The Role of Occupational Hygiene in OH Management

1. The Role of Occupational Hygiene in OH Management Dr Brian Davies AM

2. What is Occupational Hygiene ? 'Occupational Hygiene is the discipline of anticipating, recognising, evaluating and controlling health hazards in the working environment with the objective of protecting worker health and well-being and safeguarding the community at large.'(Source IOHA)

3. The Scope of Occupational Hygiene • Recognition of health problems created within the industrial environment (chemical, physical & biological) • Evaluation in terms of long and short term effects • Development of corrective measures to control problems

4. Functions Performed by Hygienists • Examination and evaluation of the work environment • Interpretation of gathered data • Preparation of control measures • Education • Ongoing audits • Research

5. Occupational Hygienists • Are trained to recognise conditions that give rise to potential health problems • What health effects are possible in the workplace? • Need to understand the process • What is causing the health effect? • How are people being exposed?

6. Occupational Hygienists • Develop appropriate and cost effective monitoring programmes to establish worker exposures • What type of monitoring programme is required? • Number of samples to give an accurate estimate of exposure? • Participate in the development of control technologies • Control technologies need to be effective & practical

7. Occupational Hygienists • Develop and participate in education programmes • Use of monitoring data is important in getting over a message to the workforce • Need to have the appropriate skills to undertake the above tasks • How do we develop these skills? • University & professional training

8. Training Occupational Hygienists • University post graduate programmes • Provide the theoretical understanding but not always the practical experience • Professional training • BP/Petroskills/UOW pilot course to impart practical knowledge (October 2006) • Currently being developed into modular programme (first two modules available early 2007)

9. Training Occupational Hygienists • Certification • Professional societies/Accreditation bodies (BOHS/ABIH/AIOH) • Mentoring • Overview by an experienced OH • CES at Occupational Hygiene conferences

10. Development of the Profession • International Occupational Hygiene Association • Represents 25 associations in 23 countries • Co-operation in Occupational Hygiene Programme (establishment of local societies) • Accreditation of certification schemes • NGO status with WHO & ILO

11. Links to Other Professions • In the industrial environment there few (if any) professionals who are skilled in all aspects necessary to protect worker health • Need for all professionals to work as a team to address issues

12. Exposure Assessment Source: AIHA

13. How can hygienists help here?

14. Sydney Harbour Bridge • Old paint containing lead • Organic vapours • Hand- arm vibration • Noise

15. Sydney Opera House • Vapours from ceramic resins • Noise

16. Coal Mining Dust Noise Diesel emissions Hazardous substances Fungi Vibration

17. Aluminium Smelter CTPV Heat stress Metal fumes

18. Welding Welding fumes Toxic gases & vapours Radiation

19. Sand Blasting Silica exposure Noise RPE

20. Pipe Laying Welding fumes Heat stress UV radiation

21. Aviation Industry Composites Cu Beryllium Hazardous substances Noise Confined spaces-fuel vapours

22. Oil & Gas Industry Noise Hydrocarbons Hydrogen sulphide Heat stress

23. Monitoring Programmes • What are they? • What programmes are effective? • What actually is overexposure?

24. What is Monitoring? Process of conducting measurement (s) of the concentrations of airborne contaminants. To estimate risk the following are required; 1) a reliable estimate of exposure 2) an exposure limit for the contaminant

25. Occupational Exposure Limits • Regulatory limits (HSE EH40, MAK) • Professional societies - eg ACGIH (TLV list), AIOH - (DP & Heat Stress) • Corporate limits

26. Why Monitor Workplaces? • To establish the level of risk of adverse heath effects in a workplace • To meet regulatory or corporate requirements • To develop appropriate control measures

27. Why Monitor Workplaces? • To measure the effectiveness of control measures • For research purposes such as epidemiology • To dispel anxiety

28. Points to Consider • For a health hazard to exist there has to be both a toxic agent and the possibility of exposure • Is monitoring warranted ? • Can the issue be resolved without monitoring? • Need to know what you are looking for in order to develop an effective monitoring programme

29. Points to Consider • What is the overall intention of the monitoring programme? • Statutory or corporate compliance • Settlement of industrial issues • Ongoing risk management • Epidemiology

30. Limitations of Data • Single worker, single day samples: • Errors of space (location) and time • Validity to ”real” exposure questionable? • Accounting for as many influencing factors as possible improves validity of result

31. Statistically Based Monitoring • What constitutes statistically valid monitoring and data treatment • Defined SEG’s • Predetermined sampling plan • Statistical treatment of data

32. What is overexposure ? • Which exposure standard should be used? • TWA, STEL, Ceiling (Peak) • Which metric should be used? • GM, MVUE, 95%UCL, 95%ile • Significance based on toxicity

33. How do we link all this together? • Hygienists need to • Decide what needs to be monitored • Decide how to monitor • Decide how to interpret the data • Decide how to present data to the workforce and management • Assist in the development of solutions

34. Summary • Occupational hygienists are part of a team necessary to protect worker health and all contribute to this goal • They fill the role of identifying, measuring & controlling worker exposures • There is a shortage of trained experienced hygienists but industry is moving to address this issue

35. Acknowledgements • Dr Nasser Al-Maskery • University of Wollongong