13th IOHA
International
Scientific
Conference
Dublin, Ireland
June 2024

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 andprofessional 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!

IOHA NEWSLETTERGLOBAL EXPOSURE MANAGER
International Occupational
Hygiene Association

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

Updates of IOHA associations and activities with theInternational Labour Organization
Dr Thomas P Fuller
e-mail: tpfuller1@gmail.com
Over the past few years, the International Occupational Hygiene
Association (IOHA) Stakeholders Relations Committee and membersof the Executive Committee have worked hard to build bridges with
the International Labour Organization (ILO). In 2016, Nancy Leppink(Chief of Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and Occupational
Safety and Health Branch (LABADminOSH)) attended the IOHA Board
meeting; in 2018 she was the keynote speaker at the IOHA Triennial
Conference in Washington,D.C., United States. IOHA members haverecently worked on think pieces to support the ILO 100/World HealthDay (Manal Azzi, Norhazlina Mydin, Chris Laszcs-Davis), written andreviewed guidance documents on biological and chemical agents(Frank Muchiri, Christian Schumacher, Remko Houba, Andrea Hiddinga,
Thomas Fuller), and assisted the ILO on specific regional research
projects, such as the cotton/textile industry hazard assessment in
Madagascar (Andres Winkes, Andrea Hiddinga).
Since 2020, Thomas Fuller has represented IOHA on the ILO Global
Coalition for Safety and Health at Work Task Group on Vision Zero atthe Enterprise Level, and the Task Group for Promoting Decent Workand Productive Employment through Higher Education. This project
brings together educators from around the world to work on a varietyof research projects, looking at the role that education can play inimproving worker health and safety, globally.
In May of this year, Rene Leblanc and Thomas Fuller each cochaired different sessions of the ILO Vision Zero Summit held virtually and hosted by Japan. Rene co-chaired a session and spoke at asession on Health/Hygiene/COVID-19, and Thomas co-chaired andpresented a paper at a session on Education/E-learning/Credentialing.
As a result of our participation at the event, IOHA was one of only fiveinternational organisations invited to sign the Tokyo Declaration on
Vision Zero for All, Japan 2022.
More recently, on 8 June 2022, IOHA President, Norhazlina Mydin,
addressed the plenary session of the 110th International Labour
Conference, (ILC) of the ILO. This is a fantastic honour and represents
the culmination of many years of hard work by our members in
putting the good face and name of IOHA forward on so many ILO
collaborations and projects. The following is the statement made byLina, virtually, to the Conference:
Dear President, distinguished delegates, guests, observers, ladies
and gentlemen. Firstly, thank you for giving the International
Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) the opportunity to speakat this Plenary of the 110th ILC. IOHA, representing 18 000 members
and 8 200 professional occupational hygienists from 35 countries,
is truly excited to be part of the journey for the amendment of the1998 Declaration: Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
Recognition of health and safety as a fundamental human right is

Occupational Health Southern Africa

www.occhealth.co.za

only the beginning of an exciting journey ahead of us. IOHA believes
this will drive three focused areas, namely:
1. Strengthened regulatory framework
2. Enhanced capability building
3. Greater partnership nurtured

Strengthened regulatory framework
Director General Guy Rhyder, in his speech (https://www.ilo.org/
global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_846791/lang--en/index.htm), mentioned that three million lives are lost each year
because of work-related accidents and diseases. He stressed the ‘starkand clear’ responsibility of the ILO to protect workers against sickness, disease and injury arising from employment. This demonstrates
the urgent need to review and strengthen the legal instrument toprovide minimum requirements to protect workers in their working
environment. At the time that businesses are recovering from theimpact of COVID-19, economic viability will be a bigger priority for
some, over the investments that protect workers’ safety, health andwellbeing. Stronger regulations and enforcement, as a result of theadaptation of health and safety as a fundamental right, will drive
the compliance culture.

Enhanced capability building
IOHA recognise the concerted effort to enhance capability building,especially in the areas of occupational hygiene, for various stakeholders. It is not only for the regulatory bodies, but also for professionalsafety and health organisations, researchers, social security institutions, workers, and students, who are desperately needed to support
the larger companies and SMEs for implementation of measures toassure safe and healthy working conditions.
Access to trainings is now easier than before with e-learning
modules, and some are even offered pro bono. Aligned with technological enhancement, research to further improve workers’ healthand safety should also focus on developing economies, where a lot
more industrialisation is taking place. The aspect of local culture
should be taken into consideration to ensure an effective strategy
and holistic mindset for prevention, which is built on the common
desire to promote and establish a global prevention culture.

Vol. 28 No. 4 July/August 2022

156

IOHA NEWSLETTERGLOBAL EXPOSURE MANAGER
International Occupational
Hygiene Association

Greater partnership nurtured
In IOHA, our mission is to enhance the international networkof occupational hygiene organisations that promote, develop,
and improve occupational hygiene worldwide, providing a safeand healthy working environment for all. With the recognitionof health and safety as a fundamental human right, we are evenclearer about our contribution to the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 8 (Decent Work andEconomic Growth), SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 4(Quality Education), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The

Tokyo Declaration on Vision Zero for All 2022 is another testament
for greater partnership across the globe.
In conclusion, access to safe and healthy working environments is not optional, it is the fundamental right of the 3.3 billion
workforces, globally. It is the right thing to do.
Thank you very much.
Norhazlina Mydin, CIH, CPIH, CSFC
President, IOHA

Workplace Health Without Borders and Wolaita
Sodo University flexibility and international
capacity building project
Tuan Nguyene-mail: tuancihcsp@gmail.com
A chance meeting, at the 2017 National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) USE Conference in Denver, USA, between
Workplace Health Without Borders-US (WHWB-US) former President,
Dr Albert Tien, and the former Vice-President of Wolaita Sodo University(WSU) in Ethiopia, Dr Yesuneh Chernet, DVM, has led to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between WHWB-US and the University.
The goal of the MoU is to establish capacity-building joint research
programmes and professional exchanges in occupational health andsafety (OHS). WHWB-US has embarked on a five-year project to assist
WSU. The University was established in 2007 and is a non-profit public
higher education institution. WSU has branch campuses in Bodity,
Areka, Humbo, Otona, and Tercha. It is officially accredited by the
Ethiopian Ministry of Education and has an enrollment of approximately 35 000 students.
Several meetings have been held with WSU leadership to formulate
short- and long-term goals and areas of co-operation. The project
leader, Dr Albert Tien, developed a strategic five-year plan for the
University, which includes capacity-building programmes in the areasof work-related health and safety issues; organising symposia, conferences and meetings on research issues related to work-related healthand safety issues, promoting interest in reducing occupationally related
injuries and diseases among underserved workers, their families, andtheir communities at large; and seeking possibilities for joint research
projects. The project has been awarded a grant by the American
Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) International Affairs Committee,
Emerging Economy Microgrant Program. Project participants are grateful for this support and are looking for additional funding.
The Pandemic’s travel and visa restrictions threw a wrench intoplans to bring the WSU leadership delegation for in-person meetings
and training at Ann Arbor, Michigan. To maintain the momentum, a157Vol. 28 No. 4 July/August 2022

series of online virtual presentations and trainings were developedby the WHWB-US team and partner organisations such as AIHA,
Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MiOSHA), theOccupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA), and the Universityof Michigan. Virtual symposia began on 25 March 2022 and continued
through to 17 June 2022. WHWB is planning to host the WSU leadership
delegation in Ann Arbor next year, and therefore WHWB-US is seeking
further funding to cover the costs of hosting the delegation.
WHWB-US is a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to ensurethat workers and employers have the knowledge and means to prevent work-related illness and injury. The organisation is composed ofoccupational health professionals, and other concerned individuals,
whose mandate is to share technical skills and training. This mandate
includes providing the financial means to help underserved worker
populations, throughout the world, to identify and manage OHS risks.
The goal is to develop the knowledge and creative capacity in theseworker populations to assess and mitigate the risks of occupational
hazards in their workplaces, as well as where those hazards may impact
their communities at large. To contact WHWB, please mail WHWB-US
at 1100 N Main Street Suite 001, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA, or e-mailwhwbus@whwb-us.org.

Occupational Health Southern Africa

www.occhealth.co.za

IOHA NEWSLETTERGLOBAL EXPOSURE MANAGER
International Occupational
Hygiene Association

History and status of the Argentinian Occupational
Health and Safety Administration
Valeria Frankrajche-mail: vfrankrajch@gmail.com
Dan Rajsfus
e-mail: dan.rajsfus@gmail.com
Argentina was a pioneer among United Nations (UN) member countries
when they sanctioned their first Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)Standards law 19587 in 1972. Fifty years of existence of the law was marked
on 21 April 2022. During this time, the field of OHS in Argentina has grownsignificantly, aided by a variety of educational programmes offered by colleges and universities. Graduates of these programmes work to support
the health and safety of workers in a variety of organisations and industries.
In 1995, Occupational Risks Law 24557 was created to provide
additional worker protection. It was called ‘Insurers of Risk at Work’ (ART,
Aseguradora de Riesgo del Trabajo), known in other countries as ‘Mutuas’.
The principal aims of the Insurers are to work together with companies
in matters of safety prevention, providing them with technical assistance,
and to assist with damages related to work activity (covering accidents atwork sites, in itinere, and occupational diseases).
Simultaneously, the OHS Public Administration is managed by theSuperintendence of Occupational Risks (SRT), who issues and updates
the regulations on this field. The SRT also audits the insurance companies (ARTs) and employers through the Local Labour Administrations,covering OHS issues throughout the country. All the above-mentioned
programmes and organisations make up the Argentine Occupational
Risks System. Prior to this, the only compensation for injured workers inArgentina was for funeral expenses.
After the publication of the Occupational Risk Law, various regulations
were issued in pursuit of risk prevention. Argentina has three highlighted
regulatory items:• Decree 351/79: industrial workplaces• Decree 911/96: construction workplaces• Decree 617/97: agriculture and cattle-raising workplaces

Occupational Health Southern Africa

www.occhealth.co.za

In order to comply with the International Labour Organization(ILO) Convention 139/77, in 2000 Argentina created its Record ofCompanies that use Carcinogenic Substances. Although it has been
updated over the years, an important modification was sanctioned
in 2019, which lead to an improvement in the data quality, forcing employers to keep medical records for a period of 40 years.
Consequently, this has enabled better control and follow up ofoccupational disease cases.
Another milestone in Argentinian OHS Law was Resolution
295/2003, which conducted a technical update for exposure limits,
following the main international guides and best practices for OHS
hazards. Above all, it added ergonomic risk to the system, whose
pathologies occupy, in Argentina’s OHS Administration, a place inthe top three most-commonly occurring occupational diseases. This
amendment was updated by Resolution 886/2015, which forces allcompanies to have an ergonomic assessment of workplaces, validated
by an interdisciplinary team.
Currently, the Argentine Occupational Risks System, after morethan 25 years of experience, provides coverage to more than
9 930 000 workers and 1 020 000 employers. In conclusion, it has
managed to reduce fatalities at work by 80%, which can be translated
into 14 000 lives that have been saved.1

REFERENCE
1. Union de Aseguradoras de Riesgos del Trabajo (UART). “Boletín Informativo.
1° de Julio. Las ART cumplen 25 años de trabajo y resultados”. 2021.

Vol. 28 No. 4 July/August 2022

158

IOHA NEWSLETTERGLOBAL EXPOSURE MANAGER
International Occupational
Hygiene Association

The role of industrial hygiene in 4.0 industries
Diego Mauricio Murillo Gómeze-mail: dmurillo@conhintec.com
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) defines industrial
hygiene as the science and art of anticipating, recognising, evaluating,controlling and confirming existing health hazards in work environments. Although the prevention of occupational disease continues
to be the main driver in this field, the disruptive changes that today’ssociety is experiencing present new challenges and opportunities
that must be taken into consideration. In this sense, both the digitaltransformation and the evolution of the concept of corporate sustainability play a fundamental role. In the first instance, it should be kept
in mind that exposure assessment is a core part of industrial hygiene.
This exposure assessment is carried out through the articulation ofdifferent elements that are combined in a Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle ofcontinuous improvement (from diagnosis to control). In turn, digitaltransformation has taken a predominant role in terms of how companies apply digital capabilities to their processes and services to improve
efficiency, manage risk, and leverage new revenue-generating opportunities. In this sense, the assessment of exposure can take advantageof the interconnection of measurement equipment under real-time
web platforms to enhance hygiene risk management. Monitoring
networks are installed at different points in the company, generating
24/7 coverage of different physical agents. In addition, these systems
can be used to identify the need for additional studies in the mostcritical areas or in those areas with the greatest variations in exposure.
Nevertheless, the volume, interdependence and analysis of thisinformation demands an adequate technological infrastructure andpresents additional challenges that must be resolved under a global
company scheme. As a second aspect, the concept of business sustainability has evolved in recent decades towards a holistic vision that

159

Vol. 28 No. 4 July/August 2022

articulates three elements, viz. environmental, social, and economic
sustainability. Based on that, areas of a company must be aligned tothe strategic planning and generate real value in favour of a holistic
sustainability. Industrial hygiene, as a transversal science that interacts with different dependencies of the company (production, maintenance, supply, medicine, legal department, and environmental,
among others), has the challenge, and responsibility, of improving
its integration to enhance the generation of corporate value.
It is important to emphasise that the required interaction
between areas of a company presents a highly complex challenge
for managers. The analysis of results by those who make decisions
in a company requires knowledge of these interactions to identify
strengths and opportunities for improvement. Therefore, hygiene
management should be oriented not only towards the preventionof occupational illnesses, but also towards the construction of traceable information that can be used strategically by other company
departments. Based on a corporate business intelligence model,
industrial hygiene activities can provide another useful dataset insupport of the entire information structure. Data quality concepts
related to integrity, homogeneity, and granularity are relevantin this regard and must be considered throughout the hygiene
process. Finally, the implementation of artificial intelligence algorithms, applied to data analytics, is a field of wide development
and adoption. In hygiene, the use and analysis of information to
profile similarities (e.g. similar exposure groups (SEGs)) or predict
future scenarios (exposure variation over time) are being adopted
as management support.

Occupational Health Southern Africa

www.occhealth.co.za