The Filter - September 2022

The Filter

It’s finally Spring! Time to throw off your jackets and jumpers and get your Hayfever survival kits ready!

(Did you forget about the daylight savings time change on the East Coast?...No?...Just me…?)

With so much to share this quarter, we couldn’t possibly do it all justice here. Keep an eye out for past and upcoming webinars now available on the AIOH’s website, the AIOH’s Position Paper on Chromium VI – Potential for Occupational Health Issues, and the vacancies now open on AIOH Committees.

Wewouldlovetohearfromyou,eitherviaemailoronFacebook, LinkedInorTwitter.Joininonthefunwith@AIOHand#AIOH2022. Pleaseemailusat admin@aioh.org.au

KellyJaunzems,AshBoss,KateCole,andFrancesEvans

Tableofcontents

The Filter

PRESIDENT’S UPDATE

What an action-packed 3-months its been as President! Since our last edition, I’ve been to the UK to attend the BOHS Annual Conference ‘OH2022’ which was held in Belfast UK It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and colleagues and to meet with many new people equally passionate about our profession and protecting worker health The keynote presentations from Professor Cath Noakes and Professor Rachel Jones which focused on the complexity of respiratory diseases transmission and the impact of COVID-19 in the workplace were two standouts for me It was also wonderful to hear from fellow Australian occupational hygienists David Lowry who presented on the use of expert elicitation in the field of occupational hygiene and Candice Dix who presented on saving lives using real-time monitoring I was honoured to present a keynote lecture on our Australian experience of advocating for healthcare worker safety A big thank you goes to the BOHS for their ongoing support of the AIOH We look forward to seeing our British colleagues in Brisbane in December!

On the home front I can appreciate just how busy many of our members are in supporting workplaces with their COVID-controls in addition to the many other workplace hazards we routinely deal with As such I need to say a big thank you to the many occupational hygienists who responded to the call for expert assistance through the Indoor Air Quality Special Interest Group (SIG) Those expert hygienists attended a productive meeting where they shared their expertise on ventilation in workplaces to manage the risks of COVID-19 and support important work being undertaken by NSW Health If you re not already a member of the AIOH Indoor Air Quality SIG you can subscribe at this weblink

On the topic of COVID it was a delight to host Channel

10s The Project at our AIOH offices in June We were asked to comment on current covid restrictions so we invited the TV crew to our offices to sit in on our annual face-to-face AIOH Council meeting so they could see our COVID controls in action

Thanks goes to Laurie Glossop who contributed to a webinar series with IBEC on Making Confidence our Travel Companion The webinar examined how to keep ourselves and others safe from infection You can read more here

Thanks also goes to SafeWork NSW who have worked to create many additional awareness videos on preventing silicosis including one I was delighted to feature in

Thanks also goes to Dino Pisaniello who represented the AIOH at the recent ABSANZ conference

The work of Council and our Committees during the last quarter has been nothing short of impressive A few things that we have ticked off in the last 3 months include:

Launching the AIOH Career Development Pathway Program to assist members and aspiring occupational hygienists progress through their career

Appointing all representatives to the Strategic Risk Advisory Committee This committee will provide independent informed and expert recommendations to Council on our exposure to business risks

Securing the new professional development award the Eurofins Innovation Award which is a fantastic addition to the professional development awards offered by the AIOH

Finalised and launched our new financial reporting dashboard which makes understanding the AIOHs budget and cash position intuitive and easier to access

Signed an agreement with GCG for the provision of online e-Learning courses We have always had a strong professional development offering at the AIOH and these courses complement that by providing information for persons with an interest in key areas of mould asbestos and dusts

Launched the illicit drugs and contamination course which is travelling around the country providing expert knowledge on how to undertake evidence and risk-based assessment and management of these environments in a safe and efficient manner

Made a submission to the Proposed Work health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites)

Regulation 2022

Made a submission on the proposed updates to Victorian Energy Upgrades program space heating and cooling activities

Made a submission to the proposed updates to water heating activities in the Victorian Energy Upgrades program; and

Made a submission to the Safe Work Australia Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement

On the topic of being seen we have been in many places this quarter! I was honoured to be invited to speak about the important topic of silicosis at the Australian Workers Union national conference and also to attend the AWU Gala Dinner where I listened to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese address the audience on many important issues, including his commitment to address the silicosis crisis in our Country

The 2022 Conference Committee together with our Conference & Events Manager Michelle Portelli have also been doing a fantastic job securing some amazing keynote speakers events and exhibitors for Brisbane in December There is also an exceptional line up of Continuing Education Sessions planned and also many courses running prior including the W501 Measurement of Hazardous Substances and the Illicit Drugs & Drug Decontamination Courses

I could not end my President’s Update without a very large thank you to acknowledge the hard work performed by Dr Sharann Johnson AM over the last 6months in her position as Business Manager We are very grateful to have had Sharann in the position as she has done some amazing things for our Institute and we are indebted to her for her tenacity and her hard work Apart from the work that Sharann has done for the AIOH, I am personally incredibly grateful for the unwavering support that I have received from Sharann as President-Elect and now as President Her collaborative approach and above all her kindness has been truly wonderful

The Executive have finalised recruitment for the new position of Operations Manager and I look forward to sharing more on this very soon

Stay healthy everyone

Kate Cole OAM President

INDUSTRY & LEGISLATIVE NEWS

WORKPLACE HEALTHANDSAFETY

wave

Under WHS laws businesses must keep their workers and others safe by managing the risk of COVID-19 transmission and exposure in the workplace Due to the predicted increase in exposure risks, businesses must review their risk assessment to ensure the control measures they have implemented are effective

While it is no longer mandatory SafeWork NSW encourages the use of the COVID-19 Safety Plan checklist to outline the actions businesses have taken to minimise the risk of disease spreading in the workplace and in the community Welcome to the SafeWork Wrap - July 2022 edition (nsw gov au)

New Videos

SafeWork NSW have launched a series of new

ALLIED ORGANISATION S

OEHS Gains Visibility: AIHA Responds with Public-Facing Worker Health and Safety Programs Partnerships and Resources

The global COVID-19 pandemic has thrust occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals (also known as occupational hygienists) into the spotlight COVID provided a perfect storm opportunity for the profession to showcase its expertise in respiratory protection and other control strategies to help employers protect their workers from COVID AIHA the association for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and ensuring occupational and environmental health and safety in the workplace and community immediately responded to the pandemic by developing a wide range of knowledge products that distill the complexities of the science into terminology the lay person understands, while also communicating the value OEHS professionals bring to the table

Back to Work Safely

In 2020 as the pandemic was unfolding, AIHA launched its Back to Work Safely initiative which consists of a series of free guidance documents created for 27 different industry sectors populated by small businesses Each document includes practical recommendations designed to help a non-scientific audience understand clear and actionable steps to take to mitigate the risk of airborne transmitted viruses like COVID – from the perspectives of the employer the employee and the customer/supplier/contractor who may visit a facility

Guidance is based on the NIOSH hierarchy of controls and recommends a layered approach to reducing risk in the workplace This may include a mix of engineering controls (e g increased ventilation and air filtration) administrative controls (e g staggered work shifts) and personal protective equipment (e g respirators and gloves) They are available in both English and Spanish For more information, please visit www backtoworksafely org

AIHA also has developed other resources specifically for OEHS professionals

These include the recently updated 2nd edition of AIHA’s Role of the IH in a Pandemic available for free on AIHAs website and a new PDF-based interactive COVID Exposure Assessment Tool (CEAT) Other guidance documents (available in English and Spanish) covering such topics as cleaning/disinfection protocols real-time detection equipment and more can be downloaded from the AIHA website

Larry Sloan has served as CEO for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) since October 2016 Prior to this he served as CEO for seven years at SOCMA a trade association representing the interests of the US specialty chemical industry Larry started his non-profit career at the Adhesive and Sealant Council a trade association representing adhesive and sealant manufacturers and was promoted to his first CEO role there in January 2005 He led this group for five years

Larry began his career as a chemical engineer at Air Products and later worked for Nalco Chemical Company in marketing manufacturing and sales capacities

Larry earned a BS degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and later graduated from Northwestern Universitys Kellogg Graduate School of Management where he earned his MBA For more than 20 years Larry has been an active member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) In 2006 he earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential and in 2021 he was appointed a Fellow (FASAE)

He has spoken at various non-profit community events over the years hosted by ASAE CESSE (Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives) and others

Prior volunteer leadership roles include serving on the ASAE Research Committee (chair in 2020); as board member (chair in 2012) of the National Association of Manufacturers Council of Manufacturing Associations; as board member of the Société de Chemie Industrielle; as an executive committee member of the Science History Institutes Joseph Priestly Society; and as board member of the Chemical Educational Foundation

Commit To C A R E : A Global Partnership

As a result of its Back to Work Safely initiative in early 2021 AIHA received its first grant under a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop additional guidance for various end-user industry segments AIHA partnered with IBEC The Integrated Bioscience and Built Environment Consortium to launch Commit To

C A R E (Community Awareness Responsibility

Equity) This public education initiative offers various free tools and resources to help employers mitigate the spread of airborne transmissible viruses in the workplace They recommend numerous engineering and administrative strategies as well as respiratory protection protocols for high and low-risk workers

Leading health organizations including the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), National Safety Council, ABSA International, and Indoor Air Quality Association Australia among others are calling on employers and their employees to commit to adopting various risk mitigation efforts that control the spread of COVID-19 variants in the workplace

OEHS Careers org

The OEHS industry response to COVID has provided an opportune time for students and employers to witness the critical work that these mission-driven essential professionals provide As a result AIHA launched OEHSCareers org with free resources for students teachers and career counselors interested in learning more about this dynamic profession The site features videos of young professionals discussing their jobs as well as a list of universities that offer a degree in OEHS Included is reference to AIHAs IH

Professional Pathway program an innovative resource that helps guide young professionals through the various stages of an OEHS career And for the younger students AIHAs IH Heroes initiative a comic book style program that includes a web-based smart game, introduces the professional to students in a fun, educational manner

The Australasian Land & Groundwater Association (ALGA) has been supporting the contaminated land and groundwater industry and the professionals working in the sector for more than 15 years

ALGA has recently released its updated strategic plan in the form of an infographic to its members which they have also shared with us for this edition of The Filter

In conclusion AIHA is dedicated to developing more educational resources, campaigns, and partnerships that bring awareness to the value of OEHS professionals internationally To learn more visit www aiha org

The infographic details ALGAs commitment to support their member community and the wider industry by drawing on ALGAs vision to lead the world in the sustainable management of contaminated land and groundwater With over 2000 members across Australasia and a strong partner community ALGA offers specialists and professionals working in the contaminated land and groundwater sector an opportunity to be part of an established and growing network that is made up of 10 Specialist Interest Groups and 14 branches

Visit www landandgroundwater com to join as a member or to register for one of ALGAs events webinars or training opportunities

Lawrence D Sloan MBA FASAE CAE

Chief Executive Officer

ADOSE OFRESEARCH

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Evaluation of Higher Education Learning Environments

Journal of Smart Buildings and Construction Technology | Volume 04 | Issue 01 | June 2022

Many studies have demonstrated that the indoor air quality of classrooms affects students concentration and performance These results show that temperature and CO2 concentration in classrooms was constantly higher than the government guidance on a daily basis The study has revealed poor IAQ in higher education buildings in the UK, particularly in larger rooms with high occupancy

Asbestos removal in Wheatbelt after bushfires proves expensive

ABC News, 14 Jun 2022, including comments by asbestos list moderator Peirina Otness

Asbestos is costing home owners hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean up after shattering in Februarys Wheatbelt bushfires

Property owners hit with compulsory asbestos clean-up bills after bushfires

People with asbestos in homes warned of shattering effect that happens in fires

Toxicologist says asbestos becomes 10 times more expensive to remove if it shatters

It has prompting warnings of an inevitable catastrophe if more asbestos-filled towns are burned

How to improve ventilation and encourage air flow from outside to help reduce the risk of spreading

COVID-19 in the workplace

Government of Victoria

New guidance plus a $60 million Small Business Ventilation Program to help eligible public-facing small businesses to improve building ventilation in areas accessible to customers

Shannon and Tim Hardingham were quoted $250,000 to remove the asbestos from buildings destroyed in a bushfire which hit their farm

Nearby farmer Colin Pond was quoted $130 000 to remove asbestos from the remains of just one farmhouse

He estimated 15 farms were razed by the fire which narrowly missed the town of Corrigin Some state governments have offered a cleanup program at no cost to property owners

See NSW Bushfire Clean-up Program as an example

AIOH member Brad Prezant was featured on the IAQ Radio podcast talking about assessing the risk of infection and air exchange:

https://iaqradio podbean com/e/bradley-prezant-mbamsph-cih-coh-caqp-assessing-risk-of-infection-airexchange-%E2%80%93-co2-pitfalls-sf6-benefits/

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) has nominated 850ppm as an average over an 8-hour period as the design goal for carbon dioxide (CO2) for new construction:

https://abcb gov au/sites/default/files/resources/202

1/Handbook-Indoor-Air-Quality pdf

End-of-Shift Monitoring of Respirable Crystalline

Silica: A Critical Review of Measurement Techniques and Factors Influencing Accurate Measurements

The impact of interference in host materials when measuring Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) is critical for the development of in-field portable RCS devices Our recent publication (David Dennis Tettey Noi, Brian Davies AM and Vinod Gopaldasani) provides a critical review of the measurement techniques and factors influencing accurate RCS measurements

This came my way while investigating noise exposure at a composites operation that uses styrene

Preventing Hearing Loss Caused by Chemical (Ototoxicity) and Noise Exposure

OSHA-CDC 2018

Research demonstrates exposure to certain chemicals, called ototoxicants, may cause hearing loss or balance problems, regardless of noise exposure Substances including certain pesticides, solvents, and pharmaceuticals that contain ototoxicants can negatively affect how the ear functions causing hearing loss and/or affect balance

The risk of hearing loss is increased when workers are exposed to these chemicals while working around elevated noise levels This combination often results in hearing loss that can be temporary or permanent, depending on the level of noise, the dose of the chemical, and the duration of the exposure This hearing impairment affects many occupations and industries from machinists to firefighters

Why Indoor Chemistry Matters

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2022 Why Indoor Chemistry Matters

Washington, DC: The National Academies Press

https://doi org/10 17226/26228

This report explores indoor chemistry from different perspectives including sources and reservoirs of indoor chemicals and the ability of these chemicals to undergo transformations and partitioning in the indoor environment In some cases indoor chemistry can result in the creation of potentially more or less toxic products, reactive intermediates, or products with different physiochemical properties

As more attention is deservedly focused on indoor chemistry, more chemicals and their reactions will be identified, adding to an already complex problem

Many of these chemicals may have little to no information regarding their toxicity, either as individual agents or in combination with other chemicals present in the environment Mitigating chemical hazards will depend on many factors and needs to be done in a manner that considers the impacts of any mitigation strategy itself on the indoor environment This will require efforts in changing building design and operation altering the use and contents of products and materials and addressing the impact of human activity on indoor chemistry

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

This edition we have an endearing story from one of our newest COH’s, Shane McDougall, who shares a fascinating story about his personal journey to COH Like many of us, his journey into the profession wasn’t perfectly linear, however you may not have heard an entrance into the industry such as this one We hope you enjoy this feature just as much as we did!

“So how in the world does someone make the leap from mixing mud, carting bricks and sweeping up silica-filled dust piles to sitting in front of a COH® examiner panel?? The short answer is, “hard work, great resources and opportune meetings” Hi, my name is Shane McDougall and this is my story (Sorry had to do the Dale Kerrigan, from the Castle )

Like a lot of young fellas growing up in the small country town of Gympie, high school was where you either excelled academically or in the sport arena and for me it was sport By the time I finished school I had represented Qld and Australia in Judo and was on my way to Sydney for a trial with Balmain in the Australian Rugby League (ARL) The downside to my commitment to sport was that it meant I finished high school with a Tertiary Entrance score that I clearly recall my mum shaking her head and saying “How will you ever get a decent job with that!”

You could say my life after high school was slightly unique to majority of AIOH members It didn't involve attending university and studying a degree that eventually exposed me to the occupational hygiene field Nope After a short stint with Balmain (ARL) and realising I hated Sydney life my after-school life had me employed as a brickie’s labourer until I was about 20, at which point an opportune meeting occurred that would many years later bring me into the world of occupational hygiene

It was 1993, the bands Screaming Jets and Hunters and Collectors were killing it and Vanilla Ice haircuts were everywhere I had applied for a job with Telstra which is where I met my future wife Kerry Later that year Kerry and I moved to Mount Isa where I was employed by Mount Isa Mines in the Copper Smelter on the Anode Wheel This job consisted of myself using a hand-held jack hammer to chip anodes for about 4hrs straight which would make your hands completely numb at times and to top it off the role also required you to work in or around a casting process where the copper was approximately 1300º C and emitted fume and dust

In late 1997 I obtained an adult apprenticeship with Hastings Deering (QLD Caterpillar Dealer) which for next 15 years saw my career expand from an apprentice cutting, grinding and rebuilding components with minimal health and safety protection, to managing CAT branches of 300+ employees and then onto working for one of the big three mining companies overseeing rebuilds of heavy mining equipment These years in many ways did expose me to the occupational hygiene world, unfortunately from the view of the one being exposed to various health hazards

2012 came round, Occupational Hygiene Consulting Pty Ltd (OHC) was created by Kerry of which she was quickly becoming recognised in the Hunter Valley as the Queen of Occupational Hygiene This also had its downside as there wasn’t enough hours in a week for Kerry to execute the work and run the business It was at this point I made the decision that I would take leave from mine employment to help establish OHC to operate more seamlessly and then go back to mining Well that never happened, as this was also the moment the penny dropped for me to change career and add value to the health and safety of workers

Ok yes, as a result being married to Kerry, I knew the occupational hygiene field existed, but until I got involved with the business I did not truly understand how the field of occupational hygiene could literally save workers lives and it was this reason that made me take up the challenge to one day become an occupational hygienist myself

It all started 2014, Kerry educated me on how to be a “ pump jockey” and then put me to work in the field

Around the same time, I attended the AIOHs Basic Principles Course in Sydney, which I clearly remember as it included Linda Apthorpe as one of the educators just oozing a level of excitement and passion about working in the occupational hygiene industry like nothing I had seen before After a couple of years gaining experience with multiple occupational hazards within industries such as mining, power generation, waste management and construction I enrolled at the University of Wollongong (UOW) with the goal of completing the Masters in Occupational Hygiene which came to successful fruition in 2020

Through a combination of having one of the AIOH’s most passionate and talented hygienist as my wife, the knowledge learnt from UOW, the breadth of industries our little company services as well as my own personal experiences as a tradesman on the floor, I have been extremely fortunate to be able to build my knowledge base across so many areas of the occupational hygiene field, which in turn recently allowed me to sit the AIOH COH® examination and be successful

Achieving COH® is a great feeling and something I'm humbled to have achieved, but the reason I wanted to share my story is because I think it demonstrates to anyone both inside and outside our AIOH community that as long as you’re dedicated and passionate about using the resources and wealth of knowledge available within the AIOH and its members, and the universities providing occupational hygiene qualifications, then there is always an opportunity for anyone, yes - even a brickies labourer, to become a highly sought after occupational hygienist or COH® and ultimately improve worker health and save lives

So that’s the long answer on how a brickie’s labourer becomes a COH® A role I truly enjoy Oh, another bonus of my journey is that it now gives Kerry and I the unique opportunity, to be able to introduce ourselves as Australia's first Wife/Husband COH® couple���� ”

Brickies Labourer to COH®

WELCOME NEWMEMBERS

RETIREMENT MEMBERS

2021- CURRENT

On behalf of the AIOH Council acknowledges our members who have gained retirement membership from June 21 – August 22 we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to you for your incredible contributions towards the profession of occupational hygiene and we wish you all well in your retirement

Your support of the AIOH has been remarkable and we cannot thank you enough

Noel Harradine

Dino Pisaniello

Stephen Dean

Jeff Simpson

Peter Attwood

Ron Capil

Raymond Moos

Carolyn Davis

Martyn Cross

Ron Connor

Jan Gardner

Beno Groothoff

Andrew Magarey

Terry Gorman

Brian Smith

Greg Payne

Russell Bond

Wayne Powys

Alan Rogers

Dianne Allen

Ronald Connor

Members As of the 19th August 2022

Professional Members

Wai Fun Chan (Helen)

Martyn Andrew

Rob Alcock

Spencer Varndell

Paul Clarkson

Rebecca Potgieter

Jason Porras Poma

Laurent Maziere

Yousuf Noman

Steven Gillies

Isaac Patturajan

Kudakwashe Promise Nechikwira

Vasudeva Menon

Shane Conaghan

Kynan Usback

Samantha James

Aizuddin Abu Bakar

Upendra Bhujun

Michelle Botha

Shai Malone

Jason Nguyen

Jay Raval

Peter Meredith

Marylia Costa

Benjamin Rochester

Caitlyn Borg

Blake Fabling

Jessica Cowper

Holly Warren

Christian Welman

Aaron O'Shea

Sage Robinson

Ajay Thomas

Michael Hannah

Christian Ortiz Espindola

David Noi

Kiran Dhillon

Ryan Bailey

Henry Pelka

Christine Wardale

Robert Eyre

Elaine Feeney

Linda Makarova-Smith

Rambabu Kurra

Yunhwa Seon

Alex Franklin

Johannes Deon Swanepoel

Muhammad Abdullah

Kurtis Kavanagh

Jennifer Ormsby

Rowan Macaulay

John Breed

Meghan Swift

Leisa Puckering

Benjamin Coughlan

Hader Ali

Nivine Farage

Joshua Nott

Malcolm Burgin

Rebecca Rush

Vikki Young

Gabriel Telesca

Michael Obstoj

Alex Corbally-Vaselli

Cindy Innes

Emma Materowski

Tristan Turnbull

Sadia Afsana

Grace Boniface Deyoi

Calum Mathewson

Rajiv Paniselvum

Darcie McNamara

Jonathon Stephens

Joshua Martin

Jasvin Josen

Karl Thompson

Adrianne Darling

Jason Boyce

Yvonne Reilly

Rhys Thomas

Chris Johnsson

Monique O'Toole

Carina Diaz

Samantha Bilske

Andrew Marom

Paul Baguley

Robert Galjaardt

Darren Viemero

COMMITTEE UPDATES

COH Board Update

by Adelle Liebenberg

We have been busy this year and I just want to thank everyone involved with our activities, either directly or indirectly, for their dedication and time! A big shoutout and thank you to the following people:

Everyone involved with the exams, either through being on examination panels or supporting staff and volunteers (exam “whisperers”)

The COH Board who are reviewing & updating policies, procedures and exam question sets as well as investing time into completing COH audits

Alicia Gorman who is our support and who is responsible for making the magic happen

The AIOH Council who supports all our activities and provides strategic insight and guidance along the way

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

Much has been achieved this year, in spite of Covid

The Basic Principles Course (BPC) is also now available in an OHTA approved hybrid form, and some 4 courses were run throughout Australia – Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and another two planned for the remainder of the year – Melbourne, Brisbane In 2022 thus far, some 80 students have attended these courses The slides for BPC have been reviewed and updated by the committee and BPC presenters Jen

Hines and Linda Apthorpe

Seven webinars have been delivered on various topics ranging from Welding fumes, Respirable Silica, Professional development and many more Others are planned for the remainder of the year

COH Exams

We have another round of COH exams scheduled for 2- 3 December just before the AIOH Conference If you are interested in undertaking your COH exam, please submit your “Expression of Interest” form as quickly as possible, as we have a lot of interest but limited capacity, which means ‘first paid, best dressed” We now have regular opportunities to undertake COH exams, once a quarter, and the next exams are scheduled as follow:

December 2022

March 2023

Jun 2023

September 2023

December 2023

Brisbane

Sydney

Brisbane

Perth

Melbourne

We bid farewell to Tegan Dixon, Ritesh Patel and thank them for their time on the committee We also welcome 4 new members to the committee, Rob Alcock, Carolyn Topping, Luke Dunk and Sharran Johnson to increase the non-academic side of the committee

The committee is responsible for preparing accreditation reviews/ reports of Masters of Occupational Hygiene programs for AIOH Council

This year has been particularly busy with RMIT, University of Queensland and Edith Cowan University all due for accreditation or reaccreditation

I would like to thank the committee Kelly Johnstone, Sue Reed, Adelle Liebenberg, Ken Osakwe, Jane Whitelaw, and in particular Michelle Portelli who made it all happen

Noel Tresider Chair

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

An Update from the External Affairs Committee (EAC)

Tracey Bence (Chair), Kate Cole, Dino Pisaniello, Peter Knott, Shelley Rowett, Sharann Johnson

So here is what the clever and committed men and women of EAC have been up to lately – speaking out for worker health all across the country.

EAC and the AIOH Council also acknowledges the recent special contributions of Andrew Orfanos, for the Asbestos submission Phillip Turner, for the Indoor Air Quality submission and Paul Foley, for the Mines and Petroleum Regulations submission and the ongoing dedication of all our AIOH member representatives who take seats at the table of various technical committees, national and international bodies month in and month out to represent the Institute’s mission We promote healthy workplaces and protect the health of Australian workers through application of the knowledge, practice and standing of occupational health & hygiene.

NATIONAL - Regulation of Respirable Crystalline Silica

QLD - Property disclosure of asbestos

NSW - Proposed WHS Mines and Petroleum Regs

VIC Energy Upgrades on IAQ and water heaters

VIC Energy Upgrades on IAQ and space heating

VALEDEREK MILLER

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Derek Miller.

Derek was well known to many AIOH members. He was one of the founders of the Asian Network of Occupational Hygiene (ANOH) and was a key driver of the group He was a past member of a number of Boards including ANOH, Governance of the Health and Safety Association of New Zealand, and the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA).

Derek was a Certified Occupational Hygienist and a past-President and Fellow of the New Zealand Occupational Hygiene Society. He was also one of the founders of FAMANZ.

For over 30 years, Derek worked in occupational hygiene in the military and consulting practice and advised many industries in New Zealand.

Derek will be sorely missed but also remembered with much fondness.

BRISBANE CONFERENCE

AIOH CONFERENCE 2022 IS UPON US

Join AIOH on a quest for simple and sustainable solutions to the occupational hygiene challenges of today and tomorrow

SIMPLE. SUSTAINABLE. SOLUTIONS for today, tomorrow and our future

Saturday 3rd December to Wednesday 7th December 2022

The theme for the Conference is SIMPLE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS – selected to represent our quest for simple and sustainable solutions to the occupational hygiene challenges of today and tomorrow We hope the Conference will empower our profession to meet these challenges with solutions that provide sustainable improvements to worker health and wellbeing

Saturday 3rd December*

*Slight changes to title names may occur

Visit https://aiohconference delegateconnect co/ for more information

To be held at the Sofitel Hotel Brisbane Central Early bird registrations are open until 30th September 2022

Continuing Education Sessions Spaces are limited Register now to secure your place.

Sunday 4th December*

UPCOMING EVENTS

Malaysian Industrial Hygiene Association International Conference

The premier conference in Malaysia for occupational health and safety scientists Connect and Collaborate for Resilient Worker Protection

21 – 23 September

6th ANOH & 7th Indonesia Industrial Hygiene Association Conferences

28 September

COMED – A Tool for Quantifying Efficiency of Exposure Controls

Indonesia

The premier conference in Indonesia for occupational health and safety scientists Exploring Asian Way: Protecting Workers Health in a Challenging World

Online

COMED (Control Measures Efficiency Database) is a web-based tool which contains reliable objective data on efficiency of exposure control measures It enables users to compare efficiencies of different control options and identify key performance characteristics

Control Advice Sheets summarise essential information for buyers and users of the equipment This presentation will introduce attendees to COMED and demonstrate its functionality through use of case studies COMED is managed by a team based at the Fraunhofer ITEM institute in Hannover Germany

Melbourne

3 -4 October Illicit Drugs And Drug Contamination Course

The Illicit drugs and drug contamination: fundamentals for occupational hygiene environmental and safety professionals course has been specifically developed by experts to support occupational hygienists environmental and safety professionals is in the assessment and management of locations impacted by illicit drug contamination

Sydney

6-7 October Illicit Drugs And Drug Contamination Course

The Illicit drugs and drug contamination: fundamentals for occupational hygiene environmental and safety professionals course has been specifically developed by experts to support occupational hygienists environmental and safety professionals is in the assessment and management of locations impacted by illicit drug contamination

Online

14 October Masterclass - Beyond Simple Statistics for OHs

In this webinar we will quickly review simple compliance statistics and then move on to the application of Bayesian Methods for compliance evaluation comparisons between determinants of exposure (eg SEG Year Controls) and the evaluation of trends Given the current popularity of real time instrumentation the webinar will also canvas some approaches to the treatment of real time data

Malaysia (Virtual)

19 – 20 October

Malaysian Industrial Hygiene Association International Conference

24 – 28 October

Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

18 November

14

Principles of Occupational Hygiene Course

The premier conference in Malaysia for occupational health and safety scientists Connect and Collaborate for Resilient Worker Protection

Melbourne

The Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene course provides participants a practical understanding of occupational hygiene for people who need to manage or advise on workplace health issues It also provides a foundation from which to undertake more in-depth study in individual occupational hygiene subjects as well as informs and enthuses students about the contribution of occupational hygiene to worker health

Brisbane

The Basic Principles of Occupational Hygiene course provides participants a practical understanding of occupational hygiene for people who need to manage or advise on workplace health issues It also provides a foundation from which to undertake more in-depth study in individual occupational hygiene subjects as well as informs and enthuses students about the contribution of occupational hygiene to worker health

Brisbane

30 November – 4 December

W501 - Measurement of Hazardous Substances course

3

4 December

Illicit Drugs And Drug Contamination Course

The W501 course is a pathway to gaining the International Certificate in Occupational Hygiene (ICertOH) The AIOH recognises the ICertOH as an additional way to obtain full membership of the AIOH If you are looking to expand your knowledge of sampling some of the outcomes include: describing the general approach to health risk assessment including the role of atmospheric monitoring; selecting 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

Brisbane

The Illicit drugs and drug contamination: fundamentals for occupational hygiene environmental and safety professionals course has been specifically developed by experts to support occupational hygienists environmental and safety professionals is in the assessment and management of locations impacted by illicit drug contamination

Brisbane

3 – 7 December

AIOH Annual Conference & Exhibition

Sofitel Brisbane

Attendees at the 39th AIOH Annual Scientific Conference & Exhibition will hear from a range of occupational hygienists and occupational health and safety experts who will address the conference theme during keynote presentations and workshops

A program of Continuing Education Sessions precedes the Conference and Trade Exhibition and is open to both members and non-members These sessions provide a diverse range of opportunities for attendees to update their knowledge and skills

Get a sneak peek on whats on offer:

Keynotes and Plenaries

Concurrent Sessions Continuing Education Sessions

CONFERENCE

Garry“Shooter”Gately inAction!

As we begin to enter the realm of our next Conference, we’d like to thank Garry for his dedication to capturing our best moments. This time, however it appears we caught him through our own lens!

Paparazzi Professionalio Gary Gately has, along with Victorian long-term member Halil Ahmet, been snapping AIOH conference capers for too many years to remember. An AIOH stalwart Gary has accumulated 20 conferences, two terms as AIOH Secretary (1988 & 89) and a Presidential term in 2004 under his belt and has been a friend and mentor to numerous members over the years. Famous for his buoyant bonhomie and photographic panazz (clearly demonstrated by the headgear) Gary has a photographers eye for action shots which has gained him a prestigious position amongst the AIOH photographic talent pool.

ACCREDITED UNIVERSITIES

Edith Cowan University | The University of Wollongong

News from Edith Cowan University

We have been busy with student workshops and teaching activities across WA and NSW all through the pandemic which showcased the resilience and adaptability of our students Despite some challenging conditions weve witnessed student success and growth added value to our industry partners and managed to have fun along the way doing it!

Our teaching staff have been busy with their research and short course development as well!

PUBLICATIONS

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

Jenke T Boylan J Beatty S Ralph M

Chaplyn A Penney G Cattani M (2022)

Fatality risk management: Applying Quinlans Ten Pathways in Western Australias mining industry Safety Science 146(Feb 2022) Article number 105494 Link

Liebenberg A Nie VM Brichta A M

Ahmadi S James C J

Pre-employment hearing threshold levels of 59 601 Australian male coal miners compared to an otologically normal international male population (ISO7029:2019) Int J Audiol 2022:19 doi:10 1080/14992027 2022 2088625

Maisey G Cattani M Devine A Lo J Fu SC Dunican I (2022)

Digging for data: How sleep is losing out to roster design sleep disorders and lifestyle factors Applied Ergonomics: human factors in technology and society 99(Feb 2022) Article number 103617 Link

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) 8-14

Oosthuizen J ; Stoneham M ; Hannelly T;

Masaka E ; Dodds G ; Andrich V (2022)

Environmental Health Responses to COVID 19 in Western Australia: Lessons for the Future International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(9393) Link

Penney G Ridge S Cattani M (2022)

Enhancing fire service incident investigation –translating findings into improved outcomes using PIAM Safety Science 145(Jan 2022) Article number 105488 Link

Ralph M Cattani M (2022)

A review of radiation doses and associated parameters in Western Australian mining operations (2018-20) Journal of Radiological Protection 2022(42) 012501 Link

The University of Wollongong

#ThisIsUOW

by Jane Whitelaw

Contact Jane Whitelaw for more information or drop by our booth at AIOH22 in Brisbane to meet our graduates and enter our prize draw!

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 Spring workshops on Physical Hazards and Measurement

Research News: Productivity gains derived from the application of emissions-based maintenance

It is common knowledge that emissions-based maintenance i e conducting targeted engine maintenance based on diesel engine exhaust data will reduce carcinogenic diesel engine exhaust exposure Dr Jen Hines demonstrated that this practice reduces fuel consumption and thus saves the operation money What is not yet apparent is whether this control strategy has any other benefits such as reduced engine break down or deriving insights from the generated emissions data for example the prediction of future engine faults or generating an algorithm to aid engine fault diagnostics

Deon Swanepoel is conducting research to determine the productivity gains induced by following an emissions-based maintenance program He is currently combing through historic maintenance records of a diesel fleet which will be overlayed and compared with corresponding historic emission data to investigate the effect of maintenance on engine emissions

A crucial output of this work is to validate software that can facilitate engine fault diagnoses from emission data Deon is a PhD candidate and a registered occupational hygienist from South Africa studying at the UOW with a COPERSH scholarship

What Will You Study?

SHORT COURSE UPDATE:

Food Microbiology 101 Short Course 1st – 2nd October 2022

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: www ecu edu au/short-courses/medical-healthsciences/food-microbiology

TOXICOLOGY SHORT COURS COMING SOON!

Due to popular demand Dr Martyn Cross have developed a Toxicology short course which will be on offer from 2023 watch this space!

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)

Having spent his first year based in South Africa (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

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

AIOH VACANCIES

There are a number of diverse opportunities at present for AIOH members to harness their passion and use their skills to support our vision for a health workplace

It is the Boards and Committees that are the power houses of the work that gets put out by our Institute and is what makes us successful Whether you re a relatively new member of the AIOH or one that is incredibly experienced, we encourage members to contribute in areas that you are passionate about

All Expressions of Interest close on the 30th of September 2022

Expression of Interest to join the AIOH Foundation Board

The AIOH Foundation is currently requesting Expressions of Interest for individuals to join the Foundation board for a three-year term to replace board members who are about to finish their tenure

Some background information on the AIOH Foundation Ltd In 2016 the foundation was established as a company limited by guarantee incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Commonwealth) ACN 614 388 340 and is a registered health promotion charity (focussing on workplace health) with the Australian Charities and Not-for–profits Commission (ACNC)

The purpose of the AIOH Foundation is to promote the principles of occupational hygiene in the prevention and control of disease in workplace in Australia The core principles of occupational hygiene, namely anticipation recognition evaluation and control of workplace hazards are not well understood in many industries Better knowledge and application of these principles will result in significant advances in the prevention and control of workplace disease

The current AIOH Foundation board consists of the following members: Sally North (Chair) Raelene Young (Secretary) and board members Lisa Mills, Robert Golec Tracey Bence Jackii Shepherd and Lana Darbyshire

The minimum commitment of a board member is to attend a virtual board member monthly for approximately an hour a month to support sound decision making on the AIOH Foundation strategy Grant recipients and Fundraising activities

Applicants do not have to be a member of the AIOH to apply, as we aim to have a Board with a range of technical and not-for-profit related skills Induction into the Board and director duties awareness training will be provided to the successful applicants

If you are interested please email info@aiohfoundation org au and we will provide further information on the Foundation and how to apply

Expression of Interest to join the AIOH Communications and Marketing Committee

We’re seeking expressions of interest from members interested in joining the Communications and Marketing committee Responsibilities include:

To work with Council and AIOH committees to ensure well informed, consistent and timely material is communicated to our members

Producing the AIOH Magazine The Filter

Promote knowledge of the occupational hygiene profession to both the public and to members of the AIOH through the use of Social media including LinkedIn Facebook and Twitter

Meetings of the committee are held virtually once per fortnight for under an hour The work of the committee is scheduled and planned using electronic tools including SharePoint, Monday com and Buffer for social media which enable flexibility of committee members contribution

If you have an interest in participating and a willingness to contribute as an active member please email your CV to admin by the due date or reach out to the Co-Chairs ASH BOSS@tetratech com or k jaunzems@ecu edu au with any questions

Expression of Interest to Chair the AIOH Exposure Assessment Committee

The AIOH seeks expressions of interest from members interested in Chairing the Exposure Assessment committee

The Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee provides expert guidance and comment to the exposure standards setting process at a State and National level and internationally where appropriate through development of AIOH Position Papers AIOH guidance publications or comment on relevant Standards, Regulations and Codes of Practice The Committees remit is to confirm that the revision of exposure standards, and other relevant Standards and Codes of Practice are valid and based on good occupational hygiene and scientific principles The Committee is also concerned with the integrity of the exposure assessment process whereby sampling results for airborne contaminants are compared against exposure standards

If you have an interest in participating and a willingness to contribute as an active member, please email your CV to admin by the due date or reach out to the current Chair rgolec@amcosh com au with any questions

Members are encouraged to read the Terms of Reference for Committees that is available in the AIOH members area here

OPENFOR2023 AIOHCOUNCILNOMINATIONS

Nominations for the 41st Council of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Inc are now being called The 2022 Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 4pm December 6th 2022 at which time three council positions will become vacant

Those who will remain on Council for 2023 are:

President Tracey Bence (WA)

Secretary Neil Goulding (VIC) Councillor Candice Dix (WA) Council positions for 2023 open for nominations or re-nomination are:

President-Elect (the next President-Elect will become President for 2023)

Treasurer Councillor (two vacancies)

The AIOH encourages all eligible members to nominate for Council regardless of the State/Territory they reside or work in Please note that only Fellow or Full Members can become Councillors

Each nomination must be signed by a proposer and a seconder who can be a Fellow Full or Provisional Member Nominations must be signed by the nominee

In 2023 the Council will have both virtual meetings and face to face meetings All reasonable travel expenses associated with attendance at Council meetings are paid by the AIOH The results of the election will be announced at the AGM

Those interested in nominating for any position should read the AIOH Office Bearer Policy below which give a comprehensive description of the roles and responsibilities of each of the various Council positions You are also encouraged to contact the current Council to discuss expectations and read Succession Planning guide

The nomination form must be returned to the Institutes office no later than 4pm on Tuesday 4th October 2022 to allow for the election process In order for the nominations to be considered fair both electronic and postal Council nominations will be accepted If you wish to nominate please complete the nomination form below and send to the office by the

BASICPRINCIPLES COURSEUPDATE

The AIOH Basic Principles Course has just been reviewed in accordance with the AIOH Professional Development and Education Committee’s (PD&E) review cycle The review included updating the course materials to ensure they align with current Australian information and the OHTA W201 Student Manual All of the existing 21 PowerPoint presentations were updated and a new one was created to help consolidate key information for basic occupational hygiene sampling The project took over 200 hours of work by Jen Hines and Linda Apthorpe, with final reviews undertaken by PD&E committee members in record time to make the deadline for the Perth course (photographs above are from the Perth course) The next review of the materials is due in 2026

We are grateful for the continued support from our suppliers such as AES, Airmet Scientific and 3M who provide equipment and expertise for the course Also, to help us out, if you have any expired sorbent tubes (e g SKC226-01, 226-10 or 226-30) that you don’t want anymore, we’d love the donation so we can show the students how to use them for active sampling. Please send them to our wonderful Conference and Events Manager, Michelle Portelli at the AIOH office

We hope you’ve had a chance to see our BPC promotional video on the AIOH website (and in case you have not seen it yet, take a moment to check it out here We are also helping out OHTA with their current promotional campaign by collecting video testimonials from BPC students and alumni to help promote the course internationally

The next course is in Melbourne in October with the final one for the year in Brisbane in November, so head over to the AIOH website to find out more Dates for 2023 courses will be published on the AIOH website soon, so remember if you’ve missed out this year, get in early next year!

The AIOH Foundation board is excited to announce that we are currently accepting applications for grants, from organisations with projects that will help achieve our purpose of promoting the principles of occupational hygiene in the prevention and control of occupational diseases in Australian workplaces. Grants of up to $10,000 will be considered, and applications close on 31 October 2022. See our website for more information and the application form - Grants – AIOH Foundation

We are also open to applications from people who are interested in becoming an AIOH Foundation board member. The minimum commitment of a board member is to attend a virtual board member monthly for approximately an hour a month, to support sound decision making on the AIOH Foundation strategy, grant recipients and fundraising activities. Applicants do not have to be a member of the AIOH to apply, as we aim to have a board with a range of technical and not-for-profit related skills. Induction into the board and director duties awareness training will be provided to the successful applicants. If you are interested, please email info@aiohfoundation org au and we will provide further information on the Foundation and how to apply. The EOI process closes on 30 September 2022.

There has been a lot happening in the wonderful world of RESP-FIT It has been over 1 5 years since the program officially launched in December 2020 The support of the program from the AIOH community has been amazing in spreading its objective and promoting competent person fit testing in Australia With the pandemic as the world’s backdrop and increased regulator focus over the past 2 years there are many workplaces that have only just heard of respirator fit testing for the very first time and its important role in a respiratory protection program and in worker health protection

Accreditation

We currently have over 90+ accredited fit testers listed on the RESP-FIT website which is an amazing number to reflect on There are also 30+ other applicants that are in some stage of the video submission process There is a considerable amount of work from each fit tester in undertaking the exam and preparing videos to submit On the back end each video is reviewed by at least 2 assessors who independently review and provide feedback against our marking guide Then there may be additional supplementary video and closing calls required to complete the accreditation process We have a robust process that does take time but we are always seeking to improve as new scenarios are presented to us

We continue to receive applications to undertake the exam each month Over the past 6 months the majority of the applicants are not existing AIOH members showing the uptake and awareness of the program is growing in industry We are currently working on a document to provide greater clarity for potential applicants unsure if they are ready to undertake the accreditation process to address the common questions we have been getting asked

Training

Over the past 6 months we have had a number of new approved training providers complete the training course review process We now have 6 approved training providers (listed below) increasing the reach and availability of the industry best practice training course providers It is a significant and timeconsuming process to become an approved training provider We are very appreciative of the effort that each of these companies has put into their course and their involvement with our program

OccuHealth Pro Safety & Training

Edith Cowan University

Draeger Australia

Kinnect Training

Eva & Associates

Partners & Supporters

We have had four new partners sign up to be a RESPFIT Partner Thats right four!!! RESP-FIT partners are other like minded organisations who support and promote competent person fit testing to their constituents and patrons Partners generally fall into the categories of Federal organisations State Government Workcover or Workplace Health and Safety regulators, State Mining organisations, professional associations occupational health associations, union organisations and Industry/Employer organisations

The first two organisations are WorkSafe ACT and SafeWork SA This is incredibly exciting to have another regulatory body sign on Having the public support of WorkSafe ACT and SafeWork SA validates the impact RESP-FIT is having in industry This association with WorkSafe ACT and SafeWork SA will also further promote industry best practices

The second association is the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) sign on as a RESP-FIT partner Jason Green and Heidi Scott presented at their recent conference on Respiratory Protection which led to the RIA signing on We have been discussing with the RIA how we can assist in education for their membership through webinars and their in-person state chapter meetings

The third partner who signed on as a partner is the Faculty of Asbestos Management of Australia & New Zealand (FAMANZ) With their focus on the asbestos industry and many of their members using respiratory protection, it is great knowing FAMANZ are promoting competent person fit testing to their member base Welcome aboard WorkSafe ACT, RIA and FAMANZ

We have also been working hard on a new initiative called the RESP-FIT Pledge This is to engage with businesses of all sizes supporting competent person fit testing who have had fit testing undertaken by accredited fit testers This will be a free program to allow companies to externally pledge their commitment through their association with RESP-FIT This is just a teaser of this exciting initiative which we plan to share all the details at the AIOH Conference in Brisbane

Industry Engagement

As awareness in various industries grow around RESPFIT we have had a number of opportunities to present to different associations and regulators about who we are and our objectives in the past 6 months A couple to highlight is below

Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA)

WorkSafe ACT Director and Policy Team

International Society of Respiratory Protection (ISRP) Virtual Conference

Victorian Community Respiratory Protection Program Managers Networking Group

NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) Directors

We appreciate every opportunity to share what we are doing and our objectives with worker health protection

We have a number of other exciting events we are scheduled to present in the second half of 2022 that we are looking forward to sharing with you all in the next update

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

Mark Reggers Chair

RESP-FIT respfitchair@aioh org au

AIOHAWARDWINNER

DRAEGERYOUNGHYGIENISTCANDICEDIX

Draeger Young Hygienist Report

I was fortunate to receive the Draeger Young Hygienist Award for 2021 It offered me the amazing opportunity to travel to Europe and the UK I attended the Drager Headquarters in Lubeck the BOHS Conference in Belfast, TNO in Utrecht and the HSE Science and Research Laboratory in Buxton I had an amazing time meeting leading scientists learning about new and emerging technology, building international networks and taking advantage of many tourist opportunities along the way

1 TNO, Utrecht Netherlands

My first stop was a visit to TNO where I had the opportunity to meet with scientists innovators and sustainability experts I left feeling energized about the direction that real-time technology is taking

The Virtual Occupational Hygiene Assistant (VOHA) and corresponding smart sensor technology is supported by a data platform called EXCITE that integrates multiple data streams in a user-friendly App A Particulate Matter (PM) Chemical Identification Unit is under development for personal real-time monitoring (including silica) based on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

The technology captures exposure and key contextual data for interpretation and visualization that is set to enable an exciting transformation in our approach to occupational exposure assessment and risk communication I look forward to seeing the final design applied broadly across a range of industries in coming years

Utrecht has a great vibe with a strong focus on sustainability The bike paths and purpose-built parking bays make cycling an easy first choice I enjoyed two relaxed evenings exploring and soaking up the atmosphere in a bustling city where the summer sun only sets at 11pm!

3 BOHS Conference Belfast Ireland

I attended and presented at my first British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) conference in the beautiful city of Belfast The theme was Sustainable Workplace Health a perfect combination of my two passions, connecting my current role in sustainability with my career in occupational health & hygiene

Dave Rogers delivered a timely presentation highlighting the need for us to align our H&S strategies with the broader sustainability agenda Dave and Louise Hosking, IOSH President, talked about the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) as Good Health & Well-being (#3) Decent Work & Economic Growth (#8) and workplace equity are at the heart of occupational hygiene

I was inspired by BOHS President Chris Keens Session and learnt a lot from each of the seven open and authentic leaders on the multidisciplinary panel

The diversity of topics and speakers was a highlight and I have five key takeaways to act on:

Peter Kelly reminded the delegates that people are at the core of what we do We need to be peoplecentred empathetic and transparent every day to build trust and meaningful connections

Unprecedented opportunities exist to harness realtime technology big data and new approaches to drive tangible improvements in worker health protection It’s important that we continue experimenting with more efficient and effective applications

Be bold and engage with the broader community policy makers and workers through non-traditional channels

Kate Cole showed us how communicating simple and clear messages through media outlets can educate and empower people to make positive changes

Covid19 has had and continues to have farreaching physical mental social and environmental impacts globally and its time to act on what weve learned For example lets embed health well-being and sustainability into design methodologies To quote Cath Noakes: “Investment in ventilation controls for community buildings is well worth it!

Last but perhaps most important, lets stretch our wings and take a holistic sustainable & multidisciplinary approach

On reflection it was a fantastic week of learning networking and knowledge sharing with members of our international hygiene community

For more info on the link between occupational H&S and social sustainability check-out: Catch the Wave

Learning about the rich history of Drager a 5th generation family-run company its core values and culture rated high on my highlights It quickly became obvious that every product Drager develops is to protect and save lives across diverse industries and communities globally

The Drager mission statement: Technology for Life is a tribute to the companys dedication to product innovation that matters in critical moments across people’s lives It’s likely that we personally or a loved one has been saved or protected by the technology that Drager develops and manufactures

Professionally I was amazed at the precision breadth and depth of Dragers product range across respirators, breathing apparatus, fire & rescue equipment and breathalysers

Personally, my colleagues and I relied on BG4s and SCBA during Emergency Response training over 12 years ago at the Argyle Diamond Mine And wow! Trying on the new BG ProAir and feeling the difference was amazing! It’s comfortable to wear with great design improvements and more time to get the job done I have mates who are fire fighters and appreciate these critical advances in technology to protect them in time-strapped emergencies

Most impactful for my family was seeing and understanding the medical technology My youngest son Arlo was born 9 weeks premature weighing only 1 69kg He needed CPAP and specialised medical equipment while he was in NICU for the first 6 weeks of his life At the time I didnt stop and think about how lucky we were that this technology exists in hospitals today This visit offered me a chance to fully appreciate the role played by technology for my son’s recovery He is now a thriving 4-year-old!

After fascinating tours of the Drager innovation hub ( The Garage ) the manufacturing facilities utilising robotics coupled with human expertise and precision testing labs and interactive exhibitions, I will never see the equipment in the same way!

At the end of an incredible 2-days I was asked the question “Will you lie underneath a boulder suspended by 4 wires of unknown material made by Drager? Yes! Without question! Why? Because I trust Drager and the incredibly talented and innovative people who work there with my life and the lives of my family friends and colleagues

It most certainly is “Technology for Life”! It was professionally and personally impactful and I left knowing I ll never forget it!

4 HSE Science and Research Laboratory, Buxton UK

My site visit to the Health and Safety Executive Science and Research Centre in Buxton UK was an extraordinary way to finish my trip! It’s a unique premises filled with specialised equipment laboratories chambers and testing facilities dedicated to the investigation and research of health and safety science Partnering with industry experts are focused on finding solutions to improve worker health and safety and underpin regulatory activities

I had a jam-packed day learning about a broad range of exciting topics with the talented scientists who test the application of new science and technology I got the chance to see equipment I d only ever read about in text books and research papers! I learnt about realtime monitoring, noise and vibration, exposure controls PPE testing fibres sensor technology biological monitoring Covid-19 microbiology and analytical chemistry

The day ended with an opportunity to see the cough simulator in action and put my hand washing skills to the test turns out I really need to improve my technique!

It was wonderful to see H&S science in action! I left with lots of new ideas on how we can strengthen our programmes and educate our workers This is a great video about the HSE laboratory the bridge between the science and the workplace

A huge thanks to Drager for this amazing opportunity and to everyone who made my trip a wonderful learning experience

2 Drager Headquarters, Lubeck Germany

AIOHAWARD

AIRMET PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT AWARD

Mark Reggers

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 to SKC Inc in Pennsylvania and other industry and government institutions as nominated in the award submission

With the annual conference being pushed to March 2022 from the planned December 2021 in Sydney I was able to do some pre-trip planning as there were only a few months to the May 22 AIHA conference in Nashville I had big plans and expectations for my 3 week trip visiting a number of locations in Pittsburgh Nashville and Minneapolis One of the other unique circumstances of my trip was that I would be travelling with Peter Aspinall Peter was the 2019 Airmet Award winner but with the world going into lockdown due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 he would also be making his trip to the same conference and some of the same site visits Being to share this amazing experience with Peter certainly was a cherry on top of everything

I flew out in mid-May from Sydney with Pittsburgh as the first destination spending 5 days in this location Surprisingly the flight was quite full on the way over with the world only recently opening up for international travel Then the domestic flights and airports were even more full which was a little unnerving coming from the recent lockdowns here in Australia But I had my P2 respirator on gave me some reassurance for my own protection

The first site visit in Pittsburgh on our first day was to Industrial Scientific It was quite interesting to see the display essentially showing the history of gas detectors over the years with the size reduction with the advancement of technology I am sure many of the AIOH community remember using many of these reliable equipment bricks long before I knew what a gas detector was It was a really nice building but was a ghost town with the majority of people still working from home We were also able to tour through the manufacturing and servicing facility which had a few more people being their manufacturing location globally

The next day we visited the NIOSH National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) which was about 30 minutes outside Pittsburgh This was one of the locations I was most excited to be visiting as they oversee the Respiratory testing and approval system that many of us even here in Australia rely on their work and published research We didnt know how many people were going to be meeting, so Peter and I got a shock when we walked into a very full conference room with all their section directors We were the first international visitors they had had since the pandemic and I think they were just as excited as we were to be visiting They were extremely generous with their time and the information shared covering their certification process counterfeit respirator journey through the pandemic valved respirators as a source control and other evolving research areas I have referenced much of their research in my day-today role so being able to meet the authors and make these connections is so valuable Next time I have a question about their research I can reach out directly to them These are the types of connections that this award provides to all of its winners in different areas We also were given tours through many of their testing and research areas on their campus I also had the opportunity to present on the work of RESP-FIT and process we went through to get the program off the ground They were quite impressed in that our whole accreditation process is online

SKC was the location of our next days adventure which was about 45mins drive from Pittsburgh The SKC range of products is used by so many on our professions so being able to meet the people behind these products was great We were given a presentation on their organisation and the range of products they manufacture which was a good refresher for me They have based in a very beautiful green area away from Pittsburgh due to needed uncontaminated air away from all the mines and steelworks close to Pittsburgh I was also able to catch up with Lucinette Alvardo who is the SKC corporate CIH and Technical Services Manager who was involved in the AIHA Future Leaders Program earlier in the year which I took part in as well We had tours of a number of their labs manufacturing areas of pumps and air sampling bags

For our last day in Pittsburgh we were back at NIOSH but this time visiting the Mining Research team and the Centre for Direct Reading and Sensors Technology headed up by Emanuele Cauda The highlight of this visit for me was being able to experience their under development Virtual Reality (VR) system to train underground rescue teams to conduct searches and respond to emergency incidents in the safety of the virtual world Watching other people wearing the goggles was quite amusing, but when you put the goggles on you forget about what you like being immersed in this virtual environment interacting with so many elements and undertaking actions like entering mine refuge chambers We had tours of a number of other areas which was fascinating to see what they were focusing their research on

I really enjoyed my time in Pittsburgh with it reminding me a lot of Brisbane with the city surrounded by where 3 rivers connect Outside our day trips we were able to go of a Segway tour of the city (highly recommend for future winners) and sample some of the local delicacies like Primanti Brother where the sandwiches are a meal between slices of bread We stumbled upon a college baseball game where I had not much idea what was going on but felt like a local scoffing down a hotdog

Next stop was Nashville where the AIHce was being held and would be for the next 7 days I wanted to get the most out of the conference so booked myself into two Professional Development classes (PDC) over the weekend prior to the conference formally starting One of these was Communicating Science and Technical Concepts and the use of stories I found really interesting which I have been trying to implement since returning Being in Nashville the opening session of the conference featured a Dolly Parton impersonator singing a few of her hits but with sprinkling of Hygiene terms replacing many well know verses My favourite was the rendition of Jolene but using the word hygiene instead of Jolene Once you hear it that way you will never sing it the same way again I didn’t post a video on LinkedIn at the time, if you really want to hear for yourself

I remember coming to my first AIOH conference in 2015 thinking it was huge The AIHce truly dwarfs our conference in scale with over 3000 attendees Though talking to many attendees this was a small turnout being the first in-person conference after COVID lockdowns Being at this size there was less sessions in the main auditorium as they had so many concurrent presentations I find it hard to decide at our conference which concurrent to attend but when you have 10+ sessions happening at the same I had a serious case of FOMO knowing I could only be at one session for each time slot One particular interesting session was Revealing Exposures: Safety and Health in the Adult Entertainment Industry It isnt a workplace we would traditionally associate with Occupational Hygiene so it was interesting to hear from the Washington State Regulator about the program they rolled out at the request of the workers in this industry They have a variety of hazards such as trip hazards lighting biological hazards fall from height to name just a couple which like all hazards need to be controlled

Being the size that it is the social events are quite different to what we are used to at our conference with no set events Companies hold their own events around town and had a number of invites to a few different events which was fun to socialize with different groups Though I do prefer our social events which involve all attendees (should they wish to attend) Nashville was a fun city as we were staying right in the city Every Honkey Tonk bar along Broadway Street had an amazing band blasting out country music which all seemed packed all hours of the day I also learned it is the Hens party capital of the US as I saw a heap of hens parties on the different party buses and vehicles heading up and down Broadway

After my week in Nashville and Pittsburgh I had been two weeks which was so much fun but I was starting to miss home a bit more by this stage But I still had one last leg in my trip of a lifetime to visit which was Minneapolis I flex to Minneapolis on the Friday which gave me the weekend for some downtime and recharging after the week that was in Nashville Over the weekend I was able to head a few hours north of Minneapolis and visit Two Harbours which was the birthplace of 3M

On Monday I visited TSI which also was another highlight of the trip for me Being the Respirator fit testing nerd that I am it was great to chat to some of the technical team and tour around the manufacturing facilities and see how it had expanded over the years as TSI has grown

Now it was time to start the long trek home I flew out of Minneapolis via Dallas to Sydney I had a long stopover in Dallas so I was able to do a quick Dallas half-day tour and visit the Dallas Cowboys stadium before boarding the long flight home

Reflecting back on my trip and what I was able to experience and all the people I met this truly is a career highlight I will always remember The objective of this award is professional advancement which truly was achieved I believe I strongly recommend any interested person to put in an application It may not happen on your first submission but it is worth putting those applications in because it truly will be worth the effort Thanks to Airmet and to the AIOH for making these awards possible for our profession!

AIHACONFERENCE2022

POSTTRIPREPORT

AIHA Conference 2022 post trip report for Council from Tracey Bence, President Elect

Every year the AIOH receives invitations to attend the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and British Occupational Hygiene Services (BOHS) Conferences This year President Kate Cole attended the BOHS Conference in Belfast in June and I attended the AIHA Conference and Exhibition (AIHCe) in Nashville in May So with vaccination certificate and a negative PCR test off I went to my first AIHA conference as your AIOH representative Yee ha

What was the value of AIHA Conference attendance - my Top 3 takeaways

Anyone who has been to the American Conference knows that delegates are often running between rooms and buildings to take in all that is on offer I focused on getting to the international networking events technical presentations and strategic discussions relevant to our members and the Australian environment My Top 3 takeaways are summarized below 1

There is some strategic thinking going on within the American hygiene profession AIHA ran these concurrent sessions as interactive discussions around their 4 strategic initiatives which are intended to address what they see ineffectiveness of their profession in actually preventing occupational illness

They see that some hygienists provide advice to prevent harm and others only when regulatory limits are reached (When I really thought about it, we have a similar challenge in this country with a 40-year-old occupational hygiene profession but an occupational illness rate stubbornly and unacceptably too high) So the AIHA is getting after 4 strategic initiatives 2 of which I think are worthy of integration into 2023-2028

AIOH Strategic Plan They are Standards of Care and Improving Exposure Judgments as explained below

2 Breathe Freely is going ‘viral’ with the AIHA Construction Safety Working Group and the Canadians Hygiene Society modelling their websites on Breathe Freely Australias platform And nearly every exhibitor and presenter were talking silicosis /respirable crystalline silica and COVID19/ventilation – but not everyone is getting the same traction we are in advocacy regulatory change and public awareness

3 Maybe not cool, but a country-western singer at Conference Opening was entertaining In Nashville, it was a Dolly Parton impersonator singing hygienethemed lyrics to her classic Joelene (hygiene rhymes with Joelene after all) I laughed a lot and learned that there are lots of words that rhyme with pump not so many with calibrator

Standards of Care link the ethical and technical dimensions of occupational hygiene practice It will challenge reliance on regulatory levels to tell us what is acceptable or not and when to intervene Standards of Care are used commonly by medical and some health professionals to drive the best outcomes – for the patients Consider the Scenario below which shows 2 very different standards from 2 different hypothetical hygienists - one uses the voluntary and lower ACGIH TLV ® and the other the regulatory OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit For us, the comparison would be that some (maybe most) Australian hygienists use the Safe Work Australia Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) to determine when controls are required A standard of care may apply a more protective exposure standard such as the ACGIH TLV or even As Low as Reasonably Practicable (ALARP)

When I reflected on the standard I have applied at my workplaces I was left wondering whether I cared enough and went as low as I should have

And who doesnt want to see a PPE fashion parade? Some of the most notable of PPE suppliers had the chance to get out from behind their exhibition booths to strut their stuff and explain the technical and practical features of their latest products Straight from a runway in Tennessee to you a vest for wearing multiple sampling pumps and dosimeters in a single sturdy and easy to remove garment

a wearable armband with sensors for thermal stress monitoring

There is of course more than 3 things I can share so if you have any feedback or questions about AIHA 2022 Conference ask Presidentelect@aioh org au

Improving Exposure Judgments (IEJ) is about lifting the technical practice of hygienists supporting our exposure assessment skills development leveraging expertise from other exposure scientists such as the toxicologists, epidemiologists, and health risk assessors Think next generation tools and functionality beyond IHSTAT®

MEMBERSHIPSURVEY

RESULTS

Thank you to all of our members who completed our Annual AIOH Member survey which was run in conjunction with membership renewals Our response rate for the survey was 12%, which was within the industry standard for survey responses (between 10%15%)

Each year, we use the Net Promoter Score on the question, "Would you recommend membership of the AIOH?” The Net Promoter Score is a metric that helps measure and predict customer loyalty Our members are effectively our customers, and we are customer focused organisation

The responses from the survey were taken and classified into three groups, being Detractors, Passives and Promoters

The final score is then calculated through a simple formula: Net Promoter Score = % Promoters – % Detractors A score of 0 – 20 is good, 20 – 50 is favourable, 50 – 80 is excellent, and >80 is world class

Our Net Promoter Score for 2022 was 44 This is a significant improvement on previous scores of 28 in 2021 and 24 in 2020 and shows that we are improving and on the right track

We received high positive approval ratings on the questions relating to our members experiences with our AIOH Administration processes (59% positive), and whether your membership delivered what you expected (82% positive)

We added two further questions to the membership survey this year One was to gauge our members views on our organisation as being inclusive and respectful, which received a 70% positive approval rating The another question was whether we were fulfilling our purpose to increase public awareness of our profession, which received a 78% positive approval rating

Overall the results were very positive We did receive some comments on areas for improvement which covered the themes of certification, communications, the conference, professional development, membership, state liaison activities, and webinars It is our job as Council to take on board the comments and whilst we cannot address all items that were raised, we do aim to continue to improve our service to members

Council met in August to go through those key areas and have included that feedback in both short-term and longer-term initiatives through the development of the next 5-year strategic plan

I would like to thank all of our members who took the time to provide feedback through the survey

NEWPOSITIONPAPERNOW

OUTFORMEMBER COMMENT

The AIOH Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee has produced a Draft Position Paper named Chromium VI – Potential for Occupational Health Issues The key messages in that paper are:

Chromium VI exposures are common in Australian workplaces, being present as an anticorrosive agent in paint and coatings and being present in pigments, chromium catalysts, dyes, and cements It is also released during chrome electroplating, during welding and hot works on stainless steel and other chromium-containing metals

Chromium VI is a known human carcinogen, causing lung cancer It may also cause nose and throat irritation, asthma, damage to the nasal epithelia and skin

Safe Work Australia (SWA) currently has a chromium VI WES of 0 05 mg/m3 (measured as inhalable fraction) and proposed that this WES be reduced to 0 007 µg/m3 (0 000007 mg/m3), which is not measurable using current available analytical methods

AIOH believe that exposures to chromium VI should be as low as reasonably practicable and recommend using a trigger value of 0 0002 mg/m3 for inhalable chromium VI, utilised to implement controls

Biological monitoring is recommended to also check the efficacy of controls, particularly for respiratory protection

It is important that health monitoring is utilised to detect individuals for skin and lung sensitisation

AIOH recommends using the hierarchy of controls, with a strong focus on using processes and controls that reduce chromium VI exposures without reliance on personal protective equipment, supplemented with appropriate training of workers to use materials containing chromium VI safely

The AIOH established the Workplace Exposure Assessment Committee to provide expert guidance and comment to the exposure standards setting process at a State and National level and internationally where appropriate, through development of AIOH Position Papers, AIOH guidance publications or comment on relevant Standards, Regulations and Codes of Practice The Committee's remit is to confirm that the exposure standards numbers, and Standards and Codes of Practice, are changed for valid occupational hygiene and scientific reasons

The AIOH is not a standard setting body Through its Position Papers, the AIOH seeks to provide relevant information on substances of interest where there is uncertainty about existing Australian exposure standards This is done primarily through a review of the existing published, peer-reviewed scientific literature but may include anecdotal evidence based on the practical experience of certified AIOH members The Position Papers attempt to recommend a healthbased guidance exposure value that can be measured; that is, it is technically feasible to assess workplace exposures against the derived exposure value It does not consider economic or engineering feasibility As far as reasonably possible, the AIOH formulates a recommendation on the level of exposure that the typical worker can experience without significant risk of adverse health effects

Any recommended guidance exposure value should not be viewed as a fine line between safe and unsafe exposures They also do not represent quantitative estimates of risk at different exposure levels or by different routes of exposure Any recommended exposure value should be used as a guideline by professionals trained in the practice of occupational hygiene to assist in the control of health hazards

AIOH members can view the Draft Position Paper here in the Members Area

Comments and feedback are welcome and are to be sent to admin@aioh org au by 5pm Monday October 3rd, 2022

DIDYOU

MISSIT?

With so many professional development opportunities available to our members, you’d be forgiven if you missed a webinar here or there Take a moment to see what you might have missed out on, and catch up on these great events:

Update on the Activities of the Asbestos Safety

Webinar: Practical Guide to Welding Fume Control

The AIOH Career Development Pathway