Due to the up-rise of silicosis, countries like the US, Australia, New Zealand and across Europe are halving the permissible occupational exposure limits to respirable silica to as low as 0.05mg/m3.

Reduced exposure limits impose additional challenges to the analytical methods used for quantification of respirable silica. Adhering to the new requirements for the quantification limits, achieving not only accurate but reliable data in the shortest analysis time will help companies to make timely decisions, so critical to upholding employee health and safety (EHS) at the workplace. As part of our efforts to drive awareness about EHS at the workplace, Malvern Panalytical is proud to organize a series of “lunch and learn” webinars. We are delighted to have guest speaker, Carl Strautins who is an occupational hygienist at Safe Environment testing laboratory in Sydney, Australia. He supports multiple clients in testing respirable dust air filters. Safe Environment is Australia’s first laboratory to be accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) for complying with the international standard ISO 16258-1 for respirable crystalline silica testing, the highest level of testing.

In this webinar, Carl explains the new dust laws and how service laboratories can adhere to the current norms and prescribed methods. He compares different methodologies and sheds light on how phase interference impact accurate silica quantification by FTIR, whereas XRD does not only allow for more accurate quantification, it also distinguishes various silica polymorphs.

This webinar is part of our series of webinars on the topic of controlling respirable silica dust at the workplace. Scroll down to indicate your interest to attend.

Summary

Measurement type:
Phase quantification
Date:
March 09 2021 - March 09 2021
Time:
12:00 - 12:30
New Zealand Time [Pacific]
Event type:
Webinar - Live
Language:
English
Products:
Aeris range
Technology:
X-ray Diffraction (XRD)

Agenda

What you will learn:

  • Latest respirable silica dust laws and compliance norms from ISO, OSHA and NIOSH
  • Understand the different analytical techniques like FTIR and XRD
  • Understand their pros and limitations

Speakers

Carl Strautins, Occupational Hygienist and Managing Director at Safe Environment Testing Laboratory Australia

Carl supports multiple clients in testing respirable silica dust air filters whether in stone cutting, mining and more. He is active in various committees such as the Certified Materials Professional Australian Standards on workplace atmospheres (CH-031), NATA Technical Assessor and Accreditation Advisory Committee (Inspections) as well as Australia's New South Wales' government's Manufactured Stone Industry taskforce. In his role, he not only provides advice in best practice test regulations but also advocates for improved workplace safety. The Safe Environment testing laboratory is Australia’s first laboratory to be accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) for complying with the international standard ISO 16258-1 for respirable crystalline silica testing, the highest level of testing.

FAQ

Who should attend:

  • Environment testing labs
  • Governments and ministry of health and industrial development
  • Quality control
  • Laboratory managers
  • EHS compliance managers

How long is this webinar?

  • 15 minutes is the intended speaker time with additional time for addressing queries.

More information

Controlling respirable silica dust at the workplace webinar series

  • Adhering to new respirable silica dust laws and why you should consider X-ray diffraction
  • Why does it makes sense to analyze your own samples? Tips on how to achieve improved ROI on your own XRD instrument. Learn more
  • How to create your own respirable silica reference standards and other practical tips in adhering to strict standards like ISO 16258-1. Learn more