November 2021 – The Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA) was pleased to present the first ever International Day conference on November 11, 2021, as part of the OH2021 conference of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).
The OHTA International Day program allowed attendees to shift their focus from daily work tasks and consider the future of occupational hygiene as part of global development. World-class speakers delivered informative and engaging presentations on the theme of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. The overall event received glowing accolades from attendees.
Dr. Ulrike Bollmann with the Institute for Work and Health (IAG) in Germany noted: International Day gave a stage to the important topics of sustainability in education and training and delivered on its conference theme “Connecting the Minds, Creating the Future”.
In this publication, we are pleased to provide some highlights from the International Day conference that were provided by Andrea Hiddinga, a consultant with AHOH-PROJECTS in the Netherlands.
Overall, International Day presented a hopeful message on sustainable development.
Attendees learned that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN entail 17 goals which span a remarkable range of aspirations. Of particular interest to occupational hygienists is SDG8 focused on Decent Work and Economic Growth. But the goals of SDG8 are intertwined with many of the other UN goals and occupational hygienists can make contributions to this broader scope of work such as:
- Sustainable education like that offered through the OHTA training modules, could not only deliver OSH potentials, but also influence gender and inequality.
- A focus on health, well-being, demography, and universal health coverage like that promoted by OHTA partner, Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB), could serve as a starting point for the identification of illnesses in relation to work.
- A focus on sustainable cities and communities by organizations such as the Rotary could improve the livelihood of people world-wide.
Another key message was the need for collaboration.
Various stakeholders such as occupational safety and health organizations, non-governmental agencies, universities, government agencies, and non-profit and religious organizations need to work together to find innovations that help the world achieve the UN SDGs.
If you would like to learn more, the abstracts from International Day are available below.
Keynote – United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – The New Frontier
Andrea Hiddinga
UN ILO Goal – Global Supply Chain and Sustainable Food, Land, Water, Oceans and Role of OEHS
Ana Catalina Ramirez
UN Goal – Global Education in Transforming OEHS
OHTA Board Members
Education in Transforming OEHS; A Key Enabler of Sustainability: What is a Sustainable School?
Ulrike Bollmann
UN Goals – Decent Work/Universal Health Coverage, Role of OEHS
Jennifer Galvin
Universal Healthcare and Sustainable OH – Experience in Brazil
Marcia Bandini
Broadening Public Health Outreach
Rotary International Partnerships
