Current Activity

13 August 2024. PFAS – A FOREVER CHEMICAL AND SCARY – are we there yet!

Presenter: Dr Jimmy Seow. Adjunct research lecturer at Murdoch and Curtin Universities.

 

The informative presentation included a definition of PFASs which are fluorinated substances that contain at least one fully fluorinated methyl or methylene carbon atom (without any H/Cl/Br/I atom attached to it), i.e. with a few noted exceptions, any chemical with at least a perfluorinated methyl group (–CF3) or a perfluorinated methylene group (–CF2–) is a PFAS. PFAS are widely used in many commercial products and industrial processes worldwide e.g. firefighting foam, PFTE (nonstick treatment e.g. Teflon), flouropolymers, clothing, footwear, carpets, food packaging, etc.
Health  impacts of PFAS include Increased cholesterol levels. Decreased vaccine response in children. Changes in liver enzymes. Increased risk of high blood pressure. Pre-eclampsia in pregnant women. Small decreases in infant birth weights. Increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer. Disruption in normal thyroid hormone function. Endocrine disruptor. Increased cholesterol levels. Decreased vaccine response in children. Changes in liver enzymes. Increased risk of high blood pressure. Pre-eclampsia in pregnant women. Small decreases in infant birth weights. Increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer. Disruption in normal thyroid hormone function. Endocrine disruptor.
A discussion was held on policy, regulation, risk control measures and legal consequences in relation to PFAS. More information on this presentation can be found in the presenter’s power point below.

Download Dr Seow’s presentation here

 

30th April 2024. Health Monitoring Services Offered by Occumed.

Presenter 1. Dr John Low MBBS(UWA), Grad. Dip OHS, FAFOEM. GAICD, OccuMED's Managing Partner and Chief Occupational Physician presented the health monitoring services offered by Occumed.

Presenter 2. Dr K C Wan, MBBS, DIH, M.Sc, MFOM, FACOEM, FAFOEM, G. Dip Public Admin and former Work Safe WA Chief Occupational Health Physician Occupational Medicine, Adjunct Professor Edith Cowan University and Curtin University, Chair/member WorksafeWA Industrial Diseases Medical Panel (IDMP), Consultant Occupational Physician provided a demonstration of reading Chest X-rays according to the ILO Classification.

No power point presentation is available from this educational and networking event.

 

MANAGING PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS

On the 24th December, 2022 Regulation 55 for Psychosocial Risk Management came into force in the Work Health & Safety (General and Mines) Regulations in Western Australia. To provide information relevant to this Regulation the Occupational Health Society had a presentation on this topic at 72 Outram Street in West Perth, Western Australia, on Thursday 23rd of February 2023. The presenters were Dr Sherrilyn Mills from the Healthforce Group and Dr Ivor Roberts who is the Executive Director Regulatory Support Directorate in the Safety Regulation Group at WorkSafe in the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. Their power point presentations are included below.

Download Dr Mills Presentation Here

Download Dr Roberts Presentation Here

 

WORKPLACE HEALTH & SAFETY

On the 27th of April the Occupational Health Society had an educational and networking event at the Western Australian Police Historical Society (WAPHS) meeting room. The presenters were Owen Whittle from Unions Western Australia and Lance Keys, Principal Safety Health & Security - Group Discovery & Geosciences at Anglo American. There were no power point presentations for this event as both presenters just held interactive discussions with the audience on their topics. A report of this event is included in the May Monitor on pages 5 to 7.

 

RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk management is important to protect workers, employers, and other people. On the 29th of June 2023 an event was held that provided a presentations on risk control for 2 hazards, mobile plant, and naturally occurring radiation. The first presenter was Dr Faiza Owais from Rio Tinto who spoke about Risk Assessment as a Tool for Mobile Plant Operators for Sustainable Development: Lessons from the Western Australian Mining Industry. The second presenter was Dr Martin Ralph, Regional Inspector of Mines, Greater Perth Area, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety who provided the presentation titled Managing naturally occurring radioactive material. Their power point presentations are included below.

Faiza Owais Presentation

Martin Ralph presentation

 

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PRESENTATIONS

On Thursday 31st August 2023 the Occupational Health Society provided 2 presentations. The 1st presenter was Dr Todd Pascoe who spoke about his research titled 'An Evaluation of Driverless Haul Truck Incidents on a Mine Site.' Below is Todd’s power point presentation (click on title to download power point presentation) and the articles (click on each article title to down load the article) referred to in this presentation that describe his research findings.

Power point presentation: An Evaluation of Driverless Haul Truck Incidents on a Mine Site.

Five articles published on the research findings.

A multi-industry analysis of engineering human-machine systems. The connection to truck automation.

From truck driver awareness to obstacle detection: A tiger never changes its stripes.

Haul truck automation: beyond reductionism to avoid seeing turtles as rifles.

Mineworker experiences working with driverless trucks: risk, trust, and teamwork.

From truck driver to systems engineer: transforming the miners’ contribution.

 

The 2nd presenter was Dr Emma D'Antoine, who described her research on 'Identifying Western Australian Offshore Oil and Gas Workers  Mental Health Hazards and Risk Control Measures.' Below is Emma’s power point presentation (click on title to download power point presentation) and the articles  referred to in this presentation that are related to her research findings.

Power point presentation: Identifying Western Australian Offshore Oil and Gas Workers Mental Health Hazards and Risk Control Measures.

Five articles published on the findings of this research

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on employees’ psychological health in the offshore oil and gas industry and opportunities for improvement.

COVID-19 and offshore oil and gas workers: The role of personality.

The effects of casualisation on mental wellbeing and risk management in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Psychosocial safety and health hazards and their impacts on offshore oil and gas installations.

Psychosocial Hazards Identified at Western Australian Offshore Oil and Gas Facilities and Potential Costs.

 

The Occupational Health Society Annual General Meeting

Date and time: Tuesday 28th of November 2023 commencing at 6.30pm.

Address: Westralian Apartments Board Room. 78 Terrace Road, East Perth, Western Australia.

Guest Presenter at the AGM: Dr Max Hills (CMO of Chevron Australasia).

Presentation title: 'Safer Together: Towards a Common Medical Standard for remote and offshore energy industry workplaces in Australia'.

The presentation provided information and insights into the Fitness to Work Medical Assessment Guideline that Dr Max Hills was instrumental in developing and implementing. This Guideline provides a consistent approach for the assessment of work fitness for remote and offshore locations in Australia - and has been accepted by most major oil and gas operators in Australia.