REACH has brought us new tools which should be used in an efficient manner to improve worker’s protection

27th of February 2017

Course leader presentation: Milja Koponen and Tiina Santonen

Managing Chemical Exposures at Workplaces

Background

Milja Koponen and Tiina Santonen, you are course leaders for the upcoming NIVA course on Managing Chemical Exposures at Workplaces. Tell me shortly, what is your background?

Milja: I have been working in FIOH for more than 20 years now. My background is in occupational hygiene, and since the beginning of the REACH era I have been interested in the interface between REACH and our traditional OSH legislation.

Tiina: My background is in medicine and toxicology. I have worked in FIOH as an occupational toxicology expert for more than 15 years now and been involved in many interesting industrial hygiene and biomonitoring projects during that time. However, during the past 10 years REACH related issues have taken more and more of my time. I’m a member of EU Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) since 2010 and ECHA’s Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) since 2014. This has provided me an opportunity to look at worker’s protection from different viewpoints.

The topics of the course are timely. Some might even say we are too early

Why do you think this topic (managing chemical exposure) is current to discuss in 2017? What is new in the field?

Milja: The topics of the course are timely. Some might even say we are too early. But now there is a good chance to join the conversation. The regulation is already with us, it is difficult to change that, but everything else can be developed and improved by us occupational hygienists. Chemical industry has already spent vast amounts of money for implementing REACH, so I think we should try to get all possible benefits out of it. But as we occupational hygienists know, it is really not all about REACH. We need to make sure the real concerns at workplaces are not forgotten.

Tiina: The field is currently developing. REACH has brought us new tools and new processes which should be used in an efficient manner in order to improve worker’s protection. We as OSH experts should be actively contributing to the progress – it is us who can say what really works at workplaces – and what doesn’t!

We will all learn from each other, both lecturers and participants

What do you want to say to the participants of the course?

Milja: All the lecturers are ready for your questions, comments and real life examples. It is even OK to disagree with us. And if you are not a REACH expert already, do not panic with all the acronyms, I couldn’t explain all of them either. But maybe after this course!

Tiina: In addition to lectures we will also have time for group discussions and presentations by the participants (open market). These discussions and presentations by the participants often provide valuable contribution to the course – we will all learn from each other, both lecturers and participants!

More information: Course web page
Registration: Course registration
Last registration date: 18th of April 2017