OHSI 19th Annual Conference
To Measure or not to Measure
Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th February 2010

Photos From the Day

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

08.30	Registration
09.00	Conference Opening Ms Frances Wright OHSI Hon. Pres.
09.05	Annual Tom O’Connor Lecture: “Nano-Particles” Dr Norah O Farrell, Heath and Safety Authority. Addressing the knowledge gaps that exist concerning nanomaterials. Discussion of how developments in this area influence policy decisions in the Irish context and the HSAs current policy and approach regarding nanotechnology.
09.50	“Advances in Diffusive sampling” Eddie Salter, SKC Advances made in order to identify lower levels of contamination using dual sampling and analytical techniques and the applications in very low wind speed situations
10.35	Tea/Coffee Break
11.00	“Setting OELs” Nicholas DePaor, Health and Safety Authority. The generation and updating of occupational exposure limit values; the development of indicative values by the EU and the publication of approved national occupational exposure limit values in Chemical Agents Regulations Code of Practice.
11.45	"Development and Validation of New Occupational Hygiene Air and Surface Sampling Methods". Matt Meiners, Bureau Veritas. Considerations involved in selecting appropriate sample collection and analytical techniques, as well as an overview of a comprehensive method validation process will be presented.
12.30	Open Forum
12.45	Business Networking Session, Meet and greet other occupational hygiene professionals
13.00	Lunch
14.00	OHSI AGM – all members welcome.
14.20	“The Future of Occupational Hygiene” Frances Wright, OHSI Pres. Update on the competency based model on international training modules with recognised accreditation.
14.30	“Advanced REACH Tool” Patricia McDonnell, NUIG. This presentation will give an introduction to the ART project and an overview of the model refi nements and validation for the pharmaceutical industry.
14.45	“Reliability of measurements of respirable crystalline silica at proposed exposure limits”. Peter Stacey, Health and Safety Laboratory, UK. This paper discusses the evidence presented to the Health and Safety Executive’s Advisory Committee for Toxic substances in 2005, HSE's strategy to improve the measurement precision and the outcome of a recent project to investigate the effect of high fl ow rate sampling apparatus on the measurement of respirable crystalline silica.
15.30	“Utilizing New Tools for Hazard Communication”. Max Lum, NIOSH-CDC Effective communication of hazards and engaging the workforce as a practitioner is critical to successful health outcomes. Dr Lum will present new approaches to hazard communications which challenge the traditional mindset on knowledge transfer and sharing in the occupational hygiene and safety fields.
16.15	Conference Close. Ms Frances Wright OHSI Hon. Pres

SPEAKERS

Dr. Norah O’Farrell is an Inspector in the Chemicals Policy and Services Division of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). Norah is the Irish delegate to the European Commission’s REACH Competent Authority’s subgroup on nanotechnology and the Irish nominee to the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials.

Eddie Salter is currently Managing Director of SKC Ltd and a Director of SKC Inc –USA. Eddie has over 40 years of practical experience in gas analysis, analytical techniques and air sampling, principally with the Atomic Energy Authority. Eddie was involved in designing gas chromatographs early in the 1960’s. Eddie has lectured extensively across the UK and worldwide and presented at the first meeting of the OHSI.

Matt Meiners is a Division Manager for the Bureau Veritas Lake Zurich Industrial Hygiene laboratory. He has 25 years of experience in IH sample analysis and method development, focused in the pharmaceutical and related industries for the past 15 years. Matt is a contributing author to the ISPE Guidance Document, “Assessing the Containment Performance of Pharmaceutical Equipment”, is certifi ed in industrial hygiene by ABIH (CIH) and his professional affi liations include AIHA, ISPE, and AAPS.

Dr Max R. Lum Ed.D., MPA, is Director of the Offi ce of Health Communication and Global Collaboration at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). He is responsible for the NIOSH’s initiatives in health communication, media relations and serves as team leader for the international program portfolio of the Institute.

Nicholas DePaor is an inspector with the Health and Safety Authority. He holds a master’s degree in Occupational Hygiene from the University of Greenwich and has 25 years of experience in all aspects of occupational hygiene and general safety in the pharmaceutical industry. For the past 3 years he has been an inspector with the Health and Safety Authority in the Chemicals Policy Services Division, specialising in Occupational Hygiene policy.

Peter Stacey is a chartered chemist, member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and convener of the International Standards Organisation working group on silica measurement. He is a senior scientist at the Health and Safety Laboratory in the UK and project manager for research concerning the measurement of workers’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

Frances Wright is the current honorary president of the OHSI and managing director of Wright Environmental Services, an environmental and occupational hygiene consultancy company, specialising in air and noise monitoring.

Patricia McDonnell completed her M.Sc. in Occupational Health and Safety, worked as a consultant Occupational Hygienist, and is currently doing a PhD in Occupational Hygiene in National University of Ireland Galway. Her research, funded by GlaxoSmithKline, aims to refi ne and validate the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) specifically for the pharmaceutical industry.