New OHLearning.com Website hosting international training modules and materials - now live

The Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA), a new organisation working under the guidance of the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA), has created a website, www.OHLearning.com, where course materials for international occupational hygiene training modules are posted for free, open access.

This learning portal also provide links to participating IOHA member organisations, examining boards, and to approved course providers. Links will identify course locations and dates.

Development of the training module scheme was initiated by a group of senior professionals from Fortune 500 companies. Preparation of the training materials was by leading academics and practitioners with support from BOHS and the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH). BP and GlaxoSmithKline funded development and piloting of the current courses. BOHS, AIOH, and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) were the first signatories of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing organisations to support and promote development and implementation of the international training module scheme. A guiding principle of the MOU is recognition of the need to better protect workers around the world, particularly those in developing countries.

So far, seven training modules have been developed at the Intermediate Level and these are:
 

• W501 Measurement of Hazardous Substances
• W502 Thermal Environment, W503 Noise
• W504 Asbestos
• W505 Control
• W506 Ergonomics
• W507 Health Hazards of Substances

Each is a week-long course with accompanying materials, including a student manual, PowerPoint slides, and tutor notes for all sessions; overnight student exercises; practical workshop sessions; and student assessment. An open book examination at the end of the course is part of the assessment process, which is currently available through the BOHS Faculty of Occupational Hygiene. In October 2009.

In addition, W201: Basic Principles in Occupational Hygiene is available as a five day training course leading to a Foundation Level qualification.

If you've not yet checked out the site, take a look. It has complete information about all of these courses, the five-level international training scheme, and the collaborative 'wiki' which enables course feedback and the uploading of new course materials. www.OHLearning.com