The Filter - June 2022

The Filter

Welcome tothefifthedition ofTheFilter!

Oh boy, do we have a lot to share. The second quarter of 2022 (can you believe it is June already?!) saw us finally catch up in March, at the first face-to-face Conference since the pandemic began. Our feature article showcases our 2021 Conference as well as our 2021 AIOH Award Winners. In this edition we also hear from some of our executive leadership, allied associations such as BOHS, Workplace Health Without Borders and NZOHS, as well as a fascinating story in our Member's Spotlight.

Asalways,we’dlovetohearyourfeedbackandobtainsubmissions forfutureeditionsofTheFilter.

Pleaseemailusat admin@aioh.org.au

AshBoss,KellyJaunzems,KateCole,PeterAspinallandBaeuMedina

The Filter

PRESIDENT’S UPDATE

Thank you to the fantastic Communications and Marketing Committee for producing yet another great edition of The Filter!

Its been all-hands-on-deck during my first 6-months as President and I m so happy to say that weve kicked some really big goals At the start of the year Council worked to develop a 2022 Strategic Action Plan which outlined the key activities that we would drive to further progress the initiatives under our AIOH Strategic Plan In this update I want to share the great work thats been happening behind the scenes to progress our AIOH Strategic Plan

I was inspired by Jacinda Arderns video of 2-years of achievements in 60-seconds and although its going to take me some time to get to the level of the New Zealand PM I ve summarised the first 6-months of our 2022 AIOH Council in less than 6-minutes in this short video here:

Our 2022 AIOH Council met for the first time face-toface in our Melbourne offices last week While every Council meeting has been virtual to date having a face-to-face meeting enabled us to do a deep dive into strategic items that are vital to the continued success of the AIOH and our vision of a healthy workplace To have a safe face-to-face meeting we reviewed our ventilation brought in supplementary air cleaning devices (portable HEPA air purifiers) checked the direction of air flow and configured our seating to minimise cross-flow, and wore P2/N95 respiratory protection when we needed to be inside for a prolonged period of time These relatively simple protections helped us have a safe and productive meeting

In other news I wanted to provide some updates on what else has been happening in the world of the AIOH

Our Business Manager Dr Sharann Johnson AM has trawled through our archives and uploaded a lot of content onto our website to enhance our resource library AIOH members can now access all of our webinars in the members area of the website and our Annual Conference Proceedings and recent submissions are in the Resources area also Certified

Occupational Hygienists (COHs) will be pleased to know that certification maintenance points are now visible in My COH on the website also Even better is that certification maintenance points are now being recorded when registering for webinars and events saving significant time COHs can also now download copies of their COH Seal and their COH Certificate directly from the My Profile tab once logged in One of the pillars of our strategic plan is professionalism with a key objective of inclusiveness To that end one important activity of the AIOH is the use of members funds to financially support organisations which contribute to the continued growth of professionalism in occupational hygiene I wanted to take some time to specifically highlight the many bodies that the AIOH support

The Occupational Hygiene Training Association or OHTA as its commonly known is an international training scheme and qualifications framework The OHTA is supported by IOHA and it runs as a registered UK charity with much of the work being done on a purely voluntary basis The OHTA provides the cornerstone in OH training courses eg BPC (W201) and the W500 series It is important that as an original member of the OHTA consortium that AIOH support its continued operation The AIOH Council have endorsed an annual donation of $10 000 to support the important work of the OHTA

At our recent Annual Conference & Exhibition we supported a trade booth called the Headshot Cafe

With the wonderful Garry Gately as our professional photographer attendees were welcome to make a small contribution in exchange for a new professional profile picture with proceeds going to support the Sue Davies Foundation For those unaware the Foundation supports the Sue Davies Award which commemorates the invaluable contribution of the late Sue Davies to the OHTA Its presented annually to the best-performing student undertaking the International Certificate in Occupational Hygiene (ICertOH) Thank you to everyone who participated the Headshot café raised $376 for the Sue Davies Foundation

These donations are all in addition to the funding that the AIOH provides to IOHA and ANOH (which is dependent on membership numbers) Its great to be in a position to be able to support such worthwhile organisations

In our last edition of The Filter I shared that we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australasian Radiation Protection Accreditation Board (ARPAB) In this update I m delighted to say that we have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australasian Radiation Protection Society (ARPS)

Having a wide range of education and professional development opportunities is a key part of our Institute The AIOH has run the Basic Principles Course for over 10 years and has accredited postgraduate courses in occupational hygiene However we know that when members look for training to develop their knowledge in between these two extremes, the AIOH has not been able to provide an educational offering To close this gap the AIOH looked to OHTA Authorised Training Providers (ATPs) as the source of the next level in occupational hygiene training to provide the OHTA W501 Measurement of Hazardous Substances module The process to select the successful ATP was through an expression of interest sent to all ATPs interested in offering the W501 module An independent panel of AIOH members were assembled who undertook an assessment of the ATPs who applied I am pleased to announce that the AIOH has finalised an agreement with RED OHMS to run the OHTA module W501

Measurement of Hazardous Substances on behalf of the AIOH You can read more about this here in this edition

Providing complimentary professional development and educational opportunities is important and I m pleased to say that we are in the process of finalising an agreement to implement self-paced online learning modules for non-occupational hygienists which is very exciting I hope to be able to share more on this very soon

On the topic of training we have recently worked with Creative Safety Initiatives to support their National Accredited course 10830NAT Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention and we are pleased to endorse their course content

m also pleased to say that we were advised that the International Occupational Hygiene Association

The AIOH Foundation was established to promote the principles of occupational hygiene in the prevention and control of occupational diseases in Australian workplaces The AIOH is pleased to continue its support of the AIOH Foundation through an annual donation of $10 000

The Australasian Radiation Protection Accreditation Board (ARPAB) officiates the Ionising Radiation Safety Certification scheme recognising those professionals working within the field and formally acknowledging their fundamental experience and competence The AIOH is pleased to be one of the professional societies that supports this scheme The AIOH Council are pleased to donate in-kind and financial support in the amount of $2 000 to ARPAB to develop and expand that certification scheme

Its no secret that the Advocacy and Influence element of our Strategic Plan brings me the most joy Seeing our experienced members represent us on various boards committees and working groups helps ensure that the principles of occupational hygiene are applied in a wide range of workplaces across the Country The list of people that represent our Institute is growing and we are very cognisant that we want to provide transparency to our community on who represents us in addition to recognising the work that is done We have worked to publish the list of current member representatives on our website which can now be accessed here

Thank you to everyone for the work that you do in representing our Institute and our profession

The 2022 AIOH Annual Scientific Conference and Exhibition is looking to be yet another fantastic event Held in Brisbane this year in November Chair Zac du Preez is leading a fantastic team and the preliminary program is looking amazing Registrations are now open for anyone looking to perhaps register before the end of the financial year!

Speaking of conferences thank you to Tracey Bence who represented the AIOH at the recent American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference & Exhibition (AIHce) in Nashville TN USA Tracey has recently returned and has shared her superb experience and learnings obtained

I am about to get on a plane to attend the BOHS Annual Conference OH2022 which is being held in Belfast this year I am looking forward to hearing all about the UK experience and seeing many familiar faces and colleagues

I will end in a call to all of our members to please take some time to fill out our Annual membership survey We use the results of this survey to help us improve our membership services and we value your feedback

AREYOUAFUTURE LEADEROFTHE AIOH?...

A Note From Your President Elect Tracey Bence

WE NEED YOU! WE ARE SEEKING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FROM FUTURE LEADERS FOR AIOH SUCCESSION PLANNING 2023-2028

AIOH is looking to the future of workplace health the occupational hygiene profession and AIOH leadership - and we need YOU!

2022 AIOH Council is launching a 5-year succession plan and wants to promote future leadership roles that: Are visible leadership opportunities that open doors to networks and external organizations and put our leaders on the national and international stage and Provide valuable experience in non-executive directorship and governance in the not-for-profit sector without having to start up your own company or charity and

Allow for continuous learning and technical professional development across the breadth of occupational health and hygiene practice and Attract COH® Maintenance points

A multi-year succession planning cycle also benefits members because it recognizes that people need to map out their professional future particularly if it includes stepping up to a volunteer AIOH Council role:

Our AIOH Rules and Statement of Purpose require that AIOH Presidents and President Elect must have served as Councillors Council is an essential steppingstone if AIOH Presidency is a career aiming point for you

Councillors have to be willing to be actively engaged over their 2-year term and monthly virtual meetings and 3 face-to-face meetings per year

These days with more manageable travel expectations contributing to our profession shouldnt be only for retirees or leave you out of pocket

Only Full members are eligible to be elected to Council

If you dont yet have your MAIOH what a worthy ambition for your personal 5-year plan!

FAQ – AIOH SUCCESSION PLANNING 2023-2028

Q1: What qualities is the AIOH looking for in its Councilors?

A1: Successful councilors have typically done some time on AIOH Committees so they have an appreciation for the purpose of the Institute and how it operates They must be able to represent the members beyond their state or employment sector and have a passion for promoting the profession Other than occupational hygiene experience expertise in governance financial management stakeholder engagement or strength in organizational skills is highly desirable No individual councilor is expected to bring all these skills to the role as AIOH Council operates as a Board where new and existing qualities are blended into a diverse team

Q2: What sort of time commitment is required for a Council role?

A2: Council work is mostly done virtually via monthly MS Teams meetings The first of three face-to-face meetings is held at AIOH House in Melbourne and includes a new Councilor Induction and a strategic planning session over 2 days The second meeting is typically also in Melbourne in June or July The final Council meeting occurs at the Annual Conference and includes the AGM and election of new Councilors On average the time commitment for General Councilors is about 4 hours per week

Q3: If there is travel expected is there reimbursement?

A3: AIOH travel policy is well established and balances member value and reasonable expenses for those volunteering to be Councillors If required to travel Councillors are entitled to be reimbursed for economy airfares taxis and accommodation Members located in regional areas of Australia should not consider travel costs an impediment and are warmly invited to express interest

AIOH would be delighted to receive EOI from members across the diverse breadth of membership A culture of inclusion is important to us so please dont hesitate to contact any of us to register your interest or get your questions answered personally

Kate Cole on 0408 705 096 or President@aioh org au who can give you her perspective on the external engagement and other opportunities that Presidents have enjoyed

Tracey Bence or 0433 917 037 PresidentElect@aioh org au who can answer your questions on the various leadership roles in AIOH 2023-2028 Succession Plan

Aleks Todorovic on 0412 045 056 or Treasurer@aioh org au who can explain the core duties of Treasurer and support for the important financial side of AIOH business

Neil Goulding on 0417 306 654 or Secretary@aioh org au who can speak about his experience of Secretary role

Kelly Johnstone on 0400 200 604 or GeneralCouncillor2@aioh com au Mel Windust on 0450 392 709 or GeneralCouncillor3@aioh com au or Candice Dix on 0405 819 006 or generalcouncillor1@aioh org au are also ready to answer questions or the Councillor experience

Sharann Johnson on business@aioh org au who has significant history with the Institute has been a past President and can provide Business Managers view on Council operation

Also we have some answers to frequently asked questions below

I have been your President Elect for several months now so let me share 3 insights into what that means – you know just in case you want this job one day

The Council acts as your Board of Directors

When elected to Council I took on the duties of a company Director Top on the list of Director duties is stewardship of member funds and ensuring AIOH can pays its debts on time and meet expectations on a corporate citizen

I found this to be a big deal but one well supported by AIOH finance systems the business acumen of the Treasurer

Council work is interesting varied and the time it takes depends on the way you like to work

There is correspondence between meetings about another hour a week which includes the cool job of endorsing all new memberships upgrades and COH® Councillors can touch everything from - accounts payable to advocacy to annual conference - member complaints to matters of policy Some even get to represent AIOH on TV in front of parliamentarians and at international conferences!

Q4: If Councilors are Directors do I need to do a directors course or have Directors experience?

A4: Councilors do not need to have directors experience or qualifications AIOH offers an annual Directors induction delivered by an advisor who specializes in not-for-profit directors duties When a member of the AIOH is appointed to Council they become subject to the duties of a company director under ASIC supervision Director duties include Being diligent and careful in their role Acting in the best interests of AIOH even if it conflicts with their own Being involved in what AIOH is doing and making sure AIOH can pay its debts on time and keeps good financial records

A general description of directors duties can be found at: Company officeholder duties | ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Q5: Why do people volunteer for AIOH leadership role – what is in it for me?

A5: These are what we think are the Top 3 benefits of AIOH leadership –Promoting the profession and influencing the strategic direction of AIOH If you already love Occupational Hygiene then AIOH leadership is a chance to do more of it at a national level and with people who feel the same about preventing worker illness

Growing your network AIOH Councillors meet a huge array of people including health safety and hygiene professionals from all over the world external stakeholders including media regulators and businesspeople

Developing skills in leadership small business and directorship The modern AIOH operation introduces its Councillors to all aspects of a small business – everything from accounts payable to human resources and information systems and marketing ethics and good governance

Councilors work for the membership and our staff

Each Councilor has at least one Committee to stay engaged with This gives the committee volunteers direct access to Council for quick decision making and support and ensures Council stay in touch with our many volunteers

Our Institute has a small and mighty staff compared to kindred societies and their welfare performance management and professional development is the responsibility of the Executive members of Council specifically the Secretary No Councilor is expected to make decisions in isolation or without guidance We rely on a wellestablished set of policies the wise counsel of the Ethics and Strategic and Risk Advisory Committees and our fellow elected Councillors

So you now know the 3 things I know about what it means to be AIOH President Elect Ready to take my job yet???

AIOH UPDAHQ TE

Improvements galore with the current upgrades to the AIOH IT systems

From the Business Manager’s Desk, Dr Sharann Johnson AM, COH, FAIOH

Improvements galore with the current upgrades to the AIOH IT systems. If you are a COH, check your MY COH to see that when you have registered for a webinar, the event and CM points have been recorded automatically for you. This will also occur for the Brisbane 2022 Conference, so make sure you tick the COH box. The CM points for the Sydney 2021 Conference registrants will be processed soo. So easy to record the events and the CM points, even external events. So make sure you keep your MY COH updated.

AIOH has moved to a paperless membership database using our Sales Force IT system. During 3Q22, the historic paper membership application forms and information collected over the 40 years for existing members will be scanned. All new membership applications are now completed on line.

The AIOH Breathe Freely Australia continues to shine as it was part of the presentation at the AIHA Conference in Nashville along with BOHS, the new AIHA and the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (CRBOH) Breathe Freely programs. The Breathe Freely program is now being implemented globally by five IOHA associations.

FEATUREARTICLE CONFERENCEREVIEW

AIOH Conference 2021 Review by David Macgill

Hi, I'm David Macgill I was the fortunate recipient of the Industrial Scientific 2021 AIOH conference package which meant that I had the fantastic opportunity to attend the AIOH conference in Sydney in March 2022 The experience enlightened me to what a warm and inclusive profession I m a part of and put me in awe of how we're solving both new and old problems as a community

The Industrial Scientific award enables an individual who otherwise would not have been able to attend the conference a complete delegate package, including continuing education sessions the scientific program and the social events Thank you to industrial scientific and Ken MacRaild for sponsoring the award

Continuing Education Sessions

The experience began on Saturday with a tour of the ANSTO facility Mark Rawlings lead approximately ten on a tour of the facility He gave a detailed and passionate explanation of the purpose of the OPAL reactor and the defence by depth system used to prevent exposure from the reactor He then discussed other non-ionising radiation hazards and risks (e g asbestos lead noise) at ANSTO The complexity of the program is significant with numerous SEGs present onsite The hygiene program is integrated with the medical health team to give insight into how the contaminants are affecting workers and where further controls are required hich is not something that I have had experience with as a consultant

On Sunday, the radiation education continued with Sam Sonter Introduction to Dealing with NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) An area that was entirely new for me Sam was a great presenter with an impressive depth and breadth of knowledge in the field The subject matter could be complex It required an understanding of the way radioactive material breaks down through daughter isotopes what type of radiation meter is necessary for the different radiation types and what pitfalls to look for regarding shielding by other substances (mud and dirt) and how that affects the assessment Whilst it's not an area I have an immediate use for the skills the joy is I appreciate it now and who knows how I'll be able to assist someone in the future with it Thanks Sam

Welcome Drinks

The AES welcome drinks followed by AES dinner were a highlight The scenery was beautiful over Darling Harbour The company of old and new friends laughing, chatting, and catching up was the first social engagement for me since Covid started which felt normal AES presented the dinner displaying remote video monitoring coupled with real-time sensors providing new ways to observe and interpret onsite events remotely Enabling us to be more reactive to issues onsite

Conference

AIOH President Kate Cole and a welcome to country opened the 38th conference The scientific program began with plenary and keynote speakers covering a broad range of topics From health-based presentations on being vigilant for old hazards which we thought had been eliminated like silicosis and how they can manifest in new industries, to understanding how COVID impacts buildings and visualising it through computer models and data To effectively communicate scientific information and the challenges required in reaching and describing to the right audience whether it be statistics or public health advice For example, the importance of correctly designing engineering controls such as dust contaminants and how redesigning small components such as nozzles can significantly increase the effectiveness of a control Dr Norman Swan and Matthew Johnstone gave excellent talks Dr Swan's talk on how good scientific data doesn't necessarily drive the correct actions if its not well articulated to the required audiences was very enjoyable Especially how that was displayed in various stages of the COVID pandemic but could change with improved scientific literacy was great Matthew Johnstones journey and challenges with mental health were a moment away from the external considerations and an opportunity for each person to reflect on their challenges and how we're not alone when facing them

Concurrent & Trade Show

The concurrent sessions provided a challenge to be in more than one place at once I usually dont get FOMO but well played AIOH Each concurrent session had something new to learn or consider From the use of computer models to describe contaminant flow readdressing how we define the risk presented by a hazard such as lead dust the importance of speaking up and using our expertise to protect those who may not appreciate the hazards they present to themselves to and how you can create an effective communication tool buy conducting a back yard experiment with a real-time dust monitor and mobile phone The breadth of topics and ways in which hygienists engage promote and solve the hazards present in the community was both intellectually stimulating and empowering Fortunately for the ones I missed, there is the AIOH conference proceedings to read up on

The exhibitors at the trade show again showed how technology is evolving in this space and will continue to assist in faster and better outcomes for workers Whether it be real-time interlinked gas monitors to software to collate and determine trends, advances in personal protective equipment and laboratory analysis techniques, there were so many problems that had solutions available in the one area It was also lovely to put faces to names that I usually only see on email or via a phone call

3M Night & Gala

We headed off on the 3M mystery night held at Luna Park with a bit of mystery and dressed up like a clown and it was a phenomenal night There was a bit of magic in the air from Ferris wheel rides dodgem cars and carousels The three waiters were an absolute blast The engagement with us all and the banter between each of them and bruce was great Then came the 3M apron giveaway I had been told that hygienists could be competitive, but I didnt realise how competitive it got for those aprons The costumes for those who were nominated were outstanding, especially the group with various circus performers marching girls Carnivale inspired skeletons and the candy ticket man and woman While I missed out, there was a lot of inspiration for the future I had a wonderful time, and if there are any night videos, I will attribute my dancing to the clown shoes

The Gala night celebrations were a little surreal To be surrounded by so much knowledge and experience during the Gala dinner and then to share the stage with Hamish, Mark and Mark again and one that so many other respected hygienists have walked before was very humbling

The AIOH 2021 Conference made me feel a part of the kind and friendly group of professionals that we are Every person I've spoken to discussed an idea with or asked for help during or since the conference has been generous with their time and knowledge I hope that the AIOH 2021 conference is a starting point for me to do the same for others in our industry Thank you to the AIOH conference committee, who put in a lot of hard work to put on a great conference and to all who supported me to attend it especially Industrial Scientific and the AIOH award committee

David Macgill

AIOHCOUNCIL AWARDWINNERS

Congratulations to our 2021 AIOH Council Award Winners!

The AIOH Council Awards are prestigious awards that celebrate the enormous contribution of our members to the occupational hygiene profession and to the AIOH

Congratulations to our 2021 AIOH Council Award recipients who were announced at our AIOH 38th Annual Conference and Exhibition in March

Congratulations to our new Fellows!

Fellow Members are those that have made a distinguished contribution to the advancement of the profession of occupational hygiene Only 3% of our members are fellows and it is quite the distinguished honour Fellows are nominated by a Full or Fellow member and are seconded by another Full or Fellow member Fellows must have been a Full Member of the Institute for at least five years and have worked for more than fifteen years in a professional capacity in the field of occupational hygiene or one of its specialist branches

In 2021 Fellow Membership was awarded to Dr Raelene Young Andrew Orfanos Peter Knott and Fritz Djukic – Congratulations all!

If you know a deserving member of the Institute, then consider submitting a Nomination for Fellowship (available in the members-only area of our website)!

Celebration of Achievement Award

The AIOH Celebration of Achievement Award was established to recognise the considerable contributions made by a member to the long term development of our Institute and the practice of occupational hygiene This is an award that is managed by Council with the awardee being held in high regard by our profession, and someone who has made a significant contribution to AIOH activities

The winner of the 2021 Celebration of achievement award went to Mark Reggers A very passionate, motivating and inspirational person Mark has led the RESP-FIT Respirator Fit Testing Training & Accreditation program since its inception and continues to be an integral part of its success

Congratulations Mark!

The Pam de Silva medal is the pre-eminent award of our Institute and as such it’s not awarded each year but only when a deserving member is nominated from members or Council

The Pam de Silva medal is awarded to members of the institute who have demonstrated their outstanding commitment over many years to the principles of leadership and scientific integrity in the field of occupational hygiene

This award was established to commemorate the leadership and scientific integrity in the field of occupational hygiene by Pamela Elizabeth de Silva (March 11, 1930 - May 1, 1997) Pam de Silva was a person of great principles and strength and her willingness to challenge orthodox scientific views was renowned She has had an enormous influence on occupational hygiene in Australia

Outstanding Service Award

The AIOH Outstanding Service Award celebrates and recognises the considerable contribution made by one of our members to the long-term development of the AIOH, and to the overall development and advancement of our members

When we talk about outstanding service’ we mean service for more than a decade and the actions taken by such an individual must have considerable influence on the development of the profession and its members

Those that are awarded this honour are seen as being held in high regarded by our profession They have contributed to the AIOH Council and Committee activities over a considerable time; and they have influenced the membership by direct or indirect mentoring; and they been involved in the development of services to members; and they have provided inspiration to the next generation of Occupational Hygienists

The 2021 Outstanding Service Award was awarded to Noel Tresider Noel is both a COH and a CIH a former President and Treasurer of the AIOH, a former Board Member of Workplace Health Without Boarders a former President of the International Occupational Hygiene Association has served as Chair of the AIOH National Accreditation Recognition Committee and was instrumental in the development of the OHTA international training scheme and qualifications framework Noel established the Sue Davies Scholarship Fund, and his contributions to our field have been recognised through the IOHA Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Industrial Hygiene Yant Award and being recognised in the 2018 Australia Day Honours through receiving a Member AM in the Order of Australia

Congratulations Noel!

The Pam de Silva medal was awarded to Ian Firth, who is a long-standing member of the Institute since 1985 Ian has demonstrated the key values of the award of outstanding service to the AIOH Leadership and Scientific Integrity in the profession of occupational hygiene

A Certified Occupational Hygienist a past-President and Councillor Ian is a person who has mentored and educated many young hygienists and non-hygienists on our profession He is a global ambassador of our profession on the front line, in senior management meetings and in board rooms He has authored and contributed to numerous AIOH documents (and in fact it would be hard pressed to identify a guidance document or a position paper that they have not contributed to!) After over 20 years Ian recently stepped down as Chair of the Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee

Congratulations Ian!

L->R Dr Raelene Young Andrew Orfanos Peter Knott Fritz Djukic

Pam de Silva Medal

Mark Reggers Ian Firth pictured with 2021 AIOH President Dr Ross Di Corleto

AIOHPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDWINNERS

Congratulations to our 2021 AIOH Professional Development Award Winners!

We are committed to the professional development of our members and we are very fortunate to have long standing supporters of our Professional Development Awards Thank you to all of our supporters for providing such a tremendous opportunity to our members and Congratulations to all of our 2021 Award Winners!

There is no better way to fast track your professional development than to win an AIOH professional development award 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

Professional Advancement Award

Sponsored by Air-Met Scientific

The Air-Met Scientific Award provides a selected applicant with the opportunity for professional development through attendance at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHCE) and an invitation to travel post-AIHCE to SKC Inc in Pennsylvania and other industry and government institutions in USA and or Canada

Congratulations to Mark Reggers MAIOH for being awarded the 2021 Air-Met Scientific Professional Advancement Award!

Young Hygienist Award

Sponsored by Draeger Safety Pacific

The Draeger Safety Pacific Young Hygienist Award is aimed at young hygienists and comprises travel to the BOHS Conference in the UK and Draegers research & development facility in Germany and other industry and government institutions in the UK or Europe

Congratulations to Candice Dix MAIOH COH for being awarded the 2021 Draeger Safety Pacific Young Hygienist Award!

Post Graduate Scholarship Award

Sponsored by Active Environment Solutions

The Active Environmental Solutions Scholarship provides for attendance at an AIOH accredited postgraduate course majoring in occupational hygiene or at an Australian based academic postgraduate course where the subject matter studied is principally occupational hygiene

Congratulations to Hamish Rae for being awarded the 2021 Active Environmental Solutions Post Graduate Scholarship Award!

AIOH Conference Package Award

Sponsored by Industrial Scientific

The Industrial Scientific AIOH Conference Package Award facilitates the attendance at the Annual AIOH Conference and Exhibition of a deserving member of the Institute

Congratulations to David MacGill for being awarded the 2021 Industrial Scientific AIOH Conference Package Award!

Best AIOH Conference Paper Award

Sponsored by 3M

The 3M Best Paper Award is given to the paper judged by the awards and sponsorship committee to be the best occupational hygiene paper submitted for the annual AIOH conference

Congratulations to Christopher Williams for being awarded the 2021 Best Conference Paper Award for his paper entitled Risk identification and strategic control implementation a multidisciplinary approach and the role of the occupational hygiene professional

You can read a copy of the best paper in the 2021 Conference Proceedings here and members can watch his presentation located in the Members Area of the AIOH Website here

Best AIOH Conference Electronic Poster Award

Sponsored by AMCOSH Pty Ltd Occupational Health & Safety Consultants

The Best AIOH Conference Electronic Poster Award was awarded to Srijeeta Ratnayake for her poster entitled Fitzroy Gasworks : Overcoming OHH Challenges During Large Scale Site Remediation You can read the Best AIOH Conference poster in the members-only area of our website here

AIR-METSCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT AWARDREPORT

Written by Peter Aspinall

The Air-Met Scientific Award is a premier, professional award of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists

It is sponsored by AirMet Scientific on an annual basis and provides a selected applicant with the opportunity for professional development through attendance at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHCE) and an invitation to travel, postAIHCE, to SKC Inc in Pennsylvania and other industry and government institutions in USA and or Canada

While the normal requirement is for the travel to be taken in the year immediately after the presentation of the award due to a little thing called Covid my initial plans to visit a NASA facility and travel to Atlanta for the hygiene conference was delayed for 2yrs On the opening of international travel at the start of 2022, plans were made to attend the AIHce in Nashville and a research or industrial application visit The NASA plans fell through due to tightening requirements for non-resident visits so the focus shifted to the visit with SKC Inc headquarters and the US government NIOSH research institute’s Pittsburgh offices

For the first time since 2001 when the inaugural Airmet award was given to hygiene legend Gary Rhyder, I was fortunate to share my time on the trip with the amazingly passionate 2021 awardee winner, Mark Reggers With Airmet’s Peter Shiels chaperoning us through the visit, we were able to work some fun and tourist attractions into the Pittsburgh time Mark and I crashed a Metal Processing Industry Conference and we all saw Pittsburgh via the traditional Segway tour trip This is quickly becoming a regular must do element of the Airmet award

One of the greatest benefits of this award is the opportunity to develop international networks with other likeminded passionate industry professionals in face-to-face meetings The NIOSH researchers were very excited to have Mark & me as there first visitors to site in nearly two years Their excitement was evident to us both when we walked into a meeting room of nearly a dozen area research directors and the assistant directors responsible for the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) research

While hearing of their current research focus, and challenges faced in assessing and managing the influx of counterfeit RPE produced during the height of Covid, I was also fortunate to hear Mark present to the American’s on the lessons learned and challenges of implementing the Resp-Fit program in Australia They were visibly impressed

A subsequent visit to the Pittsburgh facility the following day allowed us the opportunity to engage with the NIOSH Research team headed by Emmanuel Corda, who are looking at the current technologies available for real-time instrumentation, and the value of Artificial Intelligence in determining silica content on filters We were also introduced to the NIOSH MSHA team using Virtual Reality (VR) systems to train underground rescue teams to conduct searches and respond to emergency incidents in the safety of the virtual world

The visits to Industrial Scientific and SKC Headquarters enabled us to see the various design and manufacturing styles of these iconic equipment and consumable suppliers Both suppliers of critical hygiene equipment and specialty sampling items provided an insight into the historical origins and range of products and their ongoing commitment to product development and support to the hygiene and OHS industries

The Nashville AIHce exceeded all expectations and opened my eyes to the many possible avenues to explore within the hygiene profession and the shear number of hygienists out there I quickly had the feelings of a small fish in a big pond but was encouraged to see a large number of my peers were facing the same issues we face in Australia and were providing the same level of presentations and discussions Common themes occurring throughout the three full days of presentations were the emergence of the Industrial Hygiene 4 0 paradigm which incorporates more real-time data in hygiene assessments, changing benzene exposure standards, Environmental Sustainability Governance (ESG) opportunities for hygienists in managing and measuring people safety and corporate engagement reporting

The significant conference differences were the large number of concurrent sessions that caused angst in choosing one session over another One significant difference was the limited free food options available during the conference breaks which made me long for the copious amounts of food available during the AIOH events

The exhibitor hall was extensive and full of bright new shiny items and practices that will be heading our way in the near future The booth exhibitors were a wealth of knowledge and were keen to chat with the crazy Australians The AIOH was well represented in Nashville with incoming President-Elect, Tracey Bence networking up a storm and encouraging visits from key persons for the Brisbane AIOH2022 conference in December A number of other hygienists batted above their weight and were well represented staying out late after hours in the multitude of bars and entertainment venues

This report is provided on my returning to Australia and will support the award requirements of delivering a travel report on my professional advancement to the AIOH and also presenting my report to Airmet

Peter Aspinall, 2020 Airmet Scientific Award Winner

BESTPAPER& POSTER AWARDWINNERS

BESTPAPER

BESTPOSTER

Christopher Williams Srijeeta Ratnayake

Christopher Williams currently works as an Occupational Hygiene Specialist for Rio Tinto supporting their West Australian Operations including Iron Ore, Salt, Projects and Copper assets Christopher is a full member of the AIOH and holds a BSc in Exercise & Health Science, a Masters in Occupational Therapy and is currently undertaking a second Masters degree in Occupational Hygiene and Toxicology Christopher believes that Occupational Hygienists play an integral role in the prevention of both acute and chronic workrelated illnesses, which is what drew him to pursue a career in this area

“I come from an Occupational Therapy background and during my studies I saw the impacts and worked with people struggling with conditions associated with occupational exposures As a result of these experiences, I am passionate about the preservation of worker health and believe Occupational Hygienists play a key role in giving voice to these issues and driving the necessary change to prevent people suffering from long term occupational illnesses ”

Christopher’s paper ‘Risk identification and strategic control implementation, a multidisciplinary approach and the role of the occupational hygiene professional’ recently won the 2021 3M Best AIOH Conference Paper Award and explores the benefits and challenges of a multidisciplinary approach to exposure control

“Having my work, as well as the work of countless others that led work captured in my paper recognised at the AIOH conference, really was a highlight for me I am lucky to work with a team of passionate, dedicated, and like-minded people so to be able to share these experiences and learnings with others was great I encourage others to submit a paper to future conferences It’s hard work, however I learnt a lot in the process and based on my experience, the Occupational Hygiene community is really interested and hungry to learn from others”

With over 14 years’ experience in consultancy within Occupational Hygiene and Contaminated Land, currently working at WSP Srijeeta has worked across a range of portfolios from government, private, construction, defence and pharmaceutical sectors

WHETHER THE EXPOSURE-RESPONSE RELATION IMPLICATIONS FOR A RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA (RCS) WES

DOSE-RESPONSE MODELLING FORCANCERRISK ASSESSMENT

An opinion piece by

Ian Firth, Alan Rogers, Robert Golec & Ross Di Corleto

Whether the exposure-response relation for lung cancer due to RCS has a threshold or not has been much debated and has a large influence on risk estimates for mortality

The incidence of cancer due to exposure to carcinogens is usually dose related; that is the greater the exposure the higher the risk of developing the cancer associated with a particular substance Conversely the smaller the exposure the lower the probability of developing cancer (SWA 2013) Cancer risk assessments for various inorganic agents (e g arsenic crystalline silica) have traditionally utilised various dose-response models that extrapolate risks from high doses assuming low-dose linearity without a threshold; the linear no-threshold model This model was originally derived for radiation protection to estimate stochastic health effects such as radiationinduced cancer genetic mutations and teratogenic effects on the human body due to exposure to ionising radiation

The validity of the linear no-threshold model in radiation protection is disputed (Wikipedia 2022) In fact Pennington and Siegel (2019) suggest that the linear no-threshold model for low-dose radiogenic cancer cannot be scientifically valid a view supported by Calabrese (2019) Instead their observations support a threshold model for the doseresponse relationship between low-dose radiation exposure and radiogenic cancer in humans

Bogen (2019) noted that recent evidence supports an alternative theory to linear no-threshold risk extrapolation Malignant tumours arise most efficiently from a stem cell that incurs requisite mutations and is also activated by inflammation to an epigenetically mediated and maintained state of adaptive hyperplasia (AH) This theory posits that inflammation generally thus co-initiates cancer and transiently amplifies activated stem cells Because inflammation dose-response typically is not linear nothreshold it is probable that there is a threshold level for most (perhaps all) carcinogens

Estimation of exposure-response or dose-response relationships is a prerequisite for a rational approach to setting workplace exposure standards (WESs)

There is a large literature base on exposure-response or dose-response analyses Often the epidemiological or toxicological data used involves levels of exposure far higher than those of regulatory interest The resultant issues of confounding exposures (e g cigarette smoking or other toxic workplace agents) and low-dose extrapolations are among the most contentious scientific issues (Moolgavkar & Leubeck 2002) They are certainly issues for deriving a WES for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) as discussed in more detail in the AIOH Position Paper on RCS (AIOH 2018)

IARC (2012) noted that persistent inflammation characterised by neutrophils that generate oxidants that induce genotoxicity injury and proliferation of dysplastic lung epithelial cells is the most prominent mechanism of carcinogenicity of RCS The role of inflammation driven by inhaled quartz surface reactivity in genotoxic and carcinogenic effects have since been confirmed in an updated review of the genotoxicity of RCS and the findings support a practical threshold (Borm et al 2018)

Cox (2019) notes that enthusiasts of biologically based risk assessment and mode-of-action considerations have long criticised the linear nothreshold assumption as being unrealistic for important nongenotoxic and genotoxic carcinogens He suggests that the model of chronic inflammation implies a dose-response threshold for excess cancer risk in contrast to traditional linear no-threshold assumptions

Limiting worker exposure to RCS to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) should be our priority objective The AIOH position paper recommends that RCS exposures should always be below an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) guidance exposure value of 0 1 mg/m³ (respirable fraction) Note that it stipulates that in addition a TWA value of 0 05 mg/m should be applied as an action

If this implication is correct then concentrations of crystalline silica (or other environmental challenges that act via the NLRP3 inflammasome) below the threshold do not cause chronic inflammation and resulting elevated risks of inflammation-mediated diseases That is a model of chronic inflammation for the effects of RCS implies a dose-response threshold for excess cancer risk

Cox (2011) modelled the exposure-response relation between RCS and risk of lung pathologies such as chronic inflammation silicosis fibrosis and lung cancer using an inflammatory mode of action The mechanism derived implied a tipping point threshold for the exposure-response relation Applying this model to epidemiological data Cox concluded that current exposure levels in the order of 0 1 mg/m³ are probably below the threshold for triggering silicarelated lung diseases in humans

Morfeld et al (2013) concluded that a threshold Cox model fitted their RCS dust concentration and silicosis incidence data (incidence of profusion category 1/1) significantly better than a non-threshold model It also summarised the cohort information without a loss in extracted information and much more simply than curvilinear procedures (restricted cubic splines fractional polynomials) as used by most other researchers for RCS epidemiology They calculated a best threshold estimate was 0 25mg/m³ (95% confidence interval: 0 15 to 0 30 mg/m³)

Safe Work Australia (2019) in their draft recommendation for an RCS WES note that RCS is not a non-threshold based genotoxic carcinogen i e there is a threshold They initially recommended a WES of 0 02 mg/m³ to protect for fibrosis and silicosis and consequently minimise the risk of lung cancer This was based on ACGIH (2010) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG 2000) documentation for 0 025 mg/m³ being protective of effects in the lungs suggestive of a lowest observed adverse effect concentration (LOAEC) and multiple data sources clearly identify adverse effects in the lungs at 0 05 mg/m³ They further said there is consistent evidence in human studies to indicate an increased risk of lung cancer in those chronically exposed to respirable crystalline silica at the workplace at concentrations above 0 065 mg/m³ These values however appear to be based on analyses using nothreshold methods OSHA (2010) estimated silicosis morbidity risks associated with 45 years of exposure to a proposed action level of 0 025 mg/m³ to range from 5 to 40 cases per 1 000 workers While acknowledging that a threshold exposure level might lie within the range of the proposed action level and thus add uncertainty to the estimated risks associated with exposure to the action level available information cannot firmly establish a threshold exposure for silica-related effects OSHA (2010) discounted the Cox (2011) paper and adopted the no-threshold model

As noted in the Joint Paper NATA & AIOH Measurability of RCS, it is important to understand that limitations in measuring RCS exposure below 0 05 mg/m³ are likely to lead to significant issues in enforcing the proposed WES in practical application of the legislation and for PCBUs to meet the requirements under WHS legislation

This then begs the question as to why we are pursuing ever lower exposure limit concentrations for RCS Cases of silicosis / lung cancer are potentially due to uncontrolled exposures above the threshold values noted above Could the cases of silicosis we are seeing today in fact be due to non-compliance with past exposure standards?

it is still relevant

WELCOME NEWMEMBERS

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INDUSTRY & LEGISLATIVE NEWS

also came across cases of workers wearing potentially contaminated clothing into lunch rooms or when travelling home putting themselves their colleagues d f ily b t i k Y d th Al t here

contents

ALLIED ORGANISATION S

BOHS news - an exciting events programme for 2022

Over the past few months the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) has been busy organizing some exciting events taking place in 2022

OH2022 Sustainable Workplace Health Conference the leading international conference in the field of worker health protection in the UK is ready to welcome attendees from 20-23 June in Belfast Northern Ireland Focussing on occupational hygiene and the prevention of occupational ill-health and disease it brings together industry leaders from around the world to discuss the very latest in issues that affect health at work over an exciting programme which combines inspiring and thought-leading plenary sessions with scientific and technical sessions as well as a range of interactive workshops and case studies

An option to book a digital delegate pass is available which allows you to watch recordings of all the parallel streams and plenary sessions after the live event You can find more information and get your digital delegate pass here

2022 also sees the 5th annual Asbestos Conference organised in conjunction with the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (FAAM) This year the event will be in-person again with an option to watch all the recordings of the 2 days sessions with a digital delegate pass

Asbestos 2022 will bring together researchers academics practitioners and regulators through various plenary talks and technical sessions The programme will include UK and international speakers dealing with scientific topics covering key areas regarding the assessment control and management of asbestos You can book your place now here

Final event of the year Airmon 2022 the 10th International Symposium on modern principles of air monitoring and biomonitoring takes place in Bristol on 7-10 November This symposium is the leading international forum at which recent progress in workplace residential and environmental exposure assessment strategies and associated analytical air sampling and biomonitoring methodologies can be discussed You can find more details here

Join BOHS events a great way of networking offering at the same time the opportunity to learn from the best and develop skills to protect peoples health at work

Kia ora from Aotearoa

The Ne Zealand Occupational Hygiene Society has been actively growing the organisation and the profession ith our membership numbers the highest ever (146!) To keep pace with the growth to the gro th e e impro ed o r ebsite and branding programme management accounting our policies and procedures

To support our membership development we ran a virtual conference in 2021 and have plans to run a (hopefully live) conference in 2023 Weve run six OHTA courses in the past year with another seven planned by the end of 2022 We organised the delivery of the IP601 LEV course which was successfully delivered online and in NZ time Commit to Fit has kept members busy providing training with 86 people now having successfully completed the programme Weve continued great partnerships that have allowed members to attend courses and conferences - thanks 3M and Dräger! We are continuing a three year funding programme with the regulator (WorkSafe New Zealand) which helps us:

Deliver OHTA courses even with low attendance numbers

Though having said that demand is greater than ever for the courses

Provide all full members with a fully funded occ hygiene Ethics course (online)

Provide fully funded train-the-trainer courses for members teaching OHTA courses to improve their delivery and make greater impact

Provide scholarships for graduate training Four have been awarded this year

Support internships at occ hygiene consulting companies They are half funded by NZOHS half by the company The internships have resulted in successful uptake of the interns to the host companies on a full time basis

Who are we?

WHWB Australia is the Australian branch of WHWB International We are a not-for-profit and a registered charity

Vision

A world where workers do not get sick because of their work Mission

WHWB works to advance the protection of workers and promote best practice to improve worker safety and health especially in the develping world AsiaPacific nations are extremely underserved with regards to the knowledge and solutions to prevent worker (and community) disease caused by work We aim to promote health and hygeine in the Asia-Pacific so that all workers have a safe and healthy workplace

We continue to be a key player in the Health and Safety Association of New Zealand (HASANZ) which is the umbrella organisation of the health and safety professions HASANZ maintains a register of qualified cons ltants and f ll NZOHS members (akin to a f ll

AIOH member) can apply to be on the register

Looking to the near future we are:

Working with WorkSafe NZ on developing a worker exposure database whereby all exposure data gathered by hygienists can be captured as an anonymised source of information to help develop and target interventions to reduce harm and to enable us to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions

Hoping to offer funded Leadership courses for full members

Provide more specialised courses for mid to senior hygienists

Hoping to hold a conference in 2023 where we hope to see a few of our Aussie mates Until them fingers crossed well have a tribe of kiwis at Brisbane this year Ngā mihi

Philippa Gibson CIH COH FNZOHS MAIOH President NZOHS

available

Winner announced on Friday 8 July 2022

5pm AEDT Monday 27 June 2022

For the application and more information on how to apply contact - whwbaustralia@whwb org RED OHMS Group have donated to WHWB Australia a place on their Basic principles in Hygiene course valued at over $2 500

Occupational health professionals (and others) can support us to ensure that workers and employers throughout the world have the knowledge and technical means to prevent work-related disease

How can we all make work in these underserved nations healthier?

Join us

Become a member now Mentor and Training

Tell us about your skills and join our list as a mentor/trainer

Volunteer In addition to hygiene skills we need administration and fundraising skills

Donate

Help fund projects to support our work Donations to WHWB Australia are tax deductible

Our Upcoming webinar

OHS Without Borders – Helping Overseas – Tuesday 14th June 2022 1200pm to 1:00pm (presenter Jason Green) Home - Central Safety Group https://centralsafetygroup com/#csg-events

Find us Email: whwbaustralia@whwb org

Web: www whwb org/whwb-Australia/

Linkedin: www linkedin com/company/whwbaustralia/

Commit to Care IOHA Annual Report

ADOSE OFRESEARCH

A few recently published articles that are sure to peak your interest…

Increased risk of incident knee osteoarthritis in those with greater work-related physical activity

Sexual and non-sexual forms of gender harassment: a persistent problem in the world of work

Comparison of cancer incidence and mortality in the Norwegian Fire Departments Cohort, 1960–2018

Occupational trichloroethylene exposure and antinuclear antibodies: a cross-sectional study in China

Models in Occupational Hygiene

Efficiency of Community Face Coverings and Surgical Masks to Limit the Spread of Aerosol

Round-Robin Tests with Relocatable Coverslips Improve Asbestos Fibre Counting

Head and neck cancer and asbestos exposure

Impact of occupational pesticide exposure assessment method on risk estimates for prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Parkinson’s disease: results of three meta-analyses

Gender differences in authorship prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in research submissions to Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2017–2021)

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the workforce: from psychological distress to the Great Resignation

Occupational health, frontline workers and COVID-19 lockdown: new gender-related inequalities?

Social capital and geographical variation in the incidence of COVID-19: an ecological study

Effects of depression on employment and social outcomes: a Mendelian randomisation study

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

I have always found that when following your passions and interests in life its very difficult to get bored or lose enthusiasm In high school I was what would be considered extreme Back in the early 2000s veganism was not a thing most people had not heard of it and couldn't possibly understand it I was also heavily into music and lived and breathed to play in bands and preach animal rights and environmental issues After high school I went straight into my bachelor’s degree in health science majoring in Public Health and focused on nutrition, followed by another post graduate diploma in Environmental Health (thinking it was relating to climate change how wrong I was) However, upon completing my studies, I was given a chance meeting and followed my heart to London and then Sydney to begin a career in the music industry A complete change of direction, one that felt in line with my love of music I worked my way from “Editorial Intern’ at a music streaming service company to Editorial Manager for Asia Pacific within a short time Before leaving and accepting a role at the Big Day Out in Sydney Being Tour Management Coordinator’ for the Big Day Out saw me working with artists such as Snoop Dogg, the Deftones and Pearl Jam During these years working in music I was lucky enough to walk the red carpet at the Aria awards, take trips overseas and receive free tickets to any concert of festival I wanted I was in my early twenties I felt that I was living out my rockstar dreams, and this was fun, until it wasnt There came a point where my public health knowledge knew I had a higher calling than late nights and backstage passes and VIP events

I felt I needed to do more meaningful work and be involved with my own community in which I lived This feeling became stronger as I matured into my twenties I took another change in direction and started working for the City Of Sydney Council as an Environmental Health Officer The culture shock from the bright lights of the music industry to local government was huge, but I felt I could be a great contributor in this field Although challenging working in Environmental Health has been extremely rewarding, some of my highlights have included

Leading a joint investigation with NSW Health and City of Sydney into 2 x Legionella Outbreaks Proving critical advice feedback and guidance on large scale developments such as the Barangaroo Precinct Sydney Opera House Upgrades; and Undertaking countless investigations into illness and disease within the community

In 2017 my partner and I found ourselves yearning for some kind of adventure and change to our routine It was at this point we decided to sell everything we owned quit our jobs and travel overseas with no return date We traveled for 12 months through South America Central America the USA Canada before arriving in India We attend Burning Man in the USA and I completed a Yoga Teachers Course while in India Spending a month in an Ashram in India completing the course brought so much discipline and structure to my life something I had never experienced before The routine of waking up at 5am for 3 hours of yoga then fruit more yoga vegetables and rice more yoga until bed everyday as boring as it sounds provided me with so much growth and time to think Being exposed to yoga has allowed me to continue my practice since returning and I still teach yoga to this day During the pandemic teaching online yoga and meditation has been extremely fulfilling

After returning home to Melbourne I have continued to work in Environmental Health at various councils Until Covid-19 hit The strangest thing that happened to me during the Melbourne lockdown in 2020 was taking up running running being the only exercise I could do without a mask outdoors, I became somewhat obsessed with running Every day I would run a little further and further reading about and watching YouTube clips about running became my favorite pastime There was so much to learn from nutrition to mental preparation to hydration and heat management, it was an exciting journey Within 6 months I had gone from running 5 kms to running my first ultra-marathon The Surf Coast Century along the Great Ocean Road came up just in time as the lock down ended For me, this has been one of my greatest achievements being able to push myself physically and mentally through pain and fatigue and come out smiling is a feeling like no other A reminder that when we put our minds to it anything is possible Running an ultra-marathon also allowed me to be disciplined once again and see the gains from a rigid structure of training eating resting and hydrating But during this time in Covid I once again I had a strong feeling that I was able to do more meaningful work than what I was doing within the Council I wanted to be involved in the pandemic response somehow I knew I had the right skills Day to day work in council became very unfulfilling so without hesitation I started putting my hand up for secondments to step out of my regular role and get involved In 2021 I was offered a position with Aspen Medical as Environmental Health and Infection Control Specialist this was a month-long seconded position working on the Hotel Quarantine Program for the Australian Open Tennis Tournament I felt that this role was utilizing skills in disease outbreak event management and was fulfilling my higher purpose requirements It was during this project I was introduced to a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) this person blew me away with their knowledge and I immediately felt I wanted to follow in their footsteps From this project allowed another chance encounter and once again my career took a directional change The hygienist I met on this project has become my career mentor and great support for me to enroll in my masters in occupational Hygiene at the University of Wollongong Entering the world of Occupational Hygiene has been eye opening, I have continued to expand my knowledge on health and have been exposed to a much broader community of professionals As I now reach the final stages of the course I have been lucky enough to be offered a position as ‘Occupational Hygiene Consultant with Hibbs and Associates Being in this role has already shown me I have a lot more to learn, I m excited by this challenge and hope to always have something to bring forward and offer

What I have learned is that living a life of enjoyment and service to the greater community has provided me with so much happiness and purpose I believe these two things have given me so much balance in my life For me, my personal achievement and career achievements are things I am truly proud of More recently it has been flattering to be recognised for some of my achievements, I ve been asked to speak at Generation Women a storytelling event where women have the chance to inspire others and speak on selected topics As well as the Environmental Health Professionals Australia conference presentating on Managing the Hotel Quarantine Project and Covid-19 Being recognised by my peers and industry has made me feel appreciated and allowed me to give back to my industry I look forward to continuing into the field of Occupational Hygiene and giving back to the workers and providing solid well rounded health solutions

AIOH Member Cecilia Mason

COMMITTEE UPDATES

An Update from the External Affairs Committee

Tracey Bence Kate Cole Dino Pisaniello Peter Knott

Shelley Rowett Sharann Johnson

Its been a busy 6-months within the External Affairs Committee working to support the many consultative processes in play at the moment around crystalline silica in addition to contributing to various submissions

Two EAC members are currently supporting the Lung Foundation Australia National Silicosis Prevention Strategy Kate Cole OAM is the co-chair of the Expert Steering Group and A/Professor Deborah Glass has been appointed as a member of the Reference Group

The Strategy and Plan are one of a number of recommendations from the National Dust Disease Taskforces Final Report They are extensions of over two years of comprehensive community, industry and government consultation under the leadership of the National Dust Disease Taskforce The intention is to build on the work of the Taskforce and define the priorities and actions required to reduce the impact of silicosis on individuals the community and the economy You can register your interest to be part of the consultation process for this through signing up on the Lung Foundation website here

Thank you to the 105 AIOH members who answered our survey on occupational hygienists experiences in the management of crystalline silica The EAC developed that survey to support the work of Safe Work Australia and their Regulatory Impact Analysis

The results of that survey were presented to a webinar to members on June 3rd If you missed it you can watch it below

The Legislative Council have released their report from the 2021 Review of the NSW Dust Diseases Scheme We welcome the strong and important recommendations in that report What is very pleasing to see is that the many items that the AIOH specifically advocated for were included in the recommendations to the NSW Government These included the need for mandatory reporting of exceeding air monitoring limits, mandating consistent product safety data sheets & labels measures to increase enforcement introducing a licencing scheme, improvements to awareness training and compliance with WHS requirements, and improvements to health monitoring You can read the AIOH submission here the transcript from our appearance at the review on the 16th of February here and the final report here

We have been invited to support SafeWork NSW on their update to the Code of Practice for Tunnels under Construction To ensure that we have the best available information, we have established a reference group of occupational hygienists who work in tunnel construction in NSW Thank you to those who have joined this group!

The EAC would like to thank the many member representatives that we have across external committees and groups Were pleased that they re now able to be easily found on our website A recent new addition is our position on the Demolition and Asbestos Consultative Committee

The AIOH recently signed up to Commit to C A R E the joint AIHA and International Built Environment Council (IBEC) initiative as a Partner Commit to C A R E is a public awareness campaign with a mission to: debunk myths about the spread of the COVID-19 virus make the complexities of the science easier to understand through various engaging multi-media tools and encourage businesses to pledge their commitment to C A R E for the health and well-being of their employees clients and customers

You will start to see some great resources being promoted from that program across our website and social media We hope that this provides some useful resources and information for our members

Documenting our position and making public submissions is an important part of continuing to drive safe and healthy workplaces The EAC has supported the AIOH in making a number of submissions recently including one to the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency on their draft Guidelines for communicating about asbestos risk and to the NSW Government on improving demolition licensing in NSW

An Update from the External Affairs Committee

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW COHs!

The COH Board would like to congratulate the following candidates for attaining their COHs over the last 12 months:

COH EXAMS:

During June we will be offering virtual COH exams in Melbourne The next round of exams will be offered in September in Perth and then the final round for the year at the Brisbane Conference

Those who are ready to sit the COH exam are encouraged to register either via periodic EOI invitations (current EOI for the June exams have closed) 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 venue is finalised in order to secure your spot

Zachary Bentley

Duane Bester

Kieran Brookes

Luke di Corletto

David Jowett

Belinda McNeill

Julie Moore

Noel Pinkerton

Jeffery Self

John Padgham

Sean Yap

COH RE-CERTIFICATION AUDITS

The COH board have been busy auditing and are in the final stages of the process For those COHs who are being audited please check your inbox and respond to any requests for further documentation from your auditor urgently We are aiming to finalise the audits by the end of June

This is the first time we have attempted the recertification process through the new AIOH website and MyCOH portal From an auditing perspective the capability and interaction made it much easier to complete the audits and feedback from the COHs involved indicate that the new system is a brilliant addition to our capability to serve our members A big thank you to Sharann and the AIOH support team have dedicated a lot of time and a tremendous effort in developing a system that is user friendly intuitive fast and efficient

This is also a timely reminder for members to maintain adequate records and check your MyCOH regularly to ensure your points are up to date This avoids scrambling at the end of your 5-year cycle

Specifically, the AIOH 2021 conference will not be automatically pulled into your MyCOH as it was arranged outside of the AIOH The next events hosted by the AIOH will be automatically linked to your profile

Are you ready?

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 Before you apply note the following tips:

Speak with past applicants and learn from their experiences

Link up with an AIOH Mentor

Attend the two COH exam preparation information sessions

Key news from the Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee is as follows:

The Welding and Thermal Cutting Fume Position

Paper has been published on the AIOH website

Thanks to those AIOH members who provided feedback This paper notes that welding and thermal cutting fumes produce acute chronic and carcinogenic exposure risks and are heavily dependent on the welding process materials / consumables used coatings and environmental conditions Various constituents can occur in the fumes and may include but are not limited to aluminium cadmium hexavalent chromium manganese iron oxide vanadium zinc and copper as well as solder pyrolysis products (rosins) In addition gases including carbon monoxide phosphine phosgene ozone and nitrogen dioxide may be present The AIOH believe that exposures to welding and thermal cutting fume should be maintained as low as reasonably practicable There is existing industry-specific guidance / best practice approaches which should be used The Position Paper proposes that the current TWA-WES for fume which is Not Otherwise Specified / Classified (NOS / NOC) should be lowered to 1 mg/m3 (as inhalable fraction) to be used as a trigger value to implement fume controls The WES values for the individual constituents in the fumes must also be complied with

AIOH EVENTS

We invite members to complete your annual AIOH membership survey

AIOH will use this survey to meet the needs of our members more effectively Please assist us by completing this questionnaire This will help us assess member satisfaction with all AIOH activities

The survey takes a few minutes, and we would be grateful for your contribution

https://www aioh org au/news/have-your-say-aioh-annual-survey/

Upcoming Webinars

June 24th One Regulator’s Approach to Managing Occupational Hygiene Risks

July 1st Safe Work Australia – Occupational Lung Disease Work Plan

July 13th Take Charge of Your Career –Launching the AIOH Career Pathway

AIOH22 39th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists 3 - 7 December 2022, Sofitel Brisbane Central

Upcoming Courses

July 18th - 22nd Measurement of Hazardous Substances Course - Perth and Online

August 8th - 12th Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course - Perth

October 24th - 28th Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course - Melbourne

November 14th - 18th Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course - Brisbane

THECAREERPATHWAYOF AN OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENIST

What does the career of an occupational hygienist look like?

We recognise that the pathway to becoming a senior professional in our industry can be different for each of us While there is no “right” or “wrong” way to create a successful career in occupational hygiene, the attributes of education, technical knowledge, service and leadership all form a crucial part of leaving a legacy in occupational hygiene

Have questions? We are hosting a webinar on July 13th and we’d love to answer them If you’d like to get your questions in early, take a few minutes to fill out this form and we’ll be sure to include it in our webinar!

You can register for the webinar here

ACCREDITED

UNIVERSITIES

The University of Wollongong #ThisIsUOW

by Jane Whitelaw

Enrolments for Spring 2022 are now open so apply now for the dual accredited Master of Occupational Hygiene or choose to get started with a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Hygiene

Our courses integrate practical hands-on time and networking with practising COHs to focus Occupational Hygiene techniques and apply skills and knowledge to a broad range of workplace issues; AND our support and networking is legendary! Heres a snapshot of our Autumn workshops on Control:

The calibration direct reading instrumentation for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) presents several issues including interference from minerals in the host material?

UOW is conducting a research project to provide an innovative pathway to calibrate any portable RCS instrument in the field taking account of any interferences from host materials Wow!

Following the development of a method to generate reproducible dust clouds and thus standard RCS concentrations work is progressing to determine if this process can be used in the field

This innovative work is being conducted by David Noi a Ghanaian National with years of experience as a Laboratory Manager and OHS Professional before he gained a COPERSH scholarship Having spent the first year based in Ghana (due to COVID) he is now in Australia and well into his PhD research UOW has a long history of supporting OHS in Developing Economies and it is fantastic to see our PhD students now on campus and enjoying our state of the art bespoke facilities

RMIT University – Master of Occupational Health & Safety: Occupational Hygiene

It was super excitement for Occupational Hygiene students at RMIT university to be on city campus after a long covid enforced desertion They were enthused at several learning activities leveraging on the rich occupational hygiene equipment state-of the -art laboratory facilities and expertise of the lecturers

The Master of Occupational Health & Safety (Occupational Hygiene stream) program at RMIT university is an accredited program uniquely designed to equip students with comprehensive and contemporary knowledge skill and applicatory exposures in Occupational hygiene In addition to the acquired expertise it is largely compatible with the busy schedule of aspiring and practising hygienist

News from Edith Cowan University

On behalf of ECU the teaching staff we would like to congratulate the ECU students who won awards at the recent AIOH 2021 conference in Sydney They are: Hamish Rae won the Active Environmental Solutions Scholarship for a student studying occupational hygiene Hamish is based in Newcastle where he works for GCG

Furthermore Christopher Williams won the 3M Best AIOH Conference Paper Award for his paper on Risk identification and strategic control implementation a multidisciplinary approach and the role of the occupational hygiene professional a project he undertook for Rio Tinto It was a shame that he could not present in person but was able to deliver his paper remotely from WA where he works

We also had the opportunity to catch-up with many of the ECU Alumni at the ECU AIOH2021 Booth and the AIOH2021 Dinner some of whom are in the following photos

During the last 3 months staff have published the following papers:

Dine G Reed S Oosthuizen J (2022) A Retrospective Analysis of Workplace Incidents Data Among Environmental Health Officers (EHOS) Collected From 73 Local Governments Asia Pacific Environmental and Occupational Health Journal 8 (1): 9

21

Masaka E Reed S Oosthuizen J & Davidson M (2022) Awareness of business owners and environmental health officers regarding health risks associated with the use of water mist systems in Australia Journal of Environmental Health 84(10) 814

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

If you are interested in studying OHS then visit: www ecu edu au/degrees/study-areas/medical-andhealth-sciences/occupational-health-and-safety or contact Dr Edmore Masaka (E: e masaka@ecu edu au; P: 08 6304 5517)

What Will You Study?

Masters Stage (core courses)

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

Commonwealth Supported Places are available for domestic students making study very affordable; eg a Graduate Certificate costs as little as $4 000 in fees and can be completed over one or two years

Contact: jane whitelaw@uow edu au for more information: but hurry as Spring applications close soon

This two-day short course was developed by Dr Edmore Masaka and Dr Rina Wong at the request of the Department of Health (WA) The short course meets the 40-hour microbiology training requirement to be registered as a regulatory food safety auditor in Western Australia upon successfully completing postcourse assessments and case studies based on the 5 pre-reading modules The course follows a Laboratory/Lecture format with interactive discussions and lectures as well as hands-on activities in our ECU Super-laboratories Details on registration and costs will soon available at:

AIOH VACANCIES

Interested in joining our newly formed Strategic & Risk Advisory Committee (SRAC)?

The Terms of Reference of the SRAC are available in the members area of the AIOH website here

The specific role of the committee is to assist the Executive and Council to fulfil their governance requirements specifically relating to risk management – inclusive of strategic, financial, and operational risks This Committee will fulfil its role by providing independent, informed and expert recommendations to the Executive and Council on AIOH’s exposure to business risks

The AIOH is seeking expressions of interest for three (3) committee members on the newly formed Strategic & Risk Advisory Committee (SRAC) The SRAC aims to enable efficient and effective mechanisms to bring the transparency, focus and independent judgement needed to oversee the AIOH’s risk management framework

The following qualities of committee members are sought (Selection criteria):Attitude – An attitude of mind independent of the management and impartial to history of the previous AIOH Strategic Advisory Council

Culture – Supportive of a culture of risk management and adding value to the AIOH

Ethics – A professional and ethical approach Further, the member must be in ‘good standing’, not the subject of any complaint and well versed in the literal requirements and overall intent of the AIOH Policies, specifically but not only Ethics, Conflicts of Interest, Code of Conduct, Grievances and Disputes and Travel Policies

Capacity – The ability to dedicate sufficient time and energy over their tenure (up to 5 years), in addition to the ability to undertake Directors Training within the first 12 months of their tenure

Independence – A capacity to form independent judgement and a willingness to constructively challenge, but not criticize or berate

Expertise – Functional knowledge in areas such as risk management, internal and external auditing, financial reporting, accounting, management control frameworks, financial internal controls, governance (including planning, reporting and oversight), or business operations

Experience – Previous experience in risk governance an area of expertise as noted above, such as operations of similar organisations or in a corporate or government role

Diversity – Ability to complement the age, gender, and location (state), experience within the AIOH and supportive of diversity of thought

Legal compliance - In order to be a member of the Committee, members must be able discharge the duties of a Company Director under ASIC supervision This would be evidenced through the provision of a completed Directors Disclosure Statement and provision of their Director Identification Number (DIN) for example

Members who meet the selection criteria above are encouraged to apply Applications should be made via cover letter addressing the selection criteria and CV to admin@aioh org au

The Closing Date for Applications has been extended!

Applications must be returned to the AIOH office by close of business June 30, 2022

BASICPRINCIPLES COURSE UPDATE

Linda Athorpe and Jen Hines

Leading up to the conference in March was the last of our hybrid Basic Principles Courses (BPC) (Well that is our current plan!) The course was facilitated by Linda Apthorpe and Jen Hines and it led directly into the conference with a couple of attendees staying to attend the full conference program The 2-day practical sessions included students using a wide variety of occupational hygiene sampling equipment, a guest talk by Aleks Todorovic from AES, and a demonstration by Mark Reggers from 3M of fit testing for both respiratory and hearing protection At the course, we even saw excellent ergonomics in action with one student bringing their ergo laptop stand and remote keyboard to undertake the BOHS/OHTA W201 online exam!

For the rest of the 2022 courses, we’re excited to be back into face-to-face mode! The recent Brisbane course in May was the first 5-day F2F course to be held since Covid Jen Hines was assisted by Carolyn Topping and Naree Carton We’re very grateful for the support and provision of demonstrations and equipment from suppliers such as Travis Allen from Allens Industrial Products, AES and Airmet Scientific

For those of you at the Conference, you would have heard a little bit about the history of our BPC The course was originally conceived and written by Brian Davies and Doug Rhodes It was a 2-day crash course in hygiene, first delivered in 1985 to a class of 2 students! From there, it grew to a 4-and-a-half-day course, with practicals and an exam It has continued to run with various iterations from a 2-day course through to the current 5-day course

In around 2012, AIOH became accredited by the International Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA) to run their W201 Introductory course, which has an exam AIOH merged the 2 courses, and kept the AIOH practicals – that is the ‘AIOH extras’! The advantage of the AIOH BPC is that students gain an internationally recognised certificate AND basic skills for using the sampling equipment

We know that many occupational hygienists started their career by doing the BPC So, keep on promoting the AIOH BPC via your contacts as the course with its theory and practicals is the perfect launch pad into occupational hygiene! And check out our new AIOH BPC promotional video HERE

Upcoming dates and locations for courses for the remainder of the year have been announced and are available on the AIOH Website

It’s EOFY time and a donation at the end of this financial year can make a difference to research into worker health protection.

DONATE TO THE AIOH FOUNDATION

The AIOH Foundation has been established to promote the prevention and control of occupational diseases in Australian workplaces through research grants. We are working towards reducing the tragic impacts of occupational diseases in the workplace.

In 2020 grants were awarded to the University of Wollongong and the Cancer Council WA. Check out the video link to see their fabulous success stories in 2021 here Help make a difference and contribute to Australian research to protect workers health.

NEWCOURSE-MEASUREMENT OF HAZARDOUSSUBSTANCESW501

We are excited to partner with RED OHMS Group for delivery of the W501 - Measurement of Hazardous Substances course RED OHMS Group will start running this course in July 2022.

The syllabus has been structured to cover the following sections:

• risk assessment;

• air sampling theory and practice;

The first W501 course will be run from 18 - 22 July 2022, face-to-face in Perth and online, for interstate and remote attendees. Then it will be run again both face-to-face and online in Brisbane just prior to the AIOH Annual Conference and Exhibition. Additional courses will be added as demand increases

The outcomes that can be gained include:

• describing the general approach to health risk assessment, including the role of atmospheric monitoring;

• selecting the appropriate equipment to measure specific airborne contaminants;

• devising suitable sampling strategies; and

• presenting the results for health risk assessment purposes to comply with relevant legislation.

• air sampling equipment;

• sample analysis;

• hygiene standards;

• biological monitoring; and

• calculation, interpretation and presentation of results.

The W501 course is the first course in a pathway to gaining the International Certificate in Occupational Hygiene (ICertOH) The AIOH recognises the ICertOH as a qualification acceptable to the Council, and it is an additional way to obtain AIOH full membership (https://www aioh org au/membership/#professional)

For more information and to Register, click here: https://www aioh org au/education/bpoh/w501/