While these functions remain essential, there is a growing need to reaffirm their purpose: they are tools in service of a broader goal—protecting workers through effective risk reduction. An overemphasis on measurement alone can inadvertently delay action, contributing to a persistent gap between exposure characterization and the implementation of sustainable controls.

In the context of the International Labour Organization recognition of a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work, this gap represents a critical challenge for the profession. This webinar calls on hygienists to rebalance practice towards an “exposure control–focused” paradigm, where science and measurement guide—but do not hinder—timely intervention.

The discussion focuses on the practical realities of implementation within complex industrial environments. It examines some occupational hygiene challenges as well as key enablers of effective exposure control, including decision-making under uncertainty, integration of control technologies, risk communication, and the alignment of operational priorities with health protection objectives. Increasingly, the effectiveness of occupational hygiene practice depends not only on technical competence, but also on the application of essential professional skills such as leadership, communication, collaboration, stewardship and influence.

Central to this approach is the recognition that effective risk reduction is inherently collaborative. Partnerships with workers, allied professionals, regulators, and other stakeholders are essential to ensure that controls are not only technically sound but also practical, accepted, and sustainable over time. The ability of hygienists to translate data into action is therefore closely linked to their capacity to engage, communicate, and influence across organizational boundaries.

By repositioning occupational hygiene as both a scientific and implementation-driven discipline, this presentation reinforces a fundamental principle: measurement is not the end point, but a means to action. The true measure of success lies in the extent to which exposure data is translated into interventions that meaningfully protect workers’ health.

Speaker Biographies:

Matthew Olota is a Chartered Occupational Hygienist with over 20 years of experience across oil and gas, manufacturing, and aviation industries. He specializes in exposure assessment, industrial ventilation, and the control of diverse occupational hazards. Matthew has led occupational health programs involving multidisciplinary teams and is highly skilled in health risk assessment, medical surveillance, and workplace health evaluations. He currently works for Irving Oil Limited, New Brunswick, Canada. 

He holds certifications as a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH, BCG), Certified Safety Professional (CSP, BCSP), Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH, CRBOH) and is a Chartered Member of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). He is also a Certified Member and Immediate Past President of the Industrial Hygiene Association of Nigeria.

He currently serves on the Board of the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) and is the President for the 2025–2026 term. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and a Master’s in Occupational and Environmental Health from the University of Portsmouth, UK.