Photos of the day
Conference Programme
08.30 Registration
09.00 Conference Opening Ms Frances Wright OHSI Hon. President
09.05 Annual Tom O'Connor Lecture: "Hygiene: The Value Strategy"
Bernard D. Silverstein, TVS Associates, AIHA Value Strategy Committee.
Competing for limited resources in the current economic environment requires the Occupational Hygienist (OH) to demonstrate the value of their health and safety interventions. The AIHA Value Strategy is a comprehensive process where the OH aligns risk management with business objectives and promoting stakeholder values.
09.50 “REACH and CLP Regulations - Update” Louise Conway, HSA.
Update on REACH and CLP Regulations following the first registration and reclassification/ notification dates. Latest information on identification of SVHCs, candidate list, future restrictions and the new SDS regulation will be provided.
10.35 Tea/Coffee Break
11.00 “The Role of PPE Standards” Elizabeth O’Ferrall, NSAI.
This presentation explores the PPE Directive and explains how it links with and drives the associated standards for the various categories of PPE. The role of the NSAI in developing these standards will also be presented. The various standards will be examined in detail, particularly the RPE standard EN259.
11.45 “Advanced REACH Tool (ART)” Patricia McDonnell, NUI Galway and Jody Schinkel, TNO Quality of Life.
Overview of the ART, and results of validation and reliability studies. The presentation will involve a live demonstration of using the ART mechanistic model and of the Bayesian update facility, whereby the model exposure estimates can be updated with available measurement data.
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 “Silica Exposure in Stone Masonry” Catherine Healy, NUI Galway.
This project aims to investigate the level of knowledge and awareness of the hazardous effects of respirable crystalline silica among stonemasons in Ireland. Results from a large survey of exposure to silica among stonemasons working in the restoration and maintenance of historic monuments will be presented.
14.35 “Occupational Hygiene from a HSA standpoint” Darren Arkins, HSA.
Overview of the HSA’s Strategy Statement (2010-2012) and Programme of Work for 2011 in relation to Chemicals and Occupational Hygiene. An update will also be provided on relevant national legislative proposals and developments, including European initiatives.
15.20 “Local exhaust ventilation and effective controls.” Alvin Woolley, Alvin Woolley and Associates.
This presentation will explore the new LEV guidance in detail and examine familiar problems and controls which are regularly encountered in the workplace.
16.15 Conference Close Patricia McDonnell OHSI Hon. President
Speakers
Bernard D. Silverstein, CIH is an independent consultant with over 30 years of experience working for both government and private industry specialising in risk assessment and H&S management systems. He is a member of the AIHA Exposure Assessment Strategies Committee and chairman of the AIHA Value Strategy Committee. He is a contributing author of A Strategy for Assessing and Managing Occupational Exposures 3rd Ed, and principle author and editor of The AIHA Value Strategy Manual.
Louise Conway is an inspector with the Health and Safety Authority and a human health toxicologist who works in the Chemicals Policy and Services Division since 2006. She has experience with classification and labelling and was also the Irish delegate at the European Technical Committee on New and Existing Substances meetings which discussed substance specific risk assessments under Existing Substances Regulation (ESR). She currently works in the REACH and CLP policy areas.
Elizabeth O’Ferrall is Technical Secretary/Project Manager of the National Standards Authority of Ireland Technical Committees on Personal Protective Equipment Committees and co-ordinates Ireland’s input and participation in the development of standards at CEN and ISO. She also participates on the PPE Expert Working group at the European Commission level in the revision of the PPE Directive 89/686.
Jody Schinkel has been working for TNO Quality of Life in the Netherlands for seven years. For the last three years, he has been working on his PhD in conjunction with the University of Utrecht (IRAS), focusing on the development of the Advanced Reach Tool (ART), specifically the calibration and validation of the mechanistic model.
Patricia Mc Donnell is currently completing her PhD in Occupational Hygiene at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Her research, sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceutical company, focused on the refinement and validation of the ART for the pharmaceutical industry. Patricia has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Microbiology and a M.Sc. in Occupational Health and Safety and Ergonomics and has previously worked as a consultant Occupational Hygienist.
Catherine Healy completed her M.Sc. in Occupational Health and Safety and Ergonomics in 2009; she is currently doing a PhD in Occupational Hygiene in the School of Physics, NUIG.
Darren Arkins works as a senior inspector with the Health and Safety Authority since 2008 and is also a council member of OHSI. Darren heads up the Occupational Hygiene Unit in the Chemical Policy and Services Division of the Authority. The Unit has responsibility for administration of legislation in relation to asbestos, chemical agents, classification and labelling of chemicals, carcinogens and biological agents.
Alvin Woolley is an independent Occupational Hygiene consultant. He has a breadth of experience over 30 years dealing with a wide range of both industrial and non-industrial problems through his work in university, commercial consultancies and industry. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene, holds the Diploma of Professional Competence in Occupational Hygiene and a past Chairman of BOHS Standards Committee.
Roisin Liddy LLB BL. is a practising barrister. She practices both in Dublin and on the Western Circuit.
© OHSI 2019