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Human and Environment Interaction

The School of Medical and Health Sciences provides an opportunity for our occupational and environmental hygienists to collaborate in areas of worker exposure assessment and biomarker research and the integration of occupational and environmental health surveillance and exposure data. A number of our staff are also AIOH Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH)(R) . The  discipline of environmental health is also concerned with assessing the potential impact of environmental factors on the health of populations at a community level. This includes measuring and evaluating a range of chemical, physical and biological exposures associated with air pollution, water and food and infectious disease. This research group aims to:

  • Investigate the use of real time exposure assessment techniques: an International Project
  • Develop innovative processes to assist organisations and communities of all sizes and types to manage and evaluate health risk to an acceptable level.
  • Develop research protocols for the accurate determination of worker and community exposure profiles.
  • Integrate environmental (exposure) and medical surveillance data.
  • Develop laboratory-based protocols to validate Australian occupational exposure standards.
  • Assess climate change associated heat adaptation strategies of outdoor workers and the general community.
  • Develop climate associate mosquito vector models.
  • Assess bio-aerosol exposures related to water misting systems and cooling towers.
  • Assess food labelling and allergen compliance of imported food.

The research team have established close relationships with the resources (mining, oil & gas), the Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME), the Western Australian Government, Local Government agencies and other key manufacturing and processing industries. Our research is applied, relevant and conducted in association with industry and government agencies to provide practical solutions to industry in the reduction of worker and community exposures to occupational and environmental stressors.

For more information contact Professor Jacques Oosthuizen or Ms Adelle Liebenberg

Current projects

  • Hearing threshold levels of Australian Coal Mine workers – a retrospective cross-sectional study of 64196 audiograms.
  • The prevalence of noise induced hearing loss at a nickel mine in Zimbabwe, 2004 - 2009.
  • Work Cover Queensland; Literature review concerning respirable crystalline silica exposure in construction work 2020.
  • Identification of the exposures to airborne contaminants faced by Western Australian firefighters during different fire scenarios.
  • South Africa’s Minamata, an analysis of the Thor Chemicals saga 1989 – 2020.
  • Environmental health responses to COVID19, lessons for the future - an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Health Act (2016).

Postgraduate student project opportunities

  • Toxicology of bushfire smoke
  • Chemical exposure
  • Heat acclimatisation retention for various fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) rosters in the Australian Resources sector
  • Impact of climate change on public health: Adaptation strategies to heat stress by outdoor workers in developing countries.
  • Analysis of the Environmental Health response to Covid-19 in Western Australia.

For information about postgraduate student project opportunities, visit the SMHS HDR Students webpage.

Research Team

Researchers

Adjunct Researchers
  • Dr Peter Di Marco (Benchmark Toxicology Services Pty Ltd)
  • Professor Stephen Reynolds (HICAHS Center Director Colorado State University)
  • Associate Professor Barry Chesson (Principal, Occupational Hygiene Solutions Pty Ltd)
  • Dr Peter McGarry (Chief Safety Advisor Asbestos, Work Health and Safety Queensland)
  • Dr Nico Claassen (University of Pretoria)
  • Dr Margaret Davidson (Western Sydney University)
  • Mr Trevor Chapman (Local Health Authorities Analytical Committee - LHAAC)
  • Dr John Edwards (Department of Water and Environmental Regulation - DWER)
  • Dr Elaine Lindars (RED OHMS Group)
  • Dr Bigboy Ngwenya (RED OHMS Group)
  • Adjunct Associate Professor Sue Reed
  • Adjunct Senior Lecturer Martyn Cross

HDR students
  • Edmore Masaka, PhD
  • Garry Dine, PhD
  • Kerry Staples, PhD
  • Mark Chadwick, PhD
  • Melinda Gardner, PhD
  • Stephen Kipkurgat, PhD
  • Cameron Chisholm, MBR
  • Chrystal Kennett, MBR
  • Eugene Paewai, MBR
  • Katie Pennington, MBR

Key Publications

Selected publications
  1. Gardner, M., Reed, S. & Davidson, M. (2020). Assessment of Worker Exposure to Occupational Organic Dust in Hemp Processing Facility, Annals or Work Exposures and Hygiene, 64(7), 745–753. https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxaa065
  2. Kent, J., Oosthuizen, J., & Wilkinson, C. (2020). Non-conventional haemorrhoid symptoms reported by female patients. Pelviperineology, 39(2), 50-54. DOI: 10.34057/PPj.2020.39.02.004
  3. Davidson, M., Kift, R., & Reed, S. (2019). Biological Hazards. In S. Reed, D Pisanelllio & G Benke (Eds.), Principles of Occupational Health and Hygiene: An Introduction (3rd Ed, pp. 488-534) Allen & Unwin.
  4. Edwards, J., Oosthuizen, J., Reed, S., & Newell, P. (2019). Public health implications of metals concentrations from prescribed burns: A study adjacent to the Perth metropolitan area. Journal of Nursing and Health Care, 4(1), DOI: 10.5176/2345-7198_4.1.118.
  5. Reed, S., Pisaniello, D., & Benke, G. (Editors) (2019). Principles of Occupational Health and Hygiene: An Introduction (3rd Ed)Allen & Unwin, Sydney Australia.  ISBN: 978 1 76052 850 8.
  6. Davidson, M., Reed, S. Oosthuizen, J., O'Donnell, G., Gaur, P., Cross, M., & Dennis, G. (2018) Occupational health and safety in cannabis production: an Australian perspective." International journal of occupational and environmental health 24.3-4: 75-85.
  7. Davidson, M., Reed, S., Oosthuizen, J., O'Donnell, G., Gaur, P., Cross, M., & Dennis, G. (2018). Occupational health and safety in cannabis production: An Australian perspective. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 24(
    3-4), 75-85. doi:10.1080/10773525.2018.1517234
  8. Davidson, M.E., Schaeffer,J.,Clark, M. L., Magzamen, S., Brooks, E. J., Keefe, T. J., Bradford, M., Roman-Muniz, N., Mehaffy, J., Dooley, G., Poole, J., Mitloehner, F. M., Reed, S., Schenker, M. B. and Reynolds S. J. (2018). Personal Exposure of Dairy Workers to Dust, Endotoxin, Muramic Acid, Ergosterol and Ammonia on Large-Scale Dairies in the High Plains Western United States. JOEH 15(3), 1-12. https://DOI.org/10.1080/15459624.2017.1403610
  9. Morgan A. & Reed, S. (2018). Which haul truck electrical cabinet cleaning method is most effective at reducing dust exposure of high voltage electricians. The Journal of Health, Safety and Environment. 34(2): 199-212
  10. Neville PJ, Clark K, Oosthuizen J, Beatty S, Fatouros M, et al (2018). Mosquito Management: Views of Accountability and Their Variance across Neighborhoods in Perth, Western Australia. Ann Public Health Res 5(3): 1080.
  11. Ngwenya, B., Oosthuizen, J., Cross, M., & Frimpong, K. (2018). Emerging heat-related climate change influences; a public health challenge to health care practitioners and policy makers: Insight from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 27, 596-601. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2017.10.012
  12. Nunfam, V., Oosthuizen, J., Adusei-Asante, K., Van Etten, E., Adams, S., & Frimpong, K. (2018). Social impacts of climate change-related occupational heat stress and adaptation strategies of workers: A narrative synthesis of the literature. Science of the Total Environment. 643, 1542-1552. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.255
  13. Oosthuizen, J., & Cross, M. (2018). Establishing cause, what does that mean from an epidemiological and legal perspective? Environmental and Planning Law Journal. 35, 426-429.
  14. Reed, S., Davidson, M., Dennis, G. & Cross, M. (2018). Occupational Respiratory Hazards in the Emerging Medicinal Cannabis Industry in Australia. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 75 (Suppl 2) A438; DOI:10.1136/oemed-2018-ICOHabstracts.1248
  15. Reed, S., Cross, M. Oosthuizen, J. & Davidson, M. (2018). Noise Levels in a Enquiry Office. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 75 (Suppl 2) A513; DOI:10.1136/oemed-2018-ICOHabstracts.1455
  16. Reed, S., Cross, M. Oosthuizen, J. & Davidson, M. (2018). Noise Levels in a Enquiry Office. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 75 (Suppl 2) A513; DOI:10.1136/oemed-2018-ICOHabstracts.1455
  17. Reed, S., Davidson, M., Dennis, G. & Cross, M. (2018). Occupational Respiratory Hazards in the Emerging Medicinal Cannabis Industry in Australia. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 75 (Suppl 2) A438; DOI:10.1136/oemed-2018-ICOHabstracts.1248
  18. Chandler, J. C., Schaeffer, J. W., Davidson, M., Magzamen, S. L., Pérez-Méndez, A., Reynolds, S. J., . . . Bisha, B. (2017). A method for the improved detection of aerosolized influenza viruses and the male-specific (F+) RNA coliphage MS2. Journal of Virological Methods, 246(Supplement C), 38-41. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jviromet.2017.04.004
  19. Chatfield, M., Reed, S. & Ho, G. (2017). A balancing act: a pilot study exploring fall incident rates and the potential role of functional balance screening tools and balance programs in reducing fall incidents rates in older workers in the steel manufacturing industry, Journal of Health, Safety and Environment. 33(1), 73-86
  20. Lamichhane, RS., Neville1, PJ., Oosthuizen, J., Clark, K. Mainali, S., Fatouros, M. & Beatty, S. (2017). The Highs and Lows of Making a Bucket List - Quantifying Potential Mosquito Breeding Habitats in Metropolitan Backyards. Frontiers of Public Health. doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00292
  21. Mainali, S., Lamichhane, R., Clark, K., Beatty, S., Fatouros, M., Neville, P. & Oosthuizen,   J. (2017). Looking over the backyard fence; Householders and mosquito control. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 14,246. doi:10.3390/ijerph14030246
  22. North, S., Reed, S. & Burton, H. (2017). The relationship between dermal lead levels and blood lead levels in fire assay workers, Journal of Health, Safety and Environment. 33(1), 41-52.
  23. Filippin, P., Reed, S. & Cross, M. 2016, A Study of the Exposure to Wood Dust and Potential Impact on Lung Function Journal of Health, Safety and Environment. 32(1), 1-8.
  24. McCarthy, A. & Reed, S. (2016). Diesel particulate filters: Do they work? A study on the efficacy of diesel particulate filters in reducing personal exposure to diesel particulate matter on underground diamond drillers, Journal of Health, Safety and Environment. 32(3), 79-82.
  25. Staples, K., Oosthuizen, J., & Lund, M. (2016). Effectiveness of S-methoprene briquets and application method for mosquito control in urban road gullies/catch basins/gully pots in a Mediterranean climate: Implications for Ross River Virus transmission. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 32(3), 203-209.
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