The 2020 UBC Students Presentations have gone virtual! This year we had all nine UBC students present the research / findings from their summer practicum following the Ignite-style presentation format. Each student had five minutes to present, followed by a short question and answer period. Each student was also tasked with writing a short 50 word abstract / summary for their presentation for this edition of The Sampler! Thank you UBC students and the faculty at the UBC School of Population and Public Health for facilitating this event!

The primary objectives of this study were to: (1) conduct an ergonomic risk assessment among Veterinary Technicians stationed in the Post Mortem Room; and (2) provide task-specific recommendations to resolve high and medium risk factors identified. High repetitive; forceful exertion; and awkward posture of the neck and back were determined to be the high-risk factors for increasing musculoskeletal discomfort being experienced by the Veterinary Technicians.

Sampling for respirable particulate matter, respirable crystalline silica, and asbestos was conducted at the Vancouver Landfill as part of their exposure monitoring plan to ensure the well-being of workers. Results showed that the overall exposure levels for each contaminant were in compliance with WorkSafeBC’s limits, demonstrating TLO’s diligent health and safety efforts.

The purpose of this project is to investigate available farmer mental health programs across Canada and other jurisdictions, to inform the development of B.C. specific farmer mental health initiative. Literature reviews and in-depth interviews are conducted to provide recommendations on various aspects of program delivery and conduction.

The Warehouse Assessment Team (WHaT) assessed donated/new vendor PPE to augment supply. N95 respirators were the simplest to assess and yielded higher quality product compared to evaluated international respirators. However, most respiratory PPE from this stream were lower in quality than the standard product. Considerations include comprehensive sorting systems.

Working with Aura Health and Safety and the British Columbia Construction Safety Association (BCCSA), I conducted personal silica sampling throughout the Lower Mainland. The purpose was to add the sample data to the BCCSA SilicaToolTM database. Multiple tasks were measured including jackhammering, grinding, sweeping, and chipping of silica containing materials.

This project reviewed existing and emerging literature regarding evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through public and workplace bathrooms alongside public guidance aimed at preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within shared bathrooms to identify the best practices aimed at reducing the risk of transmission and the gaps existing in literature and public guidance.

The summer project was to evaluate a fuel cell company’s inhalation exposures due to volatile organic compounds, respirable particulate, welding fume and nanomaterials. The aim of this project was to provide recommendations for improving the working environment and safety of the workers.

To amend the BCCSA Silica Tool™ for sand and gravel mines, the current Tool was modified to meet the mining sector's technical and legal requirements. Peer-reviewed literature was noticed to compensate for the suspended field sampling, and one round of personal sampling was carried out in a sand and gravel mine.

Date: December 16, 2020

Time: 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm PST (Sherlock Holmes Mystery Event)

Location: Virtual Meetings

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Event Fee: $10 for members including student membership.

Holiday Social in Kumospace Fee: Free

Date: January 20, 2021

Time: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Presenter: Jeanette Campbell, MSc(A), ROH, CIH

Topic: Risk Assessment Workshop

Location: Virtual Meeting

The January meeting will feature a group exercise on Risk Assessments. And YES! We will be doing this, virtually! Risk Assessment is a fundamental and familiar concept for occupational hygienists. Join us for a fun and interactive meeting where we will compare three different Risk Assessment approaches by applying them to an unusual exposure scenario.

Please save March 12, 2021 on your calendar for our Annual Conference / AGM for 2021. Yes! We have already secured a date and have begun to plan for a jam packed VIRTUAL day! With the event being virtual, the executive team is working hard on securing speakers who may not typically be available due to travel obstacles More information will follow in future Newsletters.