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Writer's pictureGWPlus

New: Occupational Hygiene

Updated: Mar 23, 2021



Groundwork Plus has added Occupational Hygiene to its Operations Management capabilities. As a result, we welcome Jared Barnes, Occupational Hygienist, to the GWPlus team. Jared has nine years' industry experience in hazardous material and NATA laboratory management and is a member of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH).


We now have the in-house capability to undertake exposure and environmental assessments of mining, quarrying, processing facilities across Australia.


We can assist with:

  • Occupational hygiene assessments and environmental monitoring programs

  • Exposure monitoring and worker health control plans

  • Monitoring of airborne contaminants:

    • Respirable and inhalable dusts;

    • Particulate matter (silica, asbestos, wood dust, coal dust, diesel particulate matter, metal, and many more);

    • Volatile organic compounds (fuels, solvents, paints, cleaning products, combustion by-products, etc.)

  • Hazardous materials risk management

    • Asbestos registers, assessments and management plans (licensed asbestos assessing);

    • Lead paint management;

    • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs);

    • Mould and moisture.

  • Noise exposure assessments

  • Vibration exposure assessments

  • Environmental (heat/cold) exposure

  • Microbiological assessments

  • Regulator improvement notices

  • Environmental monitoring:

    • Dust (Dust deposition, PM10, PM2.5);

    • Noise.

To ensure legislative requirements are met, all monitoring and assessments are undertaken by experienced, competent consultants to Australian and international standards. Outcomes are reported against local state regulations in a clear and concise report.

All assessments are supervised by a full member of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) to ensure data collected is representative and reflective of onsite conditions.


Groundwork Plus strives to work proactively with industry to improve onsite safety in a structured and feasible process to generate the best solution for the client.


Have you met Jared Barnes?


Jared Barnes

Occupational Hygienist


1. How long have you been with Groundwork Plus?

I've just started with Groundwork Plus and am looking forward to working with and meeting the team. I have recently moved from Canberra; there I worked as a senior WHS consultant and lab manager in a NATA accredited asbestos lab. The majority of the work was based on various industrial, commercial and government sites with the ACT however we did service a number of quarries and material processing facilities in the surrounding Canberra region. Now that I'm in Brisbane I look forward to having a greater focus on the mining and quarrying sector whilst enjoying QLDs milder winters.


2. What is your role at Groundwork Plus, and what does it entail?

As an occupational hygienist I will be helping Groundwork Plus assess and monitor worker exposure on client sites and improve their working environment. I expect airborne dust (including silica), noise, heat, vibration and diesel particulate matter (DPM) exposures to be areas of particular interest for the quarrying industry.


3. What are your areas of particular interest or your proudest accomplishment?

When clients approach you directly to perform the work then that gives me some satisfaction. Having work referred to you shows they appreciate the work you do and helps build long term professional relationships. I get a lot out of this as it allows me to see the overall improvement of the work environment on sites where small changes to worker exposure have been implemented over time. I worked alongside a manufactured stone benchtop suppliers for a number of years in Canberra where through monitoring and the implementing dust controls we were able to significantly reduce airborne silica levels despite an increase in material throughput. Worker retention rates improved, meaning skilled hands were no longer being lost to other businesses. The business was able to expand more easily whilst maintaining their professional reputation.


4. What is your favourite way to spend a weekend?

Providing the weather is good you'll find me out on the water fishing or in the mountains rock climbing. I love the natural environment and am always looking forward to getting out there.


Call 1800 497 587 or contact us to find out how we can assist you and your site today.

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