Global ExposureManager
The newsletter of the International Occupational Hygiene Association

In this issue-- ILO adopts new shipping safety code-- SAIOH and AIHA co-host Durban event-- Thomas Ashton Institute opens in UK-- Malaysia: Strengthening collaboration for
greater impact-- News from Chemical Risk Manager

www.ioha.net

March 2018 | Issue 8

ILO adopts new shipping
safety code
Dr Thomas P. Fuller reports from a recent ILO
meeting where experts adopted a code ofpractice on safety and health in shipbuilding
and repair
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) meeting of experts
to adopt a code of practice on safety and health in shipbuilding
and ship repair was held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 22-26 January
2018. For me, having worked in occupational safety and health(OSH) for over 37 years, being an official observer at the meeting
was an incredibly exciting opportunity to see and experience
the inner workings of an organisation I have followed for myentire career.
The last shipbuilding and repair consensus standard was publishedby the ILO in 1973. In the sectoral meeting I was attending, theorganisation reviewed and revised a draft revision of the previous
standard, line-by-line. The draft revision document had been
written by a consortium of ILO employees and external sector
experts, and is based on similar ILO health and safety documents.
This way, the terminology and format remain as consistent as
possible between consensus documents.

Dr Thomas P. Fuller was present as an observer
Mr Edmunds’ group contains networks of professionals in thefield who may be considered experts. When they do not haveexperts for a particular consensus-building project, they will seek
and solicit experts from known contacts and sources. Existing
representatives are available for each of the three expert areas employees, employers and government - and they have a networkof experts on a variety of topics.

The attendees comprised eight experts from each of the threetripartite groups: labour, employers and governments. The
government representatives were selected from China, Japan,
Brazil, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Romania. It
took five days to review the 152-page draft document but by early
afternoon on 26 January, this was complete and the new code ofpractice for shipbuilding and ship repair was approved.

One area of collaboration and IOHA involvement could possibly
be to have members act as experts in the three representative
groups. If the ILO can tell us that they are looking for agovernment expert in construction safety, for example, we could
solicit someone from our organisation to attend the consensus
meeting as a government expert in construction.

As an observer, I was not permitted to sit in the individual
group meetings, but I think I got a good enough picture of theprocess by attending the larger plenary sessions. Not knowing thespecifics of shipbuilding safety was not a particular disadvantage,
since the codes of practice are mostly quite general in nature. Neither
was it particularly important to be versed in maritime law or practice.

It is also possible to fill positions with IOHA experts representing
labour or employers. The only requirement other than being
an expert in the relevant field would be that the representative
actually works in the sector he or she is to represent.

During my free time at the conference, I took the opportunity
to meet with ILO staff and learn as much as possible about theorganisation. I was able to meet with Casper Edmunds, headof the Manufacturing, Mining and Energy unit at the Sectoral
Policies Department. We discussed how IOHA might be of use
to the ILO and how our members could be more involved in
ILO projects.

IOHA Newsletter

Moving forward, our goal should be to work more closely with
Mr Edmunds and his group to see when they need experts in a

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March 2018

given area, and to make the appropriate contacts and subsequent
nominations. This would be a win-win situation where the ILO
would get recognised experts in OSH and IOHA members
would have the experience of being on one of these international
work teams.
I also met with Dr Susan Gunn. She has recently retired but had
worked at the ILO for 16 years and carried out several studies
on children at work. Her insights and perspectives on working
children were invaluable. She took me around the offices ofthe Health and Safety group, where I met several interesting
professionals, from statisticians to experts on slave labour.
Additionally, I met with the chief of Labour Administration and
OSH and the IOHA 2018 plenary speaker, Nancy Leppink. We
discussed ILO initiatives and methods in which IOHA might beable to collaborate on some of the projects. Discussions also took
place regarding the ILO flagship programmes. These are ILO
emphasis areas in the process of being developed, which will be
strategic partnerships in a variety of topic areas.

The ILO meeting took place in Geneva
the coalition by the World Health Organisation. IOHA members
may be able to assist the work of some of the task forces, butparticipation would be ‘in kind’ and members would be required
to pay their own travel expenses.

One of the major initiatives is the development of a suite ofassessment tools to be used by nations to assess their existing
capacities for OSH. These could be used by institutions or
individual professionals to assess such areas as healthcare facilities,
public health services, educational systems and regulatory policy.
The ILO has already developed tools for OH services, training,
labour inspection and OSH laws.

On my last day at the conference, I met Claude Donald Loiselle
from the Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and OSH
Branch of the ILO. For many years, Mr Loiselle had worked in, orwith, the International Centre for Health (CIS) of the organisation.

It could be possible for IOHA members to collaborate with
the ILO on the development of some of the future assessment
tools. They are looking at creating tools for reporting systems,
inspection systems, measuring worker engagement and safety
culture, labour unions, professional associations and the ability
to handle data.

In 2013, many of CIS’s activities were folded into other ILO
departments and its current main focus is the support ofregional and global OSH organisations and development ofregional networks. Other projects involve the developmentof OSH knowledge and research capacity building, case study
analysis of OSH networks, the role of governments in advancing
labour initiatives and the capacities of non-governmental
OSH organisations.

Once the assessment tools are completed, they can be used in thefield by auditors to measure and evaluate the OSH capacity ofa nation or institution. This could be another area where IOHA
members could be involved, working on OSH assessment teams.
Ultimately, the assessments would identify areas where development
is needed to fill gaps and improve existing programmes.

In relation to education and information, Claude has written
two articles in the January 2018 issue of International Newsletteron Occupational Health and Safety – Special Issue on Networking. One
focuses on understanding OSH knowledge agencies and theother is about a new ILO web portal covering OSH agencies,
institutions and organisations.

Projects could include such topics as the development ofregulatory or inspection programmes, development of training
programmes or educational courses or building medical clinics.
Some of these activities could also be supported by IOHA
members. Although most IOHA support could come frommembers in the form of volunteer services, there would also be
opportunities to work as consultants for longer-term projects.

My overall impression is that the ILO is a large organisation
where new endeavours and partnerships take time to develop andnurture. Perhaps I was most impressed by and appreciative of thepeople that I met. They represent the best of OSH professionals:
intelligent, diligent, resilient and thoroughly dedicated to worker
health and safety.

Discussions also centered on the Global OSH Coalition that waspresented in Singapore in 2017. A steering committee has beencreated to develop project priorities and they will be forming
work task groups for different projects. There will be two levelsof membership in the coalition: steering and participatory.

Besides thinking of ways our members can help the ILO,
I would like to remind everyone that the ILO holds a wealthof knowledge and resources on a wide variety of OSH topics.
If you have an idea for a project, are looking for specificinformation, or would like to find a contact person at the ILO
to speak with, please do not hesitate to contact me attpfuller1@gmail.com.

There may be an opportunity for IOHA to be a participating
member, but there may be restrictions due to limitations put on

IOHA Newsletter

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March 2018

News
Budget proposes consolidation			​European associations identify key topics

President Trump’s budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year isseeking to consolidate the activities and research of the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh), including
the Energy Employee Occupational Injury Compensation Act
programme, within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) andto cut its budget by $135 million.

The seven European professional associations who set up aEuropean platform for OH professionals in late 2016 haveidentified three technical topics requiring in-depth exchanges
and this has led to the publication of an opinion and operational
recommendations. The three are:
1. Alignment of hazard band systems;
2. REACH and the Chemical Risk Directive; and3. Control and evaluation of occupational dermal exposures tocarcinogens and mutagens.

Niosh, which is currently part of the Center for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), would initially be established as a new NIH
institute, but could eventually become more fully integrated into
existing NIH institutes and centres.

The platform is currently planning a workshop on the first subject
during 2018 and will continue to communicate its activity via GEM
and online throughout the year. The associations involved are: NVvA
in the Netherlands; BSOH in Belgium; DGAH in Germany; SSHT in
Switzerland; Sofhyt in France, AIDDI in Italy; and AEHI in Spain.
For more information:
Antoine Leplay, aleplayconsult@gmail.com, +33 6 75 29 54 70

The budget reductions would include eliminating Niosh’s education
and research centres, and stopping direct federal funding to support
academic salaries, stipends, and tuition and fee reimbursements foroccupational health (OH) professionals at universities. CDC would
take over the World Trade Centre Health Programme.
The budget also proposes replacing the Chemical Safety and Hazard
Investigation Board, on the basis that its work duplicates that ofothers, and the Susan Harwood training grants of the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (Osha). The proposal described
these as “unnecessary and unproven”.
For more information:www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/

Honour for past BOHS president...
The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) has announced
that its past president Trevor Ogden was awarded an OBE in the2018 New Year’s Honours list, for services to OH and workplace
air quality, following in the footsteps of three previous presidents.
Mr Ogden was the president of BOHS in 1991. His other notableachievements include:• Editing the Annals of Occupational Hygiene (now known as Annals ofWork Exposures and Health) 1997 to 2012;

Vietnam event seeking partners
Vietnam’s National Institute of Occupational and Environmental
Health (NIOEH) has announced that it is looking for sponsors,
exhibitors and volunteers to be a part its 5th International
Conference on Occupational & Environmental Health. This takes
place on 10-12 September in Hanoi, with the theme ‘Occupational
health and environment: Challenges and opportunities insustainable development’.

• Developing a method to measure the inhalation hazard of radon
progeny in flammable atmospheres, which became a standard
method for these measurements in British coal mines; and• Developing the Regulatory Interlaboratory Counting Exchanges(RICE) quality assurance scheme and methods of internal quality
control, which are still in use 35 years later.
For more information:www.bohs.org

The conference will examine workplace safety and environmental
health conditions, and methods to evaluate and control hazards. It
is an opportunity for local and international scientists to exchange
information and experiences on research studies on maritime
safety, occupational safety and environmental health (OSEH),
school health, and intervention measures on health promotion andprotection for workers, school children, and community.

...and for OHTA co-founder and past IOHA president
The Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA) co-founderand director Noel Tresider was recently awarded the title Memberof the General Division of the Order of Australia in the 2018
Australia Day Honours List. He was honoured for significant services
to workplace health in the field of OH and to the promotion anddevelopment of standards and training.

Participants will include local and international scientists andpolicymakers in the field, including the WHO, Niosh and OHTA.
The event aims to provide a platform to: share information on
research and interventions in OSEH; partner internationally on
areas of mutual interest; share training methods and opportunities;
and promote the international transfer and adaptation of new
OSEH knowledge.
For more information:
http://nioeh.org.vn/tin-tuc/the-5th-international-conference-onoccupational-and-environmental-helth

IOHA Newsletter

Mr Tresider is also a former president and treasurer of theAustralian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH). Within
IOHA, he served as president in 2011-12 and also chaired the
National Accreditation Recognition Committee for six years,
helping to establish and lead a process to recognise excellent
quality national qualification processes in OH. He was also a board
member of Workplace Health Without Borders from 2005 to 2017.
For more information:www.ohlearning.com/news/noel-tresider-awarded-member-of-theorder-of-australia.aspx
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March 2018

Niosh proposes 20 more drugs for special

New Osha publications address silica

handling information		Osha has issued a revised fact sheet on its respirable crystalline
silica standard for general industry and maritime settings. This
provides a basic overview of respirable crystalline silica, howworkers can be exposed and when employers are required tocomply with the standard, with additional information suchas examples of dust control methods.
For more information:
https://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.html

Niosh has proposed that 20 new drugs, along with two others
that already have special handling information specified by the
manufacturer, should be added to the agency’s hazardous drug list
for healthcare settings this year. It also proposed to add botulinum
toxins as a group to the list. Comment is being sought up to
16 April.
The Niosh List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in
Healthcare Settings builds on a 2004 alert that warned healthcare
employers and workers of the risks of working with hazardous
drugs and discussed measures they could take to protect theirhealth. It has since been updated four times, with
34 being added on the last occasion in 2016.
For more information:
https://www.federalregister.gov documents/2018/02/14/2018-02957/niosh-list-of-antineoplastic-and-otherhazardous-drugs-in-healthcare-settings-proposed-additions-to

OH 2018 bookings open
The BOHS has announced that bookings are now open for its
OH 2018 conference in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, on 17-19
April, preceded by professional development courses on 16 April.
The conference will bring together researchers, practitioners,
regulators and other experts from around the world to discuss thelatest in issues that affect health at work.
One key feature is the Warner Lecture, given this year by Simon
Harmer, a former army combat medic who also took part intriathlons and cross-country skiing. In 2009, he received injuries
from an explosion. With support, he rebuilt his life and threw
himself into different challenges. Later, he became a volunteer
ambassador for several service charities. He will talk about his
experiences and what he has learned from them.
For more information:www.oh-2018.com

HASANZ Register now open
The HASANZ online register of verified workplace health andsafety professionals in New Zealand is now officially “openfor business”, having already opened for health and safety
professionals in December 2017.
The New Zealand Occupational Health Society (NZOHS)
described this as “a one stop shop for businesses to findreliable, quality health and safety advice and services” at nocost. Independent consultants and in-house professionals, bothgeneralists and specialists, who meet the required competency
standards of a HASANZ member association can list on
the register.
For more information:
http://nzohs.org.nz/hasanz/

AIHA launches e-learning course
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has
launched a new online self-study course called ‘How to assess
and manage nanomaterial risks’. This is intended for industrial
hygienists responsible for the health and safety of workers
exposed to nanomaterials and contains 3.5 hours of instructional
video and related activities.
This course, the AIHA said, “will provide a disciplined process forthe responsible management of nanomaterials. Participants will be
guided through an example of creating a sampling plan, evaluating
data and control recommendation. Using nanomaterial exposure
scenarios, participants will create a sampling plan, analyse
provided data and decide if engineering controls should be added
to the risk management plan.”
For more information:
https://www.aiha.org/education/eLearning/Pages/How-toAssess-and-Manage-Nanomaterial-Risks.aspx

LMU offers English courses
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) in Germany
is offering online modules in scientific English for OSH experts
in Latin America. These courses are part of LMU’s Master
International Occupational Safety and Health qualification andaim to address the need for more experts with English proficiency
at a scientific level in the region.
The next registration period opens in April and courses will takeplace from July to December. They last 14 weeks, cost €750
and are conducted online in Spanish in a way that is “perfectlycompatible with any work schedule”, according to LMU.

I AM IH/OH contest
The AIHA has invited all IOHA affiliate organisation members
to participate in a worldwide call for ‘I AM IH/OH’ selfie photos
and videos that may be chosen for inclusion in a special montage
for an upcoming episode of the award-winning documentary‘I AM IH’, which will debut at IOHA 2018 in Washington, DC, in
September. Submissions will be accepted via the registration pageof the website between 1 January and 30 April.
For more information:www.aiha.org/events/IOHA2018/Register/Pages/IOHASubmit-a-Selfie.aspx

The course is based on interactive and problem-based learning,enabling participants to improve their English skills by reading
scientific articles related to OSH, exercising their reading andhearing comprehension and practising their oral and written
expression. They will also acquire knowledge in presentation anddiscussion techniques in English for OSH-related topics.
For more information:www.osh-munich.de

IOHA Newsletter

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March 2018

SAIOH and AIHA co-hostDurban event
would incur for accommodation, the travel expenses of thecourse trainers and expenses related to course logistics andparticipant training materials. A discounted registration fee
was offered to students, to maximise the benefit which can bederived from this type of expert training, including networking
opportunities, discussion forums and first-time exposure tocertain topics for some of the attendees.

Training attracts 34 from across southern Africa
Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between theSouthern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH)
and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA),SAIOH organised and co-hosted an international training event in
occupational hygiene (OH) at Durban University of Technology(DUT) in South Africa, from 4 to 7 December 2017.

As a further benefit, which was also negotiated between SAIOH
and AIHA, course participants were given the opportunity topurchase three of AIHA’s e-books at a significantly reduced cost approximately 80% off the AIHA non-member pricing - through
SAIOH. These were on:

The course was presented by international discipline experts
representing AIHA and the Indiana University Fairbanks
School of Public Health (FSPH) in Indianapolis. Planning forits delivery started during 2016, as part of the collaborative
partnership between SAIOH and AIHA, which encompasses“technical cooperation in a number of activity areas, including
joint collaboration in the field of OH, such as training courses,
seminars and conferences”.

• assessing and managing occupational exposures;• a noise manual; and• evaluation, control and management of the occupational
environment.

Photo credits: SAIOH and DUT

Photo credits: SAIOH and DUTSAIOH decided to offer the course on a break-even model,
charging the lowest possible registration fee to cover costs it

Vote of thanks – Muriel Mogane, chair of the SAIOH KwaZuluNatal branch, hands a gift of appreciation to the main course presenter,
Dr Steven Lacey, while his fellow presenters, Drs Emily Ahonen andPerry Logan, look on

IOHA Newsletter

Relaxation mode – Course presenters and hosts at the Hluhluwe Nature
Reserve, post-training course. L to R: Drs Emily Ahonen, Steven Lacey,
Ivan Niranjan, Perry Logan and Jakes Jacobs

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March 2018

Photo credits: SAIOH and DUT• statistics for OH practice coupled with the presentation andinterpretation of data sets using statistical tools;• field skills; and• the evaluation of interventions.
The discipline experts who facilitated the training were Drs Steven
Lacey, Emily Ahonen and Perry Logan. All are members of
AIHA.
Dr Lacey is a certified industrial hygienist and safety professional,
with a PhD in industrial hygiene. He is the immediate pastpresident of AIHA, as well as an associate professor and chairof the Department of Environmental Health Science at Indiana
University FSPH. His current research is on medical laser healthand safety.
Dr Ahonen is an assistant professor in the Department ofEnvironmental Health Science and the Department of Social and
Behavioural Sciences at FSPH. With a PhD in public health, herareas of research are work and housing as they interact withhealth and well-being, and the evaluation of interventions toaddress various public health challenges. She has also worked inhealth promotion with migrant agricultural workers in Michigan.
Striking a pose – Participants and presenters of the International
Course in Occupational Hygiene, hosted by SAIOH and DUT, 4-7
December 2017

Dr Logan, a certified industrial hygienist with a PhD inenvironmental health, is the global manager for 3M Corporate
Ergonomics, Industrial Hygiene. He studies all aspects ofthe disciplines of environment, health and safety, with areasof interest in leadership, competency development, auditing,
exposure risk assessment and management, ventilation design, andBayesian and mathematical exposure modelling.

The training course, which was CPD-accredited by SAIOH
and the South African Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health (Saiosh) for their respective members, was attended byoccupational hygienists and other occupational safety and health(OSH) professionals, including environmental consultants.

SAIOH would like to extend a special vote of thanks to Shakeel
Ori, director of cooperative education at DUT, for his proactive
contribution to arranging the venues, student support, transportand catering logistics, and for making his staff members readily
available for assistance with the training course.

Participants came from as far afield as Botswana and Mozambique
to take part. Seven of the nine student participants were from
DUT. In all, 34 participants attended the course, representing
associations and organisations across various sectors, including:• Occutech;

It also appreciates the efforts of two members who represented
both associations at the course for their on-the-ground support
and assistance with various aspects of the training and for hosting
the visiting course presenters:• Apex Environmental;• Engen Oil;
• SAPREF - a Shell-BP joint venture;• Toyota;• Dr Ivan Niranjan, senior lecturer in the Environmental Healthprogramme, Department of Community Health at DUT, andimmediate past chair of the SAIOH KwaZulu-Natal branch,
recently appointed by the Minister of Labour as OSH Advisory
Council member for OH; and• Tongaat Hulett Sugar of Botswana;• Mozal Aluminium Smelter of Mozambique;• Metso Minerals;• Petra Diamonds; and• Peter-John (Jakes) Jacobs, SAIOH council member and pastpresident, and IOHA president-elect for 2018.

• SA Forestry Company (Safcol).
The training programme spanned a range of topics relevant topractitioners in OH and OSH, including:

The association also acknowledges Claudina Nogueira, SAIOH
council member responsible for the liaison portfolio, for much of
the behind-the-scenes work and planning of the training course,and Kate Smart in the SAIOH office, for administrative support.

• the evaluation and control of chemical and physical hazards;• ergonomics and human factors;• psychosocial factors in the work environment;

IOHA Newsletter

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March 2018

Upcoming meetings
Occupational Hygiene 2018

11th IOHA International Scientific Conference​

16-19 April 2018, Crowne Plaza, Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK

24-26 September, Marriott Marquis Washington, DC, US

Organised by the British Occupational Health Society (BOHS), this is theUK’s main conference in the field of worker health protection, focusing
on occupational hygiene (OH) and the prevention of occupational
ill-health and disease. It will include three days of keynote speakers,
oral presentations, themed sessions and workshops, bringing together
researchers, practitioners, regulators and other experts from aroundthe world to discuss issues that affect health at work. Professional
development courses also take place on 16 April.

Under the theme Bringing better health to workers
worldwide, this is a scientific and technicalconference for OH professionals from across theglobe. The conference will offer high quality scientificand technical content, as well as plenty of opportunity for networking.
It is expected to gather about 1,000 experts from the fields of OH,
exposure science, toxicology, ergonomics, epidemiology, occupational
medicine and health, and risk management. An exhibition runs inparallel with the conference, which is also preceded by two days ofprofessional development courses on 22-23 September.

www.oh-2018.com

www.aiha.org/events/IOHA18

32nd International Congress on Occupational
Health (ICOH)

Advance Rate Registration Opens in March!

29 April-4 May 2018, Convention Centre Dublin, Ireland

Don’t forget to register early and save! IOHA 2018 Advance Rate
Registration opens Friday, March 30, 2018 and closes on July 22,
2018. Attendees can save $100 on Standard Registration or takeadvantage of the “Stay and Save” discount to save even more money.
Visit here for full details.

Organised by the International Commission on Occupational Health(ICOH) and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine of the Royal
College of Physicians of Ireland, ICOH seeks to: cover a wide rangeof occupational, safety and health (OSH) topics, demonstrating how
research translates into excellence in practice; advance research andevidence-based approaches to OSH by promoting local, regional andglobal examples; and offer a blend of sessions that will demonstrate thescope of OSH practice and how that can effectively protect and promote
the health of all workers.
www.icoh2018.org/wp/

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition(AIHce EXP)
21-23 May 2018, Philadelphia Convention Centre, US
AIHce EXP is an event for industrial hygiene (IH) and OH professionals
at all levels, specialities, and expertise. It comprises: education on IH
and OH, networking opportunities and an exhibition featuring hundredsof exhibitors displaying innovative products and services. The main
conference on 21-23 May is sandwiched by professional development
courses that take place on May 19, 20, and 24. Participants can alsoearn 18 certification maintenance contact hours for the year at one
conference and receive access to AIHce OnDemand free to the end of
2018.
www.aihce2018.org/Pages/default.aspx

Global Exposure Manager has been compiled
for IOHA by the on-line information service,
Chemical Risk Manager.
Disclaimer
While great care has been taken with the compilationof this newsletter, IOHA, its Directors, the editor
and the authors of articles accept no responsibility
for opinions, errors and omissions that may be madein this Newsletter. The responsibility for opinions
expressed in signed articles rests solely with theirauthors and does not constitute an endorsementby the IOHA.

IOHA Newsletter

Visit our website for an up to date list of events:
www.ioha.net/ioha-events

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March 2018

Thomas Ashton Instituteopens in UK
he says. “The trick now is to gain agreements from organisations toaccess their data ... and then start to look for patterns.”

The Health and Safety Executive and the
University of Manchester have launched an
institute for risk and regulatory research.
Emma Davies talks to its co-director,
Professor Andrew Curran

The institute will work closely with industry. “We would neverdo this on our own. We would always go through that processof engagement to make sure that what we are developing is
answering real world questions,” says Professor Curran.

Data will be at the heart of a new UK institute for risk andregulatory research, which is a partnership between the Universityof Manchester and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Basedat the university, the Thomas Ashton Institute is intended to act
as a source of health and safety knowledge and expertise, as well
as offering training.

Training
The institute will offer training in the UK and beyond to help toidentify and minimise workplace risks. For example, the HSE andthe University of Manchester have already worked together toprovide virtual training in Singapore.

“One of the most important things to say about the instituteis that we are not there to do blue-sky research; we are there todevelop simple, practical solutions to real workplace problems,”
says Professor Andrew Curran, who is the co-director of theinstitute, as well as being the HSE’s chief scientific adviser anddirector of research.

“Our longer-term intent is to make sure that we are not justthinking about issues from a UK perspective. We are thinking
about what these issues are globally,” says Professor Curran.
The HSE has a long history of working with the Universityof Manchester. For example, the university runs the agency’s
surveillance of work-related and occupational respiratory
disease (SWORD). In 2015, data from this revealed a significant
decline in asthma cases linked to workplace exposure todiisocyanates from paints used in vehicle repair. The drop
coincided with the HSE putting in place a method to screen
for urinary hexamethylenediamine, a biomarker of exposure to
hexamethylene diisocyanate.

The institute will run a series of research programmes, including
one on health and well-being, which will look at how occupational
data collection could be modernised. Health areas to be covered
will include respiratory diseases induced by chemical exposure in
the workplace.
“Manchester has a whole series of data mining and datainterpolation activities going on that are enabling us to do what
we haven’t been able to do before,” says Professor Curran. For
example, the institute will digitise swathes of HSE data so as
to find ways to help ensure that workplace ‘mistakes’ are notrepeated as new technologies and industries emerge.

“Since we have been offering that measurement technique, we cansee that the levels have fallen significantly in terms of exposure,”says Professor Curran. “The study is a good example of the HSE
and the university working to the same end. Building on thatsuccess, the institute will run other similar projects, he adds. “In
addition to our own data, we will be looking to see what otherdata is out there.”“We want to make sure that all of the available evidence is being usedappropriately to better inform duty holders and businesses as to what
the risks are and to enable them to do appropriate and effective risk
assessments themselves,” he adds. “We are moving away, perhaps,from some of the traditional approaches that we have used in thepast, and on to novel methods that access data in different ways.”

Professor Curran is keen to ensure that successful projects can beextended to include new data sources and that the databases are
set up to answer key questions. One of the ‘learning points’ fromthe HSE’s work with the university, in his view, is that “in order tocreate real intelligence you need good contextual information andappropriate subject matter experts”.

Wealth of data
One of the advantages the institute enjoys, according to Professor
Curran, is that it already has a lot of data. The HSE benefits fromhaving already set up a regulatory intelligence hub, which brings
together data from around government.

“By coming together, we have a faculty of world-class subject
matter experts. We also have a lot of contextual information,
given the relationships that we have with industrial partners,”
From a data perspective this is a “really interesting and excitingtime”, he concludes.

“We have got that working so we know that we can join data sets
and interrogate them in ways that we haven’t been able to before,”
IOHA Newsletter

This article has been reproduced from Chemical Risk Manager
8

March 2018

Malaysia: Strengthening
collaboration for
greater impact
was organised by the Malaysian Society of OSH, in collaboration
with Architect Centre and the Malaysian Institute of Architects.

MIHA has kept busy in promoting industrial
hygiene over the past few months

The training covered theoretical aspects of defects and hazard
identification in building and a practical session, which was heldat one of the schools in Petaling Jaya. This session allowed MIHA
and other OSH practitioners and volunteers to enhance theirknowledge, while also inculcating health and safety practices indaily life, both at school and at home.

The Malaysian Industrial Hygiene Association (MIHA) values
collaboration as a key to success in highlighting the importanceof industrial hygiene (IH), so as to reach out to the nationand hence have a greater impact. In doing this, it aspires tostrengthen IH practices in Malaysia through collaborations withstakeholders, including government officials, industry, universities
and other national and global occupational safety and health(OSH) associations.

In addition, 5 December 2017 saw another milestone for MIHA at
the 35th Annual Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists(AIOH) conference. Here, the association president, Norhazlina
Mydin, formalised ties with the AIOH through a memorandumof understanding that will strengthen the capability andprofessionalism of practitioners in both countries.

On 28 September 2017, the association organised a courtesy visit
to the offices of the Department of Occupational Safety and
Health (DOSH) and met the newly appointed deputy director
general for occupational health (OH), Ir. Hj. Kormain Hj. Mohd
Noor, to seek views on future MIHA programmes to strengthen
IH practices.

Moreover at this event, an MIHA member, Thum Khai Meng,
won the South East Asia Support Package from AIOH. This will
surely promote the growth of the profession in Malaysia.

The meeting went well and key agreements were achieved that
include DOSH support for collaboration with MIHA on the
proposed programme to upgrade IH awareness and practices
among SMEs. DOSH also gave a positive response for MIHA
to pursue its certified professional industrial hygienist (CPIH)
scheme, in gearing towards achieving and maintaining the highest
standards of IH.

Shortly after, on 14 December, MIHA conducted an IH capability
workshop 2017 at the G-Tower hotel in Kuala Lumpur withthe participation of various IH-competent people in Malaysia
and support from DOSH. The workshop discussed issues andchallenges faced by various responsible workers, that is:• Chemical health risk assessment (CHRA) assessor;

On 8 October, MIHA was invited to participate in the ‘OSH inschool’ programme, ‘Building safety inspection training’, which• Hygiene technician 1 (chemical exposure monitoring);

MIHA committee members held a courtesy visit to DOSH office to strengthen collaboration
IOHA Newsletter

9March 2018

MIHA participated in the ‘ OSH in school’ programme, successfully organised by MSOSH
Date: 13–14 November 2017
Venue: Hilton Hotel, Kota Kinabalu
Speaker: Marina Zainal Farid, CIH, CPIH
Title: Implementation of classification, labelling and safety
data sheet (CLASS) 2014 regulations in Malaysia• Hygiene technician 2 (chemical engineering control
effectiveness); and• Noise competent person.
It also discussed a proposed intervention plan via which MIHA
can get involved, with support from other stakeholders. The
deputy director general and his delegates from DOSH participatedand shared valuable insights with the team during the workshop.

Last but not least, and aligned with its mission, MIHA continues
to organise various training programmes aimed at enhancing IH
knowledge and awareness. Training events that have recently been
conducted include:

There will be further IH development, and through collaborationmuch more can be achieved, so that together we can create
a greater impact globally. Furthermore, MIHA adds value toits stakeholders as support for its IH outreach programme bycontributing speakers to various conferences and other events
which have recently included the following:

Sharing knowledge on noise control for government
officers of DOSH
Date: 19 September 2017
Venue: DOSH Office, Putrajaya
Trainer: Professor Park Doo Yong, CIH

FMM Perak Safety, Health and Environment
Conference 2017

Ventilation in confined space and local exhaust
ventilation (LEV)

Organiser: Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), Perak
Date: 23 August 2017
Venue: Casuarina Hotel, Perak
Speaker: Atika Anuar, CPIH

Date: 20-21 September 2017
Venue: Niosh office, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor
Trainer: Professor Park Doo Yong, CIH

Enhancing IH practices - orientation day for UKM students

Asbestos management programme

Organiser: National University of Malaysia (UKM)
Date: 4 September 2017
Venue: UKM, Bangi, Selangor
Speaker: Megat Azman Megat Mokhtar

Date: 22–23 November 2017
Venue: Corus Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Trainer: Wan Sabrina Wan Mohamad, CIH, CPIH and
Swee Siang Ng

Promoting MIHA to UKM students - FMM Negeri Sembilan
OSH conference 2017

Industry code of practice CLASS 2014 implementation forchemical classifiers

Organiser: FMM, Negeri Sembilan
Date: 10 October 2017
Venue: Palm Seremban Hotel, Negeri Sembilan
Speaker: Ng Hon Seng

Date: 5–7 December 2017
Venue: St Giles Wembley Hotel, Penang
Trainer: Anuar Mohd Mokhtar, CPIH
Introduction to the guidelines on the OSH for design,
inspection, testing and evaluation of LEV systems

Elevating IH in the manufacturing industries - 5th Borneo
conference and exhibition on OSH

Date: 21 December 2017
Venue: Denso, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor
Trainer: Ir. Nimi Ahmad

Organiser: National Institute of OSH (Niosh), Malaysia
Theme: Enhancing OSH for business competitiveness

IOHA Newsletter

10

March 2018

IOHA Collaboration Award 2018
Recognise successful partnerships and celebrate collaboration
Collaboration is key to everything IOHA believes in and stands for. IOHA recognizes the need for sharing ideas andcommunicating its achievements in the community of occupational hygienists. Behind each successful project is asolid and dependable partnership that seeks to deliver excellence and offers models to inspire others.
The Collaboration Award celebrates an OH/OH organisation who has chosen to collaborate with other countries ororganizations to share ideas and technologies to improve the calibre of occupational hygiene worldwide. The
person/organisation who has achieved outstanding results by collaborating with others will be granted the award.

The project should raise awareness for others that collaboration can be an effective strategy to improve outcomes,
increase efficiency, and maximize impact.

NOMINATIONSOnly IOHA member associations canmake a nomination for one project/collaborationOne of the nominees must be a member

INFORMATION SUBMISSION
The submission needs to include:

Biographical details of the parties involved

A max. 500 word abstract of the collaboration addressing:of an IOHA member nationalorganisation


The collaboration can be among IOHA
members/organisations or IOHA–

The reason for the collaboration–

The case study–

The solution and the outcomes/impact

A three minute video which tells the story of the collaborationmember(s) working with otherstakeholders/parties. In the nomination,
all parties must be mentioned.


The collaboration can relate to:–knowledge and practice of the

PROCESSsubmitted before May 13, 2018 to admin@ioha.net

profession of occupational hygiene–

development and promotion ofpractical solutions in the field of

Nominations for the Collaboration Award must beNominations will be judged by an independent jury

Nominees will be informed before June 30, 2018

occupational hygiene

PRIZES

The Award will consist of an honorarium covering travel costs (economy fare), hotel lodging andregistration for the IOHA 2018 conference in Washington.
The costs will be paid for a maximum of two persons representing both parties of the collaboration
IOHA will ensure maximum recognition for the award-winning collaboration by featuring it on multiple
platforms, including the IOHA Conference, social media and IOHA website!
The winners will present their project in a presentation during the conference.
The winners will be interviewed for Global Exposure Manager, the IOHA Newsletter.
IOHA Newsletter

11

March 2018

News from:

Chemical Risk Manager
Taiwan sets 1-bromopropane workplace
exposure limit• raising awareness of the importance of preventing risks fromdangerous substances;• promoting risk assessment by providing information on practical
tools and creating opportunities to share good practices;

27 February 2018
Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour (MoL) has set a workplace air
exposure limit for 1-bromopropane and stricter limits for several
other chemicals, which comes into effect on 1 July. This followed a60-day public consultation and an executive order on 27 December
2017. The limits are:• heightening awareness of the risks linked to exposures tocarcinogens at work;• targeting groups of workers with specific needs and higher levelsof risks by providing tailored information and examples ofgood practices; and• 1-bromopropane: 0.5 ppm over an eight-hour period;• increasing knowledge of the legislative framework that is alreadyin place to protect workers.

• acetone: 200 ppm over an eight-hour period (down from 750 ppm);• vinyl chloride: 1 ppm (down from 3 ppm); andEU-Osha conducts these campaigns every two years as a flagshipawareness-raising activity. They are the main way of getting its
message to workplaces across Europe. The campaigns are backed
by EU institutions and European social partners.

• hydrogen bromide: a maximum exposure ceiling of 3 ppm in a
one-hour period.
Fines equating to between $1,000 and $10,000 will be imposed
for each breach under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The MoL also said that employers are responsible for adopting
effective measures against occupational injuries and illnesses fromexcessive exposure to the substances, notably ventilation, training
and ensuring the use of facemasks and other personal protective
equipment (PPE).
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/64230

The association has also called for nominations to its good practiceawards. It is particularly looking for examples that demonstrate aholistic approach to OSH management, and real improvements inthe use and handling of dangerous substances that ensure safe andhealthy working conditions.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63630

EU-Osha announces healthy workplace campaign

Fifth of US asthma deaths “linked to occupational
exposures”

22 February 2018
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-Osha)
has announced that its Healthy Workplace campaign for 2018-19
will focus on managing dangerous substances. The campaign,
which will be fully launched in April, aims to raise awareness of
the risks posed by dangerous substances in the workplace and topromote a culture of risk prevention. Key objectives include:

20 February 2018
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hasstudied the 33,307 deaths from asthma among 15- to 64-year-olds
across the US between 1999 and 2016. It found that up to 20%,
almost 7,000 might be “attributable to occupational exposures andwere therefore preventable”.

IOHA Newsletter

12

March 2018

DCM is a chlorinated alkane widely used as a solvent in industrial
and research settings. It has a mandatory category 2 carcinogenicity
classification under EU CLP and its use in paint strippers in
restricted in the EU under REACH.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63823

Construction workers exposed to welding fumes and isocyanatesin paints and healthcare workers exposed to cleaning products
and disinfectants were among those most at risk. An estimated184 men died in the construction industry from asthma caused byoccupational exposures – 13.2% of all male asthma deaths – as did
279 women working in healthcare – 14.0% of all female asthma
deaths, the CDC said.

South Korean study investigates worker
lead exposure

The figures were based on data from the National Vital Statistics
System and also reviewed information from the International
Classification of Diseases 10th Revision, the 2000 census, andoccupation and industry information from 26 states for six years
between 1999 and 2012. It was published in CDC’s Morbidity andmortality weekly report.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/64030

9 February 2018
Researchers in South Korea hves estimated that nearly 130,000
workers there were exposed to lead in 2010. Their work is part of a
project to develop a national version of the widely used carcinogensurveillance system, Carex. This is due to be completed in 2022.
The team, lead by Dong-Hee Koh from Incheon’s Catholic
Kwandong University, used three nationwide data sources to obtain
database-derived prevalences of lead exposure across industries.
These were:

HBM4EU to develop chromium biomonitoring test
16 February 2018
Europe’s most extensive human biomonitoring project, HBM4EU,
is to develop methods for measuring chromium in exhaled
breath condensate (EBC) as part of its research. This will involve
studying 50 workers at three to five companies in at least eight of
the EU member states participating in the project.

• airborne lead measurement data from the work environment
measurement database;• blood lead measurement data from the special health examination
database; and• lead exposure prevalence computed using data from the work
environment condition survey.

According to the chromates research team, the biomonitoring will
involve measuring levels of hexavalent chromium in urine, bloodplasma and red blood cells, as well as levels of both hexavalentand trivalent chromium in EBC. Analysis of chromium in EBC
is not well established, and will require method development andvalidation, the plan says.

After reviewing the results, the researchers then asked a panel of
52 experts about the prevalence of lead exposure across different
industries. The study concludes that this work “may offer anunbiased approach to the development process that accounts forthe uncertainty in exposure”.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63747

Hexavalent chromium is on the REACH authorisation list and is
the subject of a proposed mandatory occupational exposure limit(OEL) under the carcinogens and mutagens Directive (CMD).
HBM4EU identified it as one of ten priority substances orsubstance groups when the project was launched. Workers in areas
like surface treatment and stainless steel welding remain exposed toit, however, and current systems of monitoring are not adequate.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/64005

PPE, workplace hygiene associated with reduced
spray painter neurotoxicity
9 February 2018
A study in New Zealand has found that using PPE andgood workplace hygiene can significantly reduce the riskof symptoms of neurotoxicity in vehicle repair spray paintersexposed to solvents. The study, published in the Annals ofWork Exposures and Health, looked at exposure control
measures including PPE use, hygiene practices and symptomsof neurotoxicity at 267 workplaces.

France gives guidance on monitoring DCM
in workers
12 February 2018
The French Agency for Food, Environmental and OSH (Anses)
has approved the biological limit values (BLVs) proposed last year
by its committee of specialist experts for occupational exposure todichloromethane (DCM). They are:

For painters who consistently used both gloves and a respirator,
there was a 90% reduction in risk, the study found. Frequent
use of both was strongly associated with reduced symptoms ofneurotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner, with the best protective
effect found for consistent glove use. Poor practices, such as solvent
exposure to multiple body parts, were similarly associated withincreased symptoms.

• 0.2 mg/litre and the corresponding biological reference value 1.6
mg/L for DCM in urine; and• 3.5% and the corresponding biological reference value of 1.5%
for blood carboxyhaemoglobin, which applies only
to non-smokers.

IOHA Newsletter

Lead researcher Sam Keer, from the Centre for Public HealthResearch at Massey University in Wellington, recommended that
13

March 2018

spray painters wear PPE during all operations where exposure tosolvents may occur. “However, it is important to remember that
PPE is purely a mitigation measure, and should not be relied upon
to prevent workers being exposed,” he added.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63765

and enforcement is planned from June onwards. The proposal also
states that manufacturers must take measures to protect the healthof the workers involved, including medical examinations andmonitoring of the working environment.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63121

European partners sign joint position

CMD amendment comes into force

5 February 2018
Pan-European trade union IndustriAll and the European Chemical
Employers Group (ECEG) have signed a joint position statement.
They agreed that DG Employment’s Scientific Committee on
Occupational Exposure Limits (Scoel), which sets Europe-wide
OELs, and Echa’s Risk Assessment Committee (Rac), which
manages the REACH process, should cooperate more fully.

12 January 2018
The first of three planned amendments to the EU CMD cameinto force in January, following publication in the Official Journal
on 27 December 2017. Member states have two years totranspose this into national law. The amendment, which wasagreed by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers
in December, introduces new exposure limits for 13 substances,including respirable crystalline silica dust, benzene and vinyl
chloride monomer.

The two said they were in favour of streamlining processes,
speeding up procedures at the EU leve and avoiding duplicationof work. They disagreed with calls from some quarters for amerger of the two bodies as their respective compositions,procedures and purposes are too different, but said that bringing
them under one umbrella organisation, such as the European
Chemicals Agency (Echa), was an idea worth exploring further.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63713

The second batch proposes changes for seven substances,including trichloroethylene and 4,4’-methylenedianiline (MDA).
A third batch of amendments is subject to an impact assessmentthat will end on 25 December. The stated aim of the change is tobetter protect workers from cancer-causing substances.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63039

US OH agencies “should improve collaboration”

Experts clash over dermal exposure method for VOCs

2 February 2018
A new report from the US National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering and Medicine (NAS) has concluded that the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) should workwith Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (Osha) and the states, to establish andstrengthen regional OSH surveillance programmes.

9 January 2018
A debate over the suitability of activated carbon or charcoal cloth(ACC) pads for measuring dermal exposure to volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) has erupted in the Annals of Work Exposuresand Health.
In a letter to the editor, Professor John Cherrie, a former
president of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS)
who published on the same topic in 2006, called the method
described by a team from the University of Leuven and Janssen
Pharmaceuticals as “wholly unsuitable” for the purpose.

Currently there is no single, comprehensive surveillance systemin the US, and the principal focus has been on collecting data on
health outcomes. The report, A smarter national surveillance system for
occupational safety and health in the 21st century, said that an improved
system would minimise the undercounting of occupational injuries
and illnesses by making strategic use of different datasets andsurveys, while maximising appropriate use of technologies.
For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/63615

Using Permea-Tec ACC solvent sensors as described in the Belgian
study, he said, risks:• oversampling of vapour compared with liquid;• rapid saturation with liquid, even with small sample volumes; and• failure to account for evaporation of VOCs from the skin.
• Instead, he recommended using a simple model of dermal
exposure loading, such as the RiskOfDerm model, coupled witha model to estimate intake while accounting for evaporation, suchas the IH-SkinPerm model.

Japan proposes prior permission for asbestos samples
17 January 2018
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has proposeda change to its Industrial Safety and Health Act, allowing the
manufacture of some samples of asbestos for analysis and use inresearch. At present, the production of asbestos and preparations
containing it is completely banned.

The original study, funded by the Belgian government, describeda “robust and sensitive” method for quantitatively assessing skin
exposure to 181 VOCs. Team leader Jeroen Vanoirbeek has since
published a further defence of it.

The proposal was notified to the WTO, which was accepting
comments until mid-March. Adoption was expected shortly after

IOHA Newsletter

For more information:www.chemicalwatch.com/crmhub/62897
14

March 2018

Product safety news and resources
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specifically to support professionals managing the riskof chemicals in the workplace, through the supply chain,
and in products. It delivers news and resources to help
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