The Filter - June 2021

June '21 Table of contents

The Filter

Welcome to our new Magazine!

The Filter is the AIOH’s new magazine, brought to you by the AIOH Communications and Marketing Committee.

Formed in early 2021, we (the committee) aim to promote the Institute and the field of occupational hygiene to our members and key stakeholders. We use a variety of platforms to communicate, including our website, direct email, social media (LinkedIn and Facebook), and our new (and improved) magazine. If you aren’t already, make sure you’re following the AIOH on LinkedIn and Facebook, and engage with us by liking, commenting and sharing our posts.

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We hope you enjoy what we’ve created for you. We'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions for future editions!

Please email us at

admin@aioh.org.au Kate Cole, Baeu Medina, Kelly Jaunzems, Ash Boss and Anthony Hope

June '21 Table of contents

The Filter Table of Contents

14

Workplace Exposure Standards

3

President's Report

15

Awards season is coming!

4

Treasurer's Update

16

Professional Development

5

Meet our AIOH 2021 Council

17

Certification Board

6

Welcome Baeu!

18

RESP-FIT Update

7

Occupational Hygienist - What's that

19

Special Expertise Groups (SEGs)

8

Feature Article

20

Accredited Universities

9

Congratulations New Members & Member Spotlight

21

AIOH Events

10

Working to Improve Standards in Healthcare

22

International Events

11

Mentoring Committee Update

23

Health and Safety Alerts

12

External Affairs Committee

24

A Dose of Research

13

Workplace Exposure Assessment

25

AIOH Foundation Update

June '21 Table of contents

PRESIDENT’S REPORT Hello all, first up let me apologise for not making contact sooner.

It has been a pretty hectic few months for Council as we emerge from the shadow of COVID and try to return to a semblance of normality. There have been a number of changes that have taken place as well as projects that have been initiated. I cannot cover all of them but here are a few highlights to fill you in on some of the key happenings.

First off you will no doubt have heard that we will be back to having a face-to-face conference again this year. The 2021 Conference Committee headed up by Carmen Naylor is well into the planning process. We

The Exposure Assessment team have been working on the mammoth task of providing comment on the Workplace Exposure Standards submissions. This is a major undertaking for that committee as there have

also have a new Conference and Events Manager, Baeu Medina who is working alongside our committee. This team has already scored a major coup by landing the Sydney International Convention

been in excess of 700 WES’s to comment on. Currently we have provided feedback on over 60%.

We now have a new Communications and Marketing Committee that have begun the development of

Centre as our venue. If you have been considering presenting a paper in the past and never quite gotten around to it, this is the year. So, dust off those

material for members and the different areas of media. This newsletter is just one of many projects they have in their headlights. I am looking forward to

keyboards and get typing. We want to see an avalanche of abstracts in the next couple of months.

Our committees have also been very busy.

seeing our improved communications going forward.

The External Affairs Committee has been reviewing and providing commentary in several areas, including a submission for the parliamentary budget and feedback to the National Dust Diseases Taskforce. No

The RESPFIT program is growing in leaps and bounds and we already have:

doubt you have also seen a number of our members representing the AIOH across the different media platforms as we continue to receive requests from the

• Two Approved Training Providers • 15 Supporters • 11 Partners

media for comment on a variety of issues. Our profile is growing.

The Membership and Qualifications process has now been streamlined and we are seeing application approval times reduced dramatically and a significant backlog cleared.

• 31 accredited fit testers (with 60 plus in progress)

This is an excellent initiative which I have no doubt will continue to grow.

The AIOH comprehensive strategic plan document is quite large, so we have continued the work of the 2020 Council and produced a one-page summary strategic plan. You will see this reproduced below. It is an attempt to condense our key strategies into a succinct readily readable document.

This is shaping up to be a very busy year, but I have an enthusiastic and capable Council and looking forward to a very productive year.

June '21 Table of contents

TREASURER’S UPDATE Aleks Todorovic

Over the past 12 months, in conjunction with the office staff and the council, we have begun a process of digital transformation. We have introduced Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint to allow for efficient staff and council collaboration, document retrieval and

We have introduced PowerBi functionality into the financial area of the Institute enabling staff and Council to have a ‘live view’ dashboard of the financial position of the AIOH at a glance. Data from the accounting package is directly imported to PowerBi, automatically configured and formatted allowing comparisons between year-on-year activities, budget vs actual, special program financial performance etc. at the click of a button. This tool will be especially useful when paired to Salesforce.com, our upcoming membership database, allowing Council to make financial decisions with accurate data in real-

storage, in addition to platforms such as Monday.com which has seen our membership

time. Other benefits will include enhanced forward planning capabilities and goal tracking as well in real-

application times reduce from months to weeks - and we are only just getting started.

time.

One of the main themes from the AIOH strategic plan is the objective of enhanced business processes. As we are a member facing organization, it is vitally important that our resources are directed to support membership services that provide value to our close to 1000 members.

We believe that embracing the opportunities that come with new developments in technology will provide a leaner and more efficient Institute, allowing more time and resources to be spent on our members.

Speak to you all soon

June '21 Table of contents

MEET OUR AIOH 2021 COUNCIL But who are our Council?

Following our first virtual AIOH Annual General Meeting, our new 2021 Council began busily working away behind the scenes continuing to build on the great work laid down from past President Andrew Orfanos and the 2020 Council.

Our AIOH Council consists of the President, President-Elect, Treasurer and Secretary and three Council members. Under the leadership of President Ross Di Corleto, Council have met each month to further progress key tasks that underpin our Strategic Plan.

Ross Di Corleto

Kate Cole

Our AIOH President is Dr Ross Di Corleto FAIOH COH. A member of the AIOH for over 30 years, this is Ross’ second time in the hot seat, having previously been President in 2003. Ross’s professional career spans

Our AIOH President-Elect is Kate Cole MAIOH COH CF. With a background in contaminated land remediation, mining, construction and tunnelling, Kate has been a staunch advocate for the protection of worker health

many industries including power, mining, refining and smelting. A previous recipient of the prestigious Pam de Silva Medal, AIOH Racal Young Hygienist Award and Best Conference Paper Award, Ross is well known

across many industry sectors. A previous winner of the AIOH Draeger Young Hygienist Award and Best Paper Award, Kate has recently been campaigning for stronger safety protections for workers in healthcare

as the expert in thermal heat stress.

and hotel quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sharann Johnson

Aleks Todorovic

Our AIOH Secretary is Dr Sharann Johnson FAIOH COH. An AIOH member for more than 40 years, Sharann has previously served as President, Secretary, member of the Certification Board, and has been

Our AIOH Treasurer is Aleks Todorovic MAIOH. While Aleks is well known for his copious knowledge surrounding all things measurement and sensing, it is Aleks’ business and financial management knowledge

awarded the prestigious Pam de Silva Medal. Sharann was a key contributor to the Breathe Freely Australia

that has greatly benefited the AIOH in his role as Treasurer.

campaign and has been instrumental in the formation of RESP-FIT. With a background in oil & gas as well as mining, Sharann is passionate about making a difference and preventing harm to workers health.

Melanie Windust

Kelly Johnstone

Melanie’s background spans major hazard facilities, aviation, mining, dangerous goods, logistics, oil and gas, regulatory and manufacturing. Melanie is an active member on the AIOH Awards Committee and is a former Director of the AIOH Foundation.

Kelly’s passion is on the continuing education and professional development of occupational hygienists and health and safety professionals. Kelly is an active member of the Professional Development and Education Committee and past Virtual Symposium Chair.

Marcus Brooks Marcus’s background is in mining, asbestos management and consulting. A previous state liaison officer, Marcus aims to attract new innovative passionate people to educate and communicate with the wider workforce about the importance of understanding the value of occupational hygiene.

June '21 Table of contents

WELCOME BAEU! Baeu Medina Baeu Medina joined us as our Conference and Events Manager in February this year. With a successful background in event management, Baeu has been instrumental in getting our events underway including three Basic Principles Courses across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, a Masterclass in Heat Stress, State Chapter Meetings, and of course, planning for our 2021 Conference in Sydney - great work and welcome Baeu!

June '21 Table of contents

ELEVATOR PITCH

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENIST WHAT'S THAT? In February, the AIOH put out a call to members for elevator pitches in response to the question, “So you’re an Occupational Hygienist...What’s that?”. We were overwhelmed with responses – which we took as a sign that this is a question that is asked very often!

The AIOH Communications and Marketing Committee reviewed all of the entries and we’re delighted to present to you our two winners - Neil Bartholomew and Subena Colligan

June '21 Table of contents

FEATURE ARTICLE How particle science helps us understand airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Dr Laurie Glossop FAIOH COH There is clear evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that leads to COVID-19, is easily transmitted through close personal contact. Infection can occur when a nearby person receives enough of the virus (infectious dose) through the available modes of transmission. These modes include inhalation, direct contact with the mucous membranes (nose, eyes and/or mouth), and

However, there have been reported cases where transmission has occurred at longer distances between people in shared spaces or over a shorter time period. A number of research papers, often related to “superspreader” events are available that detail behaviour, ventilation and other variables to show how airborne transmission, rather than close

indirect contact from surfaces (fomite). While the relative contribution of each of these modes of transmission is still being debated by the medical profession, it is clear only focusing on one or two specific modes is insufficient to prevent transmission.

contact with the index case or shared touching of fomites, can better explain cases that have occurred.

For example restaurants, bus, church choirs and hotel quaratine.

The epidemiology of the disease shows that the closer

Recognising that the SARS-CoV-2 virus does not comply to a set of arbitrary rules is important when we

a person is to an infected person and the more time spent in their vicinity, the greater the chance of becoming infected. In effect, the 1.5m distance and 15-minute time limits used in Australia by the medical profession to protect against respiratory droplets have

focus on preventing illness and disease in the workplace. Reseach that answers questions on how long virions (indivdual virus particles) can survive in air currents, whether virions can be transported to a greater distance, and in what concentration may be

served to describe and/or prevent some cases of transmission of COVID-19.

infectious is important when seeking to understand the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19.

Aerosols, droplets, and inhalation Exposure through inhalation occurs when the virus is expelled from an infected person into the air around them through the generation of aerosols. These aerosols are generated by activities such as speaking,

In infection control, a 5µm size is used to differentiate between particles that are described as droplets (between 5µm and up to 100µm) and aerosols (below 5µm). There has been much confusion over the past

coughing, sneezing, singing, and exercising, and can result in large volumes of exhaled air being dispersed with a high concentration of aerosols at high velocity.

year surrounding the concept that particles that are greater than 5µm do in fact remain airborne for distances greater than 2 metres.

Aerosols, or ‘respiratory droplets’ are expelled from people in a concentrated plume. A greater number of aerosols, with greater velocity, are released by coughing and sneezing. The expelled respiratory plume includes a continum of particle sizes.

Figure 1 showing the large droplet (red colour) and small droplets/aerosols (green colour) and short-range airborne route

The settling time in still air for different size particles falling from a height of 2 metres

In occupational hygiene, we talk about three different size ranges of airborne particles, being inhalable, thoracic and respirable (Figure 2). Many of us know from our own experience that inhalable dusts can still present a risk to health well in excess of an arbitrary 2 metre distance. We also know that respirable dusts

The COVID-19 pandamic has led to what is probably a long overdue discussion, and focussed study, on expelled respiratory plume, flow dynamics, environmental factors and their influence in infectious disease transmisison and mitigating occupational and public health risk. Understanding how airborne

can remain suspended in air for significant time, and can transfer significant distances, prior to settling on to surfaces.

transmission occurs is important for determining what strategies and controls are going to be effective in preventing disease, such as ventilation requirements, room occupancy, physical distance, and PPE selection.

There are now a number of cases that have occurred within high-risk workplaces such as healthcare and

Figure 2 Sampling efficiency curve

The greatest contribution to exposure to SARS-CoV-2 appears to be from relatively short-range exposure to respiratory droplets/aerosols of all sizes. The short distance and directional respiratory plume in a face to face interaction facilitates exposure to a minimally infectous dose. Infection contol has traditionally described this type of short range transmission to be from respiratory ‘droplets’. When those respiratory droplets evaporate over time to a smaller size, they are then referred to as ‘droplet nuclei’. Notwithstanding the terminology, the absolute number of virions stays the same on evaporation and the concentration of virions in the nuclei incresases as the particle size decreases.

The historical evolution of the use of the term ‘respiratory droplets’ as distinct from ‘aerosols’ in infection control has been recently investigated by Randall. The paper suggests a misunderstanding has arison from the interpretation of the body model definition of particles and what particle size is important for the ‘airborne’ mode of transmission.

This could explain the reasoning behind why some health professionals are of the opinion that infectious particles greater than 5µm do not remain airborne.

hotel quarantine where airborne transmission has been the only likely explanation. For these cases, transmission is suspected to have be from accumulation of virus within a space (e.g. occupied room with an infectious person) and movement of air into an adjacent or nearby occupied spaces (e.g. between rooms and corridor). Air movement may occur due to a number of factors, such as differential pressure (e.g. room is positive pressure to corridor), turbulance from door openings, movement of people through doors, temperature differences, wind effects (from open windows and balconies pressurising rooms). In hotel quaratine there have been some hotels where the pressure in the accommodation rooms is postive pressure to corridors and virions have moved out the room into the corridor where security guards and hotel staff occupy and can become infected. This air passing into the corridor can then migrate into other rooms if they are under negative pressure. There have been quaratine hotels that have both positive pressure and negative pressure rooms.

Another important factor is windows and balconies where wind pressure can change a room from negative pressure to positive pressure.

Unfortunately, much of the focus on controlling exposure to SARS-CoV-2 has focused on ‘droplet’ and ‘fomite’ modes of transmisison. But for us to successfully prevent COVID-19, we need to enhace our controls to also address airborne transmission. Key to that, is focussing on transmission in indoor spaces.

Viral receptors for SARS-CoV-2 are located throughout the whole respiratory tract (nasopharyngeal and lungs). As such all inhalable respiratory fluid particles (<100 μm) are likely to contain virions and be capable of causing infection.

For context, the following table shows how long it takes for a particle (density of 1g/mL) to settle from a height of 2 metres. For example, a 10µm particle can move a long way in 5-minutes inside a building with air currents, but will be typically diluted significantly with distance.

Outdoors, airborne viral transmission typically takes place in the close proximity of an infected person.

Viral partciles are concentrated in aerosols and are gradually dispersed by turbulent air fluctuations. The transmission risk typically decays as the inverse squared distance to the infected person. Long-range transmission oudoors is less likely. Indoors, the same turbulent dispersion induces a short-range risk but the finite volume leads to a finite dilution of viral particles, therefore there is a long-range infection risk (Figure 3).

Hotels typically have a low air exchange rate and this can lead to higher concentrations of virions.

Reduction in other respiratory diseases because of COVID controls Figure 3 Short range and long range airborne transmission Controls for airborne transmisison

The ventilation flow rate in a room is important. While the WHO recommends that infection isolation rooms have 12 air changes per hour or 160L/s per patient, this criteria cannot be met in some workplaces, where they were not designed as a health care facility. As one example, hotels used for quarantine typically have 1 to 3 air changes per hour and about 20 to 40 L/s of fresh outside air. The residential/office setting criteria is for at least 10L/s per person of fresh air within the isolation area. These are far less flow rates than are needed to truly mitigate the risk of airborne transmission. Notwitstanding, there are many things that can be done to reduce the risk in these settings, these include: • Ventilation assessments to determine areas of highrisk, and practical modificatons that can be made to HVAC systems to reduce the risk of shared air

One incredible outcome from COVID controls has been the dramatic reduction in colds and influenza since March 2020.

The following table and graph is from the Immunisation Coalition. It is a little hard to see but since March 2020 the incidence of influenza has been incredibly low, even through winter. The red line on the bottom is the current year and the green line 2020. The result is even more incredible because since COVID started more people have been tested for influenza.

By implementing control measures to minimise transmission of SARS-CoV-2, we have also greatly reduced the number of communicable respiratory diseases. Instead of people going to work or children going to school with a respiratory disease, it has reduced the number of people being infected and less lost time. This is one of the silver linings.

• Increase the ventilation rate and air flow (noting that some building owners do not like to do this as it can increase the cost of electricity use) • Increasing provision of outdoor air to indoor spaces that do not have air conditioning/ventilation • Containing contaminated air and exhausting it outdoors • The use of HEPA air purifiers, where the risk of airborne infection can be reduced by an order of magnitude (noting this works effectively for individual rooms) • Noting that the corners of rooms often have less airflow, preventing persons working in those zone, or using portable air cleaners to improve air flow • Physical distancing between people, including people working at desks • Where there is open plan offices, not having people sit on the same side of partitioning, and installing high partitioning between the two sides • The use of CO2 monitors as a surrogate to determine infection risk – the higher the CO2 the higher the risk – thereby prompting improvements to indoor ventilation • Fit-tested P2/N95 respiratory protection is the minimum level of respiratory protection for an airborne virus It is important that we remain responsive and adaptive to new research and information, especially as new SARS-CoV-2 variants (notably the recent delta variant) of concern emerge. Understanding the routes of transmission and practical interventions to address all of them, is of critical importance to protecting worker and public health.

References Lu J, Gu J, Li K, et al. COVID-19 Outbreak Associated with Air Conditioning in Restaurant, Guangzhou, China, 2020. Emerging Infectious Diseases.

2020;26(7):1628-1631. doi:10.3201/eid2607.200764.

Kwon KS, Park JI, Park YJ, Jung DM, Ryu KW, Lee JH. Evidence of LongDistance Droplet Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by Direct Air Flow in a Restaurant in Korea. J Korean Med Sci. 2020 Nov 30;35(46):e415. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e415. Erratum in: J Korean Med Sci. 2021 Jan 11;36(2):e23. PMID: 33258335; PMCID: PMC7707926.

Shen Y, Li C, Dong H, et al. Community Outbreak Investigation of SARS-CoV2 Transmission Among Bus Riders in Eastern China. JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180(12):1665–1671. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.5225 Katelaris AL, Wells J, Clark P, et al. Epidemiologic evidence for airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during church singing, Australia, 2020. Emerg Infect Dis2021;27. doi:10.3201/eid2706.210465 pmid:33818372 Trisha Greenhalgh; Jose L Jimenez; Kimberly A Prather; Zeynep Tufekci; David Fisman; Robert Schooley. Ten scientific reasons in support of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. 15 April 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00869-2 Wenzhao, Chen; Nan Zhang’ Jianjian Wei, Hui-Ling Yen, Yuguo, Li. Shortrange airborne rout dominates exposure of respiratory infection during close conact. Buidling and Environment, 176. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106859 Randall, Katherine and Ewing, E. Thomas and Marr, Linsey and Jimenez, Jose and Bourouiba, Lydia, How Did We Get Here: What Are Droplets and Aerosols and How Far Do They Go? A Historical Perspective on the Transmission of Respiratory Infectious Diseases (April 15, 2021). https://ssrn.com/abstract=3829873 Florian Poydenot, Ismael Abdourahamane, Elsa Caplain, Samuel Der, Jacques Haiech, Antoine Jallon, Inés Khoutami, Amir Loucif, Emil Marinov, Bruno Andreotti Risk assessment for long and short-range airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, indoors and outdoors, using carbon dioxide measurements, medRxiv 2021.05.04.21256352; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.04.21256352

June '21 Table of contents

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Dean Crouch MAIOH, Senior Occupational Hygienist, Mineral Resources Limited Principal Consultant, Resources Health & Safety Services Dean is currently a Senior Occupational Hygienist and Radiation Safety Officer for Mineral Resources Limited, continuing post graduate studies and consulting privately through his own consultancy, Resources Health & Safety Services. Like many Hygienists today, his early career was not in the OH industry. With a BSc Science in Physics and ARPAB accreditation, his interest in OH stemmed from his previous work as a Radiation Safety Officer. He found that many of the skills and competencies required for

"Occupational Hygiene requires the full scientific process, gathering data and making physical measurements, developing hypothesis, design controls and determine the effectiveness of those controls against a potential null hypothesis. It also, in most cases, has real tangible and identifiable justification to the workforce and employers."

his work with radiation bearing minerals were transferable, and there were many great opportunities for Occupational Hygienists in Western Australia.

When asked why he chose to pursue OH as a second career, he said:

Having since worked as a statutory appointed noise officer, ventilation officer, consultant radiation safety adviser and Special Inspector of Mines for the Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety (formerly Department of Mines and Petroleum), he recently decided to return to University to get on the pathway to become a Certified Occupational Hygienist. Dean is currently completing a Master of Occupational Hygiene at Edith Cowan University, the only Western Australian University offering a Masters recognised by the AIOH, and believes that the formal

“This membership means that I regularly receive updates and communication from other Hygienists, and the AIOH. It provides an opportunity to discuss challenges, innovations and other developments with colleagues who may be seeking similar input, and also provides a different perspective to both my own background and experiences, and those of the colleagues I work closely with. I think that it's important to challenge your own ideology from time-to-time and understanding how challenges are being addressed in environments and contexts outside of my own sphere of influence provides a unique perspective”.

research experience that he will gain will benefit his future career and research interests. Dean recently became a full member of the AIOH, choosing to do so for the professional development opportunities, support and community that this membership provides.

The insights that the AIOH and its members provide into fields unrelated to mining and resources are a valuable part of connecting and engaging with the AIOH. The ongoing support and focus on the development of members, and the high integrity of the organisation are also beneficial for Dean.

Due to complete his Master of Occupational Hygiene in 2022, Dean hopes to pursue further studies in health-related data science, a qualification he hopes will enhance his career in Occupational Hygiene.

June '21 Table of contents

WORKING TO IMPROVE STANDARDS IN HEALTHCARE Kate Cole MAIOH COH CF

National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Panel

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Following Victoria’s second wave, the Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) announced a series of measures to reduce the number of healthcare worker infections.

One of those measures was the formation of a partnership between the Infection Control Expert Group

In October 2020, the AIOH was invited to nominate a representative to join the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care National Clinical Taskforce. The Taskforce was established by the Commission to advise on the amendment of the 2017 National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS)

(ICEG) and the National COVID-19 Evidence Taskforce in the form of an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Panel.

Preventing and Controlling Infection Standard.

The IPC Panel aimed to include broad clinical representation and experts with a diverse range of experience from various sub-specialties, including

Healthcare-Associated

I was nominated as the AIOH representative to that Taskforce and promptly commenced working to review and improve the Standard. The process for review was undertaken with particular reference to

occupational hygiene. In October 2020 I responded to the expression of interest to join the new IPC Panel in the role of the ‘occupational hygienist’ and was

transmission-based precautions, environmental and other controls in relation to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

successful.

I am pleased to write that the 2021 Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard was published on the 31st of May. The Standard has been greatly improved to include the following aspects:

For those that have read Guidance published by ICEG during 2020, it was evident that advice on workplace safety was in great need of improvement. My aim of joining the IPC Panel was to be able to effectively communicate the principles of occupational hygiene

Recognition of the complementary relationship between healthcare worker safety and patient safety

to enable improved protection of healthcare workers from COVID-19 infection.

Promotion of the hierarchy of controls to design infection prevention and control systems and programs

Over the last seven months, the Panel has met regularly and have worked to document consensus guidelines on specific infection control issues that emerged during COVID-19.

I am pleased to say that the IPC Panel consensus guideline has now been published, which has resulted in ICEG also updating their Guidance.

I’m proud to say that significant improvements that have been made, including recognising that particles up to 100 micron in size being able to be inhaled; that fit testing should be undertaken before first use of P2/N95 respirators; that healthcare workers should have access to P2/N95 respirators; and the provision of a risk based approach to inform the use of PPE. A summary of the outcomes are available to read here.

Promotes a precautionary approach to transmission based precautions, aligned with the relevant clinical procedure and based on a risk assessment and consideration of the status of scientific evidence. For example, in relation to COVID-19, infection is transmitted by aerosols in specific circumstances, and evidence continues to evolve. A precautionary approach would involve the adoption of airborne precautions in situations where there is uncertainty about the type of circumstances that may arise in the care of a patient who is a confirmed or suspect COVID-19 case. This means that healthcare workers would use a P2/N95 respirator, in addition to other personal protective equipment that may be required as part of standard precautions, to care for this type of patient Requires consideration of ventilation and air management system issues, and emerging evidence in relation to these issues, as part of a precautionary approach to responding to the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19

All public and private hospitals, day procedure services and public dental practices are required to be accredited to the NSQHS Standards. Many other healthcare facilities will also choose to be accredited in order to improve the safety and quality of health care provision. For the first time, these Standards now include a focus on worker health protection nationally, which is a fantastic step forward for improving work health and safety in the healthcare sector.

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MENTORING UPDATE COMMITTEE The AIOH Mentoring Program needs YOU! Are you the type of person who likes to offer support and advice? Can you help our next generation on the road to Full membership and/or Certification? Are you a good sounding board? Then YOU would make a great Mentor!

Mentoring only takes a few hours each month, yet the positive impact to a mentee’s career is invaluable.

Remember that COH Points are earned by Mentors at a rate of 1CM per year per allocated Mentee.

We are looking for Mentors right now for the following Mentees. Go on, you know you want to...click here to help!

Mentee #1

Mentee #2

Mentee #3

Mentee #4

Lives in: Sydney, NSW

Lives in: Adelaide, SA

Lives in: Brisbane, QLD

Lives in: Sydney, NSW

Currently working as: Junior Hygienist & undertaking their Masters I Occupational Hygiene at UOW

Currently working as: Occupational Hygienist at a private OH Consultancy

Currently working as: HSWE Officer for a Heavy Industry Firm

Currently working as: OH Program Coordinator at a large Quarrying and production industry firm

Previously: Previously a Hospital Manager, experience in data interpretation and evaluation of practical control measures

Previously: Completed OH site project assessments relating to dust/fibres, IAQ, Chemical, mining, etc.

For further information and to join please select from the following: Click HERE for further information on the AIOH mentoring program.

Click HERE for a copy of the slides presented at the 2019 AIOH Mentoring Workshop

Jason Green, Chair – AIOH Mentoring Committee Jason.Green@greencap.com.au

Previously: Technical skill in a wide range of OH design and exposure assessment in heavy industry, and top recommend control solutions as well as the consideration of complications.

Previously: An engineering graduate, learning about dust monitoring and OH Programs.

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EXTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Martin Jennings, FAIOH, COH Chair, EA Committee The EA committee has had an incredibly busy start to the year with many issues deserved of the AIOH’s involvement.

Committee Restructure

National Dust Diseases Taskforce (NDDT)

Earlier in 2021, Council conducted a review of all AIOH committees, to clarify duties of committees and reduce overlaps and duplication of effort. As a result of this, the moribund Communications Committee was

Having been instrumental in lobbying the Commonwealth government to establish the Taskforce in April 2019, the AIOH has contributed significantly to the Taskforce since that time. The

revived as the Communications and Marketing Committee, chaired by Kate Cole. This relieved the EA committee of the role of monitoring and responding to media reports, announcements and the like; and the

most recent NDDT activity was a final round of consultation in April; the AIOH provided a submission, containing some 18 recommendations. This can be viewed here on the AIOH website. The Taskforce

role of raising the AIOH profile through the media.

Similarly, the EA committee does not need to engage at a technical level with external organisations such as

will provide a final report to the Council of Australian Governments’ Health Council, through the Commonwealth Minister for Health, by 30 June

NATA, Standards Australia, Safe Work Australia and so on. This is more properly managed by the Exposure Standards Committee. As a result, it has enabled the EA committee to focus on advocacy and lobbying, which tend to be longer term activities.

2021. We await this with great interest and look forward to continued engagement in the implementation and delivery of the recommendations of the final report.

The NDDT has also established an Occupational

Supporting National Accredited Training Elsewhere, it is in the interests of AIOH to encourage courses to be available in Australia that train in the field according to good contemporary knowledge and practice. The AIOH is in the process of reviewing the nationally accredited training course “10830NAT Course in Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention” with the aim of providing endorsement of relevant course content based on our relevant knowledge and expertise. We look forward to completing this process in June 2021.

The Boland Review Other activities of interest to the EA committee include the recent formal acceptance by the government of the recommendations of the Boland Review. This report discusses the findings of the review of the model WHS laws, including 34 recommendations designed to enhance the WHS framework. Of interest to the AIOH

Respiratory Disease Registry Steering Committee, which has been tasked with developing a Registry. The AIOH is represented on this Committee by EA Committee Chair Martin Jennings. The AIOH has also been consulted on the adequacy of labels on engineered stone by the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government, or BETA. BETA are the Australian Government's central unit for applying behavioural insights (BI) to public policy and are part of the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (PMC).

Western Australia New Duty of Care provision The committee is also keeping a watching brief on the introduction of a new duty of care under the WA WHS Act (2020), upon PCBUs that provide services that relate to work health and safety. This includes occupational hygienists.

are the recommendations concerning competent persons in relation to asbestos.

Hotel Quarantine The EA committee recently wrote to the NSW Chief Health Officer raising concerns on the control measures listed in the COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Manual for Quarantine Hotels published by the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission. The AIOH recommended that the Manual be urgently updated to include minimum requirements for vaccination, ventilation assessments, and upgrades to respiratory protection. Our vision is a healthy workplace, and one where health risks are adequately controlled. The AIOH offered our support to the NSW Government to improve the Manual to ensure workers are adequately protected by way of volunteer expertise. As a result of the letter, the AIOH have been invited to meet with key NSW Health staff to discuss the content within the manual.

Finally, I would like to thank the hard-working members of the EA committee: permanent members Sharann Johnson and Barry Chesson; and Council officers President Ross Di Corletto and President-Elect Kate Cole.

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WORKPLACE EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT Ian Firth, FAIOH COH The AIOH Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee has welcomed four new members: Nathan Aust, Louise Burt, Lee Cherry and Zachary du Preez. The committee appreciates the interest shown by members to volunteer their time.

The AIOH Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee provided comment to Safe Work Australia on WESs for 20 chemicals from past releases as to whether they can be measured at the recommended limits using the current techniques available in Australia.

The toxicological information and data that the value is based upon, and the measurement and analysis information provided.

The committee requests your input to this process.

Feedback closes on 30 July 2021. Now that values have been recommended, inputs into the practicalities based on OH experience, analysis, sampling and further scientific derivation options can be provided to influence the concentrations of the individual chemical hazards to be best applied within the Australian context. The current evaluation reports and

The AIOH Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee is in the process of drafting a response to the Safe

numbers are the starting point. The requested public consultation is our chance to influence the adoption of

Work Australia Release 15 of the Workplace Exposure Standards (WESs) review – see https://engage.swa.gov.au/workplace-exposurestandards-review. The recommended WES values are health-based recommendations made by expert

realistic WES values.

consultants using an agreed methodology developed

by Safe Work Australia. Safe Work Australia want our feedback on these values, in particular, comments of a technical nature regarding:

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WORKPLACE EXPOSURE STANDARDS - OPINION PIECE Australian WES’s – An Opinion Piece

Ian Firth – Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee Chairperson

What are exposure standards?

As we are all aware, since 2012 most Australian states and territories have been implementing the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act and Regulations (SWA, 2020), to harmonise work health and safety law in Australia. Of particular importance to occupational hygienists is Chapter 3, Division 7 of the WHS Regulations, Managing risks from airborne contaminants:

Australian occupational hygienists should be aware that Safe Work Australia’s (SWA’s) meaning of a WES has changed from: “Exposure standards represent the airborne concentration of a particular substance or mixture that must not be exceeded ….. are based on the airborne concentrations of individual substances which, according to current knowledge, should not

Clause 49: Ensuring exposure standards substances and mixtures not exceeded.

for

Clause 50: Monitoring airborne contaminant levels.

Through these Regulations, the workplace exposure standard (WES) for airborne contaminants has gained

cause adverse health effects nor cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers. They do not represent a fine dividing line between a healthy and unhealthy work environment. Natural biological variation and the range of individual susceptibilities mean that a small number of people might experience adverse health effects below the exposure standard.” (SWA, 2012) to:

legal status.

WES derivation SWA are currently reviewing the WES values for airborne contaminants. The aim of the review is to develop a list of health-based recommendations for WES’s in Australia. To review 726 chemicals, it was necessary to have a streamlined process to derive scientifically defensible concentrations that were protective of the identified critical effects. The methodology to update the workplace exposure standards addresses selecting trusted sources of information, the composition of the WES list and how to come to a recommendation for a specific chemical. It was developed in cooperation with Health Canada and peer reviewed by local specialists.

A consultant was engaged to review publicly available data using the defined SWA methodology, using both human and animal data in a weight of evidence approach to derive a health-based value.

They produced the current evaluation reports and the proposed health-based limit values, which are the starting point for consultation. All recommended draft values are based solely on the epidemiological and toxicological evidence, i.e., the critical effect and the point of departure for that effect.

When recommending a concentration value that protects against the critical effect, measurement was not considered, although available sampling and analysis practicalities for the recommended draft value were reviewed. However, the outcome of the sampling and analysis review is only mentioned in the draft report – it does not yet influence the value.

As an example, outcome, the proposed WES value for isocyanates was based on isocyanate-induced sensitisation and development of asthma, a chemicalinduced allergic reaction preceded by sensitisation. As a threshold for isocyanate-induced sensitisation and development of asthma could not be determined, the Dutch derived value based on a 1% extra risk of sensitisation due to occupational exposure was proposed. This value has measurability issues.

Now that these health-based WES values have been recommended, inputs into the practicalities of implementation based on occupational hygiene experience regarding sampling and analysis, and further scientific derivation options, need to be provided to influence the concentrations of the individual chemical hazards to be best applied within the Australian context.

Health hazard management For the occupational hygienist, exposure assessment and risk assessment cannot be reasonably separated.

Any sampling and management program should be part of a planned approach, based on risk assessment. The purpose of a health risk assessment should be to provide the necessary information and understanding of health risk to prevent acute and chronic health effects to the workers in a particular work group or location in a timely fashion.

While risk assessment is not specifically identified in the WHS Regulations, clause 34 requires the PCBU to “identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to risks to health and safety”.

The basis of an occupational health risk program is that the potential risk to a person’s health is a function of both the magnitude and frequency of the exposure to the hazard and the inherent capacity of the hazard to cause harm (the health effect or consequence) (Firth et al, 2020).

The proposed WES values include chemicals that have only irritant effects. Being an irritant only, should we even consider assigning a WES? By doing so, compliance to the irritant chemical WES must be demonstrated the same as would be needed for say a carcinogen chemical WES. This is not consistent with the risk management principles applied in the AIOH publication ‘Simplified Occupational Hygiene Risk Management Strategies’ (Firth et al, 2020), which prioritises chemicals that can potentially cause fatality, cancer or reproductive / genetic health effects to one or more people. A five-point qualitative consequences scale is used, with this outcome being the most significant consequence. Determining the level of risk allows the prioritising of control action, and the monitoring and / or assessing of the adequacy of controls.

The AIOH risk management strategy prioritises the use of limited resources. The assignment of a WES to chemicals that only have irritant effects puts them on the same footing as chemicals that cause actual harm, potentially diverting limited resources from where they would have the greatest impact in terms of worker health. This is not to say that controls should not be implemented if symptoms occur due to irritants.

“Exposure standard means an exposure standard listed in the Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants and represents the airborne concentration of a particular substance or mixture that must not be exceeded.” (SWA, 2013).

That is, the WES values no longer represent conditions under which “nearly all workers” may be repeatedly exposed without adverse health effects, as espoused by the ACGIH®, but are set to protect all workers. This has implications regarding: WES derivation; WES measurability; and Health hazard management.

In addition, there are circumstances where a WES is not the most suitable means of managing adverse exposure to some harmful chemicals.

Some of the chemicals for which SWA has proposed a WES likely do not need one, as they are no longer used or are banned in Australia (e.g., APVMA registration for use of monocrotophos in Australia was cancelled in 1999, so it has not been used for over two decades).

WES measurability Due to its legal status, Regulatory organisations expect that a comparison of workplace exposures with published WES values can be used as a means of judging compliance with the law. Clause 50 of the WHS Regulations requires the airborne concentration of a hazardous chemical to be monitored by persons conducting businesses or undertakings (PCBU) in two instances: if the person is not certain on reasonable grounds whether or not the airborne concentration of the substance or mixture at the workplace exceeds the relevant exposure standard; or if monitoring is necessary to determine whether there is a risk to health.

To demonstrate compliance with a WES, PCBU’s must be confident that the measurements obtained are accurate and representative of workplace exposure.

Health and safety regulators must also be confident that the measurements obtained are accurate and reliable, in circumstances where enforcement action may be required. The AIOH publication ‘Occupational Hygiene Monitoring and Compliance Strategies’ (Grantham & Firth, 2014) details the traditional approach to exposure data collection and assessment for airborne contaminants.

The WES derivation process has derived a number of values for certain chemicals (e.g., chromium VI & isocyanates) that are well below current analytical method limit of quantitation (LOQ) levels. If the WES is less than the measurement method LOQ, then compliance cannot be demonstrated.

If the WES is set at a level where the analytical method approaches its LOQ, some samples taken at the same site may not show evidence of exposure because of the relative variability of both the sampling and analysis. For occupational hygienists, it is also important that the bias of exposure results is not large to have confidence that the control measures are protecting the workers to the required standard (i.e., less than half of the WES).

When assessing whether accurate sampling and analytical methods are available to measure exposure for comparison with or to assess compliance against a recommended WES, it is important that measurement techniques should be able to assess exposure at 0.1 times the WES for an 8-hour TWA’ (European Commission, 2017). Several proposed WES values are close to the analytical method LOQ.

Other means of managing adverse chemical exposure Inhalation and dermal exposure are likely and relevant routes for occupational exposure to some hazardous chemicals (e.g., isocyanates & organophosphate pesticides). In these instances, a WES is usually not likely to provide adequate protection if used alone. A Biological Limit Value (BLV) or a Biological Guidance Value (BGV) is also required (e.g., lead & isocyanates).

In fact, for anticholinergic organophosphate pesticides, where the primary route of exposure is through dermal contact and not through inhalation, the determination as to hazardous exposure should be via use of a BLV. For some hazardous chemicals (e.g., isocyanates), particularly where a health-based WES or BLV cannot be readily measured, restrictions may need to be implemented to limit the use of such chemicals in industrial and professional applications to those cases where a combination of technical and organisational measures are in place, and a minimum standardised training course has been followed.

Health surveillance will also be of importance.

References

Conclusion WES values are now legal limit values, requiring measurement and a means of determining compliance. SWA has proposed WES values for a large number of hazardous chemicals, some of which are no longer used in Australia or are seldom encountered in the workplace. Many are for chemicals with an irritant effect only, potentially diluting the focus that should be on more harmful chemicals (e.g., carcinogens). Several of the WES values proposed by SWA, while health based, are not practical to implement in the Australian workplace environment.

It is important that occupational hygienists and PCBU’s provide feedback to SWA to ensure that Australian workers are adequately protected against adverse airborne contaminant exposures, as well as contaminant exposures via other routes such as dermal exposure.

European Commission (2017). Methodology for derivation of occupational exposure limits of chemical agents - The General Decision-Making Framework of the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL), Luxembourg: Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits – see https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/3c8ef3e0-48fc-11e8be1d-01aa75ed71a1 Firth, I, R Golec, R Di Corleto, K Ng & J Wilson (2020). Simplified Occupational Hygiene Risk Management Strategies. Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Inc (AIOH) – see https://www.aioh.org.au/resources/publications1/publications Grantham, D & I Firth (2014). Occupational Hygiene Monitoring and Compliance Strategies. Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Inc (AIOH) – see https://www.aioh.org.au/resources/publications1/publications SWA (2012). Guidance on the Interpretation of Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants. Safe Work Australia (SWA), Canberra, ACT – see https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/guidance-interpretation-workplaceexposure-standards-airborne-contaminants SWA (2013). Guidance on the Interpretation of Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants. Safe Work Australia (SWA), Canberra, ACT – see https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/guidance-interpretationworkplace-exposure-standards-airborne-contaminants SWA (2020). Model Work Health and Safety Regulations. Safe Work Australia (SWA), Canberra, ACT – see https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resourcespublications/legislation

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AWARDS SEASON IS COMING! There is no better way to fast track your professional development than to win an AIOH professional development award. We are fortunate to have many awards that have contributed to successful careers of many of our members. Whether you are starting out at the AIOH, mid-career or looking at your next career move, then we encourage you to seriously consider applying for one of the many awards available here.

While nominations for professional development awards don’t open until September, THIS is the perfect time to start to think about your application!

Want some inspiration? Listen to Jen Hines’ journey to winning the AIOH Airmet Scientific Professional Award (recorded at a NSW State Chapter Meeting in 2015)

Spotlight on Awardee: Claire Di Corleto The scholarship allowed me to complete testing on different vehicles, to assess the impact of colour, solar radiation, shade, and the air flow velocity a driver is exposed to whilst driving. Without the scholarship, I would have had to change the way I approached the testing and had a more restrictive assessment set up compared to what I utilised. More of my own empirical data became available rather than having to be based predominately upon limited information gathered from journal articles.

I was encouraged to apply for the award so that I could complete my project with this broader scope. It allowed me to push myself that little bit more by looking at more variables and what their impact could be to understand my topic better. This led to a project that meant that I could develop a modified basic thermal risk assessment template for an occupation that is found all over the world. It provides a foundation for variation into different sectors that rely upon courier drivers.

I again would like to thank Active Environmental Solutions and would encourage anyone who is studying to apply for this generous award. It can provide the opportunity to expand your study to learn something new or to further your knowledge in your particular field.

My name is Claire Di Corleto and I was awarded the AES Postgraduate Scholarship Award in 2019. I used the scholarship to complete the project component of my Master of Occupational Hygiene and Toxicology at Edith Cowan University. My project was focused on the impact of heat stress on courier drivers in nonairconditioned vehicles. This research area was selected as globally there have been drivers admitted to hospital with serious heat illnesses where vehicles were anecdotally reported as being above 140°F (60°C).

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Professional Development & Education (PD&E) Committee Purpose: To assist the AIOH Executive and Council in meeting the needs of its members and the broader community of occupational hygiene professionals for education and continuing professional development.

The committee is chaired by Noel Tresider, who has come out of retirement to replace Kelly Johnstone, while she serves on Council. Other members are from Universities running OH Masters programs, Sue Reed, Adelle Liebenberg, Ken Osakwe, Jane Whitelaw, and industry representatives Tegan Dixon and Ritesh Patel, with Baeu Medina from AIOH.

AIOH accreditation of Masters in Occupational Hygiene courses delivered by various universities – RMIT, Wollongong, Edith Cowan University. The Accreditation Procedure has recently been revised and approved by Council. Accreditation is for 5 years supplemented by annual reports to Council.

Development of the Basic Principles Course (W201) to facilitate changes in technology, for example, this year we obtained OHTA approval to deliver a hybrid model, where the course material was partly delivered virtually (webinar), followed by face-to-face practical sessions.

Successful courses were run in Sydney and Brisbane.

The committee meets monthly and has a number of projects in progress; Professional Development Pathways Project to

Reduction of the backlog of Basic Principles Course (BPC) from the 2020 Covid lock-down. Three BPC’s have already been run this year with another five

Provide a clear outline of the career stages of

courses planned for 2021. July - Brisbane., August Perth, September - Melbourne, October – Brisbane.,

Occupational Hygienists for those entering and/or progressing in the profession,

November – Sydney, immediately prior to the AIOH Conference.

Assist in the alignment of AIOH professional development resources tailored for the various levels of the career pathway, and Promote the attainment of qualifications such as post graduate degree qualifications and Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH)® status.

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CERTIFICATION BOARD Neil Goulding, Chair COH EXAMS

Are you ready?

During March, we completed six virtual exams across Brisbane and Melbourne. We will continue to schedule further virtual sessions across the country depending on demand as well as just prior to 2021 Sydney conference.

While we are encouraging applicants to register to sit the exam, it is essential that you prepare well in advance before the day. This is an exam, like any other major exam, and is likely to require significant study and preparation. We have observed that those who fail the exam often do not follow a structured process for diagnosing and responding to the exam scenarios that are presented to them. So before you apply, note the following tips:

Those who are ready to sit the COH exam are encouraged to register either via periodic EOI invitations (current EOI due 21-Jun-2021) or via the COH portal on the AIOH website as this enables the COH Board to set dates and venues. You will only be asked to pay the application fee once the exam schedule is finalised and your timeslot is confirmed.

Speak with past applicants and learn from their experiences Take a moment to conduct a quick-self assessment before you apply to sit by considering the questions in the table below Develop a structured process that enables you to diagnose a situation, ask pertinent questions, analyse the issues and respond within 15 minutes Practice with a colleague – know how to respond to a scenario within the allowable 15 minutes Attend the two COH exam preparation information sessions Answer the question!!!

Criteria (from COH Policy and Procedures)

Tips - Can I…

Technical skills

Describe the common chemical, biological and physical hazards and their likely sources?

Recognise key health hazards from raw materials and by-products during their work processes across major industries Explain key health controls and their limitations

Professional knowledge

Explain how to plan and execute an exposure assessment and monitoring program?

Explain what statistical analyses may be used on a monitoring data when comparing against key exposure standards and how this triggers actions or controls?

Problem solving

Rapidly diagnose issues / concerns from a scenario by asking probing questions?

Explain how to resolve an issue when confronted with an unfamiliar scenario?

Demonstrate a structured and measured approach

Professional Judgement

Recognise immediate risks and take action Explain the “how” and “why” concerning my decision for a given situation?

Offer solutions that are realistic and fit-for-purpose that are commensurate with the risk presented?

Ethics

Demonstrate that my behaviour and response is consistent with the code of ethics?

Tackle any perceived or real situations of conflict of interest?

Ensure worker health and well-being is addressed as priority?

Communication

Explain any technical jargon in plain language?

Keep my messages clear and concise?

Demonstrate that I can be persuasive and assertive?

COH AUDIT During the first quarter of each year the COH Board reviews activity sheets for all COHs who are due to be recertified at their 5-year cycle. It is encouraging to see all COHs from 2020 have met their maintenance requirements for recertification.

This year also marks the 5-year anniversary for our largest group of COHs who will be reviewed from early 2022. All COHs currently have the option to either complete their activity sheet online via the MyCOH portal or using the traditional Excel file. We have also developed a guide for members on how to prepare their activity sheets including what evidence to retain for review. We plan to have this document and the Excel file posted on the AIOH website later this year.

This is also a timely reminder for members to: Start collating their activities over the past 4.5yrs.

Webinars and online courses in particular may not attract as many maintenance points when compared with physical conferences so make sure you have attended the necessary number of courses Verify if you have the required points for recertification, register/attend courses to make up for missing points or announce your intention to the Membership Coordinator your intention not to renew your COH status Ensure the activity is mapped to an approved COH number with points - ensure you leave plenty of time for this to be done Ensure you have reasonable evidence attended/completed the designated activity

that

you

Don’t wait until the AIOH office or members from COH Board are specifically asking you directly for activity sheets and evidence as this often leads to delays with renewing your COH status

Finally, don’t assume that attending a general health and safety courses (e.g. 3-day first aid training) will grant you equivalent points to the technical hygiene courses. In most cases, these courses will attract either limited or no maintenance points. Always check with the Membership Coordinator and COH Board and get the course reviewed/added to the maintenance register so you can make up for missing points.

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RESP-FIT UPDATE It has been over 6 months since RESP-FIT officially launched the 2020 AIOH virtual conference. There has been fantastic uptake from the AIOH and fit testing community. Below is RESP-FIT by the numbers so far...

125 applicants have attempted the stage 1 theory exam 74% have passed the exam, with 88% of applicants passing on their first attempt Average result is 82% with 80% pass mark required Average of 16 applicants each exam 81% of applicants are AIOH members 62% of applicants who have passed the exam applied for accreditation in 1 methodology only The CNC methodology is the most common methodology applicants are seeking accreditation in 31 RESP-FIT Accredited Fit testers are listed on www.respfit.org.au

On the RESP-FIT webpage, it still is listed experienced fit testers which was a response at the peak of the pandemic in Australia mid 2020 for those seeking fit testers as RESP-FIT hadn’t officially launched at that point in time. All of the experienced fit testers have completed or registered for Accreditation. The experienced fit testers section will be removed from the website on July 1 2021.

on

With the update of RESP-FIT, we would like to welcome Tania Perry to the AIOH. She will be providing part time administration support to RESP-FIT and other parts of

58 Applicants are underway at various stages in Stage 2 Practical Video Assessment

the AIOH. This will take some of the administrative load from the RESP-FIT board and allow them to focus

11 RESP-FIT Partners

on proactivity promoting the program within industry.

16 Fit Testing Service www.respfit.org.au

Providers

are

listed

15 RESP-FIT Supporters 2 Approved RES-FIT Training Provider 3 Training Provider applications in progress

Recently the RESP-FIT website has had some feature improvements which will benefit those looking for fit testing and training services as well as those providing these services. An expression of interest form has

Finally on behalf of the RESP-FIT board and assessors, I would like to thank the entire AIOH and members for their support of RESP-FIT, talking and promoting RESP-FIT within your local networks. We believe RESP-FIT is a world class program and will contribute in protecting worker health competent person fit testing in Australia.

been added allowing those looking for services to complete one form with their details and requirements.

This will automatically send this information to the service providers who match the criteria e.g. location and service type and have opted in to receiving these email. The person filling out the form will also be provided with details of who was contacted.

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

through

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SPECIAL EXPERTISE SEGs GROUPS Indoor Air Quality In 2017, the AIOH established a national special expertise group (SEG) for indoor air quality. People can spend 90% or more of their time indoors, which can affect health, wellbeing and productivity.

Infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 Non-industrial building air quality investigations Mould and moisture testing and assessment Clean-up after fire, flood and/or water damage

Most Indoor Air Quality SEG activity operates on the Groups IO email group service. It provides a forum for developing and sharing best practices among those members and non-members alike. Please check it out at AIOH Indoor Air Quality SEG home page (no need to

Clandestine drug laboratory assessment, remediation, and validation

join first). We are active in the fields of:

At the request of Council, publishing AIOH guidance on mould is on our busy agenda. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an active area of discussion, as most transmission of respiratory infectious disease occurs indoors. Here is a flavour of some issues we are following:

Transmission of Covid-19

Other Infectious Diseases

Reusability of Facemasks During a Pandemic

Fatal Case of Legionnaires’ Disease After Home Exposure to Legionella pneumophila Serogroup 3 — Wisconsin, 2018 Schumacher et al (2020) MMWR 69(8) pp207–211. An investigation of a culture-

Safe Manufacture & Distribution of Alcohol Hand Sanitiser Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The world should face the reality (Morawska & Cao, 2020)

confirmed fatal case of Legionnaires’ identified a home as the source.

disease

Key considerations for repatriation and quarantine of travellers (WHO, 2020)

Bushfire Smoke

Carbon Monoxide Safety Advice

ACT & NT (Health Direct)

In 2018, SA Public Health Services reported a 60% increase in emergency department presentations for carbon monoxide related poisoning, when compared with 2016-17, and issued carbon monoxide advice.

Energy Safe Victoria has also issued advice at Is your gas heater safe?

NSW Health QLD Government SA Health Tasmanian Department of Health VIC (Better Health Channel)

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Healthy WA

Human Exposure to Ozone in School and Office Indoor Environments Salonenab, Salthammer & Morawska (2018)

Assorted Publications

Quirky Issues

ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration (2021) Available at the IICRC webstore

Mercury Emissions from PMA Catalysed Polymer Floors & Athletic Tracks

The Building Environmental Wellness Group has

The forum is open to all, if you find an issue that deserves attention, please make a posting.

published the first edition of IAQ Magazine. https://www.iaqmagazine.com.au/ Australian Building Codes Board Indoor Air Quality Handbook 2021 with numerical guidelines for Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Nitrogen dioxide Ozone Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) Formaldehyde

Philip Turner, COH Chairman, IAQ-SEG philipturner@optusnet.com.au

Particulate matter

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ACCREDITED UNIVERSITIES Edith Cowan University

The University of Wollongong

By Sue Reed

By Jane Whitelaw

The first half of 2021 has been as different at ECU as it has for many around the world. Students have continued to impress us with their resilience in coping with the required changes and delays to their study, while many also needed to cope with significant impacts at their places of work and personally.

It was great to see Brad DoLambert receive the 3M award for top MOHT student.

It has also been great to see the continued diversity of research projects being conducted by our Master of Occupational Hygiene and Toxicology students, in particular the applied nature of projects done in collaboration with industry and government partners.

Recently ten MOHT students presented their proposals for undertaking projects in the 2nd half of 2021 and there are five students currently submitting their final research reports, some of whom are planning to submit proposals to for presentation at the AIOH 2021 Conference.

We are hoping to hold two Occupational Hygiene and OHS alumni events this year, one in Perth and one in Sydney in conjunction with The AIOH2021 conference we hope to see you are one of these events.

Looking for maximum impact and potential? Come and study at UOW! The UOW Master of Occupational Hygiene is the longest-running, most awarded AIOH accredited course in Australia. OHS professionals with broad workplace experience and industry certifications facilitate the application of theory into practice within each subject. The strong focus on face to face delivery builds a community of practice to support you every step of the way, through the course and beyond. UOW alumni are leaders making an impact in global and local workplaces by influencing policymakers and engaging with regulators and industry to protect worker health. The dedicated COPERSH centre for cutting-edge OHS research is applying innovation and science to improve worker health outcomes via innovative industry-based research projects.

A key strength of the UOW Courses is that they build professional networks and enable personal mentoring by active COH’s as the principles are applied in a hands-on way which is essential to progressing on your career pathway.

More information about studying occupational hygiene at ECU can be found at: www.ecu.edu.au/degrees/study-areas/medical-and-healthsciences/occupational-hygiene-and-toxicology or by contacting A/Prof Sue Reed s.reed@ecu.edu.au or at 08 6304 2243.

If you are interested in studying OHS then go to: www.ecu.edu.au/degrees/study-areas/medical-and-healthsciences/occupational-health-and-safety or contact Dr Marcus Cattani m.cattani@ecu.edu.au or at 08 6304 2346.

“Thank you for an interactive and fun week of facetoface learning. Block week was a great opportunity to collaborate and connect with lecturers and peers. It was valuable meeting students from different industries and gaining insight into their experiences. Block week brought all the pieces of the puzzle together. I was able to gain a clear understanding and clarification on the course work completed prior to date.”

Shilpa

Be part of an exciting future today! Enrolments in our Graduate Certificate and Master of Occupational Hygiene are open for 2021 and Commonwealth Supported Places are available for domestic students.

Please feel free to contact me regarding your specific situation jane_whitelaw@uow.edu.au or just Apply Now: applytouow.uow.edu.au/app/welcomeUow.jsp

RMIT University, Master of Occupational Health and Safety (major in Occupational Hygiene) Melbourne Overview

Why choose RMIT?

- The Master of Occupational Health & Safety (major in Occupational Hygiene) program at RMIT university is an accredited program, uniquely designed to furnish students with comprehensive and contemporary knowledge, skill and applicatory exposures in Occupational hygiene. It will equip you to anticipate,

– RMIT university is 10th globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. We have outstanding teaching and learning facilities weaved with strong practical, industry and research exposure.

The program is designed flexible & compatible with the busy schedule of working-class cohorts, part-

recognise, evaluate and design controls for workplace physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards.

timers, distant residents, partial in-class and full timers through a blended learning format. There are several postgraduates’ awards for grabs namely the EVA and Associates Risk Management Award, Corplex Award, Built Award and more. We offer Recognition of Prior learnings (RPL) for accredited courses.

Contact Dr. Ken Osakwe MAIOH, COH, MBA, PhD, FRSPH, FIIRSM Program Manager, Master of OH&S program, RMIT university, School of PCPM E-mail - Kennedy.osakwe@rmit.edu.au Phone - 0421622248

What Will You Study?

Masters Stage (core courses)

Graduate Diploma Stage

Graduate Certificate Stage

Assessment & Controls of Physical and Biological Hazards

Occupational Hazards and Control

Human Factors & Occupational Ergonomics

Monitoring & Control of Workplace Contaminants Occupational Hygiene Project Toxicology & Epidemiology

The Psychosocial Work Environment Work Health & Safety and the Organisation Work Health & Safety Intervention Project

Principles and Practice of Work Health and Safety Work Health and Safety Legal Systems Critical thinking and Decision Making

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AIOH EVENTS Amidst COVID-19 and the dramatic shifts in global and social behaviour that resulted from it, virtual events seemed the only logical solution in 2020. This digital format kept people engaged and connected.

However, event professionals soon started to wonder: will the meetings and events industry bounce back?

When will we value human engagement again?

Annual Scientific Conference The AIOH Council decided to rise to the challenge.

Events professionals like myself required some muchneeded clarity during these uncertain times. We wondered if and when we would hold face-to-face events. The 2021 AIOH Conference Committee jumped in and aimed for some big wins for our Annual Scientific Conference.

First, we set about sourcing the very best venues in Sydney, a big task considering we usually have the venue booked at least a year in advance of the conference proceedings.

After some clever negotiations, we secured the prestigious International Convention Centre Sydney.

From there, we have been working hard to bring the best scientific content, social events, and more to our attendees. We have some very exciting news to share in the coming weeks, as we lock in well-known keynotes speakers, CES presenters, and concurrent speakers. You won't want to miss it!

While face-to-face events are slowly becoming normalised again, we understand attendees are still adjusting to the "new normal." Understandably, many are concerned about their health and safety. For this reason, we are taking every precaution to ensure a quality, and above all, safe event.

Interested in learning more? Check out our webpage, where you can secure your registration. We are excited to see you there!

Webinars and State Chapter Meetings From the start of 2021, we have had some fantastic speakers at our Webinars and State Chapter meetings, both virtually and face-to-face. Holly Fletcher will hold our next AIOH webinar, who will chat about all things construction health and hygiene risks systems. Don't miss out on this important webinar! Register for the Systems and Mechanisms to Govern Construction Health and Hygiene Risks at our website www.aioh.org.au/events-public/systems-andmechanisms-to-govern-construction-health-andhygiene-risks-webinar-2 AIOH continues to step up to even the most unique challenges, including a global pandemic. We are dedicated to offering a variety of quality events both virtually and in person to our valued members. The conference committee is working hard on the Annual Scientific Conference to make it informative, engaging and safe. We are also excited to launch our highly anticipated Basic Principles Course, and we continue to offer the very best speakers at our webinars and state chapter meetings. While the world is slowly figuring out a new normal, and what serves us as virtual and what cannot be replaced as such, so is the events industry. AIOH is doing its part for our members to ensure human engagement becomes a priority again.

Thanks for reading this far! I look forward to regularly bringing you up to speed in all things events, meetings, courses, and webinars at the AIOH. Baeu Medina

Basic Principles AIOH is also working hard in the background, including launching the final 2021 new five-course dates for the Basic Principles Course. This popular, evergreen course offers an internationally recognised Introduction to Occupational Hygiene methodologies.

The course is taught by professionally trained, practising occupational hygienists who are also AIOH members, the pinnacle of the profession in Australia. If you're thinking about enrolling or enrolling someone, don't wait too long—it sells out fast! www.aioh.org.au/events-public/new-principles-ofoccupational-hygiene-2021

I recently completed the hybrid version of the Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene course with the AIOH. Being time poor, with a young family and heavy work commitments, this format suited my schedule perfectly. I was able to do the theory components from the office over the first three days and the practical sessions, in-person, over the last two days.

The practicals pulled all the theory together and also allowed those who had conducted the theory online to meet the rest of the virtual and face-2-face group, as well as the lecturers. I would not have been able to do this course had it not been in this hybrid format.

I enjoyed the course thoroughly and having a broader understanding of occ hygiene will certainly be invaluable for our business in the future. Obviously a big thank you to Linda and Jen for doing an amazing job running the course.

This testimonial came from David Chippendale | Director of Marketing and Sales AWS

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INTERNATIONAL EVENTS OH2021 Conference, British Occupational Hygiene Society (Virtual) Temporarily Postponed – Dates TBA OH2021 Sustainable Workplace Health Conference will be bigger and more innovative than ever! We have included the best parts of the physical face to face conference we all know, love and missed during 2020 along with elements of the virtual world we have found to beneficial over the last few months.

Digital Delegate Pass - in addition to purchasing an inperson conference ticket you can also purchase a digital delegate pass. This allows you to watch recordings of ALL the parallel streams and plenary sessions from the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the day after the live event and the Thursday international day streamed live. *DIGITAL DELEGATE PASSES ARE 3 FOR 2* Queries If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact conferences@bohs.org

IOHA 2021 (Virtual) September 11th - 15th, 2021 Due to continuous global health concerns and international travel restrictions, we recently came up with a decision to host the 2021 conference under the virtual platform from 11 to 15 September 2021. We believe that transforming the conference to a virtual will ensure the safety of all the individuals involved and a more successful 12th IOHA International Scientific Conference.

For the virtual conference, a wide range of current topics in OH fields and COVID-19 in workplace issues will be discussed in keynote speeches and symposium sessions. Various PDC courses will also be provided for delegates.

IOHA 2021 Virtual includes access to pre-recorded presentation and live Q&A. You may learn at your own pace and in your own way with reduced registration fees. There will be a virtual exhibition where you can

With our best and collective efforts, we aim to ensure that the 2021 IOHA conference will be a productive and valuable experience for the participants. Your continued support and interest are the core assets of making this conference meaningful and productive.

meet industry partners, browse products and services.

We also prepared special opportunity to attend a designated PDC course for free. It is a limited offer and please refer to the webpage for details.

International Congress on Occupational Health (Virtual) February 6th – 10th 2022 The 33rd International Congress on Occupational Health 2022 (ICOH 2022) will be held from 6-10 February 2022 in a new digital format.

During this difficult year of pandemic ICOH never stopped its networking activity and also supported the transition to a digital format of many events already scheduled. The ICOH 2022 digital Congress is the natural consequence of the experience acquired during this extraordinary time of global pandemic.

The event is organized directly by ICOH, with the support of the Australian ICOH team.

With the theme “Sharing solutions in occupational health through and beyond the pandemic”, ICOH 2022 will be a forum to share knowledge, discuss best practices and share solutions for better worker health worldwide.

The digital congress will be a high level experience in terms of scientific content and interaction, with networking and engagement opportunities. The congress will be run through a visually rich digital platform recreating the environment of an in-presence congress. The platform will accommodate all sessions and main events that are traditionally included in the ICOH Congress format, and will also feature networking rooms, live chats, exhibition areas, interactive posters, and much more. We believe that the digital format will ensure wider accessibility, giving to the whole OSH community the opportunity to attend. This novelty will be particularly advantageous for participants from low and middle income countries.

The event will include both live streaming and ondemand contents. Participants will have 24/7 ondemand access to all sessions and contents through the Congress digital platform.

The scientific program of ICOH 2022 has been formulated by the active participation of the 37 ICOH Scientific Committees, members of the Board and National Secretaries.

The Keynote Speakers have been selected among the most prominent voices from across the globe coming together to share their experiences and perspectives in their respective fields. Special sessions, oral sessions and interactive posters will provide useful insight into harmonized good occupational health practices.

Registration and call for abstracts will open on 15 June 2021 offering some valuable early bird savings.

Please monitor the Congress website www.icoh2022.net for further updates and information.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY ALERTS A collection of recent alerts relevant to our members

Hazardous Gas build up in Confined Space SafeWork NSW recently posted an Incident Animation which profiles a tragic incident that occurred when workers were exposed to hazardous gas in a confined space. The animation highlights what went wrong, what could have been done to prevent the incident occurring and what you can do to stay safe when working in or near a confined space.

Worker seriously injured while welding WorkSafe ACT issued a safety alert following a worker being seriously injured while using a defective portable oxy-fuel gas welder. The incident happened when the acetylene fuel leaked between the connection of the

Swimming pool chemical mixing causes toxic gas WorkSafe issued a safety alert on the hazards and risks associated with automatic chemical dosing systems at swimming pools which you can read here.

hose and the welding torch, which then ignited resulting in an uncontrolled external flame directed back to the worker. Read the alert here.

Asbestos found in Shantui Forklifts NT WorkSafe provided information about the potential presence of asbestos in Shantui Forklifts imported from the People’s Republic of China (China). Read the alert here.

Chemical burns SafeWork SA released a Safety Alert reminding businesses who handle chemicals in the workplace to ensure that their equipment is compatible with the substances being handled. Read the alert here.

Face Mask Product Defect Alerts The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is undertaking a post-market review of all face masks included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) to ensure the quality and effectiveness of face masks supplied in Australia, including that they meet the legislative requirements for medical devices, and perform as intended. The review has identified some face masks do not meet all the necessary regulatory requirements and/or not performing as intended. Some masks may pose a risk to public health and safety when used in healthcare settings or industrial / commercial settings where protection from contaminated fluids and airborne particulates is required.

Face masks subject to a Product Defect Alert or Product Notification are not being physically recalled (or removed from the market). However customers should consider taking a precautionary approach, based on the advice within the defect alert or notification and the setting in which they are being used. The Product Defect Alerts and Production Notifications provide more detailed information regarding the specific batch/s and ARTG entry for affected face masks.

Asbestos found in the brakes of manual hand pallet trucks NT WorkSafe provided information about the potential presence of asbestos in the brake shows of manual hand pallet trucks imported from the People’s Republic of China (China). Read the alert here.

Have a health and safety alert to share?

Email us at admin@aioh.org.au so that we can include it in our next edition.

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A DOSE OF RESEARCH A collection of recent publications that may be of interest to our members.

Respirology Case Reports Seevnarain, Burke & Newbigin (2021). Case series analysis of eight underground tunnellers with chronic silicosis in Queensland.

Within Australia, chronic silicosis has been long thought of as being a well-controlled occupational lung disease. While recent cases of acute silicosis in artificial stone benchtop cutters have emerged, chronic silicosis within the general workforce population has not been recorded. Our case series describes the reemergence of chronic silicosis amongst workers

These eight tunnellers had a minimum of 10 years of cumulative dust exposure prior to diagnosis.

Diagnosis was made by radiological evaluation of chest X-rays and computerized tomography scans by International Labour Organization B Readers. The reemergence of chronic pneumoconiosis as illustrated by this case series suggests the presence of

within the tunnelling industry representing the potential for a more widespread insidious occupational lung disease. While undertaking preemployment medicals, eight tunnellers have been diagnosed with chronic silicosis.

undiagnosed occupational lung disease with far reaching implications for workers, employers, compensation systems, and the public healthcare sectors.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Brand et al (2021). Direct Exposure of Welders to Welding Fumes and Effect of Fume Extraction Systems Under Controlled Conditions.

In this study, the contribution of fume originating directly from the welding process was assessed. Direct fume exposure was highest for welding processes with low fume emission rates and lowest for

This journal also has ‘collections’, the COVID-19 Special Collection.

including

processes with high fume emission rates. This finding is supposed to be due to the higher energy input of high emitting processes which stabilizes the thermic column and therefore eliminates fume particles from the welder's breathing zone.

Occupational and Environmental Medicine Schildroth et al (2021). Occupational exposure to antimony trioxide: a risk assessment.

The US National Toxicology Program recently recommended in its Report on Carcinogens Monograph for Antimony Trioxide that antimony trioxide be listed as ‘reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen’ based on sufficient evidence of

Under worst-case scenarios, the occupational cancer risk was estimated to be 0.11 (110 in 1000) for persons working with flame retardants in plastics and textiles. At the current Occupational Safety and Health Administration Permissible Exposure Limit, the cancer

carcinogenicity in experimental animals and supporting evidence from mechanistic studies. This research aimed to estimate the possible human cancer risk from occupational exposure to antimony trioxide. The occupational cancer risk from antimony trioxide was estimated to be 0.025 (25 in 1000) for persons working with flame retardants in plastics and

risk for occupational inhalation exposure of antimony trioxide was estimated to be 0.096 (96 in 1000). The risk estimates calculated in this study suggest that exposure to antimony trioxide at levels present in certain occupational settings results in a large increase in the risk of developing cancer.

textiles for 40 years.

Lindström et al (2021). Occupations and exposure events in acute and subacute irritant-induced asthma.

This study retrospectively screened the medical records of patients with irritant-induced asthma (IIA) diagnosed in an occupational medicine clinic during 2000–2018. Altogether 69 patients were diagnosed with IIA. The most common occupational groups were industrial operators, metal and machinery

Forty cases (57%) were attributable to some type of corrosive acidic or alkaline chemical. The most common root cause was lack of information or false guidance and neglect of workplace hygiene measures.

workers and construction workers.

Millerick-May et al (2021). Ongoing risk of bladder cancer among former workers at the last benzidine manufacturing facility in the USA. This study concluded that incidence and mortality due to bladder cancer increased among workers exposed to benzidine but not among workers exposed only to dichlorobenzidine. The risk of incidence and death from bladder cancer remain elevated more than 20 years after last exposure to benzidine in those who worked >5 years.

International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health Galea et al (2021) HBM4EU chromates study - Reflection and lessons learnt from designing and undertaking a collaborative European biomonitoring study on occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium.

This study intended to collect data on current occupational exposure and to test new indicators for chromium (Cr) biomonitoring (Cr(VI) in exhaled breath condensate and Cr in red blood cells, in addition to traditional urinary total Cr analyses. Data from occupational hygiene samples and biomarkers of early biological effects, including genetic and epigenetic effects, was also obtained, complementing the biomonitoring information. Several practical aspects are highlighted for improvement in future studies.

The study team considered that the study had successfully demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a harmonised multicentre investigation able to achieve the research aims and objectives. This was largely attributable to the engaged multidisciplinary network, committed to deliver clearly understood goals. Such networks take time and investment to develop but are priceless in terms of their ability to deliver and facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Annals of Work Exposures and Health Olsen et al (2021). Occupational Exposure during Asphalt Paving—Comparison of Hot and Warm Mix Asphalt in Field Experiments.

Several studies have demonstrated an increased risk of adverse health effects, including reduced lung function and lung cancer among asphalt pavers, which has been related to occupational exposure to contaminants during asphalt paving. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of hot mix asphalt (HMA) and warm mix asphalt (WMA) paving on occupational exposure levels during road paving in field experiments.

Asphalt temperatures when paving with WMA are usually lower than when paving with HMA due to differences in the asphalt’s composition and method of application. Measured airborne concentrations of respirable inhalable particulate matter (PM), organic carbon (OC), and asphalt vapour were lower when paving with WMA than with HMA.

Grinshpun et al (2021). Evaluation of AccuFIT 9000: A Novel Apparatus for Quantitative Fit Testing of Particulate Respirators.

The AccuFIT 9000, like the PortaCount®, utilizes the condensation particle counting principle, but features an advanced saturation chamber design allowing for a longer residence time and greater flow stability. It is also claimed to have a more cost-efficient assembly than its predecessors. In this study, the novel AccuFIT apparatus was extensively evaluated against the PortaCount® using the traditional standard fit testing protocol and following the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard (Z88.10-2010 Annex A2). The evaluation was performed with three types of respirators, N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR), P100 FFR, and half-mask elastomeric facepiece, of different models and manufacturers donned on 25 subjects.

The comparative testing and analysis showed that the AccuFIT 9000 is capable of identifying an inadequate fit of the tested respirators with a sensitivity 0.95 and specificity of 0.97, which meets the ANSI requirement of ≥0.95. The other ANSI requirements/recommendations were also met. It was concluded that the novel fit testing apparatus demonstrated an acceptable performance and, thus, can be successfully deployed for the quantitative respirator fit testing.

Gaskin et al (2021) What Do Occupational Hygienists Really Know About Skin Exposure?

This article describes responses to a questionnaire on current work practices and understanding of the management of dermal exposure issues in the workplace from members of the BOHS and the AIOH. The survey was disseminated in 2016 in the UK and 2018 in Australia, with 116 and 114 responses from each jurisdiction, respectively.

The majority of respondents had personally evaluated the risks of dermal exposure to chemicals (BOHS 92%; AIOH 86%), albeit infrequently (less than a few times per year).

Occupational Hygienists reportedly adopted a range of strategies to control dermal exposure problems, including chemical elimination/substitution (BOHS 68%; AIOH 68%), changing work practices (BOHS 79%; AIOH 75%), and education (BOHS 77%; AIOH 83%).

The use of gloves or other personal protective equipment remained the most commonly cited exposure control measure (BOHS 99%; AIOH 97%). While there appeared to be a good understanding of common dermal exposure workplace scenarios, the overwhelming majority of respondents wished to find out more about assessing the risks from dermal exposure to chemicals (BOHS 89%; AIOH 88%). The outcomes suggest ways to increase the competence of professionals in dealing with dermal exposure matters in the workplace, through mechanisms such as web-based guidance, interactive educational materials and webinars, as well as workshops and seminars.

Journal of Occupational and Environnmental Hygiene Wilson et al (2021) Respirators, face masks, and their risk reductions via multiple transmission routes for first responders within an ambulance.

This article recognises that first responders may have a high infection risk to SARS-CoV-2 and estimates the risk of infection through modelling scenarios with and without masks and respiratory protection. Based on the simulations performed, the authors recommend the patient wear a face mask and first responders wear respirators, when possible, and disinfection should prioritize high use equipment.

Building and Environment Stable et al (2021) Ventilation procedures to minimize airborne transmission of viruses in classrooms.

This article describes a mass balance approach to quantify the ability of both mechanical ventilation and ad-hoc airing procedures to mitigate airborne transmission risk in the classroom environment. For naturally-ventilated classrooms, the authors propose a novel feedback control strategy using CO2 concentrations to continuously monitor and adjust the airing procedure. Case studies are presented to show how such procedures can be applied in the real world to support the reopening of schools during the pandemic. The results also show the inadequacy of relying on absolute CO2 concentration thresholds as the sole indicator of airborne transmission risk.

Are you a researcher? We would love to spotlight your published research!

Email admin@aioh.org.au to tell us about your research so we can spotlight it in our next edition.

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AIOH Foundation Update It has been a very busy and productive first half of the year for the AIOH Foundation. After awarding our inaugural grants at the end of 2020 it has been wonderful to start to hear progress reports from our partners. We’ll be posting these on our website and linkedin page as they come in so keep an eye out for them – it’s very exciting to see the Foundation start to make an impact on worker health protection in Australia. Another big achievement was the launch of our revamped website, developed in partnership and with generous support from the AIOH. The new website is beautifully organised and makes it much easier to donate to the Foundation and find out what we and our partners are working on. Check it out!

As we look towards the second half of 2021 our focus will be on transition and sustainability. We recently requested expressions of interest for new members of our board as some of us come to the end of our terms.

We look forward to announcing the successful applicants who will help drive the Foundation forward into the future. Another part of this is ensuring that we are able to sustainably continue to support worthy projects that make a difference to the health of Australian workers. This means finding more financial support from our community and extending the number of generous supporters, both individual and corporate, who have provided donations to the Foundation in the past.

We thank those who have already helped and encourage members and companies to consider making the AIOH Foundation one of your charities of choice – Go to aiohfoundation.org.au/support Or get in contact with us via info@aiohfoundation.org.au