In this episode Peter Knott, occupational hygienist with GCG Consulting joins host Mark Reggers for the first of a two-part series to discuss coal dust. Coal dust is a fine powdered form of coal which is created by the crushing, grinding or pulverising of coal during mining, handling and transportation. Coal dust exposure is hazardous to mine workers, placing them at risk of developing a dust-related lung disease, in particular, Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis (CWP), commonly known as ‘black lung di...
Nov 19, 2019•13 min
In this episode host Mark Reggers and guest Dr Ross Di Corleto, Principal Consultant and Director of Monitor Consulting Services continue where they left off and resume their discussion on the subject matter of heat stress & strain in the workplace. Heat stress and heat strain are two different terms that are often incorrectly interchanged, using one phrase for the other. Heat stress refers to the net heat load to which a worker is exposed through physical exertion, environmental factors, an...
Nov 06, 2019•20 min
In this episode Dr Ross Di Corleto, Principal Consultant and Director of Monitor Consulting Services joins host Mark Reggers for the first of a two-part series on heat stress & strain in the workplace. Heat stress and heat strain are two different terms that are often incorrectly interchanged, using one phrase for the other. Heat stress refers to the net heat load to which a worker is exposed through physical exertion, environmental factors, and clothing worn. Heat strain is the body’s physi...
Oct 20, 2019•30 min
In this episode Steven Nikolovski, State Inspector for Asbestos and Demolition at SafeWork NSW joins us to discuss loose-fill asbestos, what it is, and why it so bad. Loose-fill asbestos is a dangerous form of asbestos used as insulation material and manufactured from raw crushed asbestos. It was used as ceiling insulation in the ’60s and ‘70s by a small group of companies due to its excellent insulating and fire-retardant properties before becoming banned from use. Loose-fill asbestos is friabl...
Oct 17, 2019•30 min
In this episode Linda Apthorpe, Consultant Occupational Hygienist and University Lecturer returns to discuss naturally occurring asbestos. Naturally occurring asbestos is the natural geological occurrence of asbestos minerals found in association with geological deposits including rock, sediments and soils. Generally, this refers to asbestos that has not been extracted or refined for commercial purposes and has been exposed unintentionally by excavation, road building or other construction or mi...
Oct 14, 2019•21 min
In this episode Linda Apthorpe, Consultant Occupational Hygienist and University Lecturer joins us to discuss the topic of asbestos in soil. Asbestos in soil can be found on a variety of properties, be it residential, commercial or recreational. It may exist for several reasons, including buildings that contained asbestos not being demolished and disposed of correctly, or asbestos contaminated soil used as topsoil or fill material. Primarily, however, asbestos containing materials find their way...
Oct 14, 2019•30 min
In this episode, David Provan, Managing Director of Forge Works joins us, along with returning guest Pam Pryor, to discuss rules and procedures in safety and how it fits into the OHS Body of Knowledge. Rules and procedures play a pivotal role in health and safety, particularly in high-risk environments. However, excessive documentation and governance can create an illusion of safety while possibly causing confusion and increasing risks. These concerns raise some critical questions, such as: what...
Oct 11, 2019•23 min
In this episode David Caple, Director of David Caple & Associates Pty Ltd. joins us, along with last weeks guest Pam Pryor, to discuss health and safety in design and how it fits into the OHS Body of Knowledge. Health and Safety in Design is one of the core elements of control and intervention to manage and mitigate risk. It maps out the process that you go through to get to that outcome by emphasising safe design, that is, thinking about a workplace, a machine, or a product that is safe to ...
Sep 08, 2019•24 min
In this episode Pam Pryor, OHS Body of Knowledge Development Manager at the Safety Institute of Australia joins us to discuss the OHS Body of Knowledge, what it is and how it is used. The OHS Body of Knowledge is an ever-evolving knowledge base that occupational health and safety professionals can reference. First published in 2012, the project funded by WorkSafe Victoria had three defined deliverables. It was to define what the body of knowledge was that OHS professionals should have, to set up...
Sep 06, 2019•30 min
In this episode Peter Knott, occupational hygienist with GCG Consulting joins us to discuss real-time & video exposure monitoring. Real-time monitoring, in essence, is collecting exposure samples over very brief periods. On their own, they provide indications of short-term fluctuations in exposure and typically lack context. Since exposures to hazards are an event in time, workers may experience different concentration levels at different times. Video exposure monitoring synchronizes the rea...
Sep 06, 2019•28 min
In this episode host Mark Reggers and guest Debbie Dietrich, Senior Vice President and Corporate Industrial Hygienist for SKC Inc. continue where they left off and resume their discussion on the subject matter of Exposure Monitoring. Exposure monitoring is a quantitative measurement of environmental hazards to which workers may be exposed to. It is a critical component of any Occupational Hygiene program in the prevention of illness and the preservation of health. Assessments help determine the ...
Sep 04, 2019•25 min
In this episode, Debbie Dietrich, Senior Vice President and Corporate Industrial Hygienist for SKC Inc. joins host Mark Reggers for the first of a two-part series on Exposure Monitoring. Exposure monitoring is a quantitative measurement of environmental hazards to which workers may be exposed to. It is a critical component of any Occupational Hygiene program in the prevention of illness and the preservation of health. Assessments help determine the types of controls required to remove or reduce ...
Sep 02, 2019•22 min
In this episode Dr. Julia Norris, current AIOH President & Medical Director at Occuhealth joins us to discuss the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH), who they are and what they do. The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists is a professional body representing the interests of occupational hygienists in Australia. Their mission is to promote and preserve the health and wellbeing of Australian workers through application of the knowledge, practice and standing of o...
Jul 29, 2019•21 min
In this episode Terry Gorman, 3M’s Technical Services Manager for the Personal Safety Division in Australia and New Zealand joins us to discuss when and why to change respiratory filters. Respirator filters do not last forever. As they do their job capturing airborne contaminants in the maze of fibres that is the filter, it becomes harder for air to make its way through and It becomes too difficult to breathe. If not changed regularly undue physical burden will be placed on the worker, and parti...
Jul 29, 2019•40 min
In this episode host Mark Reggers discusses the subject matter of indoor air quality with guest Kevin White. Indoor air quality relates to the condition of the air within buildings and structures that we breathe in, and whether it is safe. Since we spend more than 90% of our time in-doors, poor-quality indoor air can affect the health, comfort and well-being of building occupants. It has been linked to reduced productivity and impaired learning in schools and has the ability to cause major healt...
Jul 19, 2019•21 min
In this episode Ted Madison, 3M’s former Technical Services Specialist for the Personal Safety Division in the U.S.A. joins us to discuss impulse noise hearing protection. Some of the most dangerous sounds that can contribute to hearing loss are some of the brief noises we hear. These sounds, known as impulse noises are very short, less than one second long, tiny bursts of noise that can be quite loud such as gunfire, an explosion, or the pop of pneumatic nail gun. Very loud impulse noises can c...
Jul 19, 2019•21 min
In this episode Ranmalee De Silva, 3M’s Application Engineering Specialist for the Cleaning and Workplace Safety portfolio of the Commercial Solutions Division in Australia and New Zealand joins us to discuss slips, trips and falls. Each year slips, trips and falls results in thousands of preventable injuries in the workplace. People must be able to move around the workplace safely, these incidents are a significant problem affecting every workplace, from the factory floor to the office and quit...
Jul 19, 2019•22 min
In this episode Kosta Karagiannopoulos, 3M’s Application Engineering Specialist for the Transportation Safety Division in Australia and New Zealand joins us to discuss connected roads. The connected roads program is about building the safer roads of tomorrow, starting today, to accommodate automated vehicles. Connected roads help improve roadway safety and efficiency through enhanced transportation infrastructure, for both human drivers and connected automated vehicles as the space age car of th...
Jun 28, 2019•19 min
In this episode Greg Peterson, 3M’s Technical Engineer for 3M Fall Protection in Australia and New Zealand joins us to discuss fall protection engineered systems. An engineered system provides an anchorage point that allows greater movement and safety of the user over a larger or specific working environment. They are typically found on roofs, above truck loading bays, aircraft hangers, crane rails, anywhere the user needs to move along an area to perform their work.
Jun 28, 2019•30 min
In this episode Terry Gorman, 3M’s Occupational Hygienist for the Personal Safety Division in Australia and New Zealand joins us to discuss welding fume … a known carcinogen. In early 2017, welding fume was reclassified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) from a classification of Group 2B, possibly carcinogenic to humans, to Group 1, Carcinogenic to humans. This change was mostly related to the effects of UV exposure on the skin and eyes, for lung cancers and limited eviden...
Jun 28, 2019•20 min
In this episode Peter Aspinall, the Principal Occupational Hygiene Consultant with WSP joins us to discuss exposure standards with host Mark Reggers. Workplace exposure standards are a set of measures established by regulatory agencies that outline the maximum allowable limit for a variety of hazards that workers can be exposed to without suffering any negative health effects. They are numerical values representing the exposure levels prescribed as an acceptable risk.
Jun 28, 2019•31 min
In this episode Mark Reggers is joined by guest Terry Gorman, 3M’s Occupational Hygienist for the Personal Safety Division in Australia and New Zealand to discuss methyl bromide. Methyl bromide is a colourless non-flammable gas which is heavier than air and odourless at low concentrations. It is widely used as a fumigant and pesticide to prevent unwanted pests such as insects and rodents in shipping containers. Methyl bromide is a very toxic fumigant gas that can be absorbed through inhalation a...
Jun 28, 2019•21 min
In this episode Greg Peterson, 3M’s Technical Engineer for 3M Fall Protection in Australia and New Zealand joins us to discuss Fall Protection Anchor Points. Anchorages, or as they are often referred to in the industry, anchor points, provide a secure point of attachment (to an existing structure) for the fall arrest system. Anchorages can be permanent or temporary and vary by industry, job, type of installation and structure they will attach to, and are an important component of a fall protecti...
Jun 02, 2019•33 min
In this episode Ted Madison, 3M’s former Technical Services Specialist for the Personal Safety Division in the U.S.A. joins us to discuss Hearing Protection Device Ratings. When hearing protection is worn, it is important that the protective devices used have the appropriate protection rating based on your level of exposure to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. However, with different test methods used around the world to determine rating systems, ear plugs or ear muffs can have multiple rating...
May 30, 2019•26 min
In this episode Ranmalee De Silva, 3M’s Application Engineering Specialist for the Cleaning and Workplace Safety portfolio of the Commercial Solutions Division in Australia and New Zealand discusses spill control in the workplace. Spills in the workplace are unavoidable and need to be taken seriously when they do occur. Depending on the nature of the spill, whether it be oil, petrol, chemical or any other liquid it is important to get the spill under control to ensure the safety of personnel and...
May 29, 2019•23 min
In this episode Rick Millar, the former Technical Manager for 3M Fall Protection in Australia and New Zealand discusses Fall Arrest versus Fall Restraint in Fall Protection with host Mark Reggers. The complexities of fall protection go far beyond equipment selection and use. When working at height we need to be aware of the different systems and work methods available, i.e. Fall Arrest and Fall Restraint. While they may sound similar, there are differences that need to be understood to select th...
May 24, 2019•18 min
In this episode, Mark Reggers discusses Fentanyl Risks for First Responders with guest Brad Prezant. Brad, an occupational hygienist, is the Chief Scientific Officer for ValidAir Sciences. Fentanyl is a potent synthetic medication that belongs to a group of drugs known as opioids. Opioids interact with opioid receptors in the brain and evoke a spectrum of responses within the body to treat pain. More recently, however, the abuse of illicitly produced fentanyl poses a risk of exposure to first re...
May 23, 2019•14 min
In this episode Mark Reggers is joined by guest Terry Gorman, 3M’s Occupational Hygienist for the Personal Safety Division in Australia and New Zealand to discuss Isocyantes. Isocyanates are a group of highly reactive hazardous chemicals used to manufacture polyurethane foams, rubbers, plastics, varnishes, adhesives and paints. Isocyanates have been related to a number of adverse health effects, where isocyanates are used it is essential that a worker’s exposure is appropriately controlled....
May 23, 2019•19 min
In this episode Mark Reggers is joined by guest Kosta Karagiannopoulos, 3M’s Application Engineering Specialist for the Transportation Safety Division in Australia and New Zealand to discuss the science of retro reflectivity. Retro reflectivity or retro reflection occurs when a surface returns a large portion of a directed light beam back to its source. It helps the eye perceive objects in low light conditions when illuminated by a light source. The science of retro reflectivity is incorporated ...
Apr 17, 2019•23 min
In this episode host Mark Reggers is joined by fellow hygienist, Peter Aspinall. Peter is the Principal Occupational Hygiene Consultant with WSP and they focus their attention on the topic of occupational hygiene. Occupational hygiene is the practice of using science and engineering to anticipate, recognise, evaluate, control, and confirm the protection of workers from hazards in the workplace that may result in injury, illness, or affect the well-being of workers and the community at large. Occ...
Apr 15, 2019•29 min
