At the end of 2006 Dr David Bromwich had a number of research projects running in his laboratories in at Griffith University
He continues this work as adjunct Associate Professor with the Griffith School of Environment in the Centre for Environment & Population Health at Griffith University and is able to supervise postgraduate research students in a wide range of research projects relating to occupational health and hygiene.
How gloves fail
Most gloves are purchased on price rather than performance and within a few minutes, chemicals permeate the intact glove. The aim of this work is to determine how the barrier properties of gloves change with use and how this correlates with visible changes. Preliminary trials have involved the modes of failure of over 1000 gloves.
Permeation Research
There are many aspects to permeation that are not well understood, from the permeation of mixtures to complexities of intermittent exposure and effects of flexure. With the firm foundation of good cell design and well developed test protocols, highly reproducible results permit any factors to be properly investigated.
Video Exposure Monitoring (VEM)
By evaluating video of toxic exposures linked to the exposure data, factors like the effect of work practices on toxic exposures can be used to used to reduce toxic exposures and gain insights into the best approaches to control.
Fluorescence
While permeation testing can be used to determine the service life of gloves, work practices like touching the face with contaminated gloves or donning gloves over contaminated skin can be the limiting factor rather than glove performance. A whole body UV fluorescence chamber is being commissioned to demonstrate the spread on contamination using tracers.
Industrial Ventilation
David has established a well equipped facility for research and teaching industrial ventilation.
Heat Stress
A research facility for investigating heat stress has been developed for investigating heat stress problems in industry, both physiological stress on workers and evaluation and control of heat stress in workplaces
Radiation
Radiation research lingers on a back burner – there are too many other projects.
