DR BARRY CHESSON Australian Institute of Occupational...
2
DR BARRY CHESSON Past President Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Occupational hygiene may be described as the recognition, evaluation and control of physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards at the workplace. It is a science-based discipline that has a technical component as well as a people component. So it appeals to those who like measuring things as well as interacting with individuals and groups in the workplace to protect health. Occupational hygienists are usually drawn from backgrounds in the physical sciences, such as chemistry or physics, engineering, or from the biological or environmental sciences. They need well- developed problem-solving and communications skills. Those working in the industry would typically interact on a daily basis with managers, supervisors, engineers, scientists, safety representatives, environment, health or safety professionals and other employees. At any time they might be seen carrying out a measurement of a workplace air contaminant, measuring the performance of engineering controls, developing a sampling plan, analysing results, providing training or feedback to a work group, working with engineers on a design issue or seeking to implement administrative or protective equipment controls to protect the health of the workforce. Striving for a healthy workplace Lessons from the past The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) is the professional body that represents the interests of occupational hygienists in Australia. It was formed in 1980 and currently has over 1200 members, many of whom work in the resources sector, for the manufacturing industry, for government agencies, for leading equipment or service providers, for tertiary organisations or for consultancies. The AIOH is part of an extensive international network of bodies focused on occupational hygiene. This means Australia is playing its part in promoting the principles and practice of worker health protection in both developed and developing countries. These linkages are also important in that they assist members to stay in touch with the latest thinking around the globe. The AIOH runs a professional certification scheme, whereby AIOH members must pass a rigorous examination process to become certified. They must maintain their skills through professional work and ongoing education. The AIOH has a published code of ethics. This commits members to professional standards of practice in protecting worker health and in their dealings with employers, employees, the regulator, members of the community and other stakeholders. Making it happen DR BARRY CHESSON Past President Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists My father was only six years old when his father, a miner in the Murchison area of Western Australia, died of a condition known in the early part of the 20th century as Miners’ Phthisis. This was a term applied to a health outcome caused by the combination of silicosis and tuberculosis. At the time, gold miners in Australia and South Africa, tin miners in Cornwall and metal miners in the USA were dying in great numbers from the condition. In dusty underground environments, workers were prone to the occupational dust disease silicosis, which in turn pre- disposed them to tuberculosis, a highly infectious respiratory disease common in industrialised countries such as Australia. In the latter half of the 1800s, newly invented pneumatic or machine drills took over from hand drills in mining applications. These greatly increased the speed and efficiency of work but came with a human cost, as they increased the spread and concentration of dust in the then poorly ventilated workplaces. When fine particles of silica enter the lungs they may cause the development of scar tissue and susceptibility to chest diseases such as tuberculosis. New explosives, such as dynamite, came into widespread use at about the same time and their ability to break rock into tiny fragments contributed to an increased exposure to fine silica dust. By the turn of the century, the use of rock drills in mining was linked to high rates of death and disease around the world. Miners referred to one type of drill as ‘the widow maker’. The problem was so bad in WA that a Royal Commission was held in 1905 and this was followed by others here and elsewhere in Australia. Unfortunately, the response of most general practitioners at the time was to label all miners’ disease as Miners’ Phthisis and advise their patients to leave the mine. But the pages of the Royal Commission reports provide many of the answers. Even at that time it was recognised by many in the workforce that good ventilation, wetting down of rock surfaces, sprays on machine drills and better dust control, adequate time before re-entry to newly blasted areas, good work practices and medical surveillance were some of the answers to the problem. Sadly, it took some time for these fundamentals to gain widespread acceptance. Many years later, these same fundamentals are part of the message promoted by occupational hygienists. The AIOH2015 Conference and Exhibition AIOH2015 is an international event that, this year, will be run in Perth over the coming few days. It is an international conference that will promote the science and practice of worker health protection. It is the premier conference on occupational health in Australia and brings together occupational health/hygiene and OHS professionals from around the nation. Additionally, it will bring to Perth international delegates and speakers, predominantly from Asia, Europe and America. Representing Australia’s Occupational Hygienists Membership enquiries and further information available at: www.aioh.org.au THE 2015 NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENISTS The field of occupational hygiene has been identified by Edith Cowan University (ECU) as a major profession that needs to be promoted and developed to ensure the health of Australian workers is protected. It is important for all workers and employers who require assistance in assessing a range of workplace health hazards that they employ a suitably qualified individual who is certified with the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene (AIOH) as an occupational hygienist (COH). To support occupational hygiene at ECU, a Masters of Occupational Hygiene and Toxicology (MOHT) has been developed for delivery online, plus on-campus intensive laboratory practicums that include embedded workplace occupational hygiene surveys. This program is accredited by both the AIOH and the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). Four of the five full-time ECU Occupational Health and Safety academic staff are full members of the AIOH and two are certified occupational hygienists, which shows the support ECU provides to developing the profession. As with any scientific discipline, research is a key component of professional practice. ECU is developing a strong research focus in the occupational hygiene area with all MOHT students completing a research project in their final year. Students are all expected to produce a paper for publication in a scientific journal or peer-reviewed conference proceedings. Some of the areas of current investigation include assessing control measures for dust suppression in underground coal mines, assessment of air quality in a range of different scenarios and projects around heat stress and noise exposure. ECU is a Silver sponsor of the 33rd AIOH annual conference to be held in Perth from December 5 to 9. One academic staff member is the scientific program coordinator for the conference, while another academic staff member and several students will be presenting papers. To find out more about the MOHT, call by the ECU booth at the conference exhibition. In conjunction with the conference and in support of the profession, ECU is host to the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) for its board meeting at the Mount Lawley campus on December 6. Visit www.reachyourpotential.com.au to apply to study at ECU. ECU promotes COH as a career The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists ADVERTISING FEATURE 92 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015 THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
Transcript of DR BARRY CHESSON Australian Institute of Occupational...
DR BARRY CHESSON Past PresidentAustralian Institute of Occupational Hygienists
Occupational hygiene may be described as the recognition, evaluation and control of physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards at the workplace. It is a science-based discipline that has a technical component as well as a people component. So it appeals to those who like measuring things as well as interacting with individuals and groups in the workplace to protect health.
Occupational hygienists are usually drawn from backgrounds in the physical sciences, such as chemistry or physics, engineering, or from the biological or environmental sciences. They need well-developed problem-solving and communications skills.
Those working in the industry would typically interact on a daily basis with managers, supervisors, engineers, scientists, safety representatives, environment, health or safety professionals and other employees.
At any time they might be seen carrying out a measurement of a workplace air contaminant, measuring the performance of engineering controls, developing a sampling plan, analysing results, providing training or feedback to a work group, working with engineers on a design issue or seeking to implement administrative or protective equipment controls to protect the health of the workforce.
Striving for a healthy workplace
Lessons from the past
The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) is the professional body that represents the interests of occupational hygienists in Australia. It was formed in 1980 and currently has over 1200 members, many of whom work in the resources sector, for the manufacturing industry, for government agencies, for leading equipment or service providers, for tertiary organisations or for consultancies.
The AIOH is part of an extensive international network of bodies focused on occupational hygiene. This means Australia is playing its part in promoting the principles and practice of worker health protection in both developed and developing countries. These linkages are also important in that they assist members to stay in touch with the latest thinking around the globe.
The AIOH runs a professional certifi cation scheme, whereby AIOH members must pass a rigorous examination process to become certifi ed. They must maintain their skills through professional work and ongoing education.
The AIOH has a published code of ethics. This commits members to professional standards of practice in protecting worker health and in their dealings with employers, employees, the regulator, members of the community and other stakeholders.
Making it happen
DR BARRY CHESSON Past PresidentAustralian Institute of Occupational Hygienists
My father was only six years old when his father, a miner in the Murchison area of Western Australia, died of a condition known in the early part of the 20th century as Miners’ Phthisis. This was a term applied to a health outcome caused by the combination of silicosis and tuberculosis.
At the time, gold miners in Australia and South Africa, tin miners in Cornwall and metal miners in the USA were dying in great numbers from the condition.
In dusty underground environments, workers were prone to the occupational dust disease silicosis, which in turn pre-disposed them to tuberculosis, a highly infectious respiratory disease common in industrialised countries such as Australia.
In the latter half of the 1800s, newly invented pneumatic or machine drills took over from hand drills in mining applications. These greatly increased the speed and efficiency of work but came with a human cost, as they increased the spread and concentration of dust in the then poorly ventilated workplaces.
When fine particles of silica enter the lungs they may cause the development of scar tissue and susceptibility to chest diseases such as tuberculosis.
New explosives, such as dynamite, came into widespread use at about the same time and their ability to break rock into tiny fragments contributed to an increased exposure to fine silica dust.
By the turn of the century, the use of rock drills in mining was linked to high rates of death and disease around the world. Miners referred to one type of drill as ‘the widow maker’.
The problem was so bad in WA that a Royal Commission was held in 1905 and this was followed by others here and elsewhere in Australia. Unfortunately, the response of most general practitioners at the time was to label all miners’ disease as Miners’ Phthisis and advise their patients to leave the mine.
But the pages of the Royal Commission reports provide many of the answers. Even at that time it was recognised by many in the workforce that good ventilation, wetting down of rock surfaces, sprays on machine drills and better dust control, adequate time before re-entry to newly blasted areas, good work practices and medical surveillance were some of the answers to the problem. Sadly, it took some time for these fundamentals to gain widespread acceptance. Many years later, these same fundamentals are part of the message promoted by occupational hygienists.
The AIOH2015 Conference and ExhibitionAIOH2015 is an international event that, this year, will be run in Perth over the coming few days. It is an international conference that will promote the science and practice of worker health protection.
It is the premier conference on occupational health in Australia and brings together occupational health/hygiene and OHS professionals from around the nation. Additionally, it will bring to Perth international delegates and speakers, predominantly from Asia, Europe and America.
Representing Australia’s Occupational Hygienists
Membership enquiries and further information available at:
www.aioh.org.au
THE 2015 NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENISTS
The fi eld of occupational hygiene has been identifi ed by Edith Cowan University (ECU) as a major profession that needs to be promoted and developed to ensure the health of Australian workers is protected.
It is important for all workers and employers who require assistance in assessing a range of workplace health hazards that they employ a suitably qualifi ed individual who is certifi ed with the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene (AIOH) as an occupational hygienist (COH).
To support occupational hygiene at ECU, a Masters of Occupational Hygiene and Toxicology (MOHT) has been developed for delivery online, plus on-campus intensive laboratory practicums that include embedded workplace occupational hygiene surveys. This program is accredited by both the AIOH and the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).
Four of the fi ve full-time ECU Occupational Health and Safety academic staff are full members of the AIOH and two are certifi ed occupational hygienists, which shows the support ECU provides to developing the profession.
As with any scientifi c discipline, research is a key component of professional practice. ECU is developing a strong research focus in the occupational hygiene area with all MOHT students completing a research project in their fi nal year.
Students are all expected to produce a paper for publication in a scientifi c journal or peer-reviewed conference proceedings. Some of the areas of current investigation include assessing control measures for dust suppression in underground coal mines, assessment of air quality in a range of diff erent scenarios and projects around heat stress and noise exposure.
ECU is a Silver sponsor of the 33rd AIOH annual conference to be held in Perth from December 5 to 9. One academic staff member is the scientifi c program coordinator for the conference, while another academic staff member and several students will be presenting papers.
To fi nd out more about the MOHT, call by the ECU booth at the conference exhibition. In conjunction with the conference and in support of the profession, ECU is host to the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) for its board meeting at the Mount Lawley campus on December 6.
Visit www.reachyourpotential.com.au to apply to studyat ECU.
ECU promotes COH as a career
The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists
ADVERTISING FEATURE
92 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015 THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
CROWN PERTH, DECEMBER 5-9, 2015
ADVERTISING FEATURE
HAYDEN YORKManaging DirectorHealthy Building Systems Australia
Mould is a fungal growth that develops indoors or outdoors under the right conditions of dampness, darkness and poor ventilation. Mould needs moisture and a source of food. It can grow almost anywhere where water, high humidity or damp conditions exist. So it will grow on materials such as timber, carpet, furniture, fabrics and all types of food.
In Western Australia indoor condensation is the main source of moisture that supports the growth of mould. Once water vapour is in the air, it travels readily to other areas in the building where it may contact cooler surfaces and condense. Corners of rooms tend to be prone because they are usually cooler and have less air movement. Moisture may be retained in walls depending on the fi nish. Flat paints, plasters and untreated wood are more prone to moisture absorbency (and mould) than semi-gloss or gloss painted surfaces and treated timbers.
Water ingress may be another source of mould problems, particularly on walls and ceilings. This is usually caused by poor building design or poor installation practices.
Mould is not the problem…how it got there is
Areas of Interest in Occupational Hygiene
Certifi ed Occupational Hygienists
There are hundreds of diff erent types of mould. They exist in numerous colours and are commonly associated with a strong odour or musty smell.
Some people are allergic to moulds. Prolonged exposure may cause or worsen asthma symptoms, hay fever and other allergies. The most common symptoms of mould exposure are cough, congestion, sinus problems, frequent sneezing, tiredness and watery, itchy or burning eyes.
Building science plays a key role in both residential and commercial structures since good design, together with choice and application of the right materials, is important. It requires an understanding of the diff erent design considerations for cold climates compared to hot, humid climates.
Over the past decade, many buildings in the North West have had mould problems, often as a result of inadequate design.
In the distant past, plasterboard was used for walls and ceilings. This has been superseded by paper-based Gyprock-style products that are more prone to mould problems if moisture is present. Also, today there is much less use of open windows and natural ventilation than in the past.
In terms of control, the best approach is to fi nd and fi x the source of water and moisture, dry the aff ected area, remove humidity from the air and improve air circulation.
In WA indoor condensation is the main source of moisture that supports the growth of mould.
- Dusts
- Noise
- Asbestos and fi bres
- Vibration
- Gases
- Ionising radiation
- Vapours
- Non-ionising radiation
- Fumes
- Thermal stress
- Mists
- Ergonomic hazards
- Heavy metals
- Water quality
- Chemical hazards
- Biological hazards, including mould
Do you know whether your workers are exposed to dangerous levels of hazardous substances?
Do you know if the noise levels in your workplace could be causing hearing loss?
Do you know if the dust exposure of your people is safe?
Do you know if exposure to hazardous agents in your workplace is in compliance with health and safety law?
To fi nd out, contact a Certifi ed Occupational Hygienist (COH) via www.aioh.org.au. With a COH you can be assured of quality work and accurate results. A COH will provide a comprehensive assessment of workplace exposures and a detailed plan to reduce exposure where necessary.
FULLY ACCREDITED AND FULLY ONLINE
THAT‘S HOW UNIVERSITY SHOULD BE
APPLY FOR OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE
AND TOXICOLOGY
303LOWE ECU11761 CRICOS IPC 00279B
ECU’s Master of Occupational Hygiene and Toxicology is accredited by the Australian Institute of Occupational
Hygienists (AIOH) and the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). This course is designed for occupational
hygienists who wish to expand on their existing knowledge of occupational hygiene and enhance their
career opportunities. It further provides graduates with an advanced understanding of occupational
hygiene practices, and the skills to apply them in a broad range of industries. Students will develop the
skills of identifi cation, evaluation and control of workplace hazards that may adversely impact on the health of workers and the local community.
The course is available to study online both part-time and full-time, off ering you fl exible
study options. What’s more, ECU off ers a Master of Occupational Health and Safety and a Graduate Diploma of Occupational
Health and Safety that have been accredited by the Australian OHS Education
Accreditation Board (AOHSEAB).
Call1300427 2871300427 287
[email protected] |www.healthybs.com.au
Mould in buildings is a building science approach aswe needto understand how it got there
3045
708D
NE
H12
1201
5
Plainwaterscrubshowingtheexcessivechemicalbuildup inthecarpet
Carpetafterandbeforehotwaterextraction
HVACCoilsbeforeRemediation
HVACCoilsafterRemediation
HVACDuctingafterRemediation
Started back in 1996 as a specialized flooring,maintenance provider to Health Care, Aged care andCommercial sectors, since that timewe have grownto become Healthy Building Systems Australia. Withbranches in Perth, Port Hedlandwith projects workscovering thewhole of Australia. We are the only Softflooringmanufacture endorsed company for Perth
Since inception HBSA has grown to develop into a Multiskilled Company providing services from the ground upSoft flooring to HVAC decontamination for IAQ relatedissues, Mould Investigation and Remediation.
BUILDINGDESIGN
BUILDINGCONSTRUCTION(poor material choice andpoor constructionmethods)
WATERINTRUSION
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015 • 93
