IOHA NEWSLETTERGLOBAL EXPOSURE MANAGER
International Occupational
Hygiene Association

13th IOHA
International
Scientific
Conference
Dublin, Ireland
June 2024
Occupational Health Southern Africa

The Occupational Hygiene
Society of Ireland (OHSI) andthe British Occupational
Hygiene Society (BOHS) are
privileged to jointly host thisconference and to contributeto its successful outcome.
The conference theme has
been confirmed as - ‘Protecting
workers from health hazards:
Advancing in this changing
world’.
The conference aims topromote occupational hygiene
and worker health protection
by the minimisation of worker
exposure to hazardous agents
globally through plenary
sessions, keynote lectures,
parallel talks, workshops,
poster presentations andwww.occhealth.co.za

professional development aswell as networking
opportunities and social
functions.
A strong Global media
campaign will publicise themain causes of occupational
disease throughout theconference.
More information including
venue, dates and abstract
submission arrangements will
be announced very soon.
Please mark your diaries forJune 2024 in Dublin, Ireland!

Vol. 28 No. 2 March/April 2022

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International Occupational
Hygiene Association

Edited by Dr Thomas P Fuller: IOHA Past President
e-mail: tpfuller1@gmail.com

IOHA National Accreditation Recognition Committee
Philip Hibbs
e-mail: philip.hibbs@ioha.net
To support its strategic objectives, the International Occupational
Hygiene Association (IOHA) has committed to the development andoperation of a global system for the recognition of the occupational
hygiene credentialing bodies. This is delivered through the IOHA
National Accreditation Recognition (NAR) scheme. The primary
purpose of the NAR scheme is to raise professional standards in thepractice of occupational hygiene on a global scale; to achieve better
health and safety outcomes for all workers. The NAR scheme establishes a global benchmark against which the certification programmesof participating credentialing bodies can be assessed. It provides ameasure of proof that certificants of individual credentialing bodies
meet globally recognised best practices and standards. It also aims to
set a global standard, which other occupational hygiene credentialing
bodies can strive to achieve.

Criterion 1: Definition and goals

VisionCriterion 3: Candidate education and experience

The vision of the NAR scheme is to have a world in which there aresufficient occupational hygienists certified by credentialing organisations, recognised by IOHA, to make an impact on the global burdenof occupational disease.

Criterion 3 outlines the minimum education and experience requirements for candidates. These have been determined by the IOHA Board.
Candidates are required to have a Baccalaureate degree plus four yearsof suitable experience, as a minimum. This equates to seven years ofacademic study and experience, which can comprise:• Baccalaureate degree (3 years) + 4 years’ experience• Master’s degree (4 years) + 3 years’ experience• Doctorate (5 years) + 2 years’ experience

MissionThe mission of the NAR scheme is to promote global respect for, andrecognition of, professional certification programmes that meet or
exceed the IOHA Model Certification Programme as ratified by the
IOHA Board.
The IOHA National Accreditation Recognition Committee (NARC)
is responsible for administering the scheme and delivering the global
system for the recognition of the occupational hygiene credentialing bodies. The NARC comprises one representative from each credentialing body recognised under the scheme. Currently, there are
17 credentialing bodies recognised by IOHA under the NAR scheme.
The NARC is presently assessing an application from a new credentialing organisation, and expects to receive another application by March
2022. The process of recognition under the NAR scheme is voluntaryand open to any occupational hygiene certification programme,
i.e. it is not limited to IOHA members.

Requirements of the NAR scheme
To be recognised by IOHA, credentialing programmes must meet or
exceed the requirements of the IOHA Model Certification Programme,
which has been ratified by the IOHA Board and is based on sevencriteria. The NAR scheme requires credentialing organisations recognised by IOHA to have policies, systems and procedures that comply
with these criteria.

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Criterion 1 outlines the general requirements of the IOHA Model
Certification Programme, including the definition and goals. The
organisation seeking recognition by IOHA under the NAR scheme musthave a formal structure, which includes a definition of occupational
hygiene, and objectives consistent with those of IOHA. The definitionof occupational hygiene and other relevant documentation can beobtained from the IOHA website.

Criterion 2: Code of ethics
Criterion 2 requires the credentialing body to have a code of ethics
that is aligned with, and meets the requirements of, IOHA. It must also
have mechanisms for administering its code of ethics. The model codeof ethics is available from the IOHA website.

Criterion 4: Testing the candidate
Criterion 4 specifies the requirements for the testing of candidates.
The professional competence of a candidate is to be determined bya written examination, which covers both knowledge (as defined by
the education criteria) and professional practice. An optional oral
examination can be included to assess the technical expertise, problem
solving, and communication skills of the candidate.

Criterion 5: Evaluation process
Criterion 5 outlines the general requirements for the evaluation ofcandidates. It requires the credentialing body to demonstrate how
its candidate evaluation procedures are consistent and verifiable, toensure objectivity, standardisation, and documentation of the evaluation process. The assessment criteria reference the relevant sectionsof ISO 17024 with respect to:• Documented methods for the examination of candidates to ensurethat examination of candidates is fair, valid and reliable• Procedures for the periodical assessment of the fairness, validity,
reliability and overall performance of each examination• Adequacy of resources to run the certification programme

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IOHA NEWSLETTERGLOBAL EXPOSURE MANAGER
International Occupational
Hygiene Association• Systems for maintaining confidentiality• Policies and procedures for the management and resolution of
appeals and complaints from applicants• Sufficient staff with the necessary education, training, technicalknowledge and experience to perform certification assessments
and administrative functions

Criterion 6: Maintenance process
IOHA is committed to the concept of ongoing professional development as a means of improving the practice of occupational hygiene,
and the knowledge, competence and standing of its practitioners.
Criterion 6 requires the credentialing organisation to develop andmaintain a formal mechanism of professional development for its
certificants. It also requires detailed reporting and random auditingof the certificants’ certification maintenance information.

Criterion 7: Interface with related discipline
professional certification
Criterion 7 specifies how the credentialing organisation shouldinterface with related professional disciplines. It requires theorganisation to have a process for working with other professional organisations and credentialing bodies to ensure that it
does not become inwardly focused, and to broaden the knowledge base, allowing technical expertise to expand or evolve.
Guidance and support are available for organisations
seeking to develop and implement a credentialing programme. Fur ther details regarding the IOHA National
Accreditation Recognition scheme are available fromt h e I O H A E xe c u t i ve S e c re t a r y, R e t h a va n N i e k e r k , atretha@ioha.net, or the NARC Chairman, Philip Hibbs, atphiliphibbs@ioha.net.

Malaysia’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic
Ikmal Haqim Hirman: School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia
e-mail: ikmalhaqimhirman@gmail.com
Mimi H Hassim: School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia
e-mail: mimi@cheme.utm.my
Syaza Izyanni Ahmad: Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia
e-mail: syaza.ahmad@utp.edu.my
Aliff Firdaus Mat Yusoff: Health and Safety Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia
e-mail: aliff_firdaus@petronas.com.my
The COVID-19 virus took the world by storm when it first appearedin Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Although the outbreak began
as a common pneumonia case, the virus infected and killed millions
of people. Others suffered from prolonged symptoms such as loss ofsense of taste. COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World HealthOrganization (WHO) on 12 March 2020, after invading more than180 countries, including Malaysia. Due to Malaysia being the country
with the third highest number of cases in Asia, the Government of
Malaysia implemented multiple phases of lockdown such as the
Movement Control Order (MCO), the Conditional Movement Control
Order (CMCO), and the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO),
which were eventually placed under the National Recovery Plan (NRP).
One of the most affected industries in Malaysia was small andmedium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in which clusters of COVID-19 hadoriginated due to lack of awareness, proper countermeasures, andefficient air ventilation systems.
In 2021, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH)
published an air quality and ventilation guide for building offices. The
Guide includes the recommendation of controls applied to premises
with mechanical ventilation and motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC)
systems; those with air conditioning without fresh air; and those withnatural ventilation. The most common recommendations include
reducing room occupancy, installing a stand-alone air cleaner withrecommended filters, and opening windows to let in natural air as
frequently as possible. For offices with MVAC systems, it is crucial to

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carry out regular maintenance and use high-efficiency filters with aminimum efficiency reporting value of 13 (MERV 13), as recommended
by the DOSH. MERV 13 is the highest-rated filter recommended forresidential and commercial applications as it can remove > 99% ofbacteria and viruses from the air, keeping the indoor air quality andenvironment free of common pollutants and allergens. The temperature should be maintained at 23–26 ◦C with 40–70% relative humidity.
The Guide encourages the consistency of indoor air quality (IAQ), basedon the 2010 Industry Code of Practice. According to the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), increasing ventilation canlower the risk of being exposed to resuspended particles, such as SARSCoV-2 and other pollutants. Opening windows or doors, for example,
can also reduce exposure to cleaning and disinfection agents.1
Vaccines against coronaviruses, such as the Severe AcuteRespiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS) viruses, have been in development for many years. Severe AcuteRespiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19), is linked to the other coronaviruses. In
Malaysia, the National Immunisation Programme was initiated on
14 October 2020 by the Special Committee for Ensuring Access to
COVID-19 Vaccine Supply. To speed up access to vaccines to the
Malaysian workforce, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry(MITI) established a voluntary programme on 13 June 2021, in collaboration with the Government and the private sector, called the PublicPrivate Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme.

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IOHA NEWSLETTERGLOBAL EXPOSURE MANAGER
International Occupational
Hygiene Association

The companies that joined this programme must prepare vaccine
distribution centres, with both medical and safety departments at theirworkplaces.2 The company will bear the administration fee while thevaccines supply is provided by the Government at no cost, according
to the MITI. The programme was established to increase the rate of
immunisation of employees.
With increasing numbers of employees receiving vaccines, moreare able to attend work, physically, according to the employee capacity provided by the MITI. Thus, many SMEs have reopened, which has
increased the rate of recovery of the economy. Although the vaccination programme had a rocky start, with constant encouragementfrom the Government and information sharing, more than 20 million
Malaysians were fully vaccinated as of 5 October 2021. The numberof COVID-19 cases has gradually declined since then.
The Government introduced the 2021 National Recovery Plan
(NRP), which focused on the staged reopening of society and theeconomy, through to the end of 2021. The NRP is a roadmap that provides the necessary standard operating procedures (SOPs) for public
and business premises during different stages of healthcare recovery.3
Now, most of the Malaysian states have reached the final stage ofrecovery (stage 4), although citizens, especially business owners, arestill required to enforce SOPs for their workers.
The MITI introduced the Safe@Work guideline, which serves as arisk mitigation plan for COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces. This plan
provides preventive measures at workplaces, such as the mandatory
wearing of masks, office and warehouse sanitisation, health screening,
and the establishment of a Preparedness and Emergency Response
Team (PERT), or the use of an existing PERT for the preparation andimplementation of emergency case management procedures, incompliance with the National Security of Council (NSC).4
During the pandemic, many countries, including Malaysia, saw
a shocking decline in mental wellbeing as lockdowns affected thepsychological health of citizens. A study by Perveen et al. (2020)
revealed the common mental issues faced by citizens during theearlier phase of lockdowns (April to July 2020), which included stress(70%), anxiety (67%), and depression (42.3%).5 The Ministry of Healthprovided a Mental Health and Psychosocial Response to Disaster in
Community Programme and a suicide prevention helpline for workers

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and frontliners. These include guidelines for both the prevention of,and intervention measures for, mental health issues at workplaces,
especially SMEs, during the Pandemic. An example of such measures
is the early detection of psychological disturbance, which is assessedby performing health screening and providing the DASS (Depression,
Anxiety, and Stress Scale) form to workers at both the work premises and work-from-home environment. The Malaysian Emergency
Department also provides suicide acute response teams (SARTs) at
workplaces, which consists of multiple members that intervene inpotential suicide actions at workplaces.5 The teams provide both
rescue and psychological first aid, and communication with victims’
families.
These are some of the significant occupational safety and healthand industrial hygiene approaches taken by the Malaysian Government
in response to the Pandemic.

REFERENCES
1. Malaysia. Department of Occupational Safety and Health. Guidance noteon ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) for public area during COVID-19
Pandemic, 1st ed; 2021 Jul 8. Available from: https://www.dosh.gov.my/index.
php/guidance-note-on-indoor-air-quality-iaq-during-covid-19-pandemic/3939guidance-note-on-ventilation-and-indoor-air-quality-iaq-for-public-area-duringcovid-19-pandemic/file (accessed 30 Dec 2021).
2. Malaysia. Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Public-Private Partnership
COVID-19 Industry Immunisation Programme; 2021 Jun 13. Available from: https://pikas.miti.gov.my/public/pdf/FAQ_PIKAS_A.pdf (accessed 3 Jan 2022).
3. National Recovery Plan (NRP) Official Portal/Portal Rasmi Pelan Pemulihan
Negara (PPN) FAQ; 2021. Available from: https://pelanpemulihannegara.gov.
my/faq-en.html (acc essed 9 Oct 2021).
4. Malaysia. Ministry of International Trade and Industry. SOP for Safe@Work
for Manufacturing and its Related Services Sector; 2021 Mar 19. Available from:https://mpma.org.my/v4/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Safe@Work-SOPLatest-19032021_EN_-FINAL_7PM.pdf (accessed 16 Mar 2022).
5. Perveen A, Hamzah HBt, Othamn A, Ramlee F. Prevalence of anxiety, stress,
depression among Malaysian adults during COVID-19 Pandemic Movement
Control Order. Indian J Community Health. 2020; 32(3):579–581. Available from:https://doi.org/10.47203/ijch.2020.v32i03.020 (accessed 9 Oct 2021).

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