Things have been busy over the last few months, with some interesting strategic management projects in the energy sector, some challenging occupational hygiene projects across several sectors, as well as the development of training courses for Eastern Europe and for the oil and gas sector. These courses will start to be delivered from the start of 2015.

As well, there is clearly an increasing global interest in occupational hygiene, as seen by the numbers of examinations and assessments that we are receiving for marking from the BOHS.

The latest statistics from the HSE have been provided on the home page. It is worth repeating what the HSE say: “Ill health accounts for 43% of the health and safety incidents, 84% of the related sickness absence and over 99% of the work-related deaths each year”. We will need more occupational hygienists to make a dent in these shocking and preventable statistics. The professional bodies are doing their best and both the BOHS and IOSH have implemented significant campaigns to raise the awareness of these facts and to encourage employers and the media to take seriously occupational health and occupational hygiene.

In a world where the media does not let 'elf n safety' get in the way of a good story, this is the chance for the occupational hygiene profession to make a real and lasting difference.