Nano, Oil & Gas, Silica Top AIHce Topics This Year
Several educational sessions and expo products are aimed at the booming oil & gas market.
MONTREAL –- Nanotechnology, oil & gas exploration and production safety and health hazards, and crystalline silica are major topics at this year’s AIHce conference, a compact yet crowded gathering at this city’s Palais des congres de Montreal.
Several sessions concern oil & gas E&P hazards, particularly included crystalline silica exposures during hydraulic fracturing operations, but also benzene, hydrogen sulfide, diesel emissions, hazardous materials spills, and hexavalent chromium. At least six sessions and exhibitor product demos in the expo hall are focused on oil & gas hazards and silica.
Nanotechnology is the topic of this year’s Herbert E. Stokinger Award Lecture on Thursday by Gunter Oberdorster, DVM, Ph.D., professor in the University of Rochester’s Department of Environmental Medicine.
Other nano sessions are taking place Monday, Tuesday when three NIOSH experts including Charles Geraci will lead a forum on the topic), and Thursday.
Noise, aerosols, industrial hygiene issues in mining, and confined spaces are also addressed in several sessions, discussions, and poster presentations apiece during the conference.
A packed session Monday afternoon focused on fatigue and fatigue management programs and tools, mainly in construction.