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This conference is the sixth in a series of conferences organised by INRS on occupational safety and health research.

The objectives are (1) to review knowledge about the risks related to worker exposure to biological agents (2) report on the strategies for assessing and preventing these risks.

The conference is expected to contribute in particular to highlighting how to take advantage of recent technological and scientific progress for prevention purposes and should open up future research opportunities.

The conference will address risks related to exposure to all types of biological agents (bacteria, fungi, viruses, microbial compounds, etc.), the routes of exposure (contact, injury, inhalation, etc.) and the health effects (infections, allergies, etc.). It will also cover the prevention measures adapted to work situations in different sectors (health care sector, waste treatment and sanitation, agrifood sector, jobs in contact with animals, biotechnologies, etc.).

• Effects of biological agents on the health of workers exposed: infectiology and toxicology research, epidemiological studies, dose-response relationships, etc.
• Methods and strategies for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of biological risks: risk assessment methods, biometrology, methods and strategies for exposure measurement (bioaerosols, liquids, surfaces, real time), research resources (atmosphere generation, modelling), data interpretation, etc.
• Exposure to biological agents at the workstation: sectors and biological agents concerned, emission sources and exposure situations, characteristics of exposure (concentration, particle size distribution and biodiversity of bioaerosols, etc.), multi-exposure, biometrology, etc.
• Prevention measures: means available for reducing exposure, ventilation, innovative processes, personal protection, new technologies for bioaerosol removal and surface cleaning, etc.

Researchers, experts, OSH practitioners, physicians concerned by biological risks in the field of occupational safety and health, will be interested in this multi-disciplinary scientific conference.

Two and a half days with no parallel sessions. Sessions with invited speakers and speakers selected for oral or poster presentations. The official languages of the conference are English and French. Simultaneous translation will be provided during the oral presentations.