The Filter - September 2021

September '21 Table of contents

The Filter Welcome to our second edition

5

14

20

Our vision is a healthy working environment for all and our mission is to support and promote the practice of occupational and environmental hygiene and the knowledge, competence and standing of our members, to protect worker health. A common element that contributes to the success of the above is the way in which we effectively communicate with members and other key stakeholders. To that end, I’m delighted to share our second edition of The Filter with you!

For those of us that are (still in) lockdown, Martin Jennings & Sharann Johnson have thankfully pulled together a selection of movies for occupational hygienists. Dubbed the ‘COVID collection’, I’ve added this to my play list for the many nights spent at home.

This edition has our regular updates from our hard working AIOH Executive, an update on our events, the latest in research and health & safety alerts, and an amazing feature article from our very own Kelly Jaunzems. I’m also pleased to share an opinion piece by Zach Bentley, that’s sure to get you thinking.

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

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this edition – keep the contributions coming as we’re already planning our last edition for this year in December 2021.

Please email us at

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

September '21 Table of contents

The Filter Table of Contents

14

The COVID Collection

3

President's Report

15

Criticality of Risk Perception

4

Secretary’s Report

16

Basic Principles Course Update

5

Feature Article

17

Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee Update

6

Welcome New Members

18

Membership Survey

7

Member Spotlight

19

Mentoring Committee

8

Professional Development Update

20

Preventing COVID-19

9

A Dose Of Research

21

International Events

10

Accredited Universities

11

AIOH Events

12

Health & Safety Alerts

13

AIOH Foundation update

September '21 Table of contents

PRESIDENT’S REPORT Hello everyone and welcome to our second edition of the “The Filter”.

COVID continues to be a disruptive influence on many facets of our lives across the country (some more than others) and it has also proven challenging at times within the operational aspects of the Institute. However, we continue to adjust and adapt and try to address these challenges as best we can.

It has become increasingly clear that running our conference in December is going to be far too limiting for our members, with restrictions that will significantly impact attendance for member both inside and outside of the NSW state. We have three options: • Cancel it altogether, or • Go for another virtual symposium, or • Postpone the conference to a later date

After some consultation and discussion and given the advanced nature of the planning and work done by the Conference Committee, Council has decided to go with the third option. As such we have opted to postpone the conference until the 17th of March 2022. There are still some additional details to finalise and discussions to be held with speakers and sponsors, but this was seen as the most viable option with the least impact on members, sponsors and the Institute’s operations. We will continue to keep you informed on how this progressing over the next few months.

I would like to acknowledge the strong work of RESPFIT over the past few months. We now have 46 fittesters who have been accredited over the past 12 months, with many working to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19.

This month you will also note that the call for Council member nominations has gone out. There are three positions open for nomination

Finally, thankyou to everyone who participated in the members survey. We were a little down on responses from last year but achieved well above the responses normally received in these surveys. As usual there

• President-Elect • Honorary Secretary, and • General Councillor

were brickbats as well bouquets this year and you can view the full report in this edition of the Filter at (insert link). Council has already taken note of some of the

The role of Council is integral to the operation of the Institute, and this is your opportunity to put your hand up and play a key role in shaping the Institutes future.

Whilst the first two roles require that you have already

suggestions and moving towards implementing the ideas aimed at improving our service to members. Of note, there are two changes coming your way. The first is the re-introduction of hard copy certificates for professional membership grades (Provisional, Full and

served a term on council, the General Councillors position is open to all Full or Fellow members of the Institute. So please give it some thought, and I would strongly encourage you and especially any of our newer Full Members to put your hand up to give it a try.

Recently Council has advertised to fill the Business Manager’s role in the office which has been vacant since early last year, whilst we reviewed the function of this role. Whilst our office team and Secretary Sharann Johnson have been doing a commendable job of covering this vacancy it is timely that we refill this position to assist with the function of the office and ease the burden. The position has changed slightly with some additional flexibility and will also include an increased role in the co-ordination of AIOH projects internally and externally. We hope to see this position filled before the beginning of the next Council term.

Fellow membership) in addition to Certified Occupational Hygienists. Secondly, our Secretary has been working hard behind the scenes on the development and launch of a new-look AIOH website. I look forward to sharing this with you in the coming weeks.

Take care everyone and I hope you and your families remain healthy in these challenging times.

Ross Di Corleto - President

September '21 Table of contents

FROM THE SECRETARY’S DESK New Staff – Welcome to Alicia Gorman our new Membership Manager. Alicia has only been on-board for 2 months and is already making a difference. Watch this space about Membership Value.

IT Upgrades

Breathe Freely Australia (BFA)

– Not only do we need great staff to provide services but also robust software systems as our foundation.

– AIOH have been working with the Cement Concrete and Aggregate industry Association CCAA, to produce

2021 has been the year of the website upgrades for the AIOH:

a new section on Quarrying. BFA now covers 5 industries - Construction, Welding, Mining, Engineered stone industry and Quarrying. Great for ideas and photos for your RCS presentations.

• RESP-FIT • AIOH Foundation • Breathe Freely Australia • AIOH In September, the new AIOH website will be released with a new modern appearance and easier to access information. They are all based on off-the- shelf software packages, universally used, to keep the cost down both short and long term. We have heard your comments in the survey about the website and have incorporated improvements into the new website.

Our goal is for members and visitors to have a professional experience and access excellent occupational hygiene resources eg Consultants Directory, Publications, Webinars, when they visit the AIOH website.

NDDT, National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry AIOH have been invited to be an inaugural member of the newly formed Registry Build Advisory Group (Advisory Group) established to develop the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry (the Registry). This was a key recommendation from the National Dust Disease Taskforce (NDDT) final report.

Mr Martin Jennings, External Affairs Committee Chair, will be representing the AIOH. The AIOH made several presentations and submissions to the NDDT on behalf of the members, and have been a strong advocate about exposure assessments and preventative strategies.

Endorsement of RCS Awareness Course for Workers – AIOH have entered their first agreement with CSI Training, after reviewing the course content of their Nationally accredited Crystalline Silica Exposure Awareness. This is a very exciting opportunity to be able to influence the quality of training material for workers. The CSI in RTO with the ASQA and the course is nationally accredited.

AIOH / NATA Joint paper The AIOH has prepared a joint paper with NATA titled, “Statement of Common Interest in the Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) Measurement”.

Discussions have been held with the Government Occupational Hygiene Regulatory forum (GOHR) about our concerns with the current measurement technology and reductions in the RCS WES. Following discussions with the Heads of Work Safe Authorities (HWSA), the final paper will be available on the AIOH website.

Sharann Johnson - Secretary

September '21 Table of contents

FEATURE ARTICLE Top tips For Communicating Workplace Safety and Health

Kelly Jaunzems, Edith Cowan University k.jaunzems@ecu.edu.au

Like many in the safety and health profession today, my early career was not in the safety and health industry. Having begun my career in hospitality management, I used this knowledge and experience to travel to Europe and the UK. I was managing a restaurant in the UK when I was thrust into a safety role out of necessity. It was this role that sparked my interest and passion in keeping people safe at work. I enrolled in a Master of Occupational Safety and

Traditionally, occupational safety and health (OSH) research has been approached from a technical perspective. While there has been a significant shift in OSH research methodologies over the past 30 years, the general focus remains on how to keep people safe at work. Reducing the number and severity of accidents and incidents within the workplace is indeed a vital cause, however the question becomes:

Health while in the UK, returning to Australia at the end of my first semester. During this time, I was required to read several articles written by Andrew Hopkins on the Longford disaster.

How effective is the implementation of these outcomes, updates and changes if workplace communication systems and structures are ineffective?

Lessons From Longford: The Esso Gas Plant Explosion (2000), changed my perceptions of workplace safety

Social media is noticeably absent from the list of channels currently used to disseminate OSH

and health.

Focusing on the social side of safety and health – how employees create, shape and manage shared perceptions of safe practices in the workplace – I

information to everyday workforces. Despite the extensive use of social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) in similar industries such as health communication, OSH practitioners, safety organisations and workers’ unions have failed to

endeavor to understand how perceptions of safety are formed, how they can be influenced, and how we can

adapt their communication practices to include these channels.

encourage constructive conversations around safety and health in the workplace. While I found this topic fascinating, I realised that it left others of my generation cold. Workplace safety and health was being taken for granted, ignored and marginalised.

Organisations and employees appeared to be ‘going

In-depth interviews with management executives, OSH professionals, and employees who work on-theground, from multiple industries and organisations, have highlighted disparities and misunderstandings between those creating and communicating

through the motions’ rather than engaging with, and participating in, conversations around the communication of OSH matters. My interests and concerns around safety in the workplace morphed and changed from a practical, hands-on ‘how can we keep people safe’ perspective, to one of ‘how can we involve more people in conversations around keeping people safe at work’. It was, and still is, my belief that

information, and the employees expected to understand and implement it. An over-reliance on email communication, and a failure to understand employees’ communication preferences, has the potential to render internal OSH communication strategies ineffective.

engaging people in this conversation will increase their interest, knowledge and ability to work safely, as well as encouraging others to do so.

The way we communicate OSH information appears to have changed little over the past 20 years, despite significant advances in technology and shifting

safety and health: how employees create, shape, and manage shared perceptions of workplace safety and health. Knowledge of how perceptions are formed, how they can be influenced, and how OSH practitioners can encourage constructive conversations around safety and health in the workplace can deliver important workplace benefits.

communication preferences. While there is a great deal of research available on the importance of educating and informing employees about safety and health, there is little evidence available about effectively communicating OSH information. I asked myself: How do we know if people are receiving the OSH information they are given? Which channels are

As Marshall McLuhan first argued 57 years ago, “the medium is the message”, and the ways in which OSH information are communicated are just as important as the information provided. Importantly, the communication of OSH within a workplace, and the resulting workforce perceptions, are inextricably linked with an organisation’s culture.

This research also investigated the social side of

organisations using to communicate OSH? How does this affect the person reading the information? Are there some communication channels that work better than others for certain audiences? Why have OSH practitioners not taken advantage of social media platforms like their Health counterparts? These questions are fundamental drivers of my research, and core elements in my quest to encourage productive and constructive conversations about OSH in the workplace.

Top tips For Communicating Workplace Safety and Health

It is important that every organisation has a comprehensive understanding of its strategies and procedures for communicating OSH information to employees. By reviewing current strategies, an organisation can gain an in-depth understanding of: how (what channels); what (which information, in

The effective communication of OSH information is integral to the safety of employees. The ways that information is communicated may significantly influence how employees receive, interpret, respond to, and enact OSH information.

which format); why (why particular channels are used, why this information needs to be communicated); when (when is information best communicated, timeliness of information); and who (who is initiating the communication, who is creating and sending the information, who is the information being sent to, who is receiving/not receiving this information). This depth of understanding is necessary for an organisation to develop, implement and review effective OSH communication within its workplace.

Top Ten Tips For Communicating OSH Information 1

Using channels that the organisation prefers, are ‘easier’, or perceived to reach a larger number of employees may not be the most effective method for communicating OSH information.

Often, global emails are perceived as “ass-covering”.

2

Remember: No single channel works successfully for all employees, and no single form of communication works effectively for the same employee all the time.

Use multiple channels and message compositions.

3

Engage with employees to determine their communication preferences. The channels that you decide to use should reflect these preferences, along with employee’s working arrangements.

4

Encourage employees to co-create, contribute to, and co-own strategies, messages, and approaches to communicating OSH information.

Encourage informed and impassioned buy-in from employees.

5

Develop a database of your organisation’s current communication channels and strategies (who, why, where, what, when). Review these on a regular basis to ensure that they are still valid and effective.

6

Develop a relationship with your organisation’s communication team. Form a committee, make suggestions, provide input, become a part of the communication process.

Often, communications, marketing, and PR personal, do not understand the nature and importance of communicating OSH information.

7

Investigate new or alternative channels that could be used for OSH communication. Just because it has always been used, doesn’t mean it is effective.

8

Consider

including

social

media

in

your

communication strategy. Where social media is used, OSH information should be communicated in impactful, meaningful ways that encourage engaged, active two-way conversation. Humorous content, such as that included in ‘Safety Fails’, may encourage higher levels of engagement, especially among hardto-reach younger audiences. Often, minor changes in wording and the restructuring of current organisational social media messaging are all that is needed.

9

Marketing, and communication, are two very different strategies for social media messaging. Ensure you differentiate between the two. OSH messaging needs to be created from a communication perspective.

Follow Up! Just because you believe that you have 10 relayed the information, doesn’t mean that it has been received – or understood.

September '21 Table of contents

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS A big welcome to all of our new members who have joined the AIOH from July 2021 Aaron Sarlija Adrian Kumar Adriana Espinoza Aimee Brond Alta-Mari van Huyssteen Aron Smit Ashleigh Clare Asraf Saraidin Ben Blythe Ben Moore Brandon Fernandes Brett Cole Brian Tombs Caleb West Catherine Nixon Cecilia Mason Cedric Cheong Celeste de Mezieres Cherie Carter Conor Johnston Craig Hatchard Dale Matthews Daniel Morgan

Daryl Williams David Berry Dhesseken N Letchumanan Erika Chambriard Erin Dawson Farida Kavata Freddo Dunn Gareth Halliday Gary Potts Gemma Shingleton Genevieve Lewis Geraldine Supramaniam Gisela Figura Grant Dalton Henri Dubourdieu Isimel Maramun Jacques Jooste Jake Zakely Jason Maroudas Jennypher Sorbier Jesse Anderson Ji Hee Choi Jim Gladstone

Jo Lyall Joseph Zappavigna Joshua Barrett Kate Atkinson Kathleen Du Kerri-Anne Perry Kim Cunningham Kimi Ahluwalia Krista Burton Laura Smith Marcus Dionisio Mark Cossins Mason Vojdani Matt Pomeroy Melanie Cousins Melissa Carmody Michael Eusebio Michael Dean Molly Tolan Natasha Beattie Nicholas Cambridge Norman Go Paul Felvus

Paul Sessarego Philip Clifton Philip Tisdall Philipp Sartisson Rani Cyriac Rebecca Cave Rick Molloy Robert Davis Robert Sharp Rodney Walding Sarah McKiernan Saurabh Bhausaheb Aher Shao Yap Shawn Chun Sheryl Reihana Steven Nikolovski Suman Sigdel Tam Phillips Tom Carty Trent Baines William Baker Zachary Smith Zheng (Alex) Liu

September '21 Table of contents

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Melanie Windust COH MAIOH National Technical Lead at ADE Consulting Group Melanie started her career as an industrial chemist in Oil and Gas which lead to continuing education in occupational hygiene as she loved to talk and help people. OH has given Melanie amazing opportunities to travel around Australia and internationally with varied roles across OH and Safety. As long as the role had some OH then the Safety stream was OK. Melanie now has over 25 years of OH experience in diverse complex major facilities including, Rail/Infrastructure construction, fertilisers and chemical manufacturing, logistics management,

“AIOH membership means that I am part of an inspiring communities of people. In my past I have been so fortunate to have stella mentors such as Russell Bond, Noel Tresider, David Hamilton and many other amazing people. I am very committed to providing mentoring to AIOH members and hopefully I can assist them as others have assisted me” “I love being part of the Awards Committee as I get to read the excellent papers that are submitted, some that document cutting edge and innovative exposure controls. The upcoming Occupational Hygienists have great ideas and I love to be extended to think differently about a problem, so thank you all for applying!”

sodium cyanide and explosives manufacturing, aviation, BHP Iron Ore Exploration and onshore and offshore oil and gas operations in WA and Victoria.

Since commencing study in OH, Melanie has been a member of AIOH and has sort to contribute to the institute in a variety of ways. Initially she was a member of the Ethics Committee and after winning the Drager award in 2010 joined the Awards Committee in 2013, which she now is chair of. Melanie was lucky to be an inaugural Director of the AIOH Foundation and enjoyed working with this team of highly dedicated professionals. Melanie is excited to be a part of the current council and can be involved with the advances that this council is achieving.

Melanie has spent 10 years developing her career and leadership strengths in Western Australia and now due to personal and professional reasons has relocated back to Melbourne in April 2020 and have taken a consulting role to assist in better health outcomes for a range of sectors including rail and civil works, energy, health care, infrastructure, water and industrial sectors.

September '21 Table of contents

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

We continue to work on a number of projects Professional Development Pathways, AIOH accreditation of university Occupational Hygiene masters’ courses, to name a few.

During the various lock-downs the committee continues its work and the delivery of courses, webinars and master classes using on-line presentations. The Basic Principles Course has been run in Perth and Brisbane as a hybrid on-line course with our presenters Linda Apthorpe and Jen Hines, and others are scheduled in Melbourne and Sydney.

I am grateful to the committee for their efforts, particularly Baeu Medina, in maintaining this important contribution to our profession.

September '21 Table of contents

A DOSE OF RESEARCH Thank you to Ian Firth for his contributions to this section.

Annals of Work Exposures and Health 40 Years of AIOH: A Summary of the AIOH2020 40th Anniversary Virtual Symposium Dino Pisaniello, Kelly Johnstone and Andrew Orfanos Featuring all AIOH members A great editorial review of the AIOH 2020 Virtual Symposium!

Action Levels for the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Neck and Upper Extremities: A Proposal, by Arvidsson et al.

The authors propose the use of action levels concerning work postures, movement velocities and muscular loads recorded by wearable equipment to prevent myalgia, tendon disorders, and nerve entrapments in the upper musculoskeletal system. As an example, they propose that wrist velocity should not exceed 20°/s as a median over a working day. This has the potential to reduce the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in highly exposed male occupational groups by 93%.

Exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration in the Australian Workforce, by Lewkowski et al.

This study estimated the prevalence of hand-arm vibration (HAV) in Australian workplaces. In a sample of almost five thousand workers, it was estimated that 3.8% of the Australian workforce exceeded the HAV limit of 2.5 m/s2 and 0.8% exceeded the 5 m/s2 limit.

Silica Exposure Estimates in Artificial Stone Benchtop Fabrication and Adverse Respiratory Outcomes, by Glass et al Featuring AIOH member Deborah Glass This study estimated the relative respirable crystalline silica exposure intensity in the artificial stone, benchtop fabrication and installation industry. The study suggests that intensity of exposure estimated from the proportion of time dry cutting and proportion of time working on artificial stone, can predict the risk of adverse respiratory outcomes for workers in this industry.

Welding Fume Exposure and Health Risk Assessment in a Cohort of Apprentice Welders, by Dueck et al.

This study aimed to look at individual metals present in welding fumes in the learning environment of apprentice welders. Forty-three welders and 41 controls were chosen from trade programs at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Ambient and personal air samples were collected at days 0, 1, 7, and 50 of their training and analysed for mass and metal concentrations. Results showed increases in particle and metal concentrations as apprentices progressed throughout their education and that concentrations at day 50 were similar to levels found in the literature for professional welders. Strong relationships were observed between particle and metal concentrations, suggesting that these relationships could be used to estimate metal exposure in welders from particle exposure. Welding processes were the most important determinant of exposure in apprentice welders, with Metal Core Arc Welding producing the largest particle concentrations followed by oxyacetylene cutting, and Gas Metal Arc Welding.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine A Health Surveillance Study of Workers employed at a Copper Smelter – Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Copper on Lung Function using Spirometric Data, by Haase et al.

Identification of early-stage silicosis through health screening of stone benchtop industry workers in Victoria, Australia by Hoy et al. Featuring AIOH member Deborah Glass

The study findings indicate that cumulative inhalable copper dust exposure averaging 4.61 mg/m3-years over an exposure duration of ∼22 years is not associated with adverse effects on lung function.

Cumulative inhalable copper exposure of 4.61 mg/m3years roughly equates to a respirable copper concentration of 1.06 mg/m3-years (range of 0.32 to

This study aimed to identify silica-associated disease at a preclinical stage. Early results from this comprehensive health assessment programme indicated a high proportion of referred artificial stone benchtop workers have silicosis, including many with early-stage disease. The common finding of antinuclear antibodies suggest significant potential

1.80 mg/m3-years). Under the proposed SCOEL, respectively MAK value of 0.01 mg/m3 as respirable fraction, a worker would need to be exposed for more than 1,000 years to achieve the mean cumulative exposure of the assessed cohort. The absence of an adverse effect on lung function, even among workers in the highest cumulative exposure tertile, supports the

for autoimmune disease in this occupational group.

conclusion that at the observed exposure levels, copper has not had measurable impact on FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC. This is particularly relevant considering that Safe Work Australia has proposed a TWA-WES of 0.01 mg/m3 for both copper dust and fume, without mentioning the fraction to be measured.

Science of The Total Environment

Geoscience Frontiers

Impact of heatwave intensity using excess heat factor on emergency department presentations and related healthcare costs in Adelaide, South Australia, by Wondmagegn et al. Featuring AIOH member Dino Pisaniello

The airborne contagiousness of respiratory viruses: A comparative analysis and implications for mitigation

by Mikszewski et al

This study examined the relationship between heatwaves and the costs of emergency department presentations to quantify heat-attributable burden during the warm seasons of 2014-2017 in Adelaide.

The study concluded that heatwaves produced a statistically significant case-load and cost burden to the ED.

but data are limited due to reliance on estimates from chance superspreading events. This study assesses the strength of a predictive estimation approach for SARS-CoV-2 and uses novel estimates to compare the contagiousness of respiratory pathogens. The approach was applied to SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, MERS, measles virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus,

The infectious emission rate is a fundamental input parameter for airborne transmission risk assessment,

coxsackievirus, seasonal influenza virus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) and compared quanta emission rate (ERq) estimates to literature values.

Environmental Science & Technology

Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health

Unintended Consequences of Air Cleaning Chemistry

by Collins and Farmer

Blue light exposure in the workplace: a case study of nail salons by Lee at al. Featuring AIOH members Sharyn Gaskin & Dino Pisaniello

Amplified interest in maintaining clean indoor air associated with the airborne transmission risks of SARS-CoV-2 have led to an expansion in the market for commercially available air cleaning systems. While the optimal way to mitigate indoor air pollutants or contaminants is to control (remove) the source, air cleaners are a tool for use when absolute source control is not possible. Interventions for indoor air quality management include physical removal of pollutants through ventilation or collection on filters and sorbent materials, along with chemically reactive processes that transform pollutants or seek to deactivate biological entities. This perspective intends to highlight the perhaps unintended consequences of various air cleaning approaches via indoor air chemistry. Introduction of new chemical agents or reactive processes can initiate complex chemistry that results in the release of reactive intermediates and/or byproducts into the indoor environment. Since air cleaning systems are often continuously running to maximize their effectiveness and most people spend a vast majority of their time indoors, human exposure to both primary and secondary products from air cleaners may represent significant exposure risk. This Perspective highlights the need for further study of chemically reactive air cleaning and disinfection methods before broader adoption.

Fluorescent or LED nail lamps are used in manicure and pedicure salons to cure nail coatings. These are UV sources, but with significant blue light emissions.

Most of the literature emphasizes skin damage and cancer risk from UV exposure rather than blue lightinduced damage to visual photoreceptors. Nail technicians using the lamps routinely may have potentially greater exposure than customers. However, there are no data on blue light radiance levels combined with time activity patterns for exposure assessment. This research aimed to determine exposures through simulation experiments, informed by observational studies in seven nail salons. Typical and worst-case time activity patterns were established, and spectral radiance doses determined in the occupational visual field for two LED nail curing lamps. The results showed the effective spectral radiance dose were below the current guideline promulgated by the International Commission on NonIonising Radiation Protection. Interestingly, radiances at the corners of one LED nail curing lamp was higher than at the center, which shows the amount of exposure can differ depending on the viewing angle.

This research is the first to determine spectral radiance doses. A covered design is highly recommended for blocking the emission of blue light from a nail lamp.

If you’ve Published recently, we’d love to feature your work in Research Bites! Let us know at admin@aioh.org.au

September '21 Table of contents

ACCREDITED UNIVERSITIES Edith Cowan University

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.

By Sue Reed

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

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

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

research reports, some of whom are planning to submit proposals to for presentation at the AIOH 2021 Conference.

The University of Wollongong: Be bright, be early.

By Academic Program Director: Jane Whitelaw, CIH®, COH®, FAIOH

But, why choose us?

UOW is a leader in postgraduate learner engagement and skills development (ranked No.1 in The Good Universities Guide 2021). But don’t just take our word for it; here’s what current students said: “Without the knowledge, skills and support provided by the OHS academic program I would not be in the profession I am today or awarded opportunities such as 2019 Drager Australia Young Hygienist. The supervisors and academic staff are 100/10!”

Carmen Naylor ANSTO, NSW

UOW has delivered robust, nationally and internationally accredited and innovative Occupational Hygiene courses for over 12 years; producing awardwinning professional Occupational Hygienists, with many who are leaders in their field. We are pleased to announce that enrolments for 2022 are now open, so apply now for the accredited Master of Occupational Hygiene or choose to get started with a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Hygiene.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the Masters of Occupational Hygiene and my experience at UOW. The course and units were well structured and organised. I most enjoyed the block weeks, as they provided hands on practical experience and networking opportunities with people outside of my state…..the course has taught me the ‘why’. It has provided context and a deeper understanding to why we do things the way we do them. I feel more technically competent”.

https://coursefinder.uow.edu.au/information/index.ht ml?course=master-occupational-hygiene

Kirsty Bouskill Chevron, WA

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.

Commonwealth Supported Places are available for domestic students, making your studies very affordable.

“What I most enjoyed about the course was the knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturers that were passionate about their subject and were clearly highly experienced and well respected in industry. I found the lecturers always accessible and enjoyed all of the on site block weeks which were invaluable in developing practical skills, networking opportunities and ongoing support and relationships with my fellow students”.

Contact Jane Whitelaw for more information jane_whitelaw@uow.edu.au

Gavin Roberts Qld Govt

“Just do it!”

Ryan Collins Hypex, NSW

AWARDS

A big congratulations to Kerry Cheung, Worksafe NZ, the recipient of the 3M best student project of 2020.

Kerry’s “Evaluation of diacetyl and 2,3 -pentanedione exposures and health effects in a coffee processing facility” is currently pending publication and will be presented at AIOH 21.

RMIT University, Master of Occupational Health and Safety (major in Occupational Hygiene) Melbourne Thinking of securing a successful career in the future?

Think no further, come and study at RMIT. The Master of OHS&S-Occupational Hygiene program has been structured to offer more value propositions including industry and research focused pathways, recognition

You will enjoy the luxury of being thought and mentored by leading industry experts, gain hands-on mastery of best-in-class equipment, acquisition of add-on micro-credentials and build quality network of professionals. Your interfaces in the program would

of your prior learnings, integration of workplace experience, multiple and blended attendance options, and skill oriented practical exposures.

equip you to become a resilient and independent professional. You will be trained to design, innovate and execute solution-oriented workplace projects.

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

What Will You Study?

Masters Stage (core courses)

Graduate Diploma Stage

Graduate Certificate Stage

Assessment & Controls of Physical and Biological Hazards

Occupational Hazards and Control

Human Factors & Occupational Ergonomics

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

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

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

September '21 Table of contents

AIOH EVENTS Hello Everyone, I trust you are all well, keeping safe and sane.

Here is the AIOH September update for all things Events!

Annual Scientific Conference

Webinars and State Chapter Meetings

Amid current State Government lockdowns, fastmoving restrictions, and uncertainties on the time frame to stem the spread of COVID-19, The AIOH Council and Conference Committee have made the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 AIOH Annual Scientific Conference scheduled to be held on November 27 – December 1, 2021.

We have run some brilliant webinar presentations over the last quarter. To name some - Laurie Glossop. The Trouble with Numbers Part 2- Analysis of RCS had an outstanding attendance and was exceptionally well received. Jason Green’s webinar, finding your career direction as a trusted Health & Safety advisor. Jason gave a very information view on being a mentor and mentee and this was an extremely interactive

The AIOH Conference Committee is now planning a new date for Saturday, March 19 – Wednesday, March 23, 2022.

presentation. If you missed either of these presentations, please jump into the member centre and replay options are available.

The AIOH conference has always been about engagement, networking, scientific information, and inclusion. This is best done on a face-to-face basis, allowing you to be a key part of the AIOH conference

We also ran a sold-out event for the WA Sundowner.

The presentation topic was: COVID-19: When the facts change, I change my mind. With the help of our State Liaison officer Kelly Hey, we were very privileged to

and experience all it has to offer.

have 3 expert presenters, Candice Dix, Pierina Otness and Laurie Glossop host this face-to-face event.

In the interim, we wish you all the best of health and safety, and we thank the whole industry for the support that has been shown to AIOH, our Partners, Speakers and Members, as we all work through these challenging times.

And for all those in North Qld, this Thursday the 16 September we have another face-to-face event. Jeb Bromley will be presenting on the topic: Asbestos Contaminated Gaskets, a review on the process from

Delegate Registration, Exhibitor and Sponsor

the onsite identification through to the implementations of controls and removal from the

opportunities are still available. Interested in learning more? www.aioh.org.au/events-public/2021conference Check out our webpage, where you can secure your registration. We are excited to see you

field. If this sounds like a subject of interest, jump on, and grab your ticket!

there!

meetings that will be announced in the coming weeks, so be sure to check your inboxes for this communication.

Basic Principles Course Due to the current outbreaks of COVID19 we have postponed the September Melbourne Basic Principles course, along with this change we are now offering the course as a hybrid model for all future 2021 dates.

The hybrid course includes 3 days remote learning and 2 days face to face practical learning with hands on equipment training.

Otherwise, we have new webinars and state chapters

With the current pandemic, still very much active in the community on the eastern seaboard, we hope to provide you every AIOH resource we have to offer, to keep informed, stimulated and busy during this tedious period.

Until next edition...

We will look to resume the Melbourne course in the

Baeu Medina

coming months. New dates will be communicated shortly. If you have been interested in attending or enrolling personnel for the Melbourne course, please send me an email to express your interest and I will let you know once the new dates are available.

Conference and Event Manager

We are now sold out for the Brisbane October course and are at 50% capacity for the Sydney course in November. Please see our website if you’d like book into Sydney, we suggest not hesitating, as always, spots don’t last long!

September '21 Table of contents

HEALTH & SAFETY ALERTS NSW Silica Dashboard

Truck driver exposed to phosphine gas

The Silica dashboard was updated on June 30, 2021 which provides an update on workplace visits by SafeWork NSW, notices issued, and cases identified.

WorkSafe QLD reported that in July 2021, a truck driver began feeling very unwell after transporting grain to a feedlot with his semi-trailer. For reasons yet to be established, it appears that during the transportation he was exposed to a fumigant that produced phosphine gas which is commonly used to control insect infestations in grain.

Case Finding Study – Respirable crystalline silica exposure in the NSW manufactured stone industry, Golder Associates A study commissioned by SafeWork NSW to investigate respirable crystalline silica exposure in the manufactured stone industry, and to gather information to improve the identification and assessment of workers at risk of exposure.

Notifying WorkSafe ACT and removing asbestos

Work health and safety during the mouse plague

Asbestos found in imported gaskets

SafeWork NSW released a health and safety alert in response to areas of rural and regional NSW being affected by the ongoing mouse plague. It addresses

SafeWork SA released a Safety alert regarding asbestos in imported gaskets. In March 2021, the Australian Border Force (ABF) examined two gaskets in a consignment of after-market parts and components imported from China destined for use in

risks around exposure to diseases such as leptospirosis and hazardous chemicals like zinc phosphide.

Hazardous chemical safety in the event of a shutdown

WorkSafe ACT have released a health and safety alert regarding notifiable incidents and removing and disposing asbestos safely.

construction plant. The two gaskets were compatible with models of Komatsu and Shantui bulldozers. The gaskets were sampled and tested and found to contain chrysotile asbestos.

or reduced operations due to coronavirus (COVID-19) SafeWork NSW released a health & safety alert recognising that the COVID-19 pandemic may force

Choose the right equipment for the chemical

shutdown or reduced operations at workplaces where there are hazardous chemicals. This safety alert is about planning to manage the risks from hazardous chemicals when temporarily shutting down or

SafeWork SA reminded businesses who handle chemicals in the workplace to ensure that their equipment is compatible with the substances being handled.

reducing the extent of operations due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Recent Fines, Prosecution Summaries, and Enforceable Undertakings of Interest BDT Pty Ltd, Mordialloc, Victoria BDT Pty Ltd (ACN 085 322 390) ('the offender') trades as Rockstar Sealing. It operates a business from premises located at 3 Spray Avenue, Mordialloc ('the workplace').

The offender’s business is separated into two main functions: it provides a service where it cleans and seals surfaces, including marble and stone, and it decants and mixes dangerous goods to make sealing and cleaning products. While the offender used chemicals to make sealing and cleaning products, and also had chemicals available for sale. These chemicals included Hydrochloric Acid (Dangerous Goods Class 8 – Corrosive) and Hydrogen Peroxide (Dangerous Goods Class 5.1 – Oxidising Agent).

On 24 September 2018 a worker engaged by the offender was helping prepare orders that were to be

North Queensland farm operator convicted exposing workers to heat risk

for

On 3 June 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Townsville Magistrates Court for breaching section 32 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (‘the Act’), having failed to comply with its health and safety duty. The horticulture business held a duty under section 20 of the Act, as a person with management or control of a workplace, namely a produce farm.

In October 2017, the defendant organised for a contractor to pick pumpkins at its workplace, located at Home Hill. As part of the agreement, the defendant supplied the plant, including a tractor and picking trailer. The contractor engaged workers, primarily backpackers, to carry out the picking work. On 31 October 2017, a foreign worker on his second day at the farm deteriorated throughout the day and

delivered. Included in this order were containers of 20 litres Hydrochloric Acid. The worker noticed that two of the 20L containers were missing approximately two litres from each. The worker was then directed to top up the containers. The worker went over to a container labelled as Hydrochloric Acid and used it to top up one of the 20L containers of Hydrochloric Acid being

ultimately died from multiple organ failure due to heat related illness.

prepared for delivery. He put the lid on the container and approximately two minutes later, there was an

and conveyor attachment did not have shade structures installed in them.

explosion. A chemical reaction had occurred from within the 20L container that had just been filled and the contents of the container had spilled ('Charge 1').

A Workplace Health and Safety Queensland investigation identified that there was no nearby area provided for workers to rest and shade themselves from direct exposure to the sun, and that the trailer

On the same day, a WorkSafe Victoria inspector

A report obtained from a heat related illness expert considered there was potential of heat induced illnesses occurring if conditions were not addressed.

This report outlined the safety controls that could have

attended the workplace and issued the offender with four improvement notices under the Occupational

been implemented to address the risk, including the provision of shade for rest areas, a thermal risk

Health and Safety Act and the Dangerous Goods Act, in respect of pallet racking at the workplace and a Register of Dangerous Goods respectively. The offender took five months to comply with the pallet racking improvement notices, and four months to

assessment, the provision of training in relation to heat stress management, and moving the picking to cooler times in the day.

comply with the Dangerous Goods improvement notice ('Charges 2 and 5').

regard to the maximum penalty of $1,500,000 which reflected the seriousness of the offence. His Honour

WorkSafe Victoria's investigation revealed that the container holding what was suspected to be Hydrogen Peroxide that was used to top up the 20L Hydrochloric Acid container was not labelled, and thus not

In sentencing, his Honour Magistrate Ken Taylor had

had specific regard to the need for general deterrence in matters such as this, noting that the remorse and subsequent steps taken by the defendant lessened the need for specific deterrence.

identified as Hydrogen Peroxide. If Hydrochloric Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide are mixed, the resulting

His Honour had regard to the fact that the defendant was in exclusive control of the workplace and that the

chemical reaction can produce Chlorine gas. Chlorine gas is a pulmonary irritant that can cause acute damage in the upper and lower respiratory tract, if inhaled by a person.

defendant could not diminish his responsibility through the use of contractors. His Honour had regard to the victim impact statements of the family and partner of the deceased which showed the death had a remarkable impact on those close to him.

The offender pleaded guilty and was with conviction sentenced to pay a fine of $7,000 for 'Charge 1' and an aggregate fine of $5,000 for 'Charges 2 & 5', and ordered to pay costs of $2,660.

Esk business fined for failure to prepare and keep a hazardous chemical register On 18 June 2021, a company that owns and operates petrol stations was sentenced in the Toogoolawah Magistrates Court for failing to prepare or keep a hazardous chemical register for hazardous chemicals used, stored or kept at the workplace, contrary to section 346(1) of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (‘the Regulation’). Magistrate Sinclair imposed a fine of $1,000.

Aidacare Pty Ltd fined $26,640 for alleged noncompliance with request for face masks information The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), part of the Department of Health, has issued two infringement notices totalling $26,640 to Sydney company Aidacare Pty Ltd (Aidacare). The company allegedly breached the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (the Act) by failing to provide information requested by the TGA in relation to face masks in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).

In mitigation, His Honour took into account the post incident steps the defendant had taken to improve workplace practices including the amendments to the trailers to include shade and the director’s closer contact with workers including organizing additional training for all pickers on the defendant’s farm.

His Honour also considered the financial situation of the defendant and accepted that a substantial fine would have a significant impact. His Honour accepted that the defendant was remorseful for the death of the worker. His Honour acknowledged the plea of guilty and found that whilst late still entitled the defendant to some discount in penalty, as the witnesses were not required to attend and give evidence.

His Honour considered that whilst the seriousness of the offence would have lent itself to a fine at the upper end of the range submitted by the prosecution, namely a fine of $120,000, the mitigating factors warranted a lesser fine. His Honour did not record a conviction.

September '21 Table of contents

AIOH Foundation Update It’s been another very productive and successful quarter for the AIOH Foundation. In July we saw a wonderful milestone for the Foundation with our first ever grant-supported project being successfully delivered. This project, delivered by the Cancer Council WA, involved the development of communication materials for a silica awareness campaign during Men’s Health Month in 2021. The campaign included the development of an animated awareness video, a case study video, and social media tiles and stories.

Throughout the campaign, the Cancer Council WA posted and shared these assets across Cancer Council Australia’s social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and embedded materials on its website. Providing educational materials in a variety of formats and through a range of channels is intended to increase the reach of the messages. An assessment of the impact of the campaign will be conducted. We congratulate the Cancer Council WA for their work and recommend all members consider sharing these and other silica awareness materials with your networks to keep raising awareness of silicosis risks.

Whether you're a quarry worker or benchtop stonemason...

If there's dust around, get good PPE and push your management to get the right stuff.

Kevin Weekes

In July we were also very happy to welcome two new directors onto our board after a successful recruitment process – Jackii Shepherd and Tracey Bence. Both Jackii and Tracey are well-known members of our Institute and will bring fresh energy and ideas to the Foundation Board. We received many other applications and thank everyone who expressed an interest in joining the Foundation Board. We encourage everyone, including companies working in worker health protection, who are interested in the Foundation’s work to consider supporting us financially (see our support page) – thank you to everyone who has already provided donations. Finally, please keep sending your great ideas through so we can learn and grow together.

Andrew Bennett Chair of AIOH Foundation

September '21 Table of contents

THE COVID COLLECTION Movies selected by Martin and Sharann, based on true stories (in most cases) about occupational health disasters, for occupational hygienists during the COVID lockdowns.

Minamata (2020)

Dark Waters (2020)

In documenting what came to be known as Minamata disease, Life photographer W. Eugene Smith showed the world what toxic chemicals (mercury) were doing to a Japanese community.

"Dark Waters," stars Mark Ruffalo as an attorney trying to prosecute DuPont chemical corporation for dumping toxic waste in West Virginia. Based on the true story of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a byproduct of one of DuPont's most lucrative postwar products, Teflon. This in turn leads to a wider and more alarming look at toxic chemicals that are spread through the water supply, enter human bodies, and

Stay to watch the end credits, which document the victims of other major industrial disasters.

This led to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty that seeks to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions

stay there.

and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

number of real-life persons, acting in cameo roles.

This includes a victim of PFOA poisoning.

Silkwood (1983) This drama is based on the true story of Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep), who works at a nuclear facility, along with her boyfriend, Drew Stephens (Kurt Russell), and their roommate, Dolly Pelliker (Cher).

When Karen becomes concerned about safety practices at the plant, she begins raising awareness of violations that could put workers at risk. Intent on continuing her investigation, Karen discovers a suspicious development: She has been exposed to high levels of radiation.

Worth waiting for the end credits, which feature a

Also interesting is seeing how DuPont manipulated standards by stacking committees.

Erin Brockovich (2000) The film is a dramatization of the true story of Erin Brockovich, portrayed by Julia Roberts, who fought against the energy corporation Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) regarding its culpability for the Hinkley groundwater contamination incident. The contaminant was hexavalent chromium.

The China Syndrome (1979)

Edge of Darkness (1985)

A TV news reporter is filming in a nuclear power plant when an earthquake occurs. The reporter witnesses what is a near Nuclear meltdown or China Syndrome.

China Syndrome is when a reactor burns out of control and cannot be cooled, thus hyperbolically burning a hole of radioactive waste down through the earth all

Look out for this` original 6 part TV series made for BBC TV, not the 2010 US remake. A Yorkshire detective investigates the death of his environmental activist daughter, who was murdered after breaking into a plutonium recycling plant.

the way to China.

It was released on March 16, 1979, twelve days before the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, which gave the film's subject matter an unexpected prescience.

The Navigators (2001) It tells the story of the reactions of five Sheffield rail workers to the privatisation of British Rail railway maintenance organisation for which they all work, and the consequences for them. Inevitable cost cutting leads to a deterioration in safety with tragic results.

Bhopal A Prayer for Rain (2014) The film follows multiple characters' lives and dilemmas in the months leading to the biggest industrial disaster in human history that killed 10,000 in a few hours on the night of December 3rd 1984. The 'Bhopal gas tragedy/ disaster' happened in the capital of Madhya Pradesh. Union Carbide, an U.S.A based company were responsible for over half a million people being exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals. It is estimated 4,000 - 10,000/ people died within 24 hours and 3,900 suffered severe and permanently disabling injuries.

This led to the development of the Responsible Care initiative, by the global chemical community.

The Radium City(1987) remade The Radium Girls(2020) In the 1920s, hundreds of young women working in factories were exposed to so much of the chemical element that their gravesites can still set off Geiger counters. The story of young women hired for the prestigious jobs during depression of painting glow-inthe-dark clock faces using their fine painting skills while licking the paint brushes with their tongues to get a fine edge. They all later died of horrendous cancers as the paint was radioactive.

The Song of the Canary (1979) A film about certain practices in Ag-Chem Department of Occidental Chemical Company, at a plant in California, resulted in a nationwide ban on the production of the pesticide DBCP (1,2-Dibromo-3Chloropropane). The filmmakers discovered that every one of the plant's employees involved in the production of that chemical had become sterile. Other abuses are also brought to light. The second half of the film reveals the sorry conditions that workers must endure in textile plants in the American South.

Chernobyl (2019) The TV miniseries based on the historic drama which revolves around the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Plant disaster and clean up. The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on Saturday 26 April 1986, at the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of the Ukrainian SSR in the Soviet Union. The explosion was caused by Reactor design flaws and serious breach of protocol during simulated power outage safety test.

The Radium City The Radium Girls

Airborne Transmission of Tubercle Bacilli (1966) This clip is from the 1966 film, Airborne transmission of tubercle bacilli, from the Communicable Disease Center and Public Health Service. This clip illustrates the airborne transmission of tuberculosis and the study used to verify this. Many other respiratory diseases are likely spread in a similar way, including the coronavirus. The question of transmission by droplet vs airborne routes has major implication for which public health control measures are needed to protect workers and the public. This is an old debate that has been argued for decades.

LINK

September '21 Table of contents

CRITICALITY OF PERCEPTION RISK An opinion piece by Zach Bentley, MAIOH

Occupational Hygienists are in the business of protecting worker health. We are well versed at categorising physical, chemical, biological and radiological risks, assigning a degree of criticality to those risks and implementing controls accordingly, all with the goal of preventing adverse health ailments for workers. But how much consideration do we give to how risk is perceived by workers? Is it possible that adverse health ailments could arise solely out of a worker’s perception of being exposed to a toxic

Coca Cola fully complied with all directives from the Belgium Health authorities and on June 15th 1999 announced that they had performed extensive laboratory testing on the problematic beverages and did find an anomaly with some of the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) used to carbonate the beverages. The anomaly involved the presence of Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) in the CO2. The company pointed to this as the likely problem statement, while also citing a potential additional issue involving contamination from a

substance, as opposed to actually being exposed?

And how much consideration do we give to how risks

fungicide used on pallets during transit of the products.

will be perceived by a workforce and what external factors may adversely impact this perception of risk. n his novel, The Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell discusses the largest ever Coca Cola product

It is widely accepted that while both of the anomalies reported on June 15th were true, neither were the problem statement for the cases of suspected food poisoning. Many experts attribute the cases to a type

recall, whereby 30 million units of products, equivalent to 1% of Coca Cola’s global annual volume was pulled

of Mass Sociogenic Illness or Mass Hysteria that was cultivated through a culmination of contributing social

from shelves and dumped at a cost of more than $103 million USD. The recall was instigated by a cluster of suspected food poisoning cases that occurred at a Belgium school on the 9th of June 1999. On that day, several students reported food poisoning-like symptoms after consuming the beverages. The cases

and environmental factors in Belgium at the time.

Those experts explained that while the symptoms were believed to be entirely genuine and serious in nature, they were likely triggered from concern of being exposed to a toxic substance, as opposed to being actually exposed to a toxic substance.

received intense media scrutiny and were subsequently proceeded by 5 additional clusters of

A deeper dive on this case study produces some

similar illness at schools in the adjoining districts. In the following days, more than 100 children were hospitalised and the Belgium Health Authorities received thousands of phone calls from concerned customers who believed they, themselves had fallen ill after consuming the products.

interesting details which supports the assessment from these experts.

Firstly, in 1999, the issue of Dioxin poisoning was topical in Belgium, as the country had just overcome a Dioxin contamination scare, which involved a mass recall on meat and poultry products after it was reported that ‘Cancer causing dioxins’ at more than 50 times the permissible limit was fed to cattle at over

The Coca Cola case study offers some transferable learnings to our role in protecting worker health. The cases had no discernible cause, yet had a profound impact in Belgium at the time. When adopting a Mass Sociogenic Illness lens to the case, it becomes notable that the population was already anxious about food

200 farms. Those cases were unrelated to the Coca Cola recall, but the Belgium people were justifiably cognisant of the issues of food contamination and sensitive to subsequent reports of this nature.

contamination, and so the odd smell in some of the products acted as a type of environmental trigger to instigate an outbreak. The way the risk was publicised and the anomalies explained by the company did little to reassure the population. These events occurred in close quarters, where students readily observed each other consuming the product and experiencing

It was also discovered that children at 5 of the 6 school districts who fell ill, did not consume any of the Coca Cola product, however, did observe fellow students falling ill prior to experiencing symptoms themselves.

The level of H2S present in the CO2 was considered to be low, as concentrations ranged from 5-17 ppb. Such were more than 1000 x less than what would have been expected to cause adverse health ailments. Most notably, H2S at those concentrations would have reasonably exceeded the odor threshold for some of those who consumed the product.

symptoms.

In our line of work as Occupational Hygienists we often act as the shop front for a myriad of worker concerns, ranging from strange tastes, pungent smells, or even unusual vibration in work areas. There are occasions when these concerns in isolation may be

Simon Wessley is a physiatrist who has completed more than 10 years research into these types of events

classified as being innocuous, below a standard or even benign in nature. However, if we consider these innocuous risk perception events as potential environmental triggers, that could create a crisis comparable to what Belgium experienced in 1999, it should bolster the criticality of how we assign controls and communicate with our workforce in regard to risk

and has detailed 115 examples of suspected Mass Sociogenic Illness dating as far back as 1787.

perception issues. In 2021 public health is at the forefront of workers minds, social media platforms

Wessley explains that this type of illness is an underappreciated health issue that can mirror topical health and social concerns when conditions are conducive. Wessley details a cyclical type outbreak, whereby in an anxious population, a person observes

provide a medium for anyone with a smart phone to voice their concerns in real time to a concentrated and engaged target audience. The issue of effective risk communication and addressing worker concern in real time is more important now than ever. Prioritising

a peer falling ill, they become concerned that they themselves could be affected by the same toxin that

team culture and ensuring that our workers concerns are heard and actioned in a meaningful way can act

has affected their peer, which causes anxiety, which can manifest into genuine symptoms. These symptoms are then attributed to the unseen toxin, witnessed by another peer and so on the cycle goes.

as a control against misaligned risk perception and can help protect the health of our workforces.

Zach is an Occupational Hygienist, working in the mining sector based in Western Australia. Passionate about adopting a holistic approach to protecting worker health, Zach considers effective communication of risk as one of the most important tools of the trade when working in the field.

Sources: Gladwell, M. The tipping point.

Belgium removes pork from sale as new dioxin scare hits country. (2021). Retrieved 23 August 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/jul/24/food.foodanddrink

September '21 Table of contents

BASIC PRINCIPLES

COURSE UPDATE

It is exciting to report that the AIOH Basic Principles Courses are back up and running after a Covid induced hiatus! The most recent courses have been delivered in a hybrid mode with 3 days online and 2 days of face-to-face practicals, including sitting the BOHS W201 as an online exam. Our facilitators are Dr Jen Hines and Linda Apthorpe who have been ably assisted in Brisbane and Perth by Peter Aspinall, Mark Russell, Luke Ripper, Dr Martyn Cross and Con Spicer.

We’ve also had support from our ever ready and helpful suppliers who have provided knowledgeable guest speakers, equipment and other resources to enrich the practical component.

The feedback has been great so far for the AIOH hybrid model, and we are pleased to be able to change our modus operandum to continue to provide this key educational resource in a dynamic way! Keep an eye out for upcoming dates on the AIOH website.

Linda Apthorpe and Jen Hines

September '21 Table of contents

WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT EXPOSURE COMMITTEE UPDATE News from the AIOH Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee

The committee has submitted a response to the Safe Work Australia (SWA) Release 15 of the Workplace Exposure Standards (WESs) review. A response was made to many, but not all, of the suggested WES proposals. This submission and previous ones are available on the AIOH website at https://www.aioh.org.au/resources/publications1/sub missions.

In addition, the committee provided comment to Safe Work Australia on the measurability of WESs for a further 13 chemicals.

SWA had noted in their documentation that there was uncertainty regarding quantification of the recommended values for these WESs with available sampling and/or analysis techniques.

The committee is in the final stages of drafting a joint statement between the AIOH and NATA regarding the reliability of analytical quantification of respirable crystalline silica on filter samples at and below the current WES value of 0.05 mg/m3.

Finally, a draft position paper on isocyanates has been prepared and is currently with committee members for review.

Ian Firth - Chair of Workplace Exposure Committee

September '21 Table of contents

MEMBERSHIP SUMMARY SURVEY Annual Membership Survey – Results are in!

Thank you to everyone that took the time to participate in this year’s AIOH Members Baseline Survey. With a total of 327 responses have been received to date across a range of membership grades, it is pleasing to note that improvements on last year’s results were seen in almost all categories.

A key question we ask is whether membership of the AIOH would be recommended. To analyse the responses to this question we use the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is a metric that helps measure and

The final NPS is calculated by determined by a simple formula, being: Net Promoter Score = % Promoters – % Detractors

predict customer loyalty.

The responses from the survey are classified into three

To determine what is good, favourable, excellent or world class, a range is used as follows:

groups, being Detractors, Passives and Promoters.

Our NPS for 2021 is 28. This is an improvement on 2020 where our previous NPS was 24. While it is not a large increase, it is moving in the right direction.

Here is a breakdown of all responses.

Would you recommend membership of the AIOH?

Rate your experiences with the AIOH Administration process?

This was the one area in which we did not improve on in 2021. The positive approval rating for 2020 was 68% in comparison to 52% for 2021.

While it has taken some time to re-establish the status quo, there have been several improvements made to streamline and improve processes within the office and these are now starting to have a positive impact.

Members should see some additional changes in the

We note a number of staff changes occurred in 2021, and along with the impact of COVID, our team has had to very quickly adapt to new ways of working.

near future to further improve our customer service.

We have every confidence that these changes and the application of new ideas and enthusiasm shown by our new team will improve this outcome for our members.

I have confidence in the current AIOH Council We saw an increase here from 59% in 2020 to 64% in 2021. There are still some areas where we can improve particularly in the communication area by better articulating what we do. We have also established a new and dynamic Communication and Marketing committee in 2021 to assist us in this area.

DOES YOUR MEMBERSHIP DELIVER WHAT YOU EXPECT? The improvement here was quite significant going from 78% in 2020 to 85% in 2021. Last year’s members survey highlighted some key areas that members wanted to see improve particularly in the members value and membership application turnaround. We have targeted both of these areas and believe we have provided more value to the AIOH membership in access to webinars, guidance documents and position papers. Thanks to a concerted effort by our M&Q committee and the introduction of a new administrative processing system, our membership application turnaround has gone from months to weeks and continues to improve.

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE YOUR MEMBERSHIP EXPERIENCE? Key themes that appeared in the comments section (size indicates frequency of appearance).

We also received some comments on areas where we can improve, which included: • Access to AIOH website resources can sometimes require more clicks than seem strictly necessary.

• Make the COH maintenance program more streamlined to reduce time to upload evidence.

• Offer more opportunities for members to be involved in committees and programs.

• Registration and accessibility of webinars could be improved.

As with last year, Council will take on board the comments with the aim of continuing to improve our service to members. We have already begun to address some of the issues raised and hopefully you will begin to see this progress before the end of the year.

Whilst this survey is a formal avenue for members to comment on our direction and performance, we always welcome feedback and suggestions on how we can improve.

Please reach out to admin@aioh.org.au with any such feedback and/or suggestions.

• AIOH needs to become a professional organization that is committed to growth and is open to opportunities.

• Greater assistance in supporting members to move through the membership grades.

• A membership and recognition of Occupational Hygiene Technicians.

September '21 Table of contents

MENTORING COMMITTEE AIOH Committee Updates

AIOH Webinar - Finding your career direction as a trusted Health & Safety Advisor - Developing your Technical, Communication, Networking and Leadership skills.

The Webinar went really well with some great attendance on the day and registrations for other that will watch it later. I think this Webinar is for ALL AIOH members at any level and even if you are not in the AIOH Mentoring Program now. We all have something (either Mentor or Mentee-related) on the go within our workplace or with other colleagues we inevitably interact with throughout our OH journey.

The Chat Sessions with a Mentee (in-waiting), a current Mentee and a Mentor were so insightful and really showed what OH advisors are doing and what OH is about.

There was even bit of fun in the middle there with a film clip which will no doubt resonate with a lot of you

The AIOH Mentoring Program needs YOU! AIOH Webinar - Finding your career direction as a trusted Health & Safety Advisor - Developing your Technical, Communication, Networking and Leadership skills.

Why Mentors Matter https://www.sap.com/australia/insights/hr/whymentors-matter.html Career benefits associated with Mentoring – A meta-analysis https://isiarticles.com/bundles/Article/pre/pdf/8448.p df

OH professionals.

A special thanks to my Chat Session OH Stars, Tracey, Erin and Russell – you Rock!

Please watch this when you can – the link for this is HERE

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

Click HERE for a copy of the slides presented at the 2019 AIOH Mentoring Workshop Jason Green Chair of AIOH Mentoring Committee Jason.Green@greencap.com.au

September '21 Table of contents

PREVENTING COVID-19 FROM AIRBORNE INFECTION TRANSMISSION 20th July 2021

PRESENTED BY KATE COLE AND DR JULIA NORRIS

In case you missed it, we have the much-requested webinar available for our AIOH members: PREVENTING COVID-19 INFECTION FROM AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION

Airborne transmission of COVID-19 is a relentless and ongoing threat. Our speakers will cover preventing COVID-19 infections from airborne transmission by controlling the source, pathway, and receptor, in highrisk workplaces.

In July 2021, Kate Cole, Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) and President-Elect of the AIOH and Dr Julia Norris, Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH), FRACGP, and Past-President of the AIOH presented this webinar for the Association of Biosafety for Australia and New Zealand (ABSANZ).

Inclusions A focus on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 What are aerosols and how do they move?

Source control: Surgical masks Pathway control: Ventilation basics – using hotel quarantine as an example

Receptor control: Respiratory protection. The difference between surgical masks & RPE, general types used for biological hazards, the importance of RPE fit-testing; methods of RPE fit-testing; RESP-FIT

September '21 Table of contents

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS AIOH is pleased to announce Special Delegate Fee Package for our Members Submit your registration at

www.kicohkw.com

admin@aioh.org.au

conference@kicohkw.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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