In the Summer 2024 edition of OHAO Forum:
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Greetings OHAO members! I hope that you are all enjoying the summer
and staying safe. I would like to begin by welcoming our new President, Craig Maunder, who has kindly provided the President’s Message in this issue. Welcome to the Forum.
As for my message, I would like to focus on biological hazards, that are often overlooked. The most likely exposures in the workplace are from coworkers,
in the form of viral infections. There are several viruses that are expected
to be circulating this summer, including the following:
Enteroviruses
Enteroviruses are a diverse group of viruses, comprised of over 100 types. They are typically more common in the summer months. They can manifest in many ways, from mild cold-like symptoms to severe respiratory and neurological conditions. Examples of enteroviruses include polio, hand, foot
and mouth disease, and the common cold.
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Dear OHAO members,
I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to continue to serve the OHAO membership as your new President. This year is an exciting time for OHAO
as the board and executive renew our 3-year strategic plan and put it in motion. Your board has a strong, united focus on increasing the profile of occupational hygiene and hygienists in Ontario, fostering new connections
with like-minded OHS organizations, and expanding the membership, while continuing (as always) to provide top-notch educational opportunities. The future of OHAO is truly looking bright.
It has been wonderful to see a renewed interest recently amongst OHAO members towards serving on the board of directors, on committees, and as mentors and mentees in the newly revitalized OHAO Mentorship Program. If you have been considering volunteering for any of these roles, I would
strongly encourage you to give it a go. These are excellent opportunities to meaningfully give back to the IH / OHS profession, while making lasting connections with your fellow professionals that will serve you gainfully throughout your career.
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Ventilating a space with fresh air aims to avoid ‘bad air’, perceived as
stuffy or unpleasant. In the 17th and 18th centuries, oxygen deficiency and carbon dioxide (CO2) were implicated; by the mid-19th century, body odour from human metabolism and respiration was being considered primarily responsible for unacceptable IAQ.1 In 1858, Pettenkofer2 proposed CO2
as a surrogate for ‘vitiated’ air, noting that people entering an occupied room would perceive a ‘human smell’ if the CO2 concentration in the air exceeded 1,000 ppm. In 1875, de Chaumont3 similarly considered 1000* ppm CO2 or 600† ppm above the outside background of about 400§ ppm (*1.0027,
†0.6322, § 0.3705 per 1000 volumes) as ‘the point at which the organic
matter [in indoor air] begins to be decidedly disagreeable to the senses’. Through the 20th century, researchers expanded the view that response to human body odour could be used as a criterion for ventilation standards.
4,5 Of course, odour can also emanate from building materials, furnishings
and cleaning activities.
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This article originally appeared in the June / July
2024 issue of The Synergist®, the magazine of
AIHA®.
As part of the OHAO/AIHA Memorandum of Understanding AIHA will be sharing one article from a recent issue of The Synergist in each issue of the OHAO Forum. Thank you to AIHA for sharing this information with our members.
In October 2022 and February 2023, members
of AIHA and ACGIH participated in brainstorming discussions about managing
heat-related hazards. Asked to share their experiences with heat stress in the
workplace, participants reported that workers under their care had suffered a
range of heat illnesses including cramping, rashes, loss of consciousness, and
convulsions. Others talked about worker hospitalizations and fatalities. “I had
to participate in a line-of-duty death investigation for a wildland firefighter
who died in Texas,” one participant said, according to a summary of the
sessions. “He was only 23 and his parents wanted to know why he was dead.”
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If you’re not already aware of the recent amendments to Canada’s Hazardous Products Regulations, it’s time to familiarize yourself. Employers need to understand what these amendments involve and how they may impact operations—especially since they are currently the focus of a
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) occupational hygiene campaign.
“We’re currently in the middle of a three-year transition period,” says Gordon Pajuluoma, Health and Safety Consultant with WSPS. “Suppliers have until December 14, 2025, to comply with the amended Hazardous Products Regulations. However, Ontario’s MLITSD has already started a focused inspection campaign to ensure employers are providing, or have plans to provide, updated WHMIS training to their workers that incorporates the amendments.”
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In June 2024, Occupational
Hygienists from the world over gathered in Dublin, Ireland for the 13th
Scientific Conference of the International Occupational Hygiene Association
(IOHA). The OHSI (Occupational Hygiene Society of Ireland) and BOHS (British
Occupational Hygiene Society) co-hosted the conference. IOHA 2024 was the first
in-person meeting since
2018 when Washington held the 11th IOHA Conference. The
12th IOHA Conference in 2021 was virtual attendance, due to the travel
restrictions
from COVID-19.
There were 665
attendees and 258 presenters held over four days. There were some noticeable
themes, with many sessions devoted to chemical risk assessments, hearing
conservation, real-time monitoring (RTM) using
direct-reading instruments,
mining, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence. In every time slot,
there were 4 to 5 sessions available, grouped together by theme. I wanted to
attend quite literally every session in each
time slot. Fortunately, the
recordings have been made available, so I’ll
spend some time this summer
watching the remaining sessions!
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Save the Dates
OHAO Fall Conference - Hybrid: October 22, 2024
OHAO Fall PDC - Virtual: October 23, 2024 More details coming soon.
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OHAO Will Be the Partners in Prevention Golden Horseshoe Conference Come see us at our booth on November 15. |
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New OHAO Consultants Directory Online The OHAO Consultants Directory is active on the OHAO website now. |
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IMPORTANT NOTE: THE DATE OF THE OHAO FALL CONFERENCE IS NOW TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2024 Due to venue availability issues the date of the OHAO Fall Conference has changed to Tuesday, October 22. The conference will be a hybrid event with the in person sessions will take place at the Humber College Conference and Events Centre at the Humber College North Campus in Etobicoke (close to Pearson Airport). We will also be hosting the OHAO 60th Anniversary Celebration after the Conference as an in person only event. Mark your calendar and we hope to see you there!
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