Development of an Occupational Hygiene and Health Monitoring Guide for University Laboratories and Facilities: Insights from the Australian Context

Several studies have investigated airborne chemical exposures in university teaching laboratories, where activities are typically structured and supervised. University research laboratories typically involve greater autonomy, the use of more hazardous substances, and less oversight. This industry-embedded study aimed to develop a comprehensive guideline for occupational hygiene and health monitoring (OHHM) tailored to a university context, including both teaching and research laboratories. Guidelines and policies from the Western Australian mining sector and six Australian universities were analysed to identify common elements for a draft OHHM guideline. This draft was reviewed by an industry advisory group (IAG) of five Australian university health and safety managers. Their feedback was analysed and discussed with the Chief Safety Officer at Edith Cowan University (ECU). Following the incorporation of this input and final revisions, the guideline was ratified and implemented across ECU in April 2025. The guide adopts a risk-based occupational hygiene (OH) approach, in which OH monitoring results determine the need for health monitoring (HM). Implementation is supported by central coordination and external OH consultancy. The study presents the resulting guide document, which establishes a replicable framework that may inform similar initiatives in universities internationally (especially those with laboratories).