Postgraduate students and researchers from the North-West University (NWU) won seven awards at the Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene’s (SAIOH’s) annual conference that took place from 26 to 28 October 2022 in Boksburg, and during the gala dinner the best students and research articles were awarded.

According to Prof Johan du Plessis, the director of the Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative (OHHRI), no awards were given in 2019 and 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and therefore, this year awards were given for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

The postgraduate students and researchers received the following awards at the gala dinner:

• Cavan Holleran, a master’s graduate (supervised by Corné van der Merwe and Prof Johan du Plessis), received the SAIOH Tertiary Student of the Year 2021 award.
• Lucky Matlhatsi, a master’s graduate (supervised by Dr Stefan Linde, Dr Sonette du Preez and Corné van der Merwe), received the SAIOH Tertiary Student of the Year 2020 award.
• Dr Stefan Linde, Prof Anja Franken and Prof Johan du Plessis walked away with the SAIOH Article of the Year 2021 award. [Linde, S.J.L., Franken, A., du Plessis, J.L. 2021. Skin and respiratory exposure to platinum group metals at South African precious metals refineries. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 94:1073-1083].
• The recipients of the SAIOH Article of the Year 2020 award are Dr Karlien Linde, a PhD graduate (promoters: Prof Johan du Plessis and Dr Caradee Wright, South African Medical Research Council). [Linde, K., Wright, C.Y., du Plessis, J.L. 2020. Subjective and objective skin colour of a farmworker group in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Skin Research and Technology, 26:923-931].
• The SAIOH Article of the Year 2019 award was made to Dr Aleksandr Stefaniak (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV, USA), Dr Sonette du Preez and Prof Johan du Plessis. [Stefaniak, A.B.,et al. 2019. Insights into emissions and exposures from use of industrial-scale additive manufacturing machines. Safety and Health at Work, 10:229-236].
• Lizé Coetzee, a master’s student in occupational hygiene, received the Best Poster Presentation award at the 2022 conference. [Coetzee, M.E., van der Merwe, C.J., du Plessis, J.L. 2022. Can smartphones be used to measure illuminance?].
• Monica Young, currently enrolled for a PhD in occupational hygiene, received the SAIOH Occupational Hygiene Technologist Top Achiever award (written/oral registration assessment) for 2021.
• Renier Nortje, an NWU alumnus, received the SAIOH Occupational Hygienist Top Achiever award (written/oral registration assessment) for 2019.

According to Prof Du Plessis, these awards acknowledge the quality of occupational hygiene and/or health research conducted by the OHHRI, and aligns with its mission to conduct applicable and instructive occupational hygiene research in southern Africa that promotes healthy workplaces and improved worker health.