Recap: 34th NVvA Symposium 2026 — TrAHnsitie

On April 1-2, the 34th NVvA Symposium took place at the Woudschoten Conference Centre in Zeist, under the theme TrAHnsitie: The Occupational Hygienist as Strategic Partner in a Changing World. DOHSBase was present as a sponsor. In this article, we look back at the key sessions and developments.

AI in Occupational Hygiene: Opportunities and Challenges

One of the major themes of this year’s symposium was the role of artificial intelligence in occupational hygiene. Multiple speakers and initiatives were presented, including applications of AI in hazardous substance research and exposure modelling.

The general consensus among attending professionals was clear: AI offers significant advantages for the field — from faster data analysis to support with complex risk assessments. At the same time, the limitations were clearly identified. In particular, the quality and reproducibility of AI-generated results remain a challenge. For a field where accuracy and reliability are critical, this is an important consideration.

At DOHSBase, we believe that AI and validated databases complement each other. While AI can help process and interpret large volumes of data, the expert-validated database remains indispensable as a reliable source of limit values, measurement methods, and hazard classifications.

Dermal Exposure: An Underestimated Route

A notable session was delivered by Hessel Holwerda, who quite literally “exposed” participants to a case study on dermal uptake, investigated using IH Skinperm. His findings were striking:

• Dermal uptake following short-term exposure can exceed the systemic limit value within minutes
• This can lead to acute effects requiring immediate medical treatment
• Dermal exposure deserves more attention in risk assessments alongside the traditional focus on inhalation

This session underscores the importance of an integrated approach to exposure assessment — an area where DOHSBase provides data on both inhalation and dermal limit values and measurement methods.

NVvA Professional Award for Imke Breedveld

The annual NVvA Vakvrouw/-man Prize was awarded this year to Imke Breedveld. This award recognises demonstrated best practices, innovative or inventive developments in the field of occupational hygiene, or notable contributions to raising the profile of the profession.

Imke received the prize for, in the jury’s words, “standing out for the work of the occupational hygienist.” A well-deserved recognition for her contribution to the field.

Networking and Knowledge Sharing

The symposium brought together over two hundred occupational hygienists, safety professionals, and researchers. The networking sessions — though considered too short by many attendees — provided valuable opportunities for exchanging experiences and insights.

Amin Khalilinejad Gaskaree, specialist in Occupational Health & Exposure Science, shared his experience:

“A truly valuable experience attending the 34e NVvA symposium. It was great to be part of such a professional environment, gaining new perspectives on exposure, health risks, and the continuous development of our field. Many thanks to DOHSBase and Marcel Dumont for giving me the opportunity to attend and be part of this symposium.”

During the symposium, we spoke with many professionals about their daily challenges when working with limit values and chemical safety data. These conversations help us continue improving DOHSBase Online to meet the needs of practice.

DOHSBase at the Symposium

As a sponsor, we were present at the information market, where visitors could explore the latest features of DOHSBase Online, including:

• The limit value hierarchy and how it works in practice
• The Data Export for Stoffenmanager for seamless integration with your risk assessments
• Our kick-off values as conservative benchmarks for substances without formal occupational exposure limits

Until Next Year

The NVvA Symposium remains the annual highlight for the Dutch occupational hygiene community. We look back on two inspiring days and thank all visitors who stopped by. See you next year!

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