With a yearly trend towards higher rainfall and warmer temperatures, indoor air quality is becoming a hot issue. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the Australian climate hit many record highs in 2016.

After an extreme weather event, it is difficult to know where to start the clean-up. The feeling of being overwhelmed can make it hard to digest conflicting information, much of which is incomplete and can leave you exposed to unforeseen risks.

Damage to hearing can occur from exposure to very loud noise for a short time or prolonged exposure to moderate noise levels and can begin immediately or gradually.

Depending on the intensity of the noise and the duration of exposure, hearing loss can range from a small shift in the threshold at which sounds at different frequencies can be detected, to total deafness.

In recent times press articles have indicated that mould might be the new asbestos. Let’s look at the facts.

Asbestos is a proven human carcinogen with a history of occupational exposures which accounts for hundreds of deaths each year in Australia from mesothelioma and more from lung and other cancers.

In March 2016 The Victorian Premier announced the establishment of a dedicated agency to target and prioritise the removal of asbestos in government buildings – including hospitals and schools - across Victoria.

The Andrews’ Government stated that the Victoria Asbestos Eradication Agency (VAEA) will create a comprehensive and consolidated register of asbestos in Victorian government buildings to ensure the removal of asbestos in buildings of greatest concern are dealt with first.

  Summer is often a time for eating out while you enjoy warm nights and long days of sunlight. A time to catch up with friends and family, exchange news and relax over good food and perhaps a glass of Rosé or a cheeky Sauv Blanc.

There are some tasks in a business property renovation that should be left to the experts. Asbestos identification is one of them.

Complying with and managing OHS is often seen as an increasing burden, one that takes up precious time and money. It’s essential for all businesses to remove this task from the ‘too-hard basket' and make it a priority.

WHAT IS NOISE MODELLING AND WHY DO WE USE IT?

Noise modelling can be a powerful tool in assessing noise from industry facilities with a large number of noise sources.

It can accurately determine what noise sources are the main contributors to noise pollution in the surrounding environment and how the noise environment will change when problem noise sources are controlled.

A study involving 209 dosimetry measurements and 100 area measurements in four Swedish paper mills supported the use of dosimetry, in the characterisation of noise exposures in conjunction with sound pressure levels, over sound pressure levels on their own. The analysis showed that dosimetry measures, had the highest estimated validity coefficient (0.70), and that area measurements (0.40) were significantly less accurate at predicting exposure.