Background
Biological monitoring has enjoyed increasing attention in recent years in chemical risk assessment at workplace. As industrial hygiene has branched out into lower level exposure, indoor problems and learning from polluted earth areas, the importance of biomonitoring as tool to show the exposure has increased.

Biological monitoring is based on the analysis of hazardous substances or their metabolites in urine, blood or breath, and is used to assess exposure by inhalation, ingestion and absorption through the skin. Exposure through the skin and the protection provided by protective devices, as well as accumulation of the chemical substances in the body, cannot be estimated with ambient monitoring. Still, the physicians and health care nurses have great problems in deciding how they should act at the workplace to assure the health of workers. How to combine industrial hygiene measurements and biomonitoring for workplace risk assessment?

The ultimate object of assessment of chemical exposure at workplaces is to prevent health impairments that may result from exposure to chemicals at work. The workshop provides a possibility for participants to present their plans and projects, and to receive feedback from the keynote lecturers and other participants. 

The workshop is organised in connection with the International Symposium on Biological Monitoring in Occupational and Environmental Health (ISBM2010). Participation in the workshop will also enable participation in the plenary sessions and panel discussion of the symposium that are outside of the workshop. Also the meals and the social programme are shared.

Objectives
The workshop aims to introduce useful new techniques for the evaluation of chemical exposure by using biomonitoring methods together with occupational hygiene measurements.

The participants have a possibility to exchange views and knowledge on recent developments in practical biomonitoring and industrial hygiene at workplaces. The aim is to build links between biomonitoring and industrial hygiene studies.

Main topics

Participants' posters and presentations on above mentioned topics are welcomed. The workshop will provide readiness to plan and run programs to measure chemical exposure at workplaces.

Target group
Occupational health professionals and practitioners, researchers

Workshop structure and working method
The workshop will be interactive by nature, encouraging the participants to share their own experiences and knowledge in the area.

Lecturers
Claude Viau, Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada

Kate Jones, Principal Scientist, Biological Monitoring (specialist in biological monitoring for organic chemicals), Health and Safety Laboratory, Buxton, United Kingdom

Tobias Weiss, Dr. rer. nat., Head of Department Human Biomonitoring, IPA - Institute of Prevention and Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany

Mirja Kiilunen, Adjunct professor, Senior Adviser, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland

Juha Laitinen, Adjunct professor, Senior Scientist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Kuopio, Finland

Venue and accommodation
The workshop will take place at Hanasaari Cultural Centre www.hanasaari.fi. Hanasaari is located in a beautiful seaside setting on the border between Helsinki and Espoo. Thanks to excellent connections, you are only a few minutes drive from the centre of Helsinki or Espoo by bus, taxi or your own car and Hanasaari is only 27 km from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. Free parking is available for guests. The hotel rooms are cosy and spacious, and the restaurant offers friendly and accommodating service. The hotel also features a relaxing sauna with swimming pool.
For reservation and registration, please refer to www.ttl.fi/isbm2010.

Registration fees
The fee for early registration (until 1 May 2010) is EUR 450 and EUR 550 for late registration (from 2 May onwards). These prices include participation in the NIVA workshop, the general sessions and panel discussion of the Symposium, workshop material, lunches, coffees and the social programme.

Kindly note that participation in the ISBM symposium does not include automatic access to the NIVA-workshop. It is thus central that you select the alternative of your choice already at registration. The selection of the NIVA delegate fee is a commitment to participate in the entire NIVA workshop, but NIVA delegates are also welcome to the joint parts of the general ISBM symposium  programme (see above for more information).

For more information on the symposium and all practical matters (registration procedure, hotel reservations etc), please see www.ttl.fi/isbm2010.