Helping you prevent occupational lung disease
in Ireland
About BreatheFreely Ireland
BreatheFreely Ireland aims to prevent occupational lung disease in Ireland, such as silicosis, mesothelioma, COPD and asthma, through education and increasing awareness of the problem and the safe work practices to control exposures. It is an initiative of the Occupational Hygiene Society of Ireland (OHSI), the society representing Irish Occupational Hygiene professionals committed to protecting worker health.
BreatheFreely Ireland is an adaption of the highly successful UK BreatheFreely initiative developed by the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). The BOHS web-based information hub was launched in 2015. The BOHS has generously allowed the OHSI to develop the BreatheFreely Ireland programme, to meet Irish industry needs. It is about raising awareness of both the problem and how to do something about it. We can protect workers’ health and prevent most of these diseases and deaths through good occupational hygiene practices. It is not just “the right thing to do”, it is good for business as well. Every year in Ireland, people die from lung diseases, which were linked to past exposures at work. It is time to start managing health like we manage safety in our Irish workplaces.
What is Occupational Hygiene (OH)?
Occupational hygiene is the preventative side of occupational health; anticipating and recognising health hazards in the workplace, understanding the real risks these pose to workers’ health, and then controlling their exposures to them. It helps employers and employees understand the health risks, and then improve working conditions and working practices through suitable, inexpensive, effective and practical exposure control measures.
Register of Occupational
Hygiene Professionals
The Register of Occupational Hygiene Professionals is the UK’s regulated professional register of individuals competent to practise Occupational Hygiene in the UK and in Ireland. This is administered by the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene, the professional standards body for the British Occupational Hygiene Profession. Republic of Ireland Occupational Hygiene Professionals are also listed on this register. They can provide you with the necessary advice and expertise to help you protect the health of your workforce. Whether you are employing someone to provide occupational hygiene advice in-house or have employed the services of a company, you should check that the person giving you advice is competent to do so.
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