of 500 L or Kg or less - Dangerous Goods Safety Guide

• Dangerous goods transport documents – Dangerous Goods Safety Guide

• Route selection vehicle stopping and bulk transfer –Dangerous Goods Safety Guide

Dust Strategy 2023-24 WorkSafe has released Dust strategy 2023-24

This strategy outlines the objectives and compliance strategies WorkSafe will be undertaking to continue to drive improvements in the workplace management of hazardous dust 221214 po duststrategy pdf

Member Spotlight

A conversation with Dick Manuell, a remarkable retired member

By Dr Sharann Johnson, AM, COH, FAIOH

Dick Manuell is an occupational hygienist He’s also a nonagenarian As our oldest member, there’s lots to celebrate about Dick Manuell s story

I first met Dick when I was with BP, and he was working for Esso Not only is he a career-long supporter of AIOH but Dick has also been an incredible mentor to me Ever the humble achiever, here, he shares his path to discovering occupational hygiene

Nothing was more rewarding than visiting the workplaces of my fellow workers and recommending changes in workplace procedures to provide better health protection for my mates

“

In 1947 I joined the Atlantic Union Oil Company as a junior laboratory assistant In 1951, I worked as a country salesman in western Victoria before switching to chemicals marketing

It was all interesting enough but I lacked motivation despite serving on a couple of Institute of Petroleum and Standards of Australia committees Eventually, I became more interested in environmental issues particularly oil pollution prevention and control and privately entered a course at the Sydney Technical College

This subsequently led to me being appointed environmental conservationist for the whole of Esso with a subsidiary role in OH

In 1972 I started a Master of Applied Science at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) That was a fabulous experience and I was able to design my course to include OH topics which gave me the motivation I’d previously been missing

I then became the full-time hygienist for Esso and continued in that role until I retired in 1991

As a foundation member of AIOH, I learnt so much from members whod been occupational hygienists all their working lives, centred mainly on the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at the University of Sydney These included Gersh Major Tony Findlay Alan Rogers and Professor David Ferguson

AIOH started with high ethical and scientific standards, although it was somewhat preoccupied with what was happening inside the factory gate These days the institute s astute members and leaders take a much greater interest in what’s happening community-wide and speak rationally on topics often misunderstood by the general public

Fortunately, AIOH is independent of the political aspects of community health but does participate in international OH activities, as demonstrated by Noel Tresider Maintaining its professionalism, AIOH continues on a good path

Some unforgettable moments? They d have to include the first time I climbed a vertical ladder on a high debutanizer tower at an oil plant to check there was no radiation occurring among the top plates I did this while carrying a large radioisotope detector with no safety harness! When I got down, terra firma never felt more welcome or stable!

On another occasion I was checking noise exposure among petrol tanker drivers working long overnight shifts One guy’s result was around 500 times the thendaily limit I said to him ‘Come on Bert what did you do with the meter I put on your collar near your ear?’ He grinned sheepishly and said, I put it on the gearbox

Being elected as a Fellow of AIOH was an honour and a privilege I wish I were healthy enough to be back doing OH work ”

Committee Update

A COH board brief

By Dr Adelle Liebenberg

Certified Occupational Hygienists (COH) Exams

There are COH exams scheduled in Sydney for March 24 and March 31 2023. If you’re interested in sitting them, please submit your “expression of interest” form asap There’s loads of interest but limited capacity

The COH exam schedule for 2023:

• March 2023

• June 2023

• September 2023

• December 2023

Sydney

Brisbane

Perth

Melbourne

Due to multiple expressions of interest from New Zealand, we’re looking into offering a round of COH exams at the New Zealand Annual Conference on May 8 – 9, 2023 We'll let you know as soon as the details are confirmed

For NZ-based full AIOH members who want to take the COH exams – please send your expressions of interest to our membership coordinator

Certified Occupational Hygienists (COH) Audits

The COH Board updated the AIOH Certification Guideline in December 2022 All COHs, as well as full AIOH members intending to take their COH exam, please get familiar with the updated policy

The 2018-2022 COH audits are currently underway for COHs due for recertification.

If this is you, please ensure you submit your documentation through MyCOH by February 29, 2023 The COH Board will confirm your submission and communicate any relevant information. Please keep an eagle eye on your inbox so you can respond quickly

Hot Audit Tips

• You get a five-year heads-up if you’re going to be audited

• Keep your points current to avoid scrambling to get all your ducks in a row the weekend before

• Don’t even think about an extension – you’ve had five years!

• Before you leave a job, get a letter stating the duration of your employment, how many days a week you worked and an outline of your main tasks

• Preparation is everything – there’s no excuse for not having the required documentation

• Read the guidelines for information about the sort of evidence you need

• Most occupational hygienists will undergo an audit at some stage and a COH audit is no different

• Both site and COH audits call for impartiality and evidence

• Be kind and respectful to all the AIOH volunteers

• These superstars are donating their time and expertise

Pictured: Dr Adelle Liebenberg

Events

Unmissable upcoming events for your calendar

What, Where and When

Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

March 20-24 2023 | Melbourne, Victoria

NZOHS Work-related Health Conference: Reconnect

May 8-9 2023 | Christchurch, New Zealand

Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

May 22-26 2023 | Brisbane, Queensland

Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

June 19-23 2023 | Sydney, NSW

13th IOHA International Scientific Conference

June 2024 | Dublin, Ireland

Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

August 7-11 2023 | Perth, WA

6th ANOH Conferences

28-30 August 2023 | Manila, Philippines

Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

October 23-27 2023 | Brisbane, Queensland

Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

November 13-17 2023 | Melbourne, Victoria

A Filter Feature

Lost and orphan radiation sources during transport

Opinion Piece By Dean Crouch Certified Radiation Protection Advisor (ARPAB)

Dean has been in the radiation safety field for 20 years working across nuclear medicine mining oil and gas and has been a WA Mines Inspector He is a member of the Australian Radiation

Protection Society (ARPS) Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene (AIOH) and a board member of the Australian Radiation Protection Accreditation Board (ARPAB) Dean can be contacted on 0410 637 994 or by email

Lost and Orphan Radiation Sources

During Transport

The recent event in Western Australia confirms the importance of a well-resourced and strong regulatory system which includes audits and verification and highlights that simply obtaining a licence or being a registered premises under the Radiation Safety Act (RSA) (1975) does not guarantee safety The following discussion isn t intended to deconstruct the specific event in January 2023 but focusses on the existing situation regarding transport and use of radioactive material within the Western Australian legislative system

Western Australia Radiation Safety Act (1975)

Current legislation for the regulation and use of radioactive sources in Western Australia is the Radiation Safety Act (1975) As of writing this legislation is dated and does not include modern health and safety concepts such as due diligence currency of competence the hierarchy of controls the Australian Quality Training Framework or any of the more sophisticated equipment and monitoring technologies available These are recognised limitations in the current legislation

Company Liability

Under the general OHS legislation companies and owners are required to provide their workers a safe and healthy workplace This is an indelible workers right and the requirement extends to all hazards regardless of which legislative instrument governments their use and management Complying with only the most obvious set of regulations and not the more subtle ones that apply could be seen to be derogating a general duty of care and maybe even be negligent All companies need to understand all the hazards from their work and manage them appropriately keeping in mind that legislative compliance is the minimum basic standard Radiation protection is a well understood field and there are many national and international guides that outline good practices

Transport of Radioactive Material and the Dangerous Goods Act (2004)

Transport of radioactive sources via road is a common but very nuanced activity in Australia and requires a niche skill set to undertake this safely Radioactive material a Class-7 dangerous good is not captured under the WA Dangerous Goods Act (2004) (DGA) and as such a licence issued under the DGA does not include the transport of Class-7 radioactive material It is common for a contract carrier whose DGA licence includes Class-1 2 3 4 5 6 1 8 and 9 to also carry Class-7 radioactive materials as there is little to advise them that they require registration and licencing under the RSA as well

Proper due diligence prior to the transport of radioactive material should begin with ensuring that the contract carriers site registration is valid and the driver holds their own current licence to transport radioactive material

All states and territories in Australia have adopted the ARPANSA Code of Practice for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material RPS-C2 (2019) or prior revisions

This code of practice in turn adopts International Atomic Energy Agency transport requirements to ensure a consistent system of radioactive material transport across the globe

While the transport code is quite definitive in the requirements for transport it can be convoluted and intimidating for a newcomer to the industry or a worker who only occasionally transports radioactive sources

Currency of competence

In Western Australia the Radiation Safety (Qualifications)

Regulations (1980) and Radiation Safety (General) Regulations (1983) do not require a person or company to provide any demonstration of competence or further training to renew a licence or site registration This makes it difficult to identify and correct poor work practices until a reportable incident occurs

Other dangerous goods transport licenses require ongoing refresher training (Dangerous Goods Safety (Road & Rail Transport of Non-explosives) Regulation (2007) (r15 & r220) to ensure the worker is aware of all the requirements of the relevant task No similar requirement exists in the renewal of radioactive material transport however a number of one-day courses are available from state and national service providers

Radiation Safety Officer Control Over Fixed Gauges

Under normal circumstances the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) is required to maintain control over all fixed gauges on-site They will advise workers performing tasks with

or near the fixed gauge radiation sources of hazards and subsequent control strategies to minimise exposure

They also ensure there is some (usually brief) comment about the sources onsite during site inductions These are all administration controls

Not required however are stronger engineering controls such as devices to ensure the fixed gauge cannot be removed from its installation without RSO physical intervention Fixed gauges are generally bolted via support bracket to plant or pipes and removal only requires hand tools A bolt with an isolation padlock restricting the removal of a retaining nut would prevent unauthorised removal

It should be noted that a fixed gauge lacking any isolation or engineering controls such as that described above would still be considered compliant with ARPANSA

RPS13 Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Safe Use of Fixed Radiation Gauges (2007)

Fixed Gauge Use and Service

The use of radioactive sources in this case a fixed density or level gauge requires a licence with the specific purpose of use This permits the site to use the fixed gauge in its current form which is compliant to the ARPANSA RPS-13 Type-A requirements

In most cases one or more people will hold this licence on site namely the RSO and a handful of deputies who perform the RSO role should they be unavailable As with transport the installation and use of fixed gauges is a niche activity and the interaction with such sources is infrequent with fixed gauges being installed and potentially not removed for up to 15 years

What is not made clear in this licence is that the use authority does not permit the servicing of such gauges (Radiation Safety Act s25) An additional licence purpose of service is required to permit the licence holder to dismantle the source holder or device and access the radioactive source capsule

3 party accreditation rd

Radiation safety subject matter experts (SME) are currently very thin on-the-ground and it is impractical for every registered site or company that transports or uses sealed sources to have one on staff Inspections and audits conducted by the regulator has not proved practical either as licence holders are often in remote areas and transport of radioactive sources is conducted without notification

Quality assurance to verify that company or operator procedures are adequate and being adhered to is achieved in other areas through the engagement of external auditors or accredited persons Radiation SME s can perform such a function ensuring that a company doesn t just have a Radiation Management Plan (RMP) but also complies to that plan

This model is used in the UK with the licence holder (a radiation practitioner) performing work via outlined procedures in the RMP Changes to the RMP and compliance with this document is performed by a SME with a broader and more technical background (Radiation Protection Advisers)

A radiation protection accreditation exists within Australia (Australasian Radiation Protection Accreditation Board) however this is not currently a requirement in any of the states and territories at any level of radiation protection Perception and media

Recent events have shown that the loss of control of a radioactive source can have wide ranging impacts on emergency services government departments and the public perception of radiation source management and security

The media have used isolated facts without any context For example: The Guardian used the term potential deadly source in its title and specified 19 gigabecquerel [1] without explaining what this measurement actually was This measurement indicates the activity of the source and is likely a term that means very little to the general public but sounds big and scary

For context a nuclear medicine lung imaging test involves injecting a patient with over one gigabecquerel of an isotope with a six-hour half-life Hundreds of these tests are performed every week in Western Australian hospitals and clinics Handling the source is never advised however public perception of the potential consequences can be easily manipulated

Conclusion

The management use and transport of radioactive sources in Western Australia would benefit from:

• Government recognition of the need to update the legislative instrument

• Better communication around radioactive material transport and the DGA licence restrictions

• Introduction of the hierarchy of controls for radiation source control

• More robust currency of competence for licence holders

• Requiring external compliance verification in addition to existing internal verification

• Define accredited radiation protection experts in legislation

Accredited Universities

Notes and news from our tertiary partners

News from Edith Cowan University

It s been an eventful couple of months at ECU Associate

Professor Sue Reed and Dr Martyn Cross retired at the end of 2021

These industry champions will continue to contribute and support the Master of Occupational Hygiene and Toxicology as adjunct staff, so you can still benefit from their wisdom and expertise for the next few years

Our team would like to acknowledge the contributions of both Sue and Martyn to the field of occupational hygiene throughout their careers There isn t an occupational hygienist in Australia who hasn’t been profoundly impacted by the fruits of their labour and sacrifice Our respect for them is endless and their legacies will echo for generations

A huge congratulations to all our students graduating in February! Well done we can t wait to see where your career takes you Semester 1 officially starts on the 20th of February so if you re not yet enrolled for the semester – now s the time

Quick links

Occupational Hygiene studies

Get more information about studying occupational hygiene at ECU

Course Coordinator

Dr Adelle Liebenberg

E: a liebenberg@ecu edu au

P: 08 6304 5515

Occupational Health and Safety studies

Get more information about studying occupational health and safety

Course Coordinator

Dr Marcus Cattani

E: m cattani@ecu edu au

P: 08 6304 2346

There are exciting plans in the pipeline for 2023 One of these relates to the ongoing development of realtime airborne dust monitoring equipment and associated monitoring techniques

There s a strong need for research into the suitability and capability of these devices Dr Marcus Cattani has been working with Steven Verpaele from the Nickel Institute with technical assistance from GCG investigating various practical issues associated with these devices

In early January 2023 fieldwork commenced at numerous locations some sponsored by Rio Tinto (Western Australia) mine sites This project is expected to continue for several years Please contact Marcus if you want to know more sponsor the project host the fieldwork or join the research team as a PhD student

Get Connected: The University of Wollongong by Jane Whitelaw

Enrolments for 2023 are now open so apply now for the dual accredited Master of Occupational Hygiene

If you ve completed the AIOH Basic Principles Course paired with workplace experience, you can start with a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Hygiene

Commonwealth supported places are available for domestic students: a Graduate Certificate of four subjects costs as little as $4 000 in fees and can be completed part-time in one year Our courses integrate practical aspects and networking with practising COHs to focus occupational hygiene techniques and apply skills and knowledge to a broad range of workplace issues And our support and networking is legendary! Contact Jane Whitelaw for more information

Ph t by Bret Kavanaugh on Unsplash

Congratulations to our award winning alumni from the AIOH22 conference

Best Paper Award

Congratulations to Dr Jen Hines for Making Respirable Dust Visible in Longwall Development Panels – A Virtual Training Tool Read the conference proceedings

Dräger Safety Pacific Young Hygienist Award

Congratulations to Foud Rizk wholl visit the Dräger headquarters in Germany and attend the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) Conference in the UK

AES Post Graduate Study Award

Congratulations to Ben Govan whos commencing the UOW Master of Occupational Hygiene from 2023

Honorary Fellow Member of the AIOH

Congratulations to Elsye As Safira, founding President of the Indonesian Industrial Hygiene Association in 2016 which now boasts over 200 members In her speech Elsye acknowledged the foundational role of UOW in shaping her career and country s association There have only been eight Honorary Fellow Memberships awarded since 1980 so this is a big honour

Research News

Congratulations to Dr Carmen Naylor with the successful examination of her PhD thesis on Quantitative Skin Exposure Assessment of Metals Using the Construction Industry as a Test Environment Check out AIOH Events for an upcoming webinar to hear all about it Carmen s achievements were recently featured in UOW News highlighting our wonderful profession Read more

Contact us if you’d like to join them in exploring new emerging and complex health and safety problems through collaborative research with university and industry partners

The Job Market

AIOH and industry job opportunities

AIOH Opportunities

Content Creation

f accountable high-performance culture

• Create content for the AIOH blog and marketing website working with SEO principles

• A i t ith t t t t gi d p ig t reach target markets Meet all publication deadlines for the online l tt Th Filt

• Write blogs social posts articles and marketing and content for sales collateral

• M g th i l di l d

• Work with the Conference Manager to manage marketing campaigns designed to attract conference gi t t d t d hibiti d

• Brief and work with external designers content writers and videographers to create brochures corporate videos and other member-relevant collateral

Digital Platform

• Take ownership and accountability for AIOHs digital presence

• R i pl tf t i p t / b journey and UX Work with external consultants to ensure websites t h i lly t d ll t t i pl d d on time

Webinars Manage webinar logistics in advance and onsite Ha dle pa t e que ies i cludi g fi st-li e technical support

• Liaise with speakers to source biographies and photographs

• Re ie presentation materials and pro ide feedback to presenters Record webinars and manage distribution through th b it d i l di

• Add all new webinar dates titles and codes to the website • P id t h i l pp t f d l g t /p t where necessary Provide attendee webinar access • C di t th b di g f p t M k ti g I iti ti • D l p

Industry Opportunities

Se io Occupatio al Hygie

• $130 692 per annum + superannuation Full-time fixed-term position (12 months)

• G l g M lb R gi l Vi t i L ti

• $108 291 p + p ti

• Full-time ongoing position Geelong Melbourne or Regional Victorian Location

and how to optimise t t h y

• Highly driven and results-oriented Strong interpersonal skills and excellent t i

• Ability to manage multiple projects on deadlines paying attention to detail B fit • F f i dly l ki g lt

• Competitive salary plus bonuses High-performing and supportive team

• A g t k/lif b l

• Personal development and growth opportunities Fully stocked kitchen We offer an inclusive fun culture with open communication and rewards and recognition like p b ti l b ti d bi thd y d i anniversary celebrations As an equal-opportunity employer we re committed to excellence through diversity We don t discriminate based

Do you have a passion for health and safety?

• Full-time Permanent role; family-friendly 8/6 roster FIFO from Perth Leverage your wealth of experience by working for a gl b l l d i g ld i i g

RESP-FIT® Report

Our respiratory protection initiative in action

Just over two years have flown by since RESP-FIT officially launched in December 2020 Regular applications for people going through accreditation, including those new to the AIOH, show that RESP-FIT is gaining reach, and reputation outside the usual hygiene circles We now have over 110 accredited fit testers and 30 fit testing service providers (employing accredited fit testers)

And emails keep coming from workplaces looking for fit testers and technical advice about respirators and respiratory protection

There are now six approved training providers Australiawide who run established routine courses and field an increasing number of enquiries A growing collection of businesses continue to set minimum requirements for their fit testers to attend an approved course with some requiring fit testers to be RESP-FIT accredited It’s happening!

Did you see our teaser in the last edition of The Filter?

We hinted about the RESP-FIT Pledge – an exciting new initiative launched at the AIOH Conference in December 2022

The RESP-FIT Pledge is here!

Organisations can now demonstrate their commitment to protecting workers through competent person fit testing, using RESP-FIT accredited fit testers To make the RESP-FIT Pledge, an organisation must engage or employ a RESP-FIT accredited fit tester to conduct their worker respirator fit testing However, organisations listed on the RESP-FIT website as fit test service providers aren’t eligible to pledge

Eligible organisations can sign up for free on the RESPFIT website, and provide their company details and logo (which will appear on the RESP-FIT website) An email will be sent to confirm your registration then organisations can log into their member account

Register each accredited fit testing session held through the RESP-FIT member log-in and the accredited RESP-FIT fit tester will receive an email to confirm details

Confirmed Pledge organisations can then download the Pledge certificate and badge to show the organisation’s commitment to competent person fit testing

To keep your Pledge current, you must have conducted accredited fit testing within the previous 12 months through:

• Organisation literature and marketing

• Social media

• Tender document

• Organisation reception/lobby areas with other company certificates and policies

The RESP-FIT board and assessors have worked hard to develop and provide feedback on this fully online process which is much appreciated

A history of fit testing registered through the RESP-FIT Pledge is available for record keeping via member login This is also where the Pledge badge and certificate live See the examples below

As of February 2023, we have three companies who’ve made the pledge and had their fit testing confirmed

Are you an accredited fit tester? Start a conversation with your customers about the value-add of being involved with RESP-FIT

Download the Pledge flyer or visit the Pledge site to sign up or get more information

On behalf of the RESP-FIT board and assessors, I extend a big thank you to the entire AIOH, and to their members, for their support in promoting RESP-FIT within their local networks RESP-FIT is a world-class program, placed to contribute to protecting worker health through competent person respirator fit testing in Australia

Mark Reggers Chair – RESP-FIT respfitchair@aioh org au

BPC Report

All about the rollout of our popular course

The AIOH Basic Principles facilitators have been busy in the months leading up to Christmas with courses run in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne

As always, we’re grateful for our facilitators: Jen Hines, Linda Apthorpe Kieran Brookes Rob Golec Melanie Cox and Peter Aspinall A big welcome back to John (Hendo) Henderson These superstars all put their hands up at short notice

The support from 3M, Airmet Scientific, and AES for equipment and guest presenters at these recent courses has made all the difference Thank you to everyone involved!

Our newly reviewed course has rolled out with nothing but smooth sailing With an increased demand for the BPC, and 2023 dates starting to fill – if you know anyone whod like to do the course this year, please check the AIOH website for course dates and locations

A reminder that the BPC usually run in conjunction with our annual conference, is rescheduled for midNovember and will be the final course for 2023

If you re hoarding out-of-date sorbent tubes you don t need, we ll gladly take them off your hands for the BPC via the AIOH Melbourne office Charcoal tubes (e g SKC 226-01) and the like are perfect Please address any spare tubes to the wonderful Michelle Portelli, our AIOH conference and events manager extraordinaire

Brisbane Course Participants

Melbourne participants undertaking practicals

Equipment required for BPC!

Melbourne Course Participants

OH Around the World

Manila, Philippines

Guatemala City, Central America

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

Breathe Freely in Mandarin

Introducing the Mandarin translation initiative

Since launching our Breathe Freely Australia initiatives in 2018, the AIOH has been raising worker awareness about preventable lung diseases

This Australia-first program makes information readily available for workers and supervisors about the hazards of toxic dust and the prevention of work-related lung diseases across the construction, manufacturing, mining and engineered stone industries

Our RESP-FIT program, established in 2020, also supports workers who rely on respirators to protect against fine and invisible dust, such as silica dust

Workers in the manufactured stone sector rely on measures like respiratory protection to shield them from debilitating lung diseases Effective use of respiratory protection is vital to safeguard workers from airborne hazards that cause lung cancer, asbestosis, chronic pulmonary disease and silicosis

For respiratory protection to provide safety, it must fit correctly Respirator “fit testing” is a method designed to check a tight-fitting respirator matches a person’s facial features and seals adequately It also helps identify unsuitable respirators to discard

When SafeWork NSW visited manufactured stone businesses throughout the state in 2018 and 2021, they reported the most common notice re-issued to businesses was related to fit testing respiratory protection

Approximately one-third of workers working with manufactured stone don’t speak English Instead, most commonly speaking Mandarin The fact is – vital information, instruction, and support around fit-testing aren’t currently available in Mandarin This includes engaging information and instructions on why and when to wear a respirator and how to ensure it seals well

The Breathe Freely Mandarin initiative is an AIOH intervention targeting the Mandarin-speaking communities of Greater Sydney Through engaging with Mandarin-speaking occupational hygienists, workers improve awareness of airborne hazards such as silica dust in the manufactured stone sector and get quality information about the safe use of respiratory protection

This initiative seeks to:

• Harness our successful Breathe Freely Australia program to translate vital information on respiratory protection into Mandarin and help keep workers safe via the Breathe Freely Australia website

• Create new video content on silica and respiratory protection in Mandarin

• Promote new video content on social media

• Host an event in Western Sydney, providing free fittesting

• Support a Mandarin speaker to upskill and become an accredited fit-tester

As the first part of this initiative, we’ve launched the new Better Regulation Division Breathe Freely Mandarin Award Applications are now open and being accepted until March 31st 2023

Get more award information or reach out to the Chair of the AIOH External Affairs Committee

The NSW Government is the proud sponsor of the Breathe Freely Mandarin initiative