Kate Cole OAM is an Australian engineer and occupational hygienist whose work has helped protect the health and safety of construction workers, particularly by controlling respirable crystalline silica or "silica dust".
Career
editCole has a Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) and Master of Environmental Engineering Management from the University of Technology, a Master of Science (Occupational Hygiene Practice) from the University of Wollongong. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.[1]
Cole's work was heavily influenced by a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2016, that investigated best practice approaches to preventing illness and disease in tunnel construction workers in Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the USA.[1][2]
Cole runs her own consultancy company Cole Health.[3][4] She is also the 2022 President of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists.[5]
She also advised on ventilation, respiratory protection, and health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]
Awards
editCole was named as one of the Top 100 Women of Influence by the Australian Financial Review in 2018[7] and is also one of Science & Technology Australia's Superstars of STEM for 2019–2020.[8]
In 2022, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her work protecting the health of workers on large-scale infrastructure projects and was included on the COVID-19 Honour Roll for her work during the pandemic. [9]
Media
editCole speaks about preventing silicosis and other silica-related diseases on the ABC radio national.[10][11]
References
edit- ^ a b "Kate Cole - Churchill Trust". www.churchilltrust.com.au. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Kate Cole". Transport for NSW. 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ^ "Cole Health". Cole Health. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "About". Cole Health. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Kate Cole". Science and Technology Australia. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ Are hotels really the safest places to hold people in quarantine?, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2021-01-19, retrieved 2022-04-07
- ^ "Kate Cole named one of the Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence 2018". Ventia. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "STEM Superstar prompts government probe on masks". ABC Radio National. 2020-08-28. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ OAM, John Leddy; FIEAUST; CPEng; says, MEngSc (2022-01-26). "Engineers recognised in the 2022 Australia Day Honours list". Create. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
- ^ "Silicosis is NOT the new asbestosis". ABC listen. 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "Media". Cole Health. Retrieved 2024-07-24.