The Filter - June 2021

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The Filter

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.

hopeyouenjoywhatwe’vecreatedforyou.We'dloveto hearyourfeedbackandsuggestionsforfutureeditions! Pleaseemailusat admin@aioh.org.au KateCole,BaeuMedina,KellyJaunzems, AshBossandAnthonyHope 5 20 8
We
June'21 Tableofcontents
Welcome toournew Magazine!

The Filter

President'sReport Treasurer'sUpdate MeetourAIOH2021Council WelcomeBaeu! OccupationalHygienist-What'sthat FeatureArticle AccreditedUniversities WorkplaceExposureStandards Awardsseasoniscoming! ProfessionalDevelopment CertificationBoard RESP-FITUpdate SpecialExpertiseGroups(SEGs) CongratulationsNewMembers&MemberSpotlight AIOHEvents 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 WorkingtoImproveStandardsinHealthcare InternationalEvents 10 22 TableofContents MentoringCommitteeUpdate ExternalAffairsCommittee 11 12 WorkplaceExposureAssessment 13 HealthandSafetyAlerts ADoseofResearch 23 24 AIOHFoundationUpdate 25 June'21
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Table

PRESIDENT’S

Helloall,firstupletmeapologisefornotmakingcontactsooner

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 keyhappenings.

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 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 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 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

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 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 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 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 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 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

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

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

• Two Approved Training Providers

• 15 Supporters

• 11 Partners

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 Tableofcontents
REPORT

TREASURER’S UPDATE

AleksTodorovic

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

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 storage, in addition to platforms such as Monday.com which has seen our membership application times reduce from months to weeks - and we are only just getting started

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 realtime. Other benefits will include enhanced forward planning capabilities and goal tracking as well in realtime

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

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MEETOURAIOH2021 COUNCIL

Following our first virtualAIOHAnnual 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 AndrewOrfanosandthe2020Council.

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 monthtofurtherprogresskeytasksthatunderpinourStrategicPlan.

Butwhoareour Council?

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 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 as the expert in thermal heat stress

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 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 and hotel quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic

SharannJohnson

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

AleksTodorovic

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 that has greatly benefited the AIOH in his role as Treasurer

MelanieWindust

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

KellyJohnstone

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

MarcusBrooks

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

RossDiCorleto KateCole
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WELCOMEBAEU!

BaeuMedina

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!

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OCCUPATIONALHYGIENIST

PITCH 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

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ELEVATOR

FEATUREARTICLE

Howparticlesciencehelpsusunderstand airbornetransmissionofSARS-CoV-2

DrLaurieGlossopFAIOHCOH

Th i l id th t SARS-C V-2 th i th t l d t COVID-19 i ily t itt d th gh l 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 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

The epidemiology of the disease shows that the closer a person is to an infected person and the more time spent in their vicinity the greater the chance of b i g i f t d I ff t th 1 5 di t d 15- i t ti li it d i A t li by th di l p ofessio to p otect agai st espi ato y d oplets ha e served to describe and/or prevent some cases of transmission of COVID-19

Aerosols,droplets,andinhalation

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 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

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 pl me incl des a contin m of particle si es

Figure 1 showing the large droplet (red colour) and small droplets/aerosols(greencolour)andshort-rangeairborneroute

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

Figure2Samplingefficiencycurve

The greatest contribution to exposure to SARS-CoV-2 appears to be from relatively short-range exposure to pi t y d pl t / l f ll i Th h t di t d di ti l pi t y pl i f t f i t ti f ilit t p t i i lly 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 s ggests a mis nderstanding has i f th i t p t ti f th b dy d l d fi iti f p ti l d h t p ti l i i i po ta t fo the ai bo e ode of t a s issio

This could explain the reasoning behind why some health professionals are of the opinion that infectious particles greater than 5µm do not remain airborne 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 mo e a long ay in 5-min tes inside a b ilding ith i t b t ill b typi lly dil t d ig ifi tly ith di t

H th h b p t d h t i i h d t l g di t 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 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 Recognising that the SARS-CoV-2 virus does not comply to a set of arbitrary rules is important when we focus on preventing illness and disease in the workplace Reseach that answers questions on how l g i i (i di d l i p ti l ) i i i t h th i i b t p t d t g eate dista ce a d i hat co ce t atio ay be infectious is important when seeking to understand the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19

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

The ttling time in still air for different size particles falling from heightof2metres

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 t i i i i p t t f d t i i g h t t t gi d t l g i g t b ff ti i p ti g di h til ti q i t 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 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) t rb lance from door openings mo ement of people th gh d t p t diff i d ff t (f p i d d b l i p i i g oo s) I hotel qua ati e the e ha e bee so e 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 e pos re to SARS-CoV-2 has foc sed on droplet and f it d f t i i B t f t f lly p t COVID-19 d t h controls to also address airborne transmission Key to that is focussing on transmission in indoor spaces 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 l d t high t ti f i i

Figure3Shortrangeandlongrangeairbornetransmission

Controlsforairbornetransmisison

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 ho r and abo t 20 to 40 L/s of fresh t id i Th id ti l/ ffi tti g it i i f t l t 10L/ p p f f h i ithi th 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:

Reductioninotherrespiratorydiseases becauseofCOVIDcontrols Ventilation assessments to determine areas of highrisk and practical modificatons that can be made to HVAC systems to reduce the risk of shared air 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 se) I i g p i i f td i t i d p that do not have air conditioning/ventilation

Containing contaminated air and exhausting

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 t i i f SARS-C V-2 h l g tly d d th b f i bl pi t y diseases I stead of people goi g to o k o child e 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

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 ki g t d k Whe e the e is ope pla offices ot ha i g 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
It is important
we remain responsive and adaptive to new research and information especially as new SARS-CoV-2 ariants (notably the recent delta ariant) f g U d t di g th t f t i i d p ti l i t ti t dd ll of them is of critical importance to protecting worker and public health
risk –thereby prompting improvements to indoor ventilation Fit-tested P2/N95 respiratory protection is the minimum level of respiratory protection for an airborne virus
that
References LuJ,GuJ,LiK,etal.COVID-19OutbreakAssociatedwithAirConditioning inRestaurant,Guangzhou,China,2020. gingInfectiousDiseases. 2020;26(7):1628-1631.doi:10.3201/eid2607.200764. KwonKS,ParkJI,ParkYJ,JungDM,RyuKW,LeeJH.EvidenceofLongDistanceDropletTransmissionofSARS-CoV-2byDirectAirFlowina RestaurantinKorea.JKoreanMedSci.2020Nov30;35(46):e415.doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e415.Erratumin:JKoreanMedSci.2021Jan 1;36(2):e23.PMID:33258335;PMCID:PMC7707926. ShenY,LiC,DongH,etal.CommunityOutbreakInvestigationofSARS-CoV2TransmissionAmongBusRidersinEasternChina.JAMAInternMed. 2020;180(12):1665–1671.doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.5225 AL, ellsJ,ClarkP,etal.Epidemiologicevidenceforairborne transmissionofSARS-CoV-2duringchurchsinging,Australia,2020.Emerg InfectDis2021;27.doi:10.3201/eid2706.210465pmid:33818372 TrishaGreenhalgh;JoseLJimenez;KimberlyAPrather;ZeynepTufekci; DavidFisman;RobertSchooley Tenscientificreasonsinsupportofairborne April2021DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00869-2 Wenzhao,Chen;NanZhang’JianjianWei,Hui-LingY Yuguo,Li.Shortrangeairborneroutdominatesexposureofrespiratoryinfectionduringclose conact.BuidlingandEnvironment,176.2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv Randall,KatherineandEwing,E.ThomasandMarr,LinseyandJimenez,Jose andBourouiba,Lydia,HowDidWeGetHere:WhatAreDropletsandAerosols andHowFarDoTheyGo?AHistoricalPerspectiveontheTransmissionof RespiratoryInfectiousDiseases(April15,2021). https://ssrn.com/abstract=3829873 FlorianPoydenot,IsmaelAbdourahamane,ElsaCaplain,SamuelDer,Jacques Haiech,AntoineJallon,InésKhoutami,AmirLoucif,EmilMarinov,Bruno Andreotti Riskassessmentforlongandshort-rangeairbornetransmissionof SARS-CoV-2,indoorsandoutdoors,usingcarbondioxidemeasurements, medRxiv2021.05.04.21256352; https://doi.org/10.1 June'21 Tableofcontents

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

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 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:

"Occupational Hygiene requires thefullscientific 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."

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 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

“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 sphereofinfluenceprovidesauniqueperspective”.

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

MAIOH, Limited
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WORKINGTOIMPROVE

STANDARDSIN HEALTHCARE

KateColeMAIOHCOHCF

NationalCOVID-19ClinicalEvidence TaskforceInfectionPreventionand Control(IPC)Panel

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

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

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

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

AustralianCommissiononSafetyand QualityinHealthCare

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) Preventing and Controlling Healthcare-Associated Infection Standard

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

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:

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

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

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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UPDATE

MENTORING COMMITTEE

TheAIOHMentoringProgram needsYOU!

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!

Mentee#1

Livesin:Sydney,NSW

Currentlyworkingas: JuniorHygienist& undertakingtheirMastersI OccupationalHygieneat UOW

Previously:Previouslya HospitalManager, experienceindata interpretationand evaluationofpractical controlmeasures

Mentee#2

Livesin:Adelaide,SA

Currentlyworkingas: OccupationalHygienist ataprivateOH Consultancy

Previously:Completed OHsiteproject assessmentsrelatingto dust/fibres,IAQ, Chemical,mining,etc.

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#3

Livesin:Brisbane,QLD

Currentlyworkingas: HSWEOfficerforaHeavy IndustryFirm

Previously:Technicalskill inawiderangeofOH designandexposure assessmentinheavy industry,andtop recommendcontrol solutionsaswellasthe considerationof complications.

Mentee#4

Livesin:Sydney,NSW

Currentlyworkingas: OHProgram Coordinatoratalarge Quarryingand productionindustryfirm

Previously:An engineeringgraduate, learningaboutdust monitoringandOH Programs.

Forfurtherinformationandtojoinpleaseselectfromthefollowing: ClickHEREforfurtherinformationontheAIOHmentoringprogram. ClickHEREforacopyoftheslidespresentedatthe2019AIOHMentoringWorkshop

JasonGreen,Chair–AIOHMentoringCommittee

Jason.Green@greencap.com.au

June'21 Tableofcontents

EXTERNALAFFAIRS COMMITTEE

The EA committee has had an incredibly busy start to the year with many issues deserved of the AIOH’s involvement

CommitteeRestructure

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 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 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 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

SupportingNationalAccreditedTraining

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

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 are the recommendations concerning competent persons in relation to asbestos

HotelQuarantine

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

NationalDustDiseasesTaskforce(NDDT)

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 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 will provide a final report to the Council of Australian Governments’ Health Council, through the Commonwealth Minister for Health, by 30 June 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 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 Governments central unit for applying behavioural insights (BI) to public policy and are part of the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (PMC)

WesternAustraliaNewDutyof Careprovision

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

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

June'21 Tableofcontents

WORKPLACEEXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

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

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

June'21 Tableofcontents

WORKPLACEEXPOSURE

STANDARDS-OPINION PIECE

AustralianWES’s–AnOpinion Piece

IanFirth–WorkplaceExposureAssessment CommitteeChairperson

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:

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

Clause 50: Monitoring airborne contaminant levels

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

WESderivation

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

Healthhazardmanagement

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 persons 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

Whatareexposurestandards?

Australian occupational hygienists should be aware that Safe Work Australias (SWAs) 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 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:

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)

WESmeasurability

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 PCBUs 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.

Othermeansofmanagingadverse chemicalexposure

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

and PCBUs 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

SWA(2012). GuidanceontheInterpretationofWorkplaceExposureStandards forAirborneContaminants. SafeWorkAustralia(SWA),Canberra,ACT https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/guidance-interpretation-workplaceexposure-standards-airborne-contaminants SWA(2013). GuidanceontheInterpretationofWorkplaceExposureStandards forAirborneContaminants. SafeWorkAustralia(SWA),Canberra,ACT see https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/guidance-interpretationworkplace-exposure-standards-airborne-contaminants SW (2020). ModelWorkHealthandSafetyRegulations. SafeWorkAustralia (SWA),Canberra,ACT https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resourcespublications/legislation

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
References EuropeanCommission(2017). Methodologyforderivationofoccupational exposurelimitsofchemicalagents-TheGeneralDecision-MakingFramework oftheScientificCommitteeonOccupationalExposureLimits(SCOEL), Luxembourg:ScientificCommitteeonOccupationalExposureLimits–see https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/3c8ef3e0-48fc-11e8be1d-01aa75ed71a1 Firth,I,RGolec,RDiCorleto,KNg&JWilson(2020). Simplified OccupationalHygieneRiskManagementStrategies. AustralianInstituteof OccupationalHygienistsInc(AIOH)–seehttps://www.aioh.org.au/resources/publications1/publications Grantham,D&IFirth(2014). OccupationalHygieneMonitoringand ComplianceStrategies. AustralianInstituteofOccupationalHygienistsInc (AIOH)–seehttps://www.aioh.org.au/resources/publications1/publications
June'21 Tableofcontents
Conclusion

AWARDSSEASON ISCOMING!

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)

SpotlightonAwardee: ClaireDiCorleto

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 HygieneandToxicologyatEdithCowanUniversity Myprojectwas 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).

June'21 Tableofcontents

DEVELOPMENT

PROFESSIONAL ProfessionalDevelopment &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

The committee meets monthly and has a number of projects in progress;

Professional Development Pathways Project to

Provide a clear outline of the career stages of Occupational Hygienists for those entering and/or progressing in the profession,

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.

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.

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 courses planned for 2021. July - Brisbane., AugustPerth, September - Melbourne, October – Brisbane., November – Sydney, immediately prior to the AIOH Conference

June'21 Tableofcontents

CERTIFICATIONBOARD

NeilGoulding,Chair

COHEXAMS

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

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

Areyouready?

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:

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(fromCOHPolicyandProcedures)

Technical skills

Professional knowledge

Problem solving

Professional Judgement

Ethics

Communication

COHAUDIT

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

Tips-CanI…

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

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?

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

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?

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?

Explain any technical jargon in plain language?

Keep my messages clear and concise?

Demonstrate that I can be persuasive and assertive?

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 that you attended/completed the designated activity

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

June'21 Tableofcontents

RESP-FITUPDATE

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

16 Fit Testing Service Providers are listed on www respfit org au

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

11 RESP-FIT Partners

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 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.

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

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 the AIOH This will take some of the administrative load from the RESP-FIT board and allow them to focus on proactivity promoting the program within industry

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 through competent person fit testing in Australia

respfitchair@aioh

org au June'21 Tableofcontents

SEGs

SPECIALEXPERTISE GROUPS

IndoorAirQuality

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

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 join first) We are active in the fields of:

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

Clandestine drug laboratory assessment remediation and validation

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:

TransmissionofCovid-19

Reusability of Facemasks During a Pandemic Safe Manufacture & Distribution of Alcohol Hand Sanitiser

Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The world should face the reality (Morawska & Cao 2020)

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

BushfireSmoke

ACT & NT (Health Direct)

NSW Health

QLD Government

SA Health

Tasmanian Department of Health

VIC (Better Health Channel)

Healthy WA

AssortedPublications

ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration (2021)

Available at the IICRC webstore

The Building Environmental Wellness Group has 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

Particulate matter

OtherInfectiousDiseases

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 cultureconfirmed fatal case of Legionnaires’ disease identified a home as the source

CarbonMonoxideSafetyAdvice

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?

Peer-ReviewedPublications

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

QuirkyIssues

Mercury Emissions from PMA Catalysed Polymer Floors & Athletic Tracks

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

com au

June'21 Tableofcontents

ACCREDITEDUNIVERSITIES

EdithCowanUniversity

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

TheUniversityofWollongong

MoreinformationaboutstudyingoccupationalhygieneatECUcanbefoundat: www.ecu.edu.au/degrees/study-areas/medical-and-healthsciences/occupational-hygiene-and-toxicology orbycontactingA/ProfSue Reed s.reed@ecu.edu.au or at0863042243.

IfyouareinterestedinstudyingOHSthengoto: www.ecu.edu.au/degrees/study-areas/medical-and-healthsciences/occupational-health-and-safety orcontactDrMarcusCattani m.cattani@ecu.edu.au or at0863042346.

RMITUniversity,

Melbourne MasterofOccupationalHealthandSafety(majorinOccupationalHygiene)

Overview

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

WhatWillYouStudy?

MastersStage(corecourses)

Assessment&ControlsofPhysicaland BiologicalHazards

Monitoring&ControlofWorkplace Contaminants

OccupationalHygieneProject

Toxicology&Epidemiology

GraduateDiplomaStage

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 COHs as the principles are applied in a hands-on way which is essential to progressing on your career pathway

“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

Bepartofanexcitingfuturetoday!Enrolmentsinour GraduateCertificateand MasterofOccupationalHygieneareopenfor2021andCommonwealth SupportedPlacesareavailablefordomesticstudents. Pleasefeelfreetocontactmeregardingyourspecificsituation jane_whitelaw@uow.edu.auorjustApplyNow: applytouow.uow.edu.au/app/welcomeUow.jsp

WhychooseRMIT?

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, parttimers, 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.KenOsakweMAIOH,COH,MBA,PhD,FRSPH,FIIRSM ProgramManager,MasterofOH&Sprogram, RMITuniversity,SchoolofPCPM E-mail-Kennedy.osakwe@rmit.edu.au Phone-0421622248

OccupationalHazardsandControl

ThePsychosocialWorkEnvironment

WorkHealth&Safetyandthe Organisation

WorkHealth&SafetyIntervention Project

GraduateCertificateStage

HumanFactors&Occupational Ergonomics

PrinciplesandPracticeofWorkHealth andSafety

WorkHealthandSafetyLegalSystems

CriticalthinkingandDecisionMaking

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Tableofcontents

AIOHEVENTS

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?

AnnualScientificConference

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!

BasicPrinciples

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

WebinarsandStateChapterMeetings

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

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

June'21 Tableofcontents
ThistestimonialcamefromDavidChippendale|Directorof MarketingandSalesAWS

INTERNATIONALEVENTS

OH2021Conference,BritishOccupationalHygieneSociety(Virtual)

TemporarilyPostponed–DatesTBA

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 dont hesitate to contact conferences@bohs org

IOHA2021(Virtual)

September11th-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 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

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

InternationalCongressonOccupationalHealth(Virtual)

February6th–10th2022

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

June'21 Tableofcontents

HEALTHANDSAFETY

ALERTS

Acollectionofrecentalertsrelevanttoourmembers

HazardousGasbuildupinConfinedSpace

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

Workerseriouslyinjuredwhilewelding

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

AsbestosfoundinShantuiForklifts

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

FaceMaskProductDefectAlerts

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

Swimmingpoolchemicalmixingcauses toxicgas

WorkSafe issued a safety alert on the hazards and risks associated with automatic chemical dosing systems at swimming pools which you can read here

Chemicalburns

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

Asbestosfoundinthebrakesofmanual handpallettrucks

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

Haveahealthandsafetyalerttoshare? Emailusatadmin@aioh.org.ausothatwecaninclude itinournextedition. June'21 Tableofcontents

ADOSEOFRESEARCH

RespirologyCaseReports

Within

asthma. Forty cases (57%) were attributable to some type of i idi lk li h i l Th t common root cause was lack of information or false g id d gl t f kpl hygi measures

Millerick-Mayetal(2021).Ongoingriskofbladdercanceramongformerworkersatthelastbenzidine manufacturingfacilityintheUSA.

This study concluded that incidence and mortality due t bl dd i d g k p d to benzidine but not among workers exposed only t di hl b idi Th i k f i id d d th from bladder cancer remain elevated more than 20 y ft l t p t b idi i th h worked >5 years

InternationalJournalofHygieneandEnvironmentalHealth

Galeaetal(2021)HBM4EUchromatesstudy-Reflectionandlessonslearntfromdesigningand undertakingacollaborativeEuropeanbiomonitoringstudyonoccupationalexposureto hexavalentchromium.

This study intended to collect data on current occupatio al e posu e a d to test e i dicato s fo 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 ly bi l gi l ff t i l di g g ti d epigenetic effects was also obtained complementing th bi it i g i f ti S l p ti l aspects are highlighted for improvement in future t di

AnnalsofWorkExposuresandHealth

The study team considered that the study had successfully de o st ated 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 d t d g l S h t k t k ti d investment to develop but are priceless in terms of th i bility t d li d f ilit t k l dg h i g and collaboration

Olsenetal(2021).OccupationalExposureduringAsphaltPaving—ComparisonofHotand WarmMixAsphaltinFieldExperiments.

Several studies have demonstrated an increased risk f d h lth ff t i l di g d d l g 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 fi ld p i t

Asphalt temperatures when paving with WMA are lly l th h p i g ith HMA d t differences in the asphalts 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

Grinshpunetal(2021).EvaluationofAccuFIT9000:ANovelApparatusforQuantitativeFit TestingofParticulateRespirators. The comparative testing and analysis showed that th A FIT 9000 i p bl f id tifyi g inadequate fit of the tested respirators with a iti ity 0 95 d p ifi ity f 0 97 hi h t the ANSI requirement of ≥0 95 The other ANSI equi e e ts/ eco e datio s e e also et It as concluded that the novel fit testing apparatus demonstrated an acceptable performance and thus can June'21 Tableofcontents

(2021)WhatDoOccupationalHygienistsReallyKnowAbout

Hygienists reportedly adopted a range of st ategies to co t ol de al e posu e p oble s including chemical elimination/substitution (BOHS 68%; AIOH 68%) changing work practices (BOHS 79%; AIOH 75%) and education (BOHS 77%; AIOH 83%) Gaskinetal

of

t b d d Ou i d ib themergence of chronic silicosis amongst workers ithi th t lli g i d t y p ti g th potential for a more widespread insidious p ti l l g di Whil d t ki g pemployment medicals eight tunnellers have been di g d ith h i ili i Seevnarain,
Queensland.
members. These eight tunnellers
Diagnosis
h t X- y d p t i d t g phy by International Labour Organization B Readers The reg f h i p i i ill t t d by this case series suggests the presence of di g d p ti l l g di ith f reaching implications for workers employers p ti y t d th p bli h lth sectors JournalofOccupationalandEnvironmentalMedicine In this study the contribution of fume originating di tly f th ldi g p d Di t fume exposure was highest for welding processes ith l f i i t d l t f processes with high fume emission rates This finding i pp d t b d t th high gy i p t f high emitting processes which stabilizes the thermic colu a d the efo e eli i ates fu e pa ticles f o the welders breathing zone Brandetal(2021).DirectExposureofWelderstoWeldingFumesandEffectofFumeExtraction SystemsUnderControlledConditions. This journal also has collections including th COVID-19 Sp i l C ll ti OccupationalandEnvironmentalMedicine The US National Toxicology Program recently d d i it R p t C i g Monograph for Antimony Trioxide that antimony t i id b li t d bly ti ip t d t b human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of i g i ity i p i t l i l d supporting evidence from mechanistic studies This h i d t ti t th p ibl h risk from occupational exposure to antimony t io ide The occupatio al ca ce isk f o a ti o y trioxide was estimated to be 0 025 (25 in 1000) for persons working with flame retardants in plastics and textiles for 40 years Schildrothetal(2021).Occupationalexposuretoantimonytrioxide:ariskassessment. Under worst-case scenarios the occupational cancer i k ti t d t b 0 11 (110 i 1000) f persons working with flame retardants in plastics and t til At th t Oc p ti l S f ty d H lth Administration Permissible Exposure Limit the cancer i k f p ti l i h l ti p f ti y trioxide was estimated to be 0 096 (96 in 1000) The i k ti t l l t d i thi t dy gg t th t exposure to antimony trioxide at levels present in ce tai occupatio al setti gs esults i a la ge increase in the risk of developing cancer This study retrospectively screened the medical d f p ti t ith i it t-i d d th (IIA) diagnosed in an occupational medicine clinic d i g 2000–2018 Alt g th 69 p ti t diagnosed with IIA The most common occupational g p i d t i l p t t l d hi y workers and construction workers Lindströmetal(2021).Occupationsandexposureeventsinacuteandsubacuteirritant-induced
Australia chronic silicosis has been long thought of as being a well-controlled occupational lung disease While recent cases of acute silicosis in tifi i l t b ht p tt h g d h i silicosis within the general workforce population has
Burke&Newbigin(2021).Caseseriesanalysisofeightundergroundtunnellerswith chronicsilicosisin
Acollectionofrecentpublicationsthatmaybeofinteresttoour
had a minimum of 10 years of cumulative dust exposure prior to diagnosis
was made by radiological evaluation of
be successfully deployed for the quantitative respirator fit testing This article describes responses to a questionnaire on t k p ti d d t di g f th management of dermal exposure issues in the kpl f b f th BOHS d th AIOH The survey was disseminated in 2016 in the UK and 2018 i A t li ith 116 d 114 p f each jurisdiction respectively The majority f p d t h d p lly l t d th i k f dermal exposure to chemicals (BOHS 92%; AIOH 86%) lb it i f q tly (l th f ti p y ) Occupational
d t b g d understanding of common dermal exposure workplace i th h l i g j ity f p d t wished to find out more about assessing the risks f d l p t h i l (BOHS 89%; AIOH 88%) The outcomes suggest ways to increase the p t f p f i l i d li g ith d l exposure matters in the workplace through echa is s such as eb-based guida ce i te acti e educational materials and webinars as well as workshops and seminars JournalofOccupationalandEnvironnmentalHygiene This article recognises that first responders may have high i f ti i k t SARS-C V-2 d ti t th risk of infection through modelling scenarios with and ith t k d pi t y p t ti B d the simulations performed the authors recommend th p ti t f k d fi t p d wear respirators when possible and disinfection h ld p i iti high q ip t Wilsonetal(2021)Respirators,facemasks,andtheirriskreductionsviamultiple transmissionroutesforfirstresponderswithinanambulance BuildingandEnvironment This article describes a mass balance approach to q tify th bility f b th h i l til ti d ad-hoc airing procedures to mitigate airborne t i i i k i th l i t F naturally-ventilated classrooms the authors propose a o el feedback co t ol st ategy usi g 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 res lts also sho the inadeq acy of relying on absolute CO2 concentration thresholds as th l i di t f i b t i i i k Stableetal(2021)Ventilationprocedurestominimizeairbornetransmission
viruses
The AccuFIT 9000 like the PortaCount® utilizes the d ti p ti l ti g p i ipl b t f t an advanced saturation chamber design allowing for a l g id ti d g t fl t bility It i also claimed to have a more cost-efficient assembly tha its p edecesso s I 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 Anne A2) The e al ation as performed with three types of respirators N95 filtering f pi pi t (FFR) P100 FFR d h lf- k elastomeric facepiece of different models and f t d d 25 bj t classrooms. Areyouaresearcher?Wewouldlovetospotlightyour publishedresearch! Emailadmin@aioh.org.autotellusaboutyourresearchso wecanspotlightitinournextedition.
SkinExposure? The use of gloves or other personal protective q ip t i d th t ly cited exposure control measure (BOHS 99%; AIOH 97%) Whil th pp
in

AIOHFoundationUpdate

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

Wethankthosewhohavealreadyhelpedandencouragemembersandcompaniestoconsidermaking theAIOHFoundationoneofyourcharitiesofchoice–

Goto aiohfoundation.org.au/support

Orgetincontactwithusvia info@aiohfoundation.org.au

June'21 Tableofcontents

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