How do I find an expert in respirable crystalline silica?
The dangers of exposure to respirable crystalline silica to workers in construction, manufacturing, and indeed many industries are significant and well-documented. Over-exposure can lead to serious health conditions, including silicosis and lung cancer for example. It’s crucial that businesses are provided with sound advice on how to effectively manage the risks of crystalline silica and that worker health is protected. With the new silica regulations now in force, there’s been an increased interest from businesses trying to find consultants to do air monitoring for silica dust.
But how do you know if the person you’re engaging is competent and if you truly have an expert in silica dust?
The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists has published a great guide to help businesses answer these questions. It breaks down the different tasks that need to be done as per the new silica regulations and outlines who is qualified to do it.
In that guide you’ll see the term Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) pop up a lot. It’s a COH that is qualified to conduct a risk assessment to determine whether the process is a high risk, plan air monitoring, conduct air monitoring, interpret the results of air monitoring, and develop silica risk control plans.
Table outlining the competencies for those providing services or advice in respect of the recognition, evaluation and control of risks from crystalline silica substances from the AIOH Guide to selection of Occupational Hygiene services for silica
You can find out whether the person you’re engaging is a Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) through doing a quick search for their name here: https://www.aioh.org.au/resources/consultant
When dealing with hazardous chemicals as toxic as respirable crystalline silica, it’s important to make sure that you’re getting the right advice from experts in the field. It’s worth spending a few minutes to check that the person you’re engaging has the required competencies.