Dr Karl Kruszelnicki - Keynote Speaker
 
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM just loves science to pieces, and has been spreading the word in print, on TV and radio and online for more than thirty years. The author of 47 books, Dr Karl is a lifetime student with degrees in physics and mathematics, biomedical engineering, medicine and surgery. He has worked as a physicist, labourer, roadie for bands, car mechanic, filmmaker, biomedical engineer, taxi driver, TV weatherman, and medical doctor at the Children's Hospital in Sydney. Since 1995, Dr Karl has been the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney. In 2019 he was awarded the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularisation of Science, of which previous recipients include Margaret Mead, David Attenborough, Bertrand Russell and David Suzuki.

Allan Parker – Keynote speaker

Allan Parker’s areas of expertise in training include Facilitation, Negotiation, Presentation Skills, Dispute Management as well as Management and Leadership Development. In consulting, his work has included the facilitation of Public Policy, Organisational Change, Strategic Planning, Corporate Restructures and Mergers with many leading organizations in Australia and internationally.

 

Allan was a member of the High Level Consultative Committee at the OECD that was responsible for the development and ratification of Global Policy for Small to Medium Enterprise (2000 to 2004 involving 85 OECD Countries). More recently Allan moderated 2 meetings at the United Nations World Investment Forum in Ghana, Africa.

Title

Negotiating Change & Leadership 

 

We are constantly negotiating with ourselves and others both inside and outside the workplace. Deciding with your family which movie to see, a board meeting, vendor pricing, pre-nuptial agreements, discussing a new job package with an employer or deciding what time to go to the gym; they all come under the general category of negotiation. 

Negotiation is occurring whenever we are interacting with the intent of generating some sort of mutual agreement (including when it is internal agreement with ourselves). 

It is probably fair to say that you can govern the success of your life by the success of your negotiations. Having the necessary tools is therefore a determining factor in the outcomes we produce. 

 The art and science of enhancing every interaction includes: 

The 5 pillars of successful human interaction 

Chris Laszcz-Davis – Keynote speaker

Chris is a Fellow of both the national American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and American Institute of Chemists (AIC), a recipient of the national AIHA Distinguished Service Award, recipient of the Board for Global EHS Credentialing Lynn O’Donnell Lifetime Achievement Award, national AIHA Kusnetz Award, the national AIHA Alice Hamilton Award, the AIHA-Yuma Pacific Southwest Section Clayton Award and the AIHA-Northern California Section Dr. Christine Einert Award. As Past President, American Academy of Industrial Hygiene (AIH), Chris was instrumental in having the profession sponsor its first major Fall Conference on Risk Assessment in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada back in the early 1990’s.

 

David Crouch is Global Subject Matter Expert for Defence & Public Safety for science-based technology company, 3M and is a professional chemist, with more than 25 years’ experience in the fields of materials science and CBRN protection.  A chartered chemist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, David is currently application engineering lead on all 3M extreme hazard management programs, for both the civil and military markets. He is a visiting professor at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom (Cranfield University-Defence & Security) and is the chairman of International Society for Respiratory Protection (ISRP) – European Section as well as a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

Title: 

Abstract: 

Any Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN) event, not only requires cooperation between governments, counter-terrorism officials and counter-proliferation agencies through effective communication, it would also necessitate changes in the requirements for, and capabilities of, CBRN Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as the CBRN threat changes. As while PPE ensembles, are designed to save life and prevent injury, they must also enable the specialist responder to maintain operational tempo and allow effective movement within such contaminated environments. If the chosen PPE ensemble cannot allow operational tempo to be delivered in a timely and effective manner, then lives could potentially be put a risk. Therefore, when considering PPE choices for responding to a CBRN event, we must always consider the holistic approach. This paper will discuss the PPE challenges faced by military operatives and first responders when operating in CBRN environments (Figure 1). From problem space to design requirements, the presentation will highlight modern advancements in not only state-of-the-art CBRN respiratory protection, enabling a range of Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and threat scenarios to be addressed, through the provision of multi-modal single respirator face pieces. The paper will discuss how companies such as 3M are leading this holistic CBRN protective equipment integration challenge through innovations in dedicated RPE capable communications system design, such as environmental listening features with level dependent functionality. Enabling auditory situational awareness and face-to-face communications to be realised and effectively integrated into platform CBRN PPE ensembles. The address will demonstrate how important holistic PPE selection is when considering Counter-CBRNe operations. 

Eric Pezennec – Plenary Speaker

Eric Pezennec has an educational background within Chemical Engineering and Biotoxicology. He has 25 years hands-on practical experience of all aspects of industrial and regulatory toxicology from toxicology testing, occupational health, risk assessment and product registration for minerals, metals and fibrous materials. He has developed an extensive experience within REACH and CLP chemicals regulations, and additional expertise within REACH-Like regulations (UK REACH, Turkish REACH, Korean REACH). He has 20 years’ experience working with trade associations in Europe and North America and engaging with national and EU regulatory bodies. He has supported the development of innovative products and is a member of the Steering Committee of a public cluster for Research & Innovation on Materials in France. He is currently the Group Regulatory Affairs Senior Manager at Knauf Insulation, an international producer of Mineral Wool fibres

Title: 

Synthetic Mineral Fibre (SMF) classification method” 

 

Abstract: 

This lecture reviews the hazard classification of synthetic mineral fibres (SMF) from the scientific and regulatory standpoints. SMF, known also in the international literature as man-made mineral fibres (MMMF), MMVF and SVF, is a collective term used for amorphous vitreous fibres such as glass rock and slag mineral wool, and refractory ceramic fibres (RCF). 

 

The EU regulation for hazardous classification include categories for carcinogenic classification of SMF based on biodurability expressed as a function of the dimension and the chemistry of fibre. The low bio-persistent SMF fibres are exonerated from such classification providing they meet the criteria of specific animal bio-persistence tests (the famous Note Q from 1997). In-vitro test methods are currently under development to assess the biodurability of ‘persistent’ substances with an ultimate objective of replacing the short-term intra-tracheal animal test adopted by the Mineral Wool industry. 

 

The potential health effects such as skin, eye and upper respiratory tract irritations and the translation into the Global Harmonized System version n°7 in different countries will be presented. The product stewardship program launched 20 years ago by the Mineral Wool insulation industry in Europe (voluntary certification of manufactured products, trademark logo, pictograms and specific risk phrase on packaging, availability of Safety data sheets ) is a good example on how to properly communicate the hazard classification and share the safe handling and use practices for professional and consumer end users products containing Mineral Wool fibres. 

Martin Stirling – Plenary Speaker

Martin is the Head of Tool and Asset Management Solutions at Hilti Australia. Martin is originally a mechanical engineer, who did post graduate studies in materials engineering into fly ash. He has worked with Hilti in construction since 2004 in a variety of roles, mostly aimed at bringing safer, more productive solutions to contractors performing drilling, grinding, cutting and breaking applications. He has a passion for simplicity and as a competitive runner and average triathlete, a sincere desire to keep his and others’ lungs and hearts as healthy as possible.

Title: 

Advances in dust controls 

 

Abstract:  

Our ability to control Respirable Crystalline Silica dust emissions in typical construction applications of drilling, grinding, cutting and breaking operations has improved in recent years. Technical advances have been made in engineering controls as well as our understanding of the critical variables involved, which has positively impacted the administrative controls that can be employed as well as recommendations of what type and when respiratory protective equipment is required. 

This presentation covers improvements in vacuum cleaner design and user feedback, resulting in an overall system performance uplift across multiple applications. Advances in dust hood design to deal with niche form-working applications are shown, as well as demolition. Many of these applications do leave residual dust present in the atmosphere, which hitherto have been dealt with by respiratory protective equipment. However, recent advances in mobile Air-Cleaners are shown to have a positive impact in reducing residual dust. 

Finally, in the area of administrative controls to advance our ability to control dust in construction, it is clear that maintenance of vacuum cleaners and general tooling plays a key role in their ongoing efficacy. The solution to this rests upon diligent asset management and some examples of exactly what needs to be managed and how to do it, will be shown. 

 

Dr Matt Brearly - Plenary Speaker

 

Dr Matt Brearley is a former Exercise Scientist of the Year, holds a PhD in Thermal Physiology and has contributed to over 50 published papers and book chapters. He commenced his career in elite sport settings at the National Heat Training and Acclimatisation Centre in Darwin and was the heat specialist for the Australian team in the lead up to, and during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China prior to specialising in occupational heat stress in 2010. 

Title
Thermal Stress Management – Where We’ve Got it Wrong

Abstract
Matt Brearley1,2

1 Thermal Hyperformance Pty Ltd, Hervey Bay, QLD

2 National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, Darwin, NT

 

Based upon organisational heat-related incident and illness data, thermal stress typically appears well-managed. However, given that thermal stress is chronically under-reported by workers, the true impact of heat on worker health, safety and productivity is often obscured, rendering heat a relatively invisible hazard on site. This is despite a growing body of evidence that demonstrates workplace injuries are related to prevailing environmental conditions, including that workers compensation claims increase by 25% (Melbourne) – 45% (Brisbane) during severe and extreme heatwaves (Varghese et al., 2019). 

 

The mechanism for injuries in the heat appears to be physical and/or mental fatigue secondary to elevated body temperature, as performing physical work produces body heat as a by-product. Put simply, the harder the work, the greater the body heat produced. In cool conditions, this heat is readily transferred to the environment, but heat, humidity and radiation from the sun or hot surfaces limits the potential for worker body heat dissipation, increasing the likelihood of body heat storage and elevated body temperatures.  

 

Faced with an invisible hazard, barriers to accurately assessing body temperature on site and a lack of practical, evidence-based controls, organisations may focus on what’s perceived as manageable. As a result, heat stress management often morphs into hydration management. Yet, many hydration myths persist in the workplace (Brearley, 2017), including the effects of fluid consumption on body temperature. Therefore, this session explores the current state of workplace thermal stress and details the evidence (or lack thereof) regarding hydration as a thermal stress control.